The Dharma of Snow
Be patient and persevere: results on the path will come in due time, and sometimes all at once, like the sudden melting of snow.
By Ayya Medhanandi Bhikkhuni
Last winter we had quite a lot of snow. In April, we were still navigating from building to building through narrow pathways dug into snow several feet high. The days were quite bright and sunny, and it was remarkable to us that the snow was still there. One day, after our winter retreat, we were moving a very heavy carpet from one building to the other, which none of us could lift. We managed to get it on a sled and pulled it from the main house to the meditation hall. And then, by that very afternoon, the snow was completely gone. We couldn’t understand how that had happened, literally from morning to afternoon.
One of the nuns at the hermitage, Sister Ahimsa, wrote about it to her son, who is a geophysicist. This is what he wrote back:
You seem very impressed with how the snow melted. I’m sure it was amazing to see. The world transformed overnight.
Melting is a nonlinear process, which means melting begets melting. Also, snow requires a lot of energy to change from ice to water, and this energy does not cause any change in temperature. What this means is that the snow can actually be above freezing without melting. If all the snow gets really warm over a few nice days, then it can melt all at once, really fast. As the melted snow starts to run through the unmelted snow, it helps to speed up the process. Then, when the ground appears, it absorbs much more sunlight and the melting really speeds up. The melting has probably been happening for weeks, unseen, and then the snow layer collapsed all at once.
This sort of regime shifting happens all the time in the earth sciences. Things hold on the way they are, even in very unfavorable conditions, and then at some invisible point something snaps and everything changes. Some scientists are worried our climate may act like that, that it might all of a sudden change dramatically because of the way we are forcing it.
This denoscription is very fitting to our practice. The first parallel that stands out is this: “Melting is a nonlinear process.” In the same way, following the noble eightfold path is a nonlinear process, “which means melting begets melting,” just as waking up begets waking up. As the defilements—greed, hatred, and delusion—melt away, the process of purification speeds up our relinquishment of impurity. The melting of the hindrances, just like the snow, requires a lot of energy to change from ice to water, to change from habit to letting go. But “this energy does not cause any change in temperature.” In other words, the energy in and of itself doesn’t cause the melting to happen completely.
That means that we can still hang on to our poor habits. We can still be stuck in our ignorance, in our delusion, in our greed and our hatred, for a long time. Even if we’ve done years and years of meditation, or weeks and weeks of retreats. Even though we’ve practiced for a long, long time, it can look like nothing has happened. That’s because the defilements can hang on for a long time, “even in very unfavorable conditions.” They don’t like the fact that we are working to melt them. But they hang on anyway, and we get frustrated—which they do like.
The next metaphor is this: “The snow can actually be above freezing without melting. As the melted snow starts to run through unmelted snow, it helps speed up the process.” In the same way, we use effort to sustain mindfulness and diligence, with ardor, devotion, and clear comprehension. We keep working to prevent unwholesome states from continuing. We work to remove them and to encourage wholesome states to arise, and to sustain them. If we continue that process, and give it sustained effort, then when even a little bit of the ground of awakening begins to appear, it also has a profound effect on this process. Just like the sun-warmed ground that appears beneath the snowmelt, shifting and speeding the process dramatically.
Be patient and persevere: results on the path will come in due time, and sometimes all at once, like the sudden melting of snow.
By Ayya Medhanandi Bhikkhuni
Last winter we had quite a lot of snow. In April, we were still navigating from building to building through narrow pathways dug into snow several feet high. The days were quite bright and sunny, and it was remarkable to us that the snow was still there. One day, after our winter retreat, we were moving a very heavy carpet from one building to the other, which none of us could lift. We managed to get it on a sled and pulled it from the main house to the meditation hall. And then, by that very afternoon, the snow was completely gone. We couldn’t understand how that had happened, literally from morning to afternoon.
One of the nuns at the hermitage, Sister Ahimsa, wrote about it to her son, who is a geophysicist. This is what he wrote back:
You seem very impressed with how the snow melted. I’m sure it was amazing to see. The world transformed overnight.
Melting is a nonlinear process, which means melting begets melting. Also, snow requires a lot of energy to change from ice to water, and this energy does not cause any change in temperature. What this means is that the snow can actually be above freezing without melting. If all the snow gets really warm over a few nice days, then it can melt all at once, really fast. As the melted snow starts to run through the unmelted snow, it helps to speed up the process. Then, when the ground appears, it absorbs much more sunlight and the melting really speeds up. The melting has probably been happening for weeks, unseen, and then the snow layer collapsed all at once.
This sort of regime shifting happens all the time in the earth sciences. Things hold on the way they are, even in very unfavorable conditions, and then at some invisible point something snaps and everything changes. Some scientists are worried our climate may act like that, that it might all of a sudden change dramatically because of the way we are forcing it.
This denoscription is very fitting to our practice. The first parallel that stands out is this: “Melting is a nonlinear process.” In the same way, following the noble eightfold path is a nonlinear process, “which means melting begets melting,” just as waking up begets waking up. As the defilements—greed, hatred, and delusion—melt away, the process of purification speeds up our relinquishment of impurity. The melting of the hindrances, just like the snow, requires a lot of energy to change from ice to water, to change from habit to letting go. But “this energy does not cause any change in temperature.” In other words, the energy in and of itself doesn’t cause the melting to happen completely.
That means that we can still hang on to our poor habits. We can still be stuck in our ignorance, in our delusion, in our greed and our hatred, for a long time. Even if we’ve done years and years of meditation, or weeks and weeks of retreats. Even though we’ve practiced for a long, long time, it can look like nothing has happened. That’s because the defilements can hang on for a long time, “even in very unfavorable conditions.” They don’t like the fact that we are working to melt them. But they hang on anyway, and we get frustrated—which they do like.
The next metaphor is this: “The snow can actually be above freezing without melting. As the melted snow starts to run through unmelted snow, it helps speed up the process.” In the same way, we use effort to sustain mindfulness and diligence, with ardor, devotion, and clear comprehension. We keep working to prevent unwholesome states from continuing. We work to remove them and to encourage wholesome states to arise, and to sustain them. If we continue that process, and give it sustained effort, then when even a little bit of the ground of awakening begins to appear, it also has a profound effect on this process. Just like the sun-warmed ground that appears beneath the snowmelt, shifting and speeding the process dramatically.
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From underneath, there’s an invisible letting go of those impurities that we may not even notice. Say you have a shirt that’s very badly stained, and then you bleach it or soak it. It will get really clean. But a few stains will still show themselves, and you’ll notice those more than anything. More than all that was washed away, we notice what’s left. So it is with this process. We’ve worked so hard. We’ve made such valiant effort. And still there are impurities that we’re shocked to find. We get discouraged and may even think we should give up. “It doesn’t work!” we think, without recollecting how much we’ve already managed to cleanse, to purify, to settle, to see.
Even when we’ve experienced the most painful thing imaginable, we can still find peace through the practice.
“The melting has probably been happening for weeks unseen.” Yes! Impurities have been melting and melting for months, for years, even. We may even have been doing this for lifetimes. Then suddenly, this layer of encrustation collapses. When the conditions are right and we reach a certain threshold, it falls away. A door opens, an understanding blossoms. There’s a sudden, real, penetrating insight, and a sense of realization. Something deep has been abandoned.
But there’s more work to do.
“Things hold on this way even in very unfavorable conditions.” For the defilements, ethical behavior (sila), concentration (samadhi), and discernment (panna) are most unfavorable. But for awakening, they’re very favorable. We have to remember to be patient, not to have expectations. Then one day we will find ourselves understanding suffering (dukkha), knowing its origins, observing it, and watching it end. Seeing it cease and letting the noble eightfold path rise up in front of us.
Right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood. How are we spending our time? How do we make our living? Are we doing the practice or are we just sitting? As Ajahn Chah said, “Even chickens sit.” We’ve sat this many hours today, but what kind of work have we been doing? How have we applied the mind during that time? The process itself may be nonlinear, but we must be relentless in our commitment to following the path.
The highest expression of our human nature is to purify our minds. To clear away the clouds, the sheets of snow, the ice that we’re encased in. We’re frozen in our fear, frozen in our anger, in our opinions, in our judgments of ourselves and of each other. We are locked in. We have to find the way to put the key in the lock, even in the dark.
To do this, we need to be able to feel our humanity, to feel our nature from the inside. Not superficially but from within, where the invisible factors of mindfulness, clarity, faith, energy, concentration, and wisdom can dismantle and dissolve years and years of deluded ways of perception, of relating to life. That’s what this practice brings about, given enough patience and diligence and surrendering to the process. It brings about a spiritual transformation. It’s invisible. We don’t know it right away, but after years we begin to see. We see the changes in each other. We see the changes in ourselves. It’s quite remarkable.
When you’re sitting with different states of mind arising and it seems interminable, trust that this process works. In some ways visibly, in other ways invisibly. Like the invisible melting of the snow, beneath the crust of ice. It does work if we keep putting in the causes and conditions for mindfulness to arise, for diligence to arise, for contentment and gratitude to arise, for generosity to be expressed, for concentration to be matured, for wisdom to manifest. The results will take care of themselves. They know exactly when it’s time.
Trusting in the practice is key. We need to trust and persevere with determination. And that involves giving up. Nekkhamma (renunciation) is a giving up. Not just shaving your head and wearing robes. That’s not the real giving up. That’s just on the outside. As a friend of mine once said, you have to shave your heart.
Even when we’ve experienced the most painful thing imaginable, we can still find peace through the practice.
“The melting has probably been happening for weeks unseen.” Yes! Impurities have been melting and melting for months, for years, even. We may even have been doing this for lifetimes. Then suddenly, this layer of encrustation collapses. When the conditions are right and we reach a certain threshold, it falls away. A door opens, an understanding blossoms. There’s a sudden, real, penetrating insight, and a sense of realization. Something deep has been abandoned.
But there’s more work to do.
“Things hold on this way even in very unfavorable conditions.” For the defilements, ethical behavior (sila), concentration (samadhi), and discernment (panna) are most unfavorable. But for awakening, they’re very favorable. We have to remember to be patient, not to have expectations. Then one day we will find ourselves understanding suffering (dukkha), knowing its origins, observing it, and watching it end. Seeing it cease and letting the noble eightfold path rise up in front of us.
Right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood. How are we spending our time? How do we make our living? Are we doing the practice or are we just sitting? As Ajahn Chah said, “Even chickens sit.” We’ve sat this many hours today, but what kind of work have we been doing? How have we applied the mind during that time? The process itself may be nonlinear, but we must be relentless in our commitment to following the path.
The highest expression of our human nature is to purify our minds. To clear away the clouds, the sheets of snow, the ice that we’re encased in. We’re frozen in our fear, frozen in our anger, in our opinions, in our judgments of ourselves and of each other. We are locked in. We have to find the way to put the key in the lock, even in the dark.
To do this, we need to be able to feel our humanity, to feel our nature from the inside. Not superficially but from within, where the invisible factors of mindfulness, clarity, faith, energy, concentration, and wisdom can dismantle and dissolve years and years of deluded ways of perception, of relating to life. That’s what this practice brings about, given enough patience and diligence and surrendering to the process. It brings about a spiritual transformation. It’s invisible. We don’t know it right away, but after years we begin to see. We see the changes in each other. We see the changes in ourselves. It’s quite remarkable.
When you’re sitting with different states of mind arising and it seems interminable, trust that this process works. In some ways visibly, in other ways invisibly. Like the invisible melting of the snow, beneath the crust of ice. It does work if we keep putting in the causes and conditions for mindfulness to arise, for diligence to arise, for contentment and gratitude to arise, for generosity to be expressed, for concentration to be matured, for wisdom to manifest. The results will take care of themselves. They know exactly when it’s time.
Trusting in the practice is key. We need to trust and persevere with determination. And that involves giving up. Nekkhamma (renunciation) is a giving up. Not just shaving your head and wearing robes. That’s not the real giving up. That’s just on the outside. As a friend of mine once said, you have to shave your heart.
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We shave our heads every week, but the hair grows right back. So we keep on doing it. It’s a constant giving up. Giving up the pleasures of the senses. Wanting another hit, another kind of dessert, another kind of experience, another kind of retreat. Judging, evaluating, wanting, regretting, being angry, grieving—all of it. We constantly turn and twist through the contortions of human life until we find that place where we can see through to our true nature, and the pure mind comes into view like a bright moon.
This is a complete letting go of conditioned things, conditioned experiences, conditions in their worldly way, and giving ourselves to that which is unconditioned, until it rises up within us. We cannot find the unconditioned out in the world. We can only know it in the heart. It arises from this very body, which is death-bound, which must be washed and cleaned and tended to, and that dirties the clothing we wear. Out of this dirt-producing, odor-producing body can come an awakened mind, can come transcendent beauty.
So we use the body. We respect it and honor it for the purpose of spiritual awakening, not as a pleasure-producing entity. Our goal is not to squeeze out every last ounce of joy and pleasure from worldly things, but finally to arrive at that farther shore that we’ve been striving for. This is the meaning of the human journey for those who are willing to trust and stick to the practice.
When we allow the mind to get overexcited, overheated about things that have already happened, or about the future, we’re deepening the groove of our mental bondage. To allow anger to abide in the mind, to allow unwholesome states to pervade the mind, is like allowing Mara to sit on our backs. That won’t help collapse the kilesas, the impurities of the heart.
Everything is contained in these teachings. They’re so vast. My revered teacher Sayadaw U Pandita [the Burmese meditation master] always told me, “Don’t read the books. Read your heart first.” If we study our own hearts, we’ll find that everything is written there. Everything. And if we study the suttas, we can hear the Buddha’s words and they will encourage us to keep practicing.
Even when daggers have been thrust into our hearts, when we’ve experienced the most painful thing imaginable, like a mother and father losing their own child, we can still find peace through the practice. We do this by investigating the very ground of our being and discovering that there is no being in there. No solid being that we can call “me” or “mine.” Even in the face of terrible loss, we can see through the pain to the ending of pain. Not only for ourselves, but for all beings. That’s what our journey represents: the possibility of going to the Everest of the spiritual realm. That might seem impossible from where we sit now, but we have to trust this process. And like the sudden vanishing of the winter snow, it’s nothing short of magnificent.
Adapted from a talk delivered at Chapin Mill, Batavia, New York.
Ayya Medhanandi Bhikkhuni is the founder and guiding teacher of Sati Saraniya Hermitage in Perth, Ontario, Canada.
=====
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This is a complete letting go of conditioned things, conditioned experiences, conditions in their worldly way, and giving ourselves to that which is unconditioned, until it rises up within us. We cannot find the unconditioned out in the world. We can only know it in the heart. It arises from this very body, which is death-bound, which must be washed and cleaned and tended to, and that dirties the clothing we wear. Out of this dirt-producing, odor-producing body can come an awakened mind, can come transcendent beauty.
So we use the body. We respect it and honor it for the purpose of spiritual awakening, not as a pleasure-producing entity. Our goal is not to squeeze out every last ounce of joy and pleasure from worldly things, but finally to arrive at that farther shore that we’ve been striving for. This is the meaning of the human journey for those who are willing to trust and stick to the practice.
When we allow the mind to get overexcited, overheated about things that have already happened, or about the future, we’re deepening the groove of our mental bondage. To allow anger to abide in the mind, to allow unwholesome states to pervade the mind, is like allowing Mara to sit on our backs. That won’t help collapse the kilesas, the impurities of the heart.
Everything is contained in these teachings. They’re so vast. My revered teacher Sayadaw U Pandita [the Burmese meditation master] always told me, “Don’t read the books. Read your heart first.” If we study our own hearts, we’ll find that everything is written there. Everything. And if we study the suttas, we can hear the Buddha’s words and they will encourage us to keep practicing.
Even when daggers have been thrust into our hearts, when we’ve experienced the most painful thing imaginable, like a mother and father losing their own child, we can still find peace through the practice. We do this by investigating the very ground of our being and discovering that there is no being in there. No solid being that we can call “me” or “mine.” Even in the face of terrible loss, we can see through the pain to the ending of pain. Not only for ourselves, but for all beings. That’s what our journey represents: the possibility of going to the Everest of the spiritual realm. That might seem impossible from where we sit now, but we have to trust this process. And like the sudden vanishing of the winter snow, it’s nothing short of magnificent.
Adapted from a talk delivered at Chapin Mill, Batavia, New York.
Ayya Medhanandi Bhikkhuni is the founder and guiding teacher of Sati Saraniya Hermitage in Perth, Ontario, Canada.
=====
Ajahn Chah, Buddhist teacher of Thai forest meditation of Theravada Buddhism channel:
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Forwarded from Buddha Dharma books
Free Buddha Dharma ebook
The Treasure of the Dhamma
By Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda
The Treasure of the Dhamma is not just a book for the casual reader. This book aims to provide a thorough understanding of the dhamma as enunciated by the Buddha. Unlike an essay, it represents a selection of quotations from the Tripitaka recorded in writing in Pali around 80 B.C., and which was translated into English about a hundred years ago in England. The translations from the Pali language in the past had generally been done in archaic English, and consequently many modern readers encountered difficulties in grasping the real meaning of the sayings. This book attempts to present the quotations in modern-day English as far as possible with emphasis being placed on the spirit behind the sayings.
The quotations are derived from the various discourses delivered by the Buddha and these have been divided into 15 chapters according to subject matter. In addition to the quotations from the Sutras in the Tripitaka, there are also a few quotations from the commentaries on the Pali Canon and few quotations from other essay writings designed to explain certain technical terms and parables found in the texts.
Free download here:
http://ftp.budaedu.org/ebooks/pdf/EN048.pdf
=============
The Treasure of the Dhamma
By Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda
The Treasure of the Dhamma is not just a book for the casual reader. This book aims to provide a thorough understanding of the dhamma as enunciated by the Buddha. Unlike an essay, it represents a selection of quotations from the Tripitaka recorded in writing in Pali around 80 B.C., and which was translated into English about a hundred years ago in England. The translations from the Pali language in the past had generally been done in archaic English, and consequently many modern readers encountered difficulties in grasping the real meaning of the sayings. This book attempts to present the quotations in modern-day English as far as possible with emphasis being placed on the spirit behind the sayings.
The quotations are derived from the various discourses delivered by the Buddha and these have been divided into 15 chapters according to subject matter. In addition to the quotations from the Sutras in the Tripitaka, there are also a few quotations from the commentaries on the Pali Canon and few quotations from other essay writings designed to explain certain technical terms and parables found in the texts.
Free download here:
http://ftp.budaedu.org/ebooks/pdf/EN048.pdf
=============
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"How should we act, Lord, respecting the body of the Tathagata?"
"Do not hinder yourselves, Ananda, to honor the body of the Tathagata... At a crossroads also a stupa should be raised for the Tathagata. And whosoever shall bring to that place garlands or incense or sandalpaste, or pay reverence, and whose mind becomes calm there — it will be to his well being and happiness for a long time."
Partial excerpt from DN 16 : Maha-parinibbana Sutta
"Do not hinder yourselves, Ananda, to honor the body of the Tathagata... At a crossroads also a stupa should be raised for the Tathagata. And whosoever shall bring to that place garlands or incense or sandalpaste, or pay reverence, and whose mind becomes calm there — it will be to his well being and happiness for a long time."
Partial excerpt from DN 16 : Maha-parinibbana Sutta
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Dhammapada Verse 94
Mahakaccayanatthera Vatthu
Yassindriyani samathangatani
assa yatha sarathina sudanta
pahinamanassa anasavassa
devapi tassa pihayanti tadino1.
Verse 94: The arahat whose sense-faculties are calm like horses well-tamed by the charioteer, who is free from pride and moral intoxicants - such an arahat is held dear even by the devas.
1. tadino: one who is calm and tranquil or unperturbed by the ups and downs of life (Lokadhamma).
The Story of Thera Mahakaccayana
While residing at the Pubbarama monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (94) of this book, with reference to Thera Mahakaccayana.
On a full moon day, which was also the end of the vassa, Sakka with a large company of devas came to pay homage to the Buddha, who was then in residence at Pubbarama, the monastery built by Visakha. At that time, the Buddha was being attended upon by the Chief Disciples and all the senior bhikkhus. Thera Mahakaccayana, who spent the vassa in Avanti, had not yet arrived, and a seat was kept vacant for him. Sakka paid homage to the Buddha with flowers, incense and perfumes. On seeing a vacant seat he declared how he wished that Thera Mahakaccayana would come so that he could pay obeisance to him also. At that instant Mahakaccayana arrived; Sakka was very pleased and eagerly paid obeisance to him with flowers, incense and perfumes.
The bhikkhus were awed by Sakka paying obeisance to Mahakaccayana, but some bhikkhus thought that Sakka was being partial to Mahakaccayana. To them, the Buddha said, "One who is restrained in his senses is loved by both men and devas."
The Buddha then spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 94: The arahat whose sense-faculties are calm like horses well-tamed by the charioteer, who is free from pride and moral intoxicants - such an arahat is held dear even by the devas.
Dhammapada, beloved and favorite teachings of the Buddha channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/dhammapadas
====================
Mahakaccayanatthera Vatthu
Yassindriyani samathangatani
assa yatha sarathina sudanta
pahinamanassa anasavassa
devapi tassa pihayanti tadino1.
Verse 94: The arahat whose sense-faculties are calm like horses well-tamed by the charioteer, who is free from pride and moral intoxicants - such an arahat is held dear even by the devas.
1. tadino: one who is calm and tranquil or unperturbed by the ups and downs of life (Lokadhamma).
The Story of Thera Mahakaccayana
While residing at the Pubbarama monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (94) of this book, with reference to Thera Mahakaccayana.
On a full moon day, which was also the end of the vassa, Sakka with a large company of devas came to pay homage to the Buddha, who was then in residence at Pubbarama, the monastery built by Visakha. At that time, the Buddha was being attended upon by the Chief Disciples and all the senior bhikkhus. Thera Mahakaccayana, who spent the vassa in Avanti, had not yet arrived, and a seat was kept vacant for him. Sakka paid homage to the Buddha with flowers, incense and perfumes. On seeing a vacant seat he declared how he wished that Thera Mahakaccayana would come so that he could pay obeisance to him also. At that instant Mahakaccayana arrived; Sakka was very pleased and eagerly paid obeisance to him with flowers, incense and perfumes.
The bhikkhus were awed by Sakka paying obeisance to Mahakaccayana, but some bhikkhus thought that Sakka was being partial to Mahakaccayana. To them, the Buddha said, "One who is restrained in his senses is loved by both men and devas."
The Buddha then spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 94: The arahat whose sense-faculties are calm like horses well-tamed by the charioteer, who is free from pride and moral intoxicants - such an arahat is held dear even by the devas.
Dhammapada, beloved and favorite teachings of the Buddha channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/dhammapadas
====================
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Love Is Being There
How mindfulness practice can help us make time to love
By Thich Nhat Hanh
To love, in the context of Buddhism, is above all to be there. But being there is not an easy thing. Some training is necessary, some practice. If you are not there, how can you love? Being there is very much an art, the art of meditation, because meditating is bringing your true presence to the here and now. The question that arises is: Do you have time to love?
I know a boy of 12 whose father asked him one day: “Son, what would you like for your birthday present?” The boy did not know how to answer his father, who was a very rich man, able to buy anything for his son. But the boy did not want anything except his father’s presence. Because the role the father played kept him very busy, he did not have time to devote to his wife and children. Being rich is an obstacle to loving. When you are rich, you want to continue to be rich, and so you end up devoting all your time, all your energy in your daily life, to staying rich. If this father were to understand what true love is, he would do whatever is necessary to find time for his son and his wife.
The most precious gift you can give to the one you love is your true presence. What must we do to really be there? Those who have practiced Buddhist meditation know that meditating is above all being present: to yourself, to those you love, to life.
So I would propose a very simple practice to you, the practice of mindful breathing: “Breathing—I know that I am breathing in; breathing—I know that I am breathing out.” If you do that with a little concentration, then you will be able to really be there, because in our daily life our mind and our body are rarely together. Our body might be there, but our mind is somewhere else. Maybe you are lost in regrets about the past, maybe in worries about the future, or else you are preoccupied with your plans, with anger or with jealousy. And so your mind is not really there with your body.
The most precious gift you can give to the one you love is your true presence.
Between the mind and the body, there is something that can serve as a bridge. The moment you begin to practice mindful breathing, your body and your mind begin to come together with one another. It takes only ten to twenty seconds to accomplish this miracle called oneness of body and mind. With mindful breathing, you can bring body and mind together in the present moment, and every one of us can do it, even a child.
The Buddha left us an absolutely essential text, the Anapanasati Sutta, or Discourse on the Practice of Mindful Breathing. If you really want to practice Buddhist meditation, you must study this text.
If the father I was talking about had known that, he would have begun to breathe in and breathe out mindfully, and then one or two minutes later, he would have approached his son, he would have looked at him with a smile, and he would have said this: “My dear, I am here for you.” This is the greatest gift you can give to someone you love.
In Buddhism we talk about mantras. A mantra is a magic formula that, once it is uttered, can entirely change a situation, our mind, our body, or a person. But this magic formula must be spoken in a state of concentration, that is to say, a state in which body and mind are absolutely in a state of unity. What you say then, in this state of being, becomes a mantra.
So I am going to present to you a very effective mantra, not in Sanskrit or Tibetan, but in English: “Dear one, I am here for you.” Perhaps this evening you will try for a few minutes to practice mindful breathing in order to bring your body and mind together. You will approach the person you love and with this mindfulness, with this concentration, you will look into his or her eyes, and you will begin to utter this formula: “Dear one, I am really here for you.” You must say that with your body and with your mind at the same time, and then you will see the transformation.
How mindfulness practice can help us make time to love
By Thich Nhat Hanh
To love, in the context of Buddhism, is above all to be there. But being there is not an easy thing. Some training is necessary, some practice. If you are not there, how can you love? Being there is very much an art, the art of meditation, because meditating is bringing your true presence to the here and now. The question that arises is: Do you have time to love?
I know a boy of 12 whose father asked him one day: “Son, what would you like for your birthday present?” The boy did not know how to answer his father, who was a very rich man, able to buy anything for his son. But the boy did not want anything except his father’s presence. Because the role the father played kept him very busy, he did not have time to devote to his wife and children. Being rich is an obstacle to loving. When you are rich, you want to continue to be rich, and so you end up devoting all your time, all your energy in your daily life, to staying rich. If this father were to understand what true love is, he would do whatever is necessary to find time for his son and his wife.
The most precious gift you can give to the one you love is your true presence. What must we do to really be there? Those who have practiced Buddhist meditation know that meditating is above all being present: to yourself, to those you love, to life.
So I would propose a very simple practice to you, the practice of mindful breathing: “Breathing—I know that I am breathing in; breathing—I know that I am breathing out.” If you do that with a little concentration, then you will be able to really be there, because in our daily life our mind and our body are rarely together. Our body might be there, but our mind is somewhere else. Maybe you are lost in regrets about the past, maybe in worries about the future, or else you are preoccupied with your plans, with anger or with jealousy. And so your mind is not really there with your body.
The most precious gift you can give to the one you love is your true presence.
Between the mind and the body, there is something that can serve as a bridge. The moment you begin to practice mindful breathing, your body and your mind begin to come together with one another. It takes only ten to twenty seconds to accomplish this miracle called oneness of body and mind. With mindful breathing, you can bring body and mind together in the present moment, and every one of us can do it, even a child.
The Buddha left us an absolutely essential text, the Anapanasati Sutta, or Discourse on the Practice of Mindful Breathing. If you really want to practice Buddhist meditation, you must study this text.
If the father I was talking about had known that, he would have begun to breathe in and breathe out mindfully, and then one or two minutes later, he would have approached his son, he would have looked at him with a smile, and he would have said this: “My dear, I am here for you.” This is the greatest gift you can give to someone you love.
In Buddhism we talk about mantras. A mantra is a magic formula that, once it is uttered, can entirely change a situation, our mind, our body, or a person. But this magic formula must be spoken in a state of concentration, that is to say, a state in which body and mind are absolutely in a state of unity. What you say then, in this state of being, becomes a mantra.
So I am going to present to you a very effective mantra, not in Sanskrit or Tibetan, but in English: “Dear one, I am here for you.” Perhaps this evening you will try for a few minutes to practice mindful breathing in order to bring your body and mind together. You will approach the person you love and with this mindfulness, with this concentration, you will look into his or her eyes, and you will begin to utter this formula: “Dear one, I am really here for you.” You must say that with your body and with your mind at the same time, and then you will see the transformation.
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Do you have enough time to love? Can you make sure that in your everyday life you have a little time to love? We do not have much time together; we are too busy. In the morning while eating breakfast, we do not look at the person we love, we do not have enough time for it. We eat very quickly while thinking about other things, and sometimes we even hold a newspaper that hides the face of the person we love. In the evening when we come home, we are too tired to be able to look at the person we love.
We must bring about a revolution in our way of living our everyday lives, because our happiness, our lives, are within ourselves.
From True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, author, and peace activist who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King Jr.
=====
Free Buddhism books, teachings, podcasts and videos from Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions:
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We must bring about a revolution in our way of living our everyday lives, because our happiness, our lives, are within ourselves.
From True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, author, and peace activist who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King Jr.
=====
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Practical Vipassana Meditational Exercises
By Mahasi Sayadaw Gyi
Mahasi Sayadawgyi used to deliver the initiation talks to each and every batch of yogis when they came to practise Vipassana Meditation at the Mahasi Meditation Centre at Yangon. These talks were, tape-recorded, compiled and printed in Myanmar language and later translated into English and published for Foreign Yogis.
These talks are of four types in length; 15-minutes, 30-minutes, 60-minutes and 90-minutes. However, their English translations were published under different noscripts as follows.
• The 15-minutes talk under the noscript “Practical Vipassana Meditation Exercises” first published in November, 2017.
• The 30-minutes talk under the noscript “Practical Vipassana Meditational Exercises, first published in December, 1978.
• The 90-muinutes talk under the noscript “The Satipatthana Vipassana Meditation (A Basic Mindfulness Exercises) first published in 1954.
On the 4th , December 1974, Mahasi Saydawgyi delivered a special discourse under the noscript “Sasana Yeiktha Silver Jubilee Discourse” to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of his first preaching of Vipassana Meditation at the Sasana Yeiktha on 4th , December 1949. This Discourse was first published in December 1978 together with other selected discourses and 30-minutes tape-recorded discourse of “Practical Meditation Exercises” in both Myanmar and English Languages.
Free download available:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/qdkbnqcyf3fol4j/
=============
Practical Vipassana Meditational Exercises
By Mahasi Sayadaw Gyi
Mahasi Sayadawgyi used to deliver the initiation talks to each and every batch of yogis when they came to practise Vipassana Meditation at the Mahasi Meditation Centre at Yangon. These talks were, tape-recorded, compiled and printed in Myanmar language and later translated into English and published for Foreign Yogis.
These talks are of four types in length; 15-minutes, 30-minutes, 60-minutes and 90-minutes. However, their English translations were published under different noscripts as follows.
• The 15-minutes talk under the noscript “Practical Vipassana Meditation Exercises” first published in November, 2017.
• The 30-minutes talk under the noscript “Practical Vipassana Meditational Exercises, first published in December, 1978.
• The 90-muinutes talk under the noscript “The Satipatthana Vipassana Meditation (A Basic Mindfulness Exercises) first published in 1954.
On the 4th , December 1974, Mahasi Saydawgyi delivered a special discourse under the noscript “Sasana Yeiktha Silver Jubilee Discourse” to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of his first preaching of Vipassana Meditation at the Sasana Yeiktha on 4th , December 1949. This Discourse was first published in December 1978 together with other selected discourses and 30-minutes tape-recorded discourse of “Practical Meditation Exercises” in both Myanmar and English Languages.
Free download available:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/qdkbnqcyf3fol4j/
=============
❤1💯1
Hiri and Ottappa, Guardians of the World
“These two bright things, mendicants, protect the world. What two? Conscience and prudence. If these two bright things did not protect the world, there would be no recognition of the status of mother, aunts, or wives and partners of tutors and respected people. The world would become dissolute, like goats and sheep, chickens and pigs, and dogs and jackals. But because the two bright things protect the world, there is recognition of the status of mother, aunts, and wives and partners of tutors and respected people.”
Anguttara Nikaya 2.9 : Lokapala Sutta
“These two bright things, mendicants, protect the world. What two? Conscience and prudence. If these two bright things did not protect the world, there would be no recognition of the status of mother, aunts, or wives and partners of tutors and respected people. The world would become dissolute, like goats and sheep, chickens and pigs, and dogs and jackals. But because the two bright things protect the world, there is recognition of the status of mother, aunts, and wives and partners of tutors and respected people.”
Anguttara Nikaya 2.9 : Lokapala Sutta
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Dhammapada Verse 95
Sariputtatthera Vatthu
Pathavisamo no virujjhati
indakhilupamo tadi subbato
rahadova apetakaddamo1
samsara na bhavanti tadino.
Verse 95: Like the earth, the arahat is patient and is not provoked to respond in anger; like the door-post he is firm; he is unperturbed by the ups and downs of life; he is serene and pure like a lake free from mud. For such an arahat there will be no more rebirth.
1. apetakaddamo: free from mud. The lake water being free from mud is unpolluted; the arahat being free from defilements is also serene and pure.
The Story of Thera Sariputta
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (95) of this book, with reference to the Chief Disciple Sariputta and a young bhikkhu.
It was the end of the vassa; and Thera Sariputta was about to set out on a journey with some followers. A young bhikkhu, who bore some grudge against the thera, approached the Buddha and falsely reported that Thera Sariputta had abused him and beaten him. The Buddha therefore sent for the thera and questioned him, and Thera Sariputta replied as follows: "Venerable Sir! How could a bhikkhu, who steadfastly keeps his mind on the body, set out on a journey without apologizing, after doing wrong to a fellow bhikkhu? I am like the earth, which feels no pleasure when flowers are cast on it, nor resentment when rubbish and excreta are piled upon it. I am also like the door-mat, the beggar, the bull with broken horns; I also feel abhorrence for the impurity of the body and am no longer attached to it."
When Thera Sariputta spoke thus, the young bhikkhu felt very much distressed and wept bitterly, and admitted that he had lied about the Chief Disciple Sariputta. Then the Buddha advised Thera Sariputta to accept the apology of the young bhikkhu, lest a heavy punishment should fall on him and get his head crushed. The young bhikkhu then admitted that he had done wrong and respectfully asked for pardon. Thera Sariputta pardoned the young bhikkhu and also asked to be forgiven if he also had done any wrong.
All those present talked in praise of Thera Sariputta, and the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu like Sariputta has no anger or ill will in him. Like the earth and the door-post, he is patient, tolerant, and firm; like the lake free from mud, he is serene and pure."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 95: Like the earth, the arahat is patient and is not provoked to respond in anger; like the door-post he is firm; he is unperturbed by the ups and downs of life; he is serene and pure like a lake free from mud. For such an arahat there will be no more rebirth.
Ajahn Chah, Buddhist teacher of Thai forest meditation of Theravada Buddhism channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/ajahnchah_buddhism
====================
Sariputtatthera Vatthu
Pathavisamo no virujjhati
indakhilupamo tadi subbato
rahadova apetakaddamo1
samsara na bhavanti tadino.
Verse 95: Like the earth, the arahat is patient and is not provoked to respond in anger; like the door-post he is firm; he is unperturbed by the ups and downs of life; he is serene and pure like a lake free from mud. For such an arahat there will be no more rebirth.
1. apetakaddamo: free from mud. The lake water being free from mud is unpolluted; the arahat being free from defilements is also serene and pure.
The Story of Thera Sariputta
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (95) of this book, with reference to the Chief Disciple Sariputta and a young bhikkhu.
It was the end of the vassa; and Thera Sariputta was about to set out on a journey with some followers. A young bhikkhu, who bore some grudge against the thera, approached the Buddha and falsely reported that Thera Sariputta had abused him and beaten him. The Buddha therefore sent for the thera and questioned him, and Thera Sariputta replied as follows: "Venerable Sir! How could a bhikkhu, who steadfastly keeps his mind on the body, set out on a journey without apologizing, after doing wrong to a fellow bhikkhu? I am like the earth, which feels no pleasure when flowers are cast on it, nor resentment when rubbish and excreta are piled upon it. I am also like the door-mat, the beggar, the bull with broken horns; I also feel abhorrence for the impurity of the body and am no longer attached to it."
When Thera Sariputta spoke thus, the young bhikkhu felt very much distressed and wept bitterly, and admitted that he had lied about the Chief Disciple Sariputta. Then the Buddha advised Thera Sariputta to accept the apology of the young bhikkhu, lest a heavy punishment should fall on him and get his head crushed. The young bhikkhu then admitted that he had done wrong and respectfully asked for pardon. Thera Sariputta pardoned the young bhikkhu and also asked to be forgiven if he also had done any wrong.
All those present talked in praise of Thera Sariputta, and the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu like Sariputta has no anger or ill will in him. Like the earth and the door-post, he is patient, tolerant, and firm; like the lake free from mud, he is serene and pure."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 95: Like the earth, the arahat is patient and is not provoked to respond in anger; like the door-post he is firm; he is unperturbed by the ups and downs of life; he is serene and pure like a lake free from mud. For such an arahat there will be no more rebirth.
Ajahn Chah, Buddhist teacher of Thai forest meditation of Theravada Buddhism channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/ajahnchah_buddhism
====================
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Collection of teachings of Venerable Ajahn Chah, a foremost meditation and Buddhist teacher from Thailand
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Dhammapada Verses 87
Pancasata Agantukabhikkhu Vatthu
Kanham dhammam vippahaya
sukkam bhavetha pandito
oka anokamagamma
viveke yattha duramam.
Tatrabhiratimiccheyya
hitva kame akincano
pariyodapeyya attanam
cittaklesehi pandito.
The man of wisdom, leaving the home of craving and having Nibbana as his goal, should give up dark, evil ways and cultivate pure, good ones. He should seek great delight in solitude, detachment and Nibbana, which an ordinary man finds so difficult to enjoy. He should also give up sensual pleasures, and clinging to nothing, should cleanse himself of all impurities of the mind.
https://news.1rj.ru/str/dhammapadas/866
Pancasata Agantukabhikkhu Vatthu
Kanham dhammam vippahaya
sukkam bhavetha pandito
oka anokamagamma
viveke yattha duramam.
Tatrabhiratimiccheyya
hitva kame akincano
pariyodapeyya attanam
cittaklesehi pandito.
The man of wisdom, leaving the home of craving and having Nibbana as his goal, should give up dark, evil ways and cultivate pure, good ones. He should seek great delight in solitude, detachment and Nibbana, which an ordinary man finds so difficult to enjoy. He should also give up sensual pleasures, and clinging to nothing, should cleanse himself of all impurities of the mind.
https://news.1rj.ru/str/dhammapadas/866
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Dhammapada Verse 96
Kosambivasitissattherasamanera Vatthu
Santam tassa manam hoti
santa vaca ca kamma ca
sammadanna vimuttassa
upasantassa tadino.
Verse 96: An arahat is calm in his mind, calm in his speech, and also in his deed; truly knowing the Dhamma, such an arahat is free from moral defilements and is unpurturbed by the ups and downs of life.
The Story of a Samanera from Kosambi
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (96) of this book, with reference to a samanera, a pupil of Thera Tissa from Kosambi.
Once, a seven year old boy was made a samanera at the request of his father. Before his head was shaved the boy was given a subject of meditation. While he was being shaved, the boy had his mind fixed steadfastly on the object of meditation; as a result, he attained arahatship as soon as they finished shaving his head.
After some time, Thera Tissa, accompanied by the samanera, set out for Savatthi to pay homage to the Buddha. On the way, they spent one night in a village monastery. The thera fell asleep, but the young samanera sat up the whole night beside the bed of the old thera. Early in the morning, the old thera thought it was time to wake up the young samanera. So he roused up the samanera with a palm-leaf fan, and accidentally hit the eye of the samanera with the handle of the fan and damaged the eye. The samanera covered that eye with one hand and went about doing his duties of getting water for the thera to wash his face and clean his mouth, sweeping the floor of the monastery, etc. When the young samanera offered water with one hand to the thera, the thera chided him, and said that he should offer things with both hands. Only then, did the thera learn how the samanera lost his eye. At that instant, he realized that he had wronged a truly noble person. Feeling very sorry and humiliated, he made an apology to the samanera. But the samanera said that it was not the fault of the thera, nor his own fault, but that it was only the result of kamma, and so the thera was not to feel sad about it. But the thera could not get over the unfortunate incident.
Then they continued their journey to Savatthi and arrived at the Jetavana monastery where the Buddha was in residence. The thera then told the Buddha that the young samanera who came along with him was the most noble person he had ever met, and related all that had happened on their way. The Buddha listened to him, and replied, "My son, an arahat does not get angry with anyone he is restrained in his senses and is perfectly calm and serene."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 96: An arahat is calm in his mind, calm in his speech, and also in his deed; truly knowing the Dhamma, such an arahat is free from moral defilements and is unpurturbed by the ups and downs of life.
Free Buddhism books, teachings, podcasts and videos from Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions:
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====================
Kosambivasitissattherasamanera Vatthu
Santam tassa manam hoti
santa vaca ca kamma ca
sammadanna vimuttassa
upasantassa tadino.
Verse 96: An arahat is calm in his mind, calm in his speech, and also in his deed; truly knowing the Dhamma, such an arahat is free from moral defilements and is unpurturbed by the ups and downs of life.
The Story of a Samanera from Kosambi
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (96) of this book, with reference to a samanera, a pupil of Thera Tissa from Kosambi.
Once, a seven year old boy was made a samanera at the request of his father. Before his head was shaved the boy was given a subject of meditation. While he was being shaved, the boy had his mind fixed steadfastly on the object of meditation; as a result, he attained arahatship as soon as they finished shaving his head.
After some time, Thera Tissa, accompanied by the samanera, set out for Savatthi to pay homage to the Buddha. On the way, they spent one night in a village monastery. The thera fell asleep, but the young samanera sat up the whole night beside the bed of the old thera. Early in the morning, the old thera thought it was time to wake up the young samanera. So he roused up the samanera with a palm-leaf fan, and accidentally hit the eye of the samanera with the handle of the fan and damaged the eye. The samanera covered that eye with one hand and went about doing his duties of getting water for the thera to wash his face and clean his mouth, sweeping the floor of the monastery, etc. When the young samanera offered water with one hand to the thera, the thera chided him, and said that he should offer things with both hands. Only then, did the thera learn how the samanera lost his eye. At that instant, he realized that he had wronged a truly noble person. Feeling very sorry and humiliated, he made an apology to the samanera. But the samanera said that it was not the fault of the thera, nor his own fault, but that it was only the result of kamma, and so the thera was not to feel sad about it. But the thera could not get over the unfortunate incident.
Then they continued their journey to Savatthi and arrived at the Jetavana monastery where the Buddha was in residence. The thera then told the Buddha that the young samanera who came along with him was the most noble person he had ever met, and related all that had happened on their way. The Buddha listened to him, and replied, "My son, an arahat does not get angry with anyone he is restrained in his senses and is perfectly calm and serene."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 96: An arahat is calm in his mind, calm in his speech, and also in his deed; truly knowing the Dhamma, such an arahat is free from moral defilements and is unpurturbed by the ups and downs of life.
Free Buddhism books, teachings, podcasts and videos from Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/buddha_ebooks
====================
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Human Life and Problems
By Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda
This book endeavours to portray these human problems analytically and present them with the Buddhist point of view through Buddhist approach and understanding.
As could be expected, Venerable Sri Dhammananda was somewhat apprehensive at the beginning about undertaking a venture of this nature which can easily be quite controversial particularly when it comes to answering questions pertaining to certain areas of human problems like marital discords, divorce, LGBTQ non binary and the like which might be raised by certain quarters when seeking clarification. Hence, in writing a book of this nature the author inevitably had to traverse a veritable minefield with utmost care.
Free download available:
http://ftp.budaedu.org/ebooks/pdf/EN083.pdf
=============
Human Life and Problems
By Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda
This book endeavours to portray these human problems analytically and present them with the Buddhist point of view through Buddhist approach and understanding.
As could be expected, Venerable Sri Dhammananda was somewhat apprehensive at the beginning about undertaking a venture of this nature which can easily be quite controversial particularly when it comes to answering questions pertaining to certain areas of human problems like marital discords, divorce, LGBTQ non binary and the like which might be raised by certain quarters when seeking clarification. Hence, in writing a book of this nature the author inevitably had to traverse a veritable minefield with utmost care.
Free download available:
http://ftp.budaedu.org/ebooks/pdf/EN083.pdf
=============
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He who has nothing
–in front, behind, in between–
the one with nothing
who clings to no thing:
he’s what I call
a brahman.
421*
Dhammapada XXVI : Brahmans
https://news.1rj.ru/str/dhammapadas/576
–in front, behind, in between–
the one with nothing
who clings to no thing:
he’s what I call
a brahman.
421*
Dhammapada XXVI : Brahmans
https://news.1rj.ru/str/dhammapadas/576
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