I remember the monastery
Crashing against the rocks
On that cool spring California night
White foam spraying
As we stared intensely
At the blank walls
No thinking
No seeing
No ing
As the flames rose
And our heads exploded
Blowing great holes through the shingled roof
And you were the tiger’s claw
Hidden behind the veil
And I was the burning cauldron
Casting stars into the endless night
Filed under Buddhism, Flawed Guru, Poetry
Road to the Temple of Peace
There is only one Absolute Reality.
There is only one source of all that is.
There is only one Most High God.
There appear to be many ways.
Yet in their essence they are all one.
Love God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Filed under Blogs, Buddhism, Confusionism, Flawed Guru, Jesus, Judeo-Christianity, Love, Philosophy, Religion, Taoism
I
Learn many languages in order to enter the infinite sphere of no language
II
Learn many symbols in order to enter the unknown reservoir from which the symbols sprout
III
Learn many symbols in order to experience the infinite source of love and power
IV
Learn many symbols in order to embrace the Mother that nurtures all
V
Patiently concentrating the mind through time one passes through the portal to the Land That Knows No Time
Filed under Buddhism, Confusionism, Flawed Guru, Philosophy, Poetry, Psychology, Taoism
Buddha
According to the Dhammapada, more that 2500 years ago the Buddha said:
“He was angry with me, he attacked me, he defeated me, he robbed me” –
those who dwell on such thoughts will surely never become free from hatred.”
“He was angry with me, he attacked me, he defeated me, he robbed me” –
those who do not dwell on such thoughts will surely become free from hatred.
For hatred can never put an end to hatred; love alone can.
This is an unalterable law.
– Dhammapada 1:3-5
Looking at today’s world, it seems that we need to remind ourselves of this unalterable law.
Peace will never be realized in a world consumed with hatred. Peace will only be realized on a foundation of love.
Note that the Buddha does not say that resentful thoughts will not arise when one is a victim of injustice. He says that those who dwell on such thoughts will never be free from hatred. Likewise, those who do not dwell on those thoughts will surely be free from hatred.
What is love? What is hate? What is the relationship between the two. There may be many definitions, but definitions do not really matter. This a question that each person can answer by introspection.
I believe that there is a being, a force, a power of unconditional universal love. I believe that it is an apprehension of the oneness that underlies all existence.
Personally I believe the experience of this universal power is healing and healthy. I believe that surrendering to and cultivating the power of hatred is destructive and unhealthy.
Therefore I appreciate the Buddha’s insight that not dwelling on resentful thoughts can lead to liberation from hatred.
Vasiliy Myazin – Sermon on the Mount
This is akin to the teaching of Jesus, “Love your enemy.”
Or, “Do unto others as others would do unto you.”
No one likes to be hated. Therefore, do not hate others.
Peace is considered a great virtue.
Selfish, unjust actions disturb the peace.
A primary responsibility of any government is to keep the peace and maintain justice.
Justice and Mercy are two poles of the divine Tree of Life. They should act in concord on the foundation of Love.
If a person is committing crimes, it is appropriate for a policeman to arrest him, but the policeman should not be motivated by hatred. The motivation should be to keep the peace, ensure justice. This is motivated by a love for the community.
Likewise, in international affairs if someone is disturbing the peace, they must be stopped. Not from a motivation of hatred, but from a desire to restore peace and pursue justice.
Road to the Temple of Peace
If a nation or an economic system is unjust, it will lose the mandate of heaven. but it is desirable that reform and rectification be powered by a motivation of love, not hatred.
Justice is important, but attempts to achieve justice motivated by hatred will not succeed. Hatred will only breed more hatred.
A world in which hatred is rampant is an unhealthy world. A nation in which hatred is rampant is an unhealthy nation.
If we do not entertain hateful thoughts and emotions then we open ourselves to the healing power of love.
If we open our hearts and minds to the power of love, then the Kingdom of Divine Love will come.
Dhammapada Chaper 1 verse 1
One of the wisdom books that I like to read is The Dhammapada, a collection of the sayings of the Buddha. The translation that I have is by Eknath Easwaran.
The first chapter of sayings is entitled “Twin Verses.” The first verse reads,
“Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draw it.”
The following twin verse reads,
“Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Joy follows a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves.”
Why did the Buddhist monks who compiled the Dhammapada (which means the path of the Dharma) put these two twin verses at the beginning?
What is mind? What is life? What is your mind? What is your life?
You have your mind. You live your life. Do you think that this is true for you?
Is your life shaped by your mind?
Do you become what you think?
Actually the translation of the verse uses the all inclusive first person plural.
“Our life is shaped by our mind.”
What is the relationship between my mind, your mind, and our mind?
You Are Not Alone
Is there a collective mind?
Do only individuals have minds? Do groups, families, tribes, nations, religions, cultures, etc. have some kind of common mind?
“Our life is shaped by our mind.”
How does our life shape our mind?
What does it mean to shape one’s life?
Is the converse also true? Does our life shape our mind?
It seems to me that the mind, while it reacts to life, is stronger, more causal. What do you think?
“We become what we think?”
What is thought?
A thought
What is a thought?
Where do thoughts come from?
How do thoughts effect us?
What is the relationship between thought, emotion, feeling, and action, and result?
How do we become what we are?
What is becoming?
“We become what we think.”
Are you ready to accept responsivity for your thoughts?
Can you choose your thoughts?
Can you control what you think?
“Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draw it.”
“Joy follows a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves.”
What is a positive thought?
What is a negative or evil thought?
What kind of a world am I shaping?
What kind of a world are you shaping?
What kind of a world are we shaping?
Do we want suffering or joy?
“Our life is shaped by our mind.”
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The Flawed Guru 