Slightly enigmatic is the medicine Buddha Bhaiṣajyaguru, who cuts a figure from the early Buddhist days.
Though his origins are obscure, sutras about the medicine Buddha might have been based on descriptions of the historical Buddha as a physician who cures the ills of the world.
Bhaiṣajyarāja is a Bodhisattva described in the Saddharma Puṇḍarīka or White Lotus Sūtra who immolates himself as an offering to the Buddha.
Depicted as deep blue in colour, the Bodhisattva is dressed in the robes of a Buddhist monk, holding his begging bowl in his left hand while his right hand makes the varada mudra where varada means "granting wishes, conferring a boon, ready to fulfil requests or answer prayers".
"Sometimes, particularly in East Asian iconography, the begging bowl is replaced by a medicine jar. In Tibetan images, a myrobalan plant, thought to be a cure-all, grows out of his bowl."
The Medicine Buddha mantra is:
auṃ bhaiṣajye bhaiṣajye mahābhaiṣajya-samudgate svāhā
om beh ka dze-yah beh ka dze-yah ma ha beh ka dze-yah la dza sah mo kyah deh sowa ha
Reference:
Medicine Buddha: http://www.visiblemantra.org/medicine-buddha.html
Showing posts with label Mahayana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mahayana. Show all posts
20130318
20130222
Mixing the Stream of Rebirth
It's been said that the mixing of Tibetan Buddhism with Pure Land Buddhism may lead to confusion. For when studying both the Vajrayana and the Mahayana, the disciple may lose all faith in the Dharma due to the chaos such mixing makes to understanding your purpose in the life into which you were born. That purpose is, once awakened spiritually to the Bodhi Mind, the disciple aspires to rescue all sentient beings with the determination to attain Buddhahood.
In the case of the dedicated Buddhist born into the faith who has heard of the Buddha from an early age, and who has regularly practiced Buddha Recitation, he learned how to use breath meditation to calm his mind, and achieves more gains than losses in his faith. Though his speech may become incoherent when fatigued, his mind still remains as sharp as ever, all thanks to Buddha Recitation and insightful meditation.
In the case of the dedicated Buddhist born into the faith who has heard of the Buddha from an early age, and who has regularly practiced Buddha Recitation, he learned how to use breath meditation to calm his mind, and achieves more gains than losses in his faith. Though his speech may become incoherent when fatigued, his mind still remains as sharp as ever, all thanks to Buddha Recitation and insightful meditation.
20130220
The Nine Paths of the Ancient School
According to the Ancient School of Tibetan Buddhism,
there are nine paths or Yanas, and this text begins
with praise for the Basic Vehicle of Hinayana,
the Greater Vehicle of Mahayana, and
the Diamond Vehicle of Vajrayana.
Next comes the description of Hinayana,
followed by the description of its two paths
of Disciples and Hermit Buddhas.
Goodness at the start is to be
found in the teachings that are
the stepping stones for the path.
Goodness in the middle is to be
found in the basis for the path itself.
Finally, goodness of the end is to be
found in the main part of the path.
Connected to these three kinds
of goodness are teachings —
the stepping stones — which describe
how to attain the skillful grace of gods
using the basic goodness of humans to pursue
the state of liberation and enlightenment.
It is said the motivation for those monks who travel
the Path of the Basic Vehicle — the Fundamental Vehicle
and the Individual Vehicle — is to aim for
the personal liberation of nirvana, for they lack the courage
to pursue the enlightenment of all sentient beings.
Faith and renunciation are the stepping stones
for shravakas — who are Auditors, Disciples,
Hearers, Listeners and Pious Attendants,
and pratyekabuddhas — who are solitary realizers,
intermediate buddhas, hermit buddhas and self-realized ones.
For devotees of lesser and medium capacity,
it is called the gradual path.
In Tibetan Buddhism, the Path of the Basic Vehicle,
the Greater Vehicle of Mahayana, and the Diamond Vehicle,
together form the nine Yanas consisting of
the two paths of Hīnayāna, Śrāvakayāna and Pratyekayāna,
and the path of Mahāyāna consisting of Bodhisattvayāna —
the three previous paths being Sutrayāna —
and Vajrayāna, which consists of the Outer Tantras of Kriyatantra,
Upatantra / Ubhayatantra, and Yogatantra; and
the Inner Tantras of Mahāyoga, Anuyoga and Atiyoga / Dzogchen.
References:
there are nine paths or Yanas, and this text begins
with praise for the Basic Vehicle of Hinayana,
the Greater Vehicle of Mahayana, and
the Diamond Vehicle of Vajrayana.
Next comes the description of Hinayana,
followed by the description of its two paths
of Disciples and Hermit Buddhas.
Goodness at the start is to be
found in the teachings that are
the stepping stones for the path.
Goodness in the middle is to be
found in the basis for the path itself.
Finally, goodness of the end is to be
found in the main part of the path.
Connected to these three kinds
of goodness are teachings —
the stepping stones — which describe
how to attain the skillful grace of gods
using the basic goodness of humans to pursue
the state of liberation and enlightenment.
It is said the motivation for those monks who travel
the Path of the Basic Vehicle — the Fundamental Vehicle
and the Individual Vehicle — is to aim for
the personal liberation of nirvana, for they lack the courage
to pursue the enlightenment of all sentient beings.
Faith and renunciation are the stepping stones
for shravakas — who are Auditors, Disciples,
Hearers, Listeners and Pious Attendants,
and pratyekabuddhas — who are solitary realizers,
intermediate buddhas, hermit buddhas and self-realized ones.
For devotees of lesser and medium capacity,
it is called the gradual path.
In Tibetan Buddhism, the Path of the Basic Vehicle,
the Greater Vehicle of Mahayana, and the Diamond Vehicle,
together form the nine Yanas consisting of
the two paths of Hīnayāna, Śrāvakayāna and Pratyekayāna,
and the path of Mahāyāna consisting of Bodhisattvayāna —
the three previous paths being Sutrayāna —
and Vajrayāna, which consists of the Outer Tantras of Kriyatantra,
Upatantra / Ubhayatantra, and Yogatantra; and
the Inner Tantras of Mahāyoga, Anuyoga and Atiyoga / Dzogchen.
References:
- Nyingma: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyingma
- Basic Vehicle: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Basic_vehicle
- Shravaka: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Shravaka
- Pratyekabuddha: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Pratyekabuddha
- Nine Yanas:
- Nine Yanas: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Nine_Yanas
- Yana - Nine Yanas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yana_%28Buddhism%29#Nine_y.C4.81nas
- Nine Yanas: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Nine_Yanas
20130124
Buddha Remembrance Works!
As a Pure Land Buddhist, I am not concerned with personal liberation like the Zen masters are. For that is self power (jiriki).
Rather, I am concerned with the liberation of all sentient beings by uttering the Name-that-calls (Nembutsu) in Buddha Remembrance. This is known as other power (tariki).
Buddha Remembrance is Nembutsu practice in which the follower chants the name of Amida Buddha mindfully with utmost sincerity and gratitude. Since most people may not be able to visualize the Pure Land or Amida himself, they still possess gratitude and sincerity.
Often when I practice Buddha Remembrance, I do so in short bursts to avoid entering a trance. It is important to beware of this since a trance-like state of mind may be mistaken for samadhi (mental concentration or composing of the mind).
For example, yesterday I experienced a calm state of mind, and although there was self doubt, it was easy to let go of those feelings and return to that feeling of calm.
During this time, I was at the library studying Buddhism.
You might think I learned something, and I did: the academic works of Pure Land by the Chinese Buddhist Buddhist Education Foundation are more to my liking.
For I'm not totally into Vajrayana even though some of my blog posts refer to it.
My skepticism of Vajrayana is based on Chogyam Trungpa's lifestyle and how it affected his ability to carefully pick his successor. In all fairness, it boggles the mind that Shambhala members would condone what happened, but they weathered it well.
Nor am I really into Theravada since it had the wrong idea about Mahayana. Even Zen masters are equally wrong-minded. For Mahayana is not cheating nor does it promote Nirvana, the Pure Land, or even Tusita Heaven as a reward for their respective practices.
Anyway, after my aborted attempt to find a good Buddhist book to read, I walked to the mall and had lunch. During the time I was there, I experienced this joy that comes to me more often these days.
It is because I've been doing short bursts of Buddha Remembrance consisting of silently chanting the Nembutsu (Namu Amida Butsu or the shortened version Nam'Am'da') ten to twenty times, counting them off one finger at a time.
Hey, I only have ten fingers!
To reference some words in this text, click on the labels below. If you're a novice at using Blogspot, the labels are in colored text and link to other blog posts.
Samadhi: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam%C4%81dhi_%28Buddhism%29
Chogyam Trungpa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%B6gyam_Trungpa
Rather, I am concerned with the liberation of all sentient beings by uttering the Name-that-calls (Nembutsu) in Buddha Remembrance. This is known as other power (tariki).
Buddha Remembrance is Nembutsu practice in which the follower chants the name of Amida Buddha mindfully with utmost sincerity and gratitude. Since most people may not be able to visualize the Pure Land or Amida himself, they still possess gratitude and sincerity.
Often when I practice Buddha Remembrance, I do so in short bursts to avoid entering a trance. It is important to beware of this since a trance-like state of mind may be mistaken for samadhi (mental concentration or composing of the mind).
For example, yesterday I experienced a calm state of mind, and although there was self doubt, it was easy to let go of those feelings and return to that feeling of calm.
During this time, I was at the library studying Buddhism.
You might think I learned something, and I did: the academic works of Pure Land by the Chinese Buddhist Buddhist Education Foundation are more to my liking.
For I'm not totally into Vajrayana even though some of my blog posts refer to it.
My skepticism of Vajrayana is based on Chogyam Trungpa's lifestyle and how it affected his ability to carefully pick his successor. In all fairness, it boggles the mind that Shambhala members would condone what happened, but they weathered it well.
Nor am I really into Theravada since it had the wrong idea about Mahayana. Even Zen masters are equally wrong-minded. For Mahayana is not cheating nor does it promote Nirvana, the Pure Land, or even Tusita Heaven as a reward for their respective practices.
Anyway, after my aborted attempt to find a good Buddhist book to read, I walked to the mall and had lunch. During the time I was there, I experienced this joy that comes to me more often these days.
It is because I've been doing short bursts of Buddha Remembrance consisting of silently chanting the Nembutsu (Namu Amida Butsu or the shortened version Nam'Am'da') ten to twenty times, counting them off one finger at a time.
Hey, I only have ten fingers!
To reference some words in this text, click on the labels below. If you're a novice at using Blogspot, the labels are in colored text and link to other blog posts.
Samadhi: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam%C4%81dhi_%28Buddhism%29
Chogyam Trungpa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%B6gyam_Trungpa
20130112
If the Left Thinks Buddhism is Authoritarian, They Need to Think Again!
I have never understood how the New Left can mistake Buddhism as only a religion when it, like the Tao, is also a philosophy and a psychology. Their criticism of Buddhism appears to be almost the same as it is for Christianity
Here is how their logic works: Buddhism is a religion. All religions are authoritarian. Therefore, Buddhism is authoritarian.
Confounding this logic is another one involving both Christianity and Buddhism: Buddhism is a religion. Christianity is a religion. Therefore Buddhism is like Christianity.
It is this second logical premise which is a false one, because it is a broad generalization that is invalid.
If Buddhism was like Christianity or even Judaism, then all those Western Christian and Jewish converts should have searched for the esotoeric in Christianity and Judaism such as Gnosticism and early Hasidism.
However, the New Left is notorious for using invalid logical premises to justify its activism, especially the violence-prone Black Bloc and especially in light of the Left's willingness to let agents provacateurs of the State lead and train other activists in what is essentially criminal acts of vandalism.
Returning to Buddhism, I will state that some forms of Buddhism may be considered authoritarian. Theravada Buddhism is a good example of this in Sri Lanka since a needless civil war by the Hindu Tamils was started by the Sinhala-dominated government insisting on Theravada Buddhism being the State religion.
Elsewhere, Theravada Buddhism is so enshrined in Thailand that there is a law that says any disrespect for Buddhism is disrespect for the King of Thailand, and subjects anyone who publicly expresses disrespect to a jail term.
Given the state of the prison system in Thailand, a Buddhist zealot among the guards could easily make your life a living hell just for being vocal about your non-belief in Buddhism. For dissing the Buddha in Thailand is diss the King!!
Also, within the Theravada sangha, women are there to serve the priests. While they are able to become nuns, they are not allowed to become a part of the hierarchy. According to their sutras, women are excluded from becoming a Buddha unless they are reborn as men.
I challenge this sexist notion because women after menopause have been known to grow beards! Therefore post-menopausal nuns should be allowed to become venerable Buddhist priests too..
Returning to the Left and their generalization about Buddhism as authoritarian, my examples do not prove that Buddhism is inherently authoritarian. Instead, they prove that Theravada Buddhism is authoritarian and sexist in some cases.
It is invalid logic to apply this specific example of authoritarianism to all of Buddhism as a generalization because in America, there are Zen masters who are female.
However, I feel that because of lack of a comprehensive education about Buddhism, the New Left movement may have a few members mistake it for a form of authoritarianism.
As well, I call for any New Left activist to fully explore Buddhism before generalizing about what it is, in addition to Googling it on the Internet. For you cannot confront the truth about Buddhism merely by relying on incomplete sources of knowledge. Rather, all the many schools of Buddhism need to be studied throughly before assessing it as something it isn't.
For it is invalid logic to state that since Theravada Buddhism is sometimes authoritarian and sexist, that Mahayana Buddhism is likewise the same. For there are many flavors of Buddhism and I assure you that Mahayana has more different flavors.
Here is how their logic works: Buddhism is a religion. All religions are authoritarian. Therefore, Buddhism is authoritarian.
Confounding this logic is another one involving both Christianity and Buddhism: Buddhism is a religion. Christianity is a religion. Therefore Buddhism is like Christianity.
It is this second logical premise which is a false one, because it is a broad generalization that is invalid.
If Buddhism was like Christianity or even Judaism, then all those Western Christian and Jewish converts should have searched for the esotoeric in Christianity and Judaism such as Gnosticism and early Hasidism.
However, the New Left is notorious for using invalid logical premises to justify its activism, especially the violence-prone Black Bloc and especially in light of the Left's willingness to let agents provacateurs of the State lead and train other activists in what is essentially criminal acts of vandalism.
Returning to Buddhism, I will state that some forms of Buddhism may be considered authoritarian. Theravada Buddhism is a good example of this in Sri Lanka since a needless civil war by the Hindu Tamils was started by the Sinhala-dominated government insisting on Theravada Buddhism being the State religion.
Elsewhere, Theravada Buddhism is so enshrined in Thailand that there is a law that says any disrespect for Buddhism is disrespect for the King of Thailand, and subjects anyone who publicly expresses disrespect to a jail term.
Given the state of the prison system in Thailand, a Buddhist zealot among the guards could easily make your life a living hell just for being vocal about your non-belief in Buddhism. For dissing the Buddha in Thailand is diss the King!!
Also, within the Theravada sangha, women are there to serve the priests. While they are able to become nuns, they are not allowed to become a part of the hierarchy. According to their sutras, women are excluded from becoming a Buddha unless they are reborn as men.
I challenge this sexist notion because women after menopause have been known to grow beards! Therefore post-menopausal nuns should be allowed to become venerable Buddhist priests too..
Returning to the Left and their generalization about Buddhism as authoritarian, my examples do not prove that Buddhism is inherently authoritarian. Instead, they prove that Theravada Buddhism is authoritarian and sexist in some cases.
It is invalid logic to apply this specific example of authoritarianism to all of Buddhism as a generalization because in America, there are Zen masters who are female.
However, I feel that because of lack of a comprehensive education about Buddhism, the New Left movement may have a few members mistake it for a form of authoritarianism.
As well, I call for any New Left activist to fully explore Buddhism before generalizing about what it is, in addition to Googling it on the Internet. For you cannot confront the truth about Buddhism merely by relying on incomplete sources of knowledge. Rather, all the many schools of Buddhism need to be studied throughly before assessing it as something it isn't.
For it is invalid logic to state that since Theravada Buddhism is sometimes authoritarian and sexist, that Mahayana Buddhism is likewise the same. For there are many flavors of Buddhism and I assure you that Mahayana has more different flavors.
20130104
Buddhism Isn't About A King in Heaven
Buddhism is documented to have a founder who went to a Buddhist Heaven through a process called parinirvana, and vehemently denied he will reincarnate. In fact, there is no affirmed reincarnation of the Buddha because that would be sacrilege.
Instead you can pick and choose of several Buddhas to acquire wisdom, conquer illness, live a long life of boundless compassion and/or acquire boundless wisdom, etc. knowing full well that they actually represent various aspects or qualities of the mind.
All the devas, daemons and other mythological creatures have had the Buddhadharma preached to them, thus making them protectors of the Dharma.
And even they too represent qualities of the mind.
Are you following me now?
Buddhism is all about the mind, and protecting it from suffering through meditation, firs to calm your mind until it can clearly realize peace of mind as path to happiness.
Even the different worlds in Buddhist cosmology from hell to hungry ghost to human to devas to Tusita Heaven are merely qualities of the human mind!
Indeed, the old Zen saying, "If you see the Buddha, kill hiom!", actually means "If you have a vision of the Buddha, awaken from your dream since it is not the Buddha but your desire to become a buddha."
Thus, Buddhism is actually an Asian psychology which will drive the mad even crazier and render the truly devoted, devoted, gentle, and peaceful.
However, the Lesser Vehicle of the Way of the Monks is known to turn said monks into mighty warriors both in Sri Lanka and in Southeast Asia.
Sadly though, they happen to be sexist and old-fashioned.
Such is the way of South East Asia.
As for Buddhism, there isn't a king in heaven. There are five Wisdom Buddhas which are reflections of the wisdom of the primordial Buddha, the Adi-Buddha, who actually isn't a living being.
One can say Adi-Buddha was present before everything else in the universe existed but not in the sense of an actual living being.
Imagine though that the Adi-Buddha is in the centre of 108 peaceful and wrathful deities who are reflections of it. Imagine further that all famous sages and Bodhiattvas are too reflections of the Adi-Buddha. Imagine even further than you and I are also reflection of Adi-Buddha, for we are all potential buddhas.
Yet Adi-Buddha is first and foremost the Original Beginning, the Unending One, and the ultimate reality all in one, and then some!
Adi-Buddha does not create; for he is the originator of what became this universe.
It is he who pours out the stuff of which this reality is made of.
All phenomena is symbolically represented by the primordial nature of Adi-Buddha; for all phenomena have in Adi-Buddha their collective source,
Being in a continuous, eternal co-relation with the deity, Adi-Buddha also represents the non-duality of the individual's mind and the cosmos, which are interrelated.
For your mind creates the cosmos, just as the cosmos creates the atoms of which your body consists and the air that your breath.
Who needs a king in heaven when you have Adi-Buddha being the source of reality itself?
Who needs a creator god when Adi-Buddha is the origin of the universe itself?
Adi-Buddha: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi-Buddha
Dharmakaya: click on the label "Dharmakaya"
Instead you can pick and choose of several Buddhas to acquire wisdom, conquer illness, live a long life of boundless compassion and/or acquire boundless wisdom, etc. knowing full well that they actually represent various aspects or qualities of the mind.
All the devas, daemons and other mythological creatures have had the Buddhadharma preached to them, thus making them protectors of the Dharma.
And even they too represent qualities of the mind.
Are you following me now?
Buddhism is all about the mind, and protecting it from suffering through meditation, firs to calm your mind until it can clearly realize peace of mind as path to happiness.
Even the different worlds in Buddhist cosmology from hell to hungry ghost to human to devas to Tusita Heaven are merely qualities of the human mind!
Indeed, the old Zen saying, "If you see the Buddha, kill hiom!", actually means "If you have a vision of the Buddha, awaken from your dream since it is not the Buddha but your desire to become a buddha."
Thus, Buddhism is actually an Asian psychology which will drive the mad even crazier and render the truly devoted, devoted, gentle, and peaceful.
However, the Lesser Vehicle of the Way of the Monks is known to turn said monks into mighty warriors both in Sri Lanka and in Southeast Asia.
Sadly though, they happen to be sexist and old-fashioned.
Such is the way of South East Asia.
As for Buddhism, there isn't a king in heaven. There are five Wisdom Buddhas which are reflections of the wisdom of the primordial Buddha, the Adi-Buddha, who actually isn't a living being.
One can say Adi-Buddha was present before everything else in the universe existed but not in the sense of an actual living being.
Imagine though that the Adi-Buddha is in the centre of 108 peaceful and wrathful deities who are reflections of it. Imagine further that all famous sages and Bodhiattvas are too reflections of the Adi-Buddha. Imagine even further than you and I are also reflection of Adi-Buddha, for we are all potential buddhas.
Yet Adi-Buddha is first and foremost the Original Beginning, the Unending One, and the ultimate reality all in one, and then some!
Adi-Buddha does not create; for he is the originator of what became this universe.
It is he who pours out the stuff of which this reality is made of.
All phenomena is symbolically represented by the primordial nature of Adi-Buddha; for all phenomena have in Adi-Buddha their collective source,
Being in a continuous, eternal co-relation with the deity, Adi-Buddha also represents the non-duality of the individual's mind and the cosmos, which are interrelated.
For your mind creates the cosmos, just as the cosmos creates the atoms of which your body consists and the air that your breath.
Who needs a king in heaven when you have Adi-Buddha being the source of reality itself?
Who needs a creator god when Adi-Buddha is the origin of the universe itself?
Adi-Buddha: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi-Buddha
Dharmakaya: click on the label "Dharmakaya"
20051202
5 Groups of Existence and the Truth of Suffering
In the Buddha's first discourse, Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dharma, he asked:
"What now is the Noble Truth of Suffering?
Birth is suffering; decay is suffering; death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are suffering; not to get what one desires is suffering; in short the five groups of existence are suffering." — Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, Samyutta Nikaya
The Buddha goes on to say:
“What is the suffering upon suffering?
It is that which is painful when arising,
painful when remaining, and pleasant when changing.”
This suffering is blatantly truthful about suffering by being born, dying, the stress due to "sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair", and "not to get what one desires", which implies frustration of "what one desires".
For birth causes pain to one's mother, and giving birth to a child puts her at risk of dying.
Thus birth is suffering.
Decay is suffering because of gradual failure of health, strength, soundness, prosperity, or any kind of
In old age, I may die. Since the grasping of ego leads me to cling to life out of fear of death and imminent non-existence, death is suffering. When death is near, out of the prospect that he loses his life as he is dying, the disciple encounters sorrow.
Sorrow is suffering because of loss of a loved one, which leads to bereavement. Being the opposite of joy, it leads her to sadness and disappointment. When that sadness leads to disappointment, it causes regret. Regret leads to great unhappiness. In this mental state of being sad, she feels grief due to disappointment at not having a loved one, especially the loss of her mother.
At the loss of a loved one, she laments the loss of her parents, her child, or her spouse. When she cries over that loss, she may wail or moan to express her grief. Her loss will lead to the pain of bereavement and lament her loss with wailing and moaning.
Faced with the prospect of losing both his parents, he does not get what he desires, but loses his father and mother to death. At the prospect of their eventual death, he shows grief and despairs losing his life, too.
Hence, the five groups of existence — birth, decay, death, sorrow with lamentation and the pain suffered which causes grief and despair, and the frustration of not getting what I desire.
Thus the First Noble Truth shows that all life is suffering.
Vajra Master Geshe Tashi Tsering says:
"For people like us, who do not have the direct realization of emptiness, although we may understand certain levels of physical and mental experiences as suffering, it is impossible for us to see all the levels of suffering for what they are. Instead we may see some things as desirable when in truth they are suffering."
Suffering consists of misery, unhappiness, and pain. It also is called bitterness and hardship.
Regarding suffering, Ajahn Sucitto adds:
"Just reflect upon your activities and pursuits: notice that they involve a constant effort to change or cope with what is disagreeable, or to stimulate well-being. This striving is universal."
As a result, the feeling of lack or loss or conflict in our lives is suffering.
In a sense the First Noble Truth is also called the First Precious Truth, since life is precious because of the five group of existence that affirm suffering.
Knowing this to be true, in the mind of the disciple arises the Bodhi Mind, of which the determination to achieve Buddhahood and the aspiration to rescue all sentient beings as bodhisattva are the spirit of Enlightenment, the aspiration to achieve it, and the Great Mind set on Enlightenment.
Pure Land Master Tâm writes:
"...When faced with difficult circumstances, pay attention to the mind, and do not cling to appearances and forms, The evil, turbid Saha World has always been full of suffering and tears. Without perseverance and forbearance, it is very difficult to succeed in cultivation."
"Difficult circumstances" refers to the effects of karma, both internal and external, both in this life and perhaps in the past lives.
"Appearances and forms" refers to the appearances of obstacles, both great and small, such as distractions of worldliness — fame, headaches, weather — that prevents the disciple's cultivation.
It also includes the appearance of distractive influences such as natural disasters, thieves, and false friends who try to entice the disciple from cultivating the single-mindedness of samadhi.
"Forms" refers to the forms of suffering, be it bitterness, hardship, misery, pain and unhappiness.
It also refers to the forms of distraction which are the vain grasping of ego, attracted to sensations due to attachment to what you desire, and clinging to destructive habits of action and thought.
"Evil" refers to mental calculations which the West feel shouldn't prevent cultivation, but often leads the disciple to become distracted from Buddha Recitation.
One form of mental calculation is when the disciple decides to practice Buddha Recitation with the intent to impress his fellow disciples. Of course, it is admirable to recite many times to burn off the effects of evil karma, but doing so out of the intent to impress your fellow Buddhist is like washing a cup and drinking from it repeatedly.
What kind of good come from trying to impress others about a thousand recitations when ten will suffice?
With regard to Tibetan Buddhism, life may be filled with suffering arising due to the actions of the Six Root Destructive Emotions — Ignorance, Desire, Anger, Pride, Doubt, and Beliefs — and the Twenty Subsidiary Destructive Emotions &mdash: Rage, Resentment, Spitefulness, Cruelty, Envy, Deception, Pretension, Lack, Disregard, Concealment, Miserliness, Self-satisfaction, Lack, Laziness, Carelessness, Forgetfulness, Inattention, Lethargy, Excitement, and Distraction.
However, Buddha Recitation as mindful practice will help control the Five Ever-Present Mental States — Sensation, Perception, Intention, Contact, and Attention.
Once these five mental states are controlled through cultivation, it is possible to control the Five Object-determining Mental States — Interest, Appreciation, Mindfulness, Concentration, and Intelligence.
Having controlled these five mental states, it is possible to control the Four Variables — sleep (sloth), regret (remorse, contrition), conception (reasoning, investigation, examination),and discernment (analysis).
Having control of these ten mental states and four variables, the disciple is able to use them wisely. Indeed, they become useful mental tools to help cultivate the Pure Mind which wields the Eleven Virtuous States — Faith, Dignity, Propriety, Non-attachment, Nonaggression, Non-delusion, Diligence, Pliancy, Conscientiousness, Evenness/Equanimity, and_Nonviolence.
In using the Eleven mental states to aid in the management of the remaining forty mental states, the disciple would engage in rituals with his Vajra Master that are designed to extinguish evil karma by promoting good karma.
This is the simple explanation of how Tibetan Buddhism works, Yet it is foreign to how Pure Land Buddhist would do things, i.e. Buddha Recitation and meditation.
By cultivating the mind through recitation and meditation, the disciple cultivates the Pure Mind that is essentially the Self Nature True Mind known as Buddha Nature.
Four Noble Truths: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths
Bodhi Mind: p. 330, Buddhism of Wisdom and Faith, Thich Thien Tâm; Sutra Translation Committee of the United States and Canada; reprinted by The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation.
Fifty-one Mental States: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Fifty-one_mental_states
Six Root Destructive Emotions: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Six_root_destructive_emotions
Twenty subsidiary destructive states: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Twenty_subsidiary_destructive_emotions
Five Ever-present Mental States: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Five_ever-present_mental_states
Five Object-determining Mental States: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Five_object-determining_mental_states
Eleven virtuous states: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Eleven_virtuous_states
"What now is the Noble Truth of Suffering?
Birth is suffering; decay is suffering; death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are suffering; not to get what one desires is suffering; in short the five groups of existence are suffering." — Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, Samyutta Nikaya
The Buddha goes on to say:
“What is the suffering upon suffering?
It is that which is painful when arising,
painful when remaining, and pleasant when changing.”
This suffering is blatantly truthful about suffering by being born, dying, the stress due to "sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair", and "not to get what one desires", which implies frustration of "what one desires".
For birth causes pain to one's mother, and giving birth to a child puts her at risk of dying.
Thus birth is suffering.
Decay is suffering because of gradual failure of health, strength, soundness, prosperity, or any kind of
In old age, I may die. Since the grasping of ego leads me to cling to life out of fear of death and imminent non-existence, death is suffering. When death is near, out of the prospect that he loses his life as he is dying, the disciple encounters sorrow.
Sorrow is suffering because of loss of a loved one, which leads to bereavement. Being the opposite of joy, it leads her to sadness and disappointment. When that sadness leads to disappointment, it causes regret. Regret leads to great unhappiness. In this mental state of being sad, she feels grief due to disappointment at not having a loved one, especially the loss of her mother.
At the loss of a loved one, she laments the loss of her parents, her child, or her spouse. When she cries over that loss, she may wail or moan to express her grief. Her loss will lead to the pain of bereavement and lament her loss with wailing and moaning.
Faced with the prospect of losing both his parents, he does not get what he desires, but loses his father and mother to death. At the prospect of their eventual death, he shows grief and despairs losing his life, too.
Hence, the five groups of existence — birth, decay, death, sorrow with lamentation and the pain suffered which causes grief and despair, and the frustration of not getting what I desire.
Thus the First Noble Truth shows that all life is suffering.
Vajra Master Geshe Tashi Tsering says:
"For people like us, who do not have the direct realization of emptiness, although we may understand certain levels of physical and mental experiences as suffering, it is impossible for us to see all the levels of suffering for what they are. Instead we may see some things as desirable when in truth they are suffering."
Suffering consists of misery, unhappiness, and pain. It also is called bitterness and hardship.
Regarding suffering, Ajahn Sucitto adds:
"Just reflect upon your activities and pursuits: notice that they involve a constant effort to change or cope with what is disagreeable, or to stimulate well-being. This striving is universal."
As a result, the feeling of lack or loss or conflict in our lives is suffering.
In a sense the First Noble Truth is also called the First Precious Truth, since life is precious because of the five group of existence that affirm suffering.
Knowing this to be true, in the mind of the disciple arises the Bodhi Mind, of which the determination to achieve Buddhahood and the aspiration to rescue all sentient beings as bodhisattva are the spirit of Enlightenment, the aspiration to achieve it, and the Great Mind set on Enlightenment.
Pure Land Master Tâm writes:
"...When faced with difficult circumstances, pay attention to the mind, and do not cling to appearances and forms, The evil, turbid Saha World has always been full of suffering and tears. Without perseverance and forbearance, it is very difficult to succeed in cultivation."
"Difficult circumstances" refers to the effects of karma, both internal and external, both in this life and perhaps in the past lives.
"Appearances and forms" refers to the appearances of obstacles, both great and small, such as distractions of worldliness — fame, headaches, weather — that prevents the disciple's cultivation.
It also includes the appearance of distractive influences such as natural disasters, thieves, and false friends who try to entice the disciple from cultivating the single-mindedness of samadhi.
"Forms" refers to the forms of suffering, be it bitterness, hardship, misery, pain and unhappiness.
It also refers to the forms of distraction which are the vain grasping of ego, attracted to sensations due to attachment to what you desire, and clinging to destructive habits of action and thought.
"Evil" refers to mental calculations which the West feel shouldn't prevent cultivation, but often leads the disciple to become distracted from Buddha Recitation.
One form of mental calculation is when the disciple decides to practice Buddha Recitation with the intent to impress his fellow disciples. Of course, it is admirable to recite many times to burn off the effects of evil karma, but doing so out of the intent to impress your fellow Buddhist is like washing a cup and drinking from it repeatedly.
What kind of good come from trying to impress others about a thousand recitations when ten will suffice?
With regard to Tibetan Buddhism, life may be filled with suffering arising due to the actions of the Six Root Destructive Emotions — Ignorance, Desire, Anger, Pride, Doubt, and Beliefs — and the Twenty Subsidiary Destructive Emotions &mdash: Rage, Resentment, Spitefulness, Cruelty, Envy, Deception, Pretension, Lack, Disregard, Concealment, Miserliness, Self-satisfaction, Lack, Laziness, Carelessness, Forgetfulness, Inattention, Lethargy, Excitement, and Distraction.
However, Buddha Recitation as mindful practice will help control the Five Ever-Present Mental States — Sensation, Perception, Intention, Contact, and Attention.
Once these five mental states are controlled through cultivation, it is possible to control the Five Object-determining Mental States — Interest, Appreciation, Mindfulness, Concentration, and Intelligence.
Having controlled these five mental states, it is possible to control the Four Variables — sleep (sloth), regret (remorse, contrition), conception (reasoning, investigation, examination),and discernment (analysis).
Having control of these ten mental states and four variables, the disciple is able to use them wisely. Indeed, they become useful mental tools to help cultivate the Pure Mind which wields the Eleven Virtuous States — Faith, Dignity, Propriety, Non-attachment, Nonaggression, Non-delusion, Diligence, Pliancy, Conscientiousness, Evenness/Equanimity, and_Nonviolence.
In using the Eleven mental states to aid in the management of the remaining forty mental states, the disciple would engage in rituals with his Vajra Master that are designed to extinguish evil karma by promoting good karma.
This is the simple explanation of how Tibetan Buddhism works, Yet it is foreign to how Pure Land Buddhist would do things, i.e. Buddha Recitation and meditation.
By cultivating the mind through recitation and meditation, the disciple cultivates the Pure Mind that is essentially the Self Nature True Mind known as Buddha Nature.
Four Noble Truths: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths
Bodhi Mind: p. 330, Buddhism of Wisdom and Faith, Thich Thien Tâm; Sutra Translation Committee of the United States and Canada; reprinted by The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation.
Fifty-one Mental States: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Fifty-one_mental_states
Six Root Destructive Emotions: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Six_root_destructive_emotions
Twenty subsidiary destructive states: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Twenty_subsidiary_destructive_emotions
Five Ever-present Mental States: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Five_ever-present_mental_states
Five Object-determining Mental States: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Five_object-determining_mental_states
Eleven virtuous states: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Eleven_virtuous_states
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