I thought I’d post on the nature of mantras and how they work, as I’ve recently responded to a question asking this on a Dharma list …. Firstly though, I’d like to say that I wholeheartedly agree with the suggestions already made that the way to truly find out what mantras are and how they […]
The most powerful moment of the concerts for me was when Madonna brought on the Ethiopian woman who had last been seen as a blighted, starving child in a video shown at the Live Aid concerts 20 years ago. It seemed inconceivable that the terrible wretch in the video was now the radiant and stunningly
At night, deep in the mountains I sit in zazen. The affairs of men never reach me here. In the stillness I sit on a cushion across from the empty window. The incense has been swallowed up by the endless night; My robe has become a garment of white dew. Unable to sleep, I walk
Reflections on Ryokan – At Night, Deep in the Mountains Read Post »
To use Chogyam Trungpa’s phrase – all situations are workable. After reading part of a teaching by Trungpa Rinpoche on a forum today, I’ve been thinking about how easy it is to label situations as either easy or difficult from the point of view of practice. And, beyond that, how easy to label certain situations
All Situations Are Workable Read Post »
Looking at a situation with a group of people, what do you see? Suffering However you look, you see either immediate suffering, the suffering that comes from the nature of change and therefore loss of present happiness, or existential suffering – the suffering that comes simply through being embodied. Looking at beings, you see beings
Suffering, Compassion and Meeting Needs Read Post »
It’s funny how often recently when I’ve been reading other people’s Dharma blogs that I’ve found that the only thing I can contribute by way of a comment is a simple smile. So often something in their posts just ‘hits the mark’ and words are really inadequate to express what I feel in response. And,
Compassion and emptiness are inseparable. This uninterrupted flowing innate mind Is suchness, primordially pure. Space is seen in intercourse with space. Because the root resides at home, Mind consciousness is imprisoned. Meditating on this, subsequent thoughts Are not patched together in the mind. Knowing the phenomenal world is the nature of mind, Meditation requires no
Marpa’s Teaching from Saraha in a Dream Read Post »
The last few days (whilst ill) I’ve been reflecting on how painful it is watching other people suffer. And how hard it is to help them to see the causes of their suffering. So often when we suffer we can see what is going on, where the attachment is, where the resistance to how things
The Compassion Gap Read Post »
Some reflections on Compassion, judging the correctness of actions, and Wisdom – in response to a discussion on a Buddhist list about a particular collective action that had taken place there. I’ve been reflecting quite a lot the last few days on these discussions on the list. Two themes which seem to have recurred in
Compassion, Judging and Wisdom Read Post »
How difficult indeed it seems to be to differentiate between fearlessly expressing one’s point of view, and indulging in pride, ill-will and ignorance. How easy it seems to be in retrospect (often a retrospect of many years) to see how thoroughly imbued with ‘concerns of the self’, (actions designed to support my illusory sense of
Difficult To Differentiate … Read Post »
