Shunyata is Emptiness.
In the Western definition,
"Emptiness" seems sad and lonely,
yet, as the Buddhist term,
Emptiness is found in creating
happy thoughts to help
learn from the past,
and look forward to tomorrow,
because anything is possible.
Shunyata is when the disciple
understands with his very being
that all phenomena is
empty of inherent existence.
Shunyata is openness.
Openness suggests open-mindedness,
and the potential of becoming Buddha.
All the disciple is required
to do is to practice
the two-fold meditation
of shamatha-vipassana,
the meditation of the calm mind
and insight meditation
Shunyata is when the disciple
first meditates to calm his mind,
and when his mind is clear,
seeks insight by just sitting.
Shunyata is thusness,
tathata, suchness, Dharmata.
When Gautama became the Buddha,
he referred to himself as Tathagata,
the one who arrives at suchness,
the appreciation of the true nature of reality,
and is liberated from Samsara,
this world of birth-life-death.
For shunyata is the seat of nirvana.
Shunyata is when the disciple, inspired by
the Four Noble Truths, understands Dependent Origination,
and is determined to achieve Buddhahood and
aspires to rescue all sentient beings as Bodhisattva.
Reference:
Shunyata: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81
Showing posts with label dependent arising. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dependent arising. Show all posts
20130310
20130106
Great Nirvana
When the Buddha died, his death was no ordinary death.
For in the eyes of the Buddha sages who knew him, it was seen as the mahaparinirvana. the blowing out of a spiritual life, and the transcendence of a great sage over the endless cycle of birth, life, and death.
In essence, mahaparinirvana is derived from "maha" (great) and "parinirvana" (the death of a truly awakened spiritual master), and means the great final death of the truly awakened. With respect to the Buddha, when the death has arrived for the truly awakened, their death is no ordinary death. In the Buddha's case, flowers bloomed out of season on trees that during the winter monsoon stand dormant.
Thus the nirvana of the Buddha was when his karma blew out the light of transmigration. All his actions on the way to realizing his buddhahood bore the fruit of Nirvana. After this moment in his life, he became the teacher of the Buddhadharma.
What the Buddha taught was dependent arising / dependent origination and the Four Noble Truths, but he followed it up with teachings about the Buddha-dhatu and the Tathagatagarbha. While dependent arising and the Four Noble Truths describe the phenomenon of suffering, its cause and its cure, the Buddha-dhatu and the Tathagatagarbha describe the phenomenon of personal experience and the noumenon of cosmic (transcendent) experience.
What is the Buddha-dhatu? It is the hidden, unconditioned Buddha Nature (Buddha Principle), "Hidden" implies that personal experience occults that spark of Buddha-dhatu in all sentient beings. "Unconditioned" implies further that even though Buddha-dhatu is hidden, it remains pure, real and true.
Quite simply, the Buddha-dhatu is the potential for spiritual awakening to ultimate Reality which is changeless. This potential must be realized, lest the Buddhist who hears the Buddha's teachings be seduced by the lie that there is only one Buddha.
In actual fact, while there may be many Buddhas, there is only one Gautama Buddha.
What is the Tathagatagarbha? It is the hidden, unconditioned Buddha Matrix within which Buddha-dhatu helps the practitioner become truly awakened. Through the aid of Buddha-dhatu, one realizes that one is already awake. Thus the truly awakened are already awake, and she who is already awake is primordially awake. For being awake results from being good, since it is the working of primordial goodness.
Yet Tathagatagarbha is the essence of Dharmakaya, the ultimate level of being. of the Buddha and of all sentient life. With the help of Buddha-dhatu, even you or I may one day be awakened to the reality of primordial goodness. For our original nature is indeed Buddha Nature.
Even so, the pragmatic among the followers of the Buddhadharma may ask, "If originally we are born awakened, then what's the point of the ritual of chanting and meditation?"
When we realize we are originally awaken beings, bodhisattvas in the making, this is because we have heard what the Buddha said, both through hearing his teachings, reading what the Buddha said and comments about what he said, and the practice of chanting of his Name-that-calls.
Personal experience without hearing the Buddhadharma, reading sutras and their commentaries, and Buddha Remembrance would only hide our primordial awakened state.
This is why hearing the Dharma, reading the sutras and their commentaries, and Buddha Remembrance is necessary to realize the cosmic experience that all is Buddha.
For just as Adi-Buddha is reflected in the 108 Buddhas, so too is the Buddha reflected in all sentient beings, including the bodhisattvas.
All it takes to uncover this primordial goodness inherent in all beings is to hear the Buddadharma.
Though, it requires more than merely listening with the ears; to hear the Buddhadharma, one must listen with one's heart. This is known as teaching the heart to be at one with the mind until with practice, one hears with the heartmind.
In conclusion, the Great Nirvana of the Buddha is his transcendence beyond the samsaric cycle of transmigration. Though his body died, his spirit lives on.
nirvanasutra.net: http://www.nirvanasutra.net
parinirvana: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parinirvana
Buddha-dhatu: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha-dhatu
For in the eyes of the Buddha sages who knew him, it was seen as the mahaparinirvana. the blowing out of a spiritual life, and the transcendence of a great sage over the endless cycle of birth, life, and death.
In essence, mahaparinirvana is derived from "maha" (great) and "parinirvana" (the death of a truly awakened spiritual master), and means the great final death of the truly awakened. With respect to the Buddha, when the death has arrived for the truly awakened, their death is no ordinary death. In the Buddha's case, flowers bloomed out of season on trees that during the winter monsoon stand dormant.
Thus the nirvana of the Buddha was when his karma blew out the light of transmigration. All his actions on the way to realizing his buddhahood bore the fruit of Nirvana. After this moment in his life, he became the teacher of the Buddhadharma.
What the Buddha taught was dependent arising / dependent origination and the Four Noble Truths, but he followed it up with teachings about the Buddha-dhatu and the Tathagatagarbha. While dependent arising and the Four Noble Truths describe the phenomenon of suffering, its cause and its cure, the Buddha-dhatu and the Tathagatagarbha describe the phenomenon of personal experience and the noumenon of cosmic (transcendent) experience.
What is the Buddha-dhatu? It is the hidden, unconditioned Buddha Nature (Buddha Principle), "Hidden" implies that personal experience occults that spark of Buddha-dhatu in all sentient beings. "Unconditioned" implies further that even though Buddha-dhatu is hidden, it remains pure, real and true.
Quite simply, the Buddha-dhatu is the potential for spiritual awakening to ultimate Reality which is changeless. This potential must be realized, lest the Buddhist who hears the Buddha's teachings be seduced by the lie that there is only one Buddha.
In actual fact, while there may be many Buddhas, there is only one Gautama Buddha.
What is the Tathagatagarbha? It is the hidden, unconditioned Buddha Matrix within which Buddha-dhatu helps the practitioner become truly awakened. Through the aid of Buddha-dhatu, one realizes that one is already awake. Thus the truly awakened are already awake, and she who is already awake is primordially awake. For being awake results from being good, since it is the working of primordial goodness.
Yet Tathagatagarbha is the essence of Dharmakaya, the ultimate level of being. of the Buddha and of all sentient life. With the help of Buddha-dhatu, even you or I may one day be awakened to the reality of primordial goodness. For our original nature is indeed Buddha Nature.
Even so, the pragmatic among the followers of the Buddhadharma may ask, "If originally we are born awakened, then what's the point of the ritual of chanting and meditation?"
When we realize we are originally awaken beings, bodhisattvas in the making, this is because we have heard what the Buddha said, both through hearing his teachings, reading what the Buddha said and comments about what he said, and the practice of chanting of his Name-that-calls.
Personal experience without hearing the Buddhadharma, reading sutras and their commentaries, and Buddha Remembrance would only hide our primordial awakened state.
This is why hearing the Dharma, reading the sutras and their commentaries, and Buddha Remembrance is necessary to realize the cosmic experience that all is Buddha.
For just as Adi-Buddha is reflected in the 108 Buddhas, so too is the Buddha reflected in all sentient beings, including the bodhisattvas.
All it takes to uncover this primordial goodness inherent in all beings is to hear the Buddadharma.
Though, it requires more than merely listening with the ears; to hear the Buddhadharma, one must listen with one's heart. This is known as teaching the heart to be at one with the mind until with practice, one hears with the heartmind.
In conclusion, the Great Nirvana of the Buddha is his transcendence beyond the samsaric cycle of transmigration. Though his body died, his spirit lives on.
nirvanasutra.net: http://www.nirvanasutra.net
parinirvana: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parinirvana
Buddha-dhatu: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha-dhatu
20110503
Change
"Everything has its coming forth and passing away;
nothing can be independent without any change." — Shinran Shonin
"Everything" refers to life.
"Coming forth and passing away" refers to the ebb and flow of life.
The rest is straighforward. All of life is dependent on change.
nothing can be independent without any change." — Shinran Shonin
"Everything" refers to life.
"Coming forth and passing away" refers to the ebb and flow of life.
The rest is straighforward. All of life is dependent on change.
20110423
My Position on Karma
Despite what I might have implied in previous posts, I do not believe in reincarnation - nor in transmigration.
For karma is but an endless series of cause and effect arising in humanity's past, affecting the present, and potentially influencing the future.
Yet karma's effect on the future is not inevitable.
Since the purpose of meditation is to awaken from the dream called samsara, the cycle of birth-life-death.
Out of fear of death, one may be tempted to believe in a permanent soul to escape the reality of non-self, the impermanence of it all.
Yet the principle of no-self points to the Buddha's compassion for all sentient beings to save us from the delusion of permanence.
His compassion led to the Buddhist teaching of dependent arising, the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.
20110316
Caffeine Sensitivity
During the past four weeks, I've notice a consistent pattern in my behavior which causes me embarrassment and regret.
I'm sure that caffeine sensitivity is at the root of it.
I have a history of insomnia along with mild traumatic brain injury since early childhood.
With insomnia comes anxiety and hypomania.
Caffeine worsens the hypomania, because it lowers my ability to control impulsiveness.
When I am in a hypomanic state of mind, the Internet only leads me to writing about wishes about sensual desire that I would never follow through on because it is out of character with my true nature.
Indeed, sensual desire is a needless distraction from actualizing the true nature of a human being, which is to practice unselfish concern for the welfare of others.
This includes being of service to others, and being ready to help others in need without thought of self. At the root of sensual desires is craving, which arises as a fruit of mental unrest (anxiety).
The common denominator is caffeine and insomnia.
Solution:
I'm sure that caffeine sensitivity is at the root of it.
I have a history of insomnia along with mild traumatic brain injury since early childhood.
With insomnia comes anxiety and hypomania.
Caffeine worsens the hypomania, because it lowers my ability to control impulsiveness.
When I am in a hypomanic state of mind, the Internet only leads me to writing about wishes about sensual desire that I would never follow through on because it is out of character with my true nature.
Indeed, sensual desire is a needless distraction from actualizing the true nature of a human being, which is to practice unselfish concern for the welfare of others.
This includes being of service to others, and being ready to help others in need without thought of self. At the root of sensual desires is craving, which arises as a fruit of mental unrest (anxiety).
The common denominator is caffeine and insomnia.
Solution:
- Meditation
- Switch to bottled water.
- Go to bed before midnight.
20101108
The Social Fabrication of the Ego
In Buddhism, human suffering is explained by the Buddhist concept of dependent arising, which consists of twelve parts which work together in an orderly manner. First and foremost, ignorance is the first of those twelve parts. Next comes fabrications.
Indeed, Buddhist thought confirms that the ego is a social fabrication. Likewise does social psychology.
According to Greenwald, Ego, or self-will, is an organization of knowledge, characterized by cognitive biases strikingly analogous to totalitarian information-control strategies.
These totalitarian-ego biases function to preserve organization in cognitive structures.
Ego's cognitive biases are egocentricity (self as the focus of knowledge), "benevolence" (perception of responsibility for desired, but not undesired, outcomes), and cognitive conservatism (resistance to cognitive change).
In addition to being pervasively evident in recent studies of normal human cognition, these three biases are found in actively functioning, higher level organizations of knowledge, perhaps best exemplified by theoretical paradigms in science.
The thesis that egocentricity, benevolence, and conservatism act to preserve knowledge organizations leads to the proposal of an intra-psychic analog of genetic evolution, which in turn provides an alternative to prevalent motivational and informational interpretations of cognitive biases.
See Anthony G. Greenwald's article "The Totalitarian Ego Fabrication and Revision of Personal History" (1980).
Commentary:
"Benevolence" is my interpretation of Greenwald's term "beneffectance" (beneficence and effectance), which is a term he coined to describe the perception of oneself as responsible for desired outcomes but not responsible for undesired ones. This involves forgetting failures more easily than successes, and remembering one's contribution to a group effort to have been better than average due to superiority bias.
Beneficence is defined as doing good and feeling beneficent, and specifically describes the quality of being kind, helpful or generous.
"Effectance" itself is not defined in any dictionary, but is probably related to effectiveness and its synonyms, power and especially powerfulness, which means possession of controlling influence.
Cognitive conservatism, being defined as resistance to cognitive change — changing what one knows based on current experience — suggests an unwillingness to adapt to present circumstances.
Adaptability is a useful psycho-social trait in which the individual adapts readily to the current environment, especially during times of political change and upheaval. It is also useful within the context of social rehabilitation related to addiction, mental health and associated issues.
Thus cognitive conservatism as defined by Greenwald does not imply adaptability at all.
Overall, egocentricity, beneffectance, and cognitive conservatism are not effective means of dealing with human suffering. The reason that they are not is that the ego tends to blame others for human suffering, so as to reduce its ultimate role in one's own suffering.
Indeed, the ego will come up with seemingly good excuses to avoid or deny responsibility. Yet a healthy view of personal responsibility allows for each of us to share responsibility for relief of the suffering of others.
Therefore, Greenwald's article suggests that totalitarianism might be the externalization of egocentricity taken to political extremes.
Egocentricity taken to extreme on the individual might also explain addiction and other dysfunctional behavior, especially within the context of beneffectance and cognitive conservatism.
Indeed, beneffectance in itself could be used to deny and excuse responsibility for undesirable outcome, while cognitive conservatism, the inability to change.
Overall, Greenwald's analogy that the cognitive biases of the ego are similar to totalitarian information-control strategies confirms the ego only exists as a social fabrication.
References:
Social psychology notes on Greenwald's article: http://faculty.babson.edu/krollag/org_site/soc_psych/greenwald_tot_ego.html
Totalitarian ego: http://biasandbelief.pbworks.com/w/page/6537228/Totalitarian-Ego
Greenwald's references on beneffectance: http://biasandbelief.pbworks.com/Beneffectance
Mistakes were made but not by me: http://biasandbelief.pbworks.com/w/page/6537204/Mistakes-Were-Made-but-not-by-me
Indeed, Buddhist thought confirms that the ego is a social fabrication. Likewise does social psychology.
According to Greenwald, Ego, or self-will, is an organization of knowledge, characterized by cognitive biases strikingly analogous to totalitarian information-control strategies.
These totalitarian-ego biases function to preserve organization in cognitive structures.
Ego's cognitive biases are egocentricity (self as the focus of knowledge), "benevolence" (perception of responsibility for desired, but not undesired, outcomes), and cognitive conservatism (resistance to cognitive change).
In addition to being pervasively evident in recent studies of normal human cognition, these three biases are found in actively functioning, higher level organizations of knowledge, perhaps best exemplified by theoretical paradigms in science.
The thesis that egocentricity, benevolence, and conservatism act to preserve knowledge organizations leads to the proposal of an intra-psychic analog of genetic evolution, which in turn provides an alternative to prevalent motivational and informational interpretations of cognitive biases.
See Anthony G. Greenwald's article "The Totalitarian Ego Fabrication and Revision of Personal History" (1980).
Commentary:
"Benevolence" is my interpretation of Greenwald's term "beneffectance" (beneficence and effectance), which is a term he coined to describe the perception of oneself as responsible for desired outcomes but not responsible for undesired ones. This involves forgetting failures more easily than successes, and remembering one's contribution to a group effort to have been better than average due to superiority bias.
Beneficence is defined as doing good and feeling beneficent, and specifically describes the quality of being kind, helpful or generous.
"Effectance" itself is not defined in any dictionary, but is probably related to effectiveness and its synonyms, power and especially powerfulness, which means possession of controlling influence.
Cognitive conservatism, being defined as resistance to cognitive change — changing what one knows based on current experience — suggests an unwillingness to adapt to present circumstances.
Adaptability is a useful psycho-social trait in which the individual adapts readily to the current environment, especially during times of political change and upheaval. It is also useful within the context of social rehabilitation related to addiction, mental health and associated issues.
Thus cognitive conservatism as defined by Greenwald does not imply adaptability at all.
Overall, egocentricity, beneffectance, and cognitive conservatism are not effective means of dealing with human suffering. The reason that they are not is that the ego tends to blame others for human suffering, so as to reduce its ultimate role in one's own suffering.
Indeed, the ego will come up with seemingly good excuses to avoid or deny responsibility. Yet a healthy view of personal responsibility allows for each of us to share responsibility for relief of the suffering of others.
Therefore, Greenwald's article suggests that totalitarianism might be the externalization of egocentricity taken to political extremes.
Egocentricity taken to extreme on the individual might also explain addiction and other dysfunctional behavior, especially within the context of beneffectance and cognitive conservatism.
Indeed, beneffectance in itself could be used to deny and excuse responsibility for undesirable outcome, while cognitive conservatism, the inability to change.
Overall, Greenwald's analogy that the cognitive biases of the ego are similar to totalitarian information-control strategies confirms the ego only exists as a social fabrication.
References:
Social psychology notes on Greenwald's article: http://faculty.babson.edu/krollag/org_site/soc_psych/greenwald_tot_ego.html
Totalitarian ego: http://biasandbelief.pbworks.com/w/page/6537228/Totalitarian-Ego
Greenwald's references on beneffectance: http://biasandbelief.pbworks.com/Beneffectance
Mistakes were made but not by me: http://biasandbelief.pbworks.com/w/page/6537204/Mistakes-Were-Made-but-not-by-me
20101030
Karma Harms No One
Karma does not really harm anyone.
Rather, one's actions may have positive or negative consequences — that's how karma works.
Yet karma is neither good nor bad. Rather, judgment calls are made by observers of events in life.
If the consequences are harmful and of no benefit, then they are deemed "bad"; if the consequences are harmless and of lasting benefit, then they are deemed "good".
Yet, to take delight in negative consequences in another person's life, calling it "bad" karma, is schadenfreude.
If a loved one from whom one is estranged has "bad luck", then the expected reaction ought to be to feel bad for them; and, if they have good luck, to share their joys.
If one is fickle about one's love for another, and thus makes her love conditional, then I could see why one would delight in evil befalling a former lover.
It is far more healthy to delight in what joys happen to my friends than to wish them misery.
For the consequences of karma is that ill will towards others may result in psychic turmoil for myself.
Karma happens to everyone, yet only spiritually ignorant people would mistake the fruit of their actions (consequences) as "bad" or "good".
However, a positive mindset and faith in a Higher Power helps one to transcend judgment.
Rather, one's actions may have positive or negative consequences — that's how karma works.
Yet karma is neither good nor bad. Rather, judgment calls are made by observers of events in life.
If the consequences are harmful and of no benefit, then they are deemed "bad"; if the consequences are harmless and of lasting benefit, then they are deemed "good".
Yet, to take delight in negative consequences in another person's life, calling it "bad" karma, is schadenfreude.
If a loved one from whom one is estranged has "bad luck", then the expected reaction ought to be to feel bad for them; and, if they have good luck, to share their joys.
If one is fickle about one's love for another, and thus makes her love conditional, then I could see why one would delight in evil befalling a former lover.
It is far more healthy to delight in what joys happen to my friends than to wish them misery.
For the consequences of karma is that ill will towards others may result in psychic turmoil for myself.
Karma happens to everyone, yet only spiritually ignorant people would mistake the fruit of their actions (consequences) as "bad" or "good".
However, a positive mindset and faith in a Higher Power helps one to transcend judgment.
20101027
Ego as Social Fabrication
The ego is not part of the true nature of human beings, but is a social fabrication, inculcated from birth.
Ignorance about our true nature results in us believing the ego is real until we find ourselves alone and socially isolated due to excess caused by our desires and passions.
Within the context of Buddhism, passions are considered a necessary evil. They are evil because when the ego holds sway over a person, the passions would eat us out of house and home.
Merely satisfying our material needs for clothing, food and shelter is not enough.
Without strong adherence to a moral code and the resultant ethical response of right and wrong, we could eat until we become obese, have more clothes than we could possibly wear, and never leave our homes.
Thus, the prudent and wise of us have learned to develop their spiritual yearning to the point where they have incorporated it into their lives, whether it is religious worship or a wholesome hobby.
For me, my hobbies consist of computers and writing: I use my computer to write in my journal, to create electronic music, and to learn about the world and myself.
As for religious worship, I try to spend at least every other day meditating, and reading Buddhist sutras to gain an understanding of the human mind and its essential nature.
Additionally I also read the Bible with an open mind, so as to round out my thirst for the living water of spiritually inspired works.
Ignorance about our true nature results in us believing the ego is real until we find ourselves alone and socially isolated due to excess caused by our desires and passions.
Within the context of Buddhism, passions are considered a necessary evil. They are evil because when the ego holds sway over a person, the passions would eat us out of house and home.
Merely satisfying our material needs for clothing, food and shelter is not enough.
Without strong adherence to a moral code and the resultant ethical response of right and wrong, we could eat until we become obese, have more clothes than we could possibly wear, and never leave our homes.
Thus, the prudent and wise of us have learned to develop their spiritual yearning to the point where they have incorporated it into their lives, whether it is religious worship or a wholesome hobby.
For me, my hobbies consist of computers and writing: I use my computer to write in my journal, to create electronic music, and to learn about the world and myself.
As for religious worship, I try to spend at least every other day meditating, and reading Buddhist sutras to gain an understanding of the human mind and its essential nature.
Additionally I also read the Bible with an open mind, so as to round out my thirst for the living water of spiritually inspired works.
20100828
Buddha Nature and Enlightenment
In Mahayana Buddhism, the true nature in each person is Buddha Nature, which represents the potential in each and every one of us to reach full enlightenment. This is an intrinsic and immortal potential which exists in the mind of every sentient being. Such a potential is actualized through meditation.
First, through breath meditation, one clears the mind of defilements so that it becomes the pure mind that is essential to experience and show compassion for other sentient beings. Second, insightful meditation requires the clear mind to validate the Four Noble Truths and dependent arising in one's life through mindful practice.
"Sentient" is derived from the word "sentience" which means "the ability to feel and/or perceive". Thus "every sentient being" means "all living beings which are able to feel and/or perceive". Furthermore, Eastern thought views sentience as "the metaphysical quality of all things that require care and respect." Even nonhuman lifeforms are sentient.
In Buddhism, sentient beings made of pure consciousness are possible. Hence, the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and other gods exist in their respective Buddha-fields.
Each one of these Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Buddhist deities represent various states of minds i.e. Amida represents wisdom and compassion, Sakyamuni Buddha represents enlightenment and/or spiritual awakening, Kuan Yin represents compassion, the devas represent aspects of enlightenment, and so on.
Indeed, the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhist deities also also have a spiritual existence where they exist within the heart-mind of each and every sentient being.
Buddhists who practice meditation will then realize these internalized sentient beings as various aspects of their mind.
For each Buddha, Bodhisattva and Buddhist deity represents the pure form of each mental and emotional quality of the mind, the qualities of enlightenment such as overt and latent power ( the deities Agyo and Ugyo), latent might (Naraen / Ugyo), day and night (the Bodhisattvas known as White Tara and Blue Tara), the pure mind and body (Kuan Yin), and the power aspect of complete enlightenment (Vajrapani / Mahasthamaprapta).
Thus, the sentient beings made of pure consciousness are reflections of that intrinsic potential to reach enlightenment known as Buddha Nature .
Buddha Nature itself also is empty of defining characteristics related to sunyata and nondualism. Insightful meditation helps in understanding sunyata and nondualism.
Sunyata is known as suchness, nothingness, emptiness, and voidness, and refers to the impermanent nature of reality within context of egolessness, the concept of non-self that all things perceived by the senses including the mind are not really "I" or "mine".
Buddhist nondualism is reflected in that concept of non-self, which is the nonduality of subject and object. Thus is self and other an illusion. Nondualism is also reflected in the concept of two truths, the ultimate reality that there is no self in contrast to the conventional reality where each person speaks of himself. As well, the view of nonduality is known as wisdom while the experience of duality is known as compassion.
In this way is our ordinary dualistic experience, full of all living beings, nurtured with care always experienced as "now". Thus the Mahayana path tempers wisdom with compassion to cut through the confusions of duality.
Therefore, wisdom helps one to transform one's growing understanding of nonduality into compassion for all sentient beings in the present moment.
My own personal understanding of nonduality is that egolessness is the ultimate reality of the pure mind, which is a reflection of Buddha Nature. With the pure mind attained through meditation, I experience compassion for other people by listening to them. This is known as mindful practice.
Thus, breath meditation helps clear the mind and realize the pure mind. With the pure mind, one is able to use insightful meditation to validate the Four Noble Truths and dependent arising by experiencing one's life fully. Through insights derived from meditation, one is inspired to experience compassion for other living beings. By experiencing compassion for others, one develops mindful practice.
Reference:
Buddha Nature: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha_Nature
Japanese Buddhist Photo Dictionary: http://www.onmarkproductions.com
Sunyata: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunyata
Nondualism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nondualism
20100722
Life is Precious (poem)
Birth brings a new life to live,
to exist anew,
and yet inevitably,
without exception,
aging and death befalls all.
Because death is always near,
life is precious,
so precious that it encourages
each of us to live
our lives to the fullest.
By living each day as though
it were my last,
I am encouraged to live
my life to the fullest.
Namu Amida Butsu!
to exist anew,
and yet inevitably,
without exception,
aging and death befalls all.
Because death is always near,
life is precious,
so precious that it encourages
each of us to live
our lives to the fullest.
By living each day as though
it were my last,
I am encouraged to live
my life to the fullest.
Namu Amida Butsu!
Living Life to the Fullest
Am I ready to accept death? Yes, though my life is not yet fulfilled, I am ready to live my life as though every day is my last because it encourages me to live life to the fullest.
Since the fear of death is very strong for me, that fear motivates me to respect all life as precious.
Indeed, life is so precious that I wish to live to an old age.
Death in Buddhist Philosophy
In Buddhism, death is a part of old age. It is the twelfth and final part of dependent arising.
In his discourse on contemplation, the Buddha urges us to reflect on ageing and death:
• I am subject to ageing, have not gone beyond ageing....
• I am subject to illness, have not gone beyond illness....
• I am subject to death, have not gone beyond death....
What is meant here is that all who are born are destined to age and die.
At first glance, the prospect of ageing and death appears depressing because one part of the twelve parts of dependent arising is taken out of context.
In context, dependent arising consists of twelve parts:
• ignorance
• consciousness
• name and form
• the six senses spheres
• contact
• feeling
• attachment (craving)
• grasping (clinging)
• existence (becoming)
• birth
• ageing and death
Regarding these twelve parts of dependent arising, the Buddha explains that:
• due to the condition of ignorance, action arises;
• due to the condition of action, consciousness arises;
• due to the condition of consciousness, name and form arise;
• due to the condition of name and form, the six sense spheres arise;
• due to the condition of the six sense spheres, contact arises;
• due to the condition of contact, feeling arises;
• due to the condition of feeling, attachment arises;
• due to the condition of attachment, grasping arises;
• due to the condition of grasping, the potentialized level of karma called existence arises;
• due to the condition of existence, birth arises;
• due to the condition of birth, ageing and death arise.
Because of dependent arising, mental unrest arises. This validates the First Truth that life is full of suffering.
In order to relieve oneself of such unrest, then one should begin by seeing how each of the twelve parts of dependent arising produce suffering.
• the unwanted sufferings of ageing and death are produced in dependence upon birth;
• birth is produced in dependence upon the potentialized level of action called "existence";
• existence is produced in dependence upon grasping;
• grasping is produced in dependence upon attachment;
• attachment is produced in dependence upon feeling;
• feeling is produced in dependence upon contact;
• contact is produced in dependence upon the six sense spheres;
• the six sense spheres are produced in dependence upon name and form;
• name and form are produced in dependence upon consciousness;
• consciousness is produced in dependence upon action;
• action is produced in dependence upon ignorance.
Thus is the First Noble Truth emphasized.
Then, by deeply reflecting on each of the twelve parts of dependent arising, it is possible to purify one's mind i.e. relieve mental unrest by seeing that:
• when ignorance ceases, action ceases;
• when action ceases, consciousness ceases;
• when consciousness ceases, name and form cease;
• when name and form cease, the six sense spheres cease;
• when the six sense spheres cease, contact ceases;
• when contact ceases, feeling ceases;
• when feeling ceases, attachment ceases;
• when attachment ceases, grasping ceases;
• when grasping ceases, the potentialized level of karma called "existence" ceases;
• when the potentialized level of karma called "existence" ceases, birth ceases;
• when birth ceases, ageing and death cease.
With the mind thus purified, it is possible to see each part causes the next part. In this way, the Second Truth - the cause of suffering is ignorance - is amplified. Then one can see that:
• the cessation of ageing and death arises in dependence upon the cessation of birth;
• the cessation of birth arises in dependence upon the cessation of the potentialized level of karma called "existence";
• the cessation of the potentialized level of karma called "existence" arises in dependence upon the cessation of grasping;
• the cessation of grasping arises in dependence upon the cessation of attachment;
• the cessation of attachment arises in dependence upon the cessation of feeling;
• the cessation of feeling arises in dependence upon the cessation of contact;
• the cessation of contact arises in dependence upon the cessation of the six sense spheres;
• the cessation of the six sense spheres arises in dependence upon the cessation of name and form;
• the cessation of name and form arises in dependence upon the cessation of consciousness;
• the cessation of consciousness arises in dependence upon the cessation of action;
• the cessation of action arises in dependence upon the cessation of ignorance.
Karma and Mental Unrest
Due to the karma of non-virtuous actions, mental unrest arises. Due to the karma of virtuous actions, mental unrest arises.
With regard to these karmas which are the sources of suffering (mental unrest), the afflictive emotions of desire, hatred and ignorance are also sources of mental unrest.
Impermanence: Nothing Lasts Forever
It is through validating impermanence that mental unrest is relieved. For each of phenomenon arising due to dependent arising have a beginning and an end.
Once mental unrest is relieved, one is freed from suffering. Yet, due to impermanence, this liberation is an on-going process involving meditation and study.
Conclusion: Death Encourages Me to Live Each Day to the Fullest
Returning to the question, "Am I ready to accept death?", the answer is a heart-felt "Yes". Indeed, I accept death as a vital part of life. My fear of it motivates me to preserve my life through meditation so as to promote peace of mind and develop respect for ageing and death.
Though I cannot stop myself from ageing and facing the prospect of death, I can accept that with serenity. However, my respect for ageing and death encourages me to change my perspective.
In living each day as it were my last day on earth, I endeavour to live my life to the fullest.
Thus am I ready to accept death.
Reference:
12 Links of Dependent Arising: http://www.khandro.net/doctrine_12links_DLbk1.htm
Twelve Nidānas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas
Since the fear of death is very strong for me, that fear motivates me to respect all life as precious.
Indeed, life is so precious that I wish to live to an old age.
Death in Buddhist Philosophy
In Buddhism, death is a part of old age. It is the twelfth and final part of dependent arising.
In his discourse on contemplation, the Buddha urges us to reflect on ageing and death:
• I am subject to ageing, have not gone beyond ageing....
• I am subject to illness, have not gone beyond illness....
• I am subject to death, have not gone beyond death....
What is meant here is that all who are born are destined to age and die.
At first glance, the prospect of ageing and death appears depressing because one part of the twelve parts of dependent arising is taken out of context.
In context, dependent arising consists of twelve parts:
• ignorance
• consciousness
• name and form
• the six senses spheres
• contact
• feeling
• attachment (craving)
• grasping (clinging)
• existence (becoming)
• birth
• ageing and death
Regarding these twelve parts of dependent arising, the Buddha explains that:
• due to the condition of ignorance, action arises;
• due to the condition of action, consciousness arises;
• due to the condition of consciousness, name and form arise;
• due to the condition of name and form, the six sense spheres arise;
• due to the condition of the six sense spheres, contact arises;
• due to the condition of contact, feeling arises;
• due to the condition of feeling, attachment arises;
• due to the condition of attachment, grasping arises;
• due to the condition of grasping, the potentialized level of karma called existence arises;
• due to the condition of existence, birth arises;
• due to the condition of birth, ageing and death arise.
Because of dependent arising, mental unrest arises. This validates the First Truth that life is full of suffering.
In order to relieve oneself of such unrest, then one should begin by seeing how each of the twelve parts of dependent arising produce suffering.
• the unwanted sufferings of ageing and death are produced in dependence upon birth;
• birth is produced in dependence upon the potentialized level of action called "existence";
• existence is produced in dependence upon grasping;
• grasping is produced in dependence upon attachment;
• attachment is produced in dependence upon feeling;
• feeling is produced in dependence upon contact;
• contact is produced in dependence upon the six sense spheres;
• the six sense spheres are produced in dependence upon name and form;
• name and form are produced in dependence upon consciousness;
• consciousness is produced in dependence upon action;
• action is produced in dependence upon ignorance.
Thus is the First Noble Truth emphasized.
Then, by deeply reflecting on each of the twelve parts of dependent arising, it is possible to purify one's mind i.e. relieve mental unrest by seeing that:
• when ignorance ceases, action ceases;
• when action ceases, consciousness ceases;
• when consciousness ceases, name and form cease;
• when name and form cease, the six sense spheres cease;
• when the six sense spheres cease, contact ceases;
• when contact ceases, feeling ceases;
• when feeling ceases, attachment ceases;
• when attachment ceases, grasping ceases;
• when grasping ceases, the potentialized level of karma called "existence" ceases;
• when the potentialized level of karma called "existence" ceases, birth ceases;
• when birth ceases, ageing and death cease.
With the mind thus purified, it is possible to see each part causes the next part. In this way, the Second Truth - the cause of suffering is ignorance - is amplified. Then one can see that:
• the cessation of ageing and death arises in dependence upon the cessation of birth;
• the cessation of birth arises in dependence upon the cessation of the potentialized level of karma called "existence";
• the cessation of the potentialized level of karma called "existence" arises in dependence upon the cessation of grasping;
• the cessation of grasping arises in dependence upon the cessation of attachment;
• the cessation of attachment arises in dependence upon the cessation of feeling;
• the cessation of feeling arises in dependence upon the cessation of contact;
• the cessation of contact arises in dependence upon the cessation of the six sense spheres;
• the cessation of the six sense spheres arises in dependence upon the cessation of name and form;
• the cessation of name and form arises in dependence upon the cessation of consciousness;
• the cessation of consciousness arises in dependence upon the cessation of action;
• the cessation of action arises in dependence upon the cessation of ignorance.
Karma and Mental Unrest
Due to the karma of non-virtuous actions, mental unrest arises. Due to the karma of virtuous actions, mental unrest arises.
With regard to these karmas which are the sources of suffering (mental unrest), the afflictive emotions of desire, hatred and ignorance are also sources of mental unrest.
Impermanence: Nothing Lasts Forever
It is through validating impermanence that mental unrest is relieved. For each of phenomenon arising due to dependent arising have a beginning and an end.
Once mental unrest is relieved, one is freed from suffering. Yet, due to impermanence, this liberation is an on-going process involving meditation and study.
Conclusion: Death Encourages Me to Live Each Day to the Fullest
Returning to the question, "Am I ready to accept death?", the answer is a heart-felt "Yes". Indeed, I accept death as a vital part of life. My fear of it motivates me to preserve my life through meditation so as to promote peace of mind and develop respect for ageing and death.
Though I cannot stop myself from ageing and facing the prospect of death, I can accept that with serenity. However, my respect for ageing and death encourages me to change my perspective.
In living each day as it were my last day on earth, I endeavour to live my life to the fullest.
Thus am I ready to accept death.
Reference:
12 Links of Dependent Arising: http://www.khandro.net/doctrine_12links_DLbk1.htm
Twelve Nidānas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas
20100721
Notes on The Four Noble Truths
This is a study aid on the Four Noble Truths. It does not serve as the essence of the Truths; rather, it amplifies the Truths and the Eightfold Path. More information is found in the Reference section.
From Sylvia Boorstein's book Pay Attention, For Goodness' Sake (and other sources on the Internet) comes a refreshing new perspective of the Four Noble Truths:
• 1) Life is challenging. For everyone. Our physical bodies, our relationships-all of our life circumstances-are fragile and subject to change. We are always accommodating.
• 2) The cause of suffering is the mind’s struggle in response to challenge.
• 3) The end of suffering - a non-struggling, peaceful mind - is a possibility.
• 4) The program for ending suffering is the Eightfold Path. It is:
∘ 1. Wise Understanding: realizing the cause of suffering;
∘ 2. Wise Intention: motivation to end suffering;
∘ 3. Wise Speech: speaking in a way that cultivates clarity;
∘ 4. Wise Action: behaving in ways that maintain clarity;
∘ 5. Wise Livelihood: supporting oneself in a wholesome way;
∘ 6. Wise Effort: cultivating skillful (peaceful) mind habits;
∘ 7. Wise Concentration: cultivating a steady, focused, ease-filled mind;
∘ 8. Wise Mindfulness: cultivating alert, balanced attention.
Regarding the First Noble Truth, the original word in Pāli, "dukkha", means "unsteady, disquieted". In this sense of the word, mental unrest is the closest description of suffering.
At the root of suffering is craving that leads to existence, seeking delight i.e. craving for existence. With respect to mental unrest, anxiety and depression are due to this craving.
Originally, the Pāli word for "craving", "Taṇhā", literally means "thirst" yet is idealized as unwholesome "desire". Traditionally it is the opposite of "peace of mind".
"Craving" is the eighth link in the twelve parts of dependent arising.
However, Taṇhā (craving, unwholesome desire, wish, and thirst) includes the desire for material objects or sense pleasures, and especially the desire for life and death, the desire for fame and infamy, the desire for sleep, the desire for mental or emotional states (e.g. happiness, joy, love) when they are absent.
If we experience sadness, we can desire happiness, even joy.
So as to quiet mental unrest, one is inspired by anxiety and depression to transform fear and sadness into respect and reflection.
Thus, one is motivated to apply the Noble Eightfold Path.
One first calms the mind using breath meditation. Then one develops peace of mind to carefully help transform fear into respect and depression into happiness.
With respect to happiness, it is result of the calmness, serenity, and peace of mind arising from meditation. Indeed, peace of mind is the opposite of mental unrest.
While happiness is a desired state of mind, it too does not last.
With regular mindful practice, calm insight into one's life will help to return to peace of mind.
Reference:
The Buddha's Four Noble Truths:
• http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1644
• http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/fourtruths.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths
From Sylvia Boorstein's book Pay Attention, For Goodness' Sake (and other sources on the Internet) comes a refreshing new perspective of the Four Noble Truths:
• 1) Life is challenging. For everyone. Our physical bodies, our relationships-all of our life circumstances-are fragile and subject to change. We are always accommodating.
• 2) The cause of suffering is the mind’s struggle in response to challenge.
• 3) The end of suffering - a non-struggling, peaceful mind - is a possibility.
• 4) The program for ending suffering is the Eightfold Path. It is:
∘ 1. Wise Understanding: realizing the cause of suffering;
∘ 2. Wise Intention: motivation to end suffering;
∘ 3. Wise Speech: speaking in a way that cultivates clarity;
∘ 4. Wise Action: behaving in ways that maintain clarity;
∘ 5. Wise Livelihood: supporting oneself in a wholesome way;
∘ 6. Wise Effort: cultivating skillful (peaceful) mind habits;
∘ 7. Wise Concentration: cultivating a steady, focused, ease-filled mind;
∘ 8. Wise Mindfulness: cultivating alert, balanced attention.
Regarding the First Noble Truth, the original word in Pāli, "dukkha", means "unsteady, disquieted". In this sense of the word, mental unrest is the closest description of suffering.
At the root of suffering is craving that leads to existence, seeking delight i.e. craving for existence. With respect to mental unrest, anxiety and depression are due to this craving.
Originally, the Pāli word for "craving", "Taṇhā", literally means "thirst" yet is idealized as unwholesome "desire". Traditionally it is the opposite of "peace of mind".
"Craving" is the eighth link in the twelve parts of dependent arising.
However, Taṇhā (craving, unwholesome desire, wish, and thirst) includes the desire for material objects or sense pleasures, and especially the desire for life and death, the desire for fame and infamy, the desire for sleep, the desire for mental or emotional states (e.g. happiness, joy, love) when they are absent.
If we experience sadness, we can desire happiness, even joy.
So as to quiet mental unrest, one is inspired by anxiety and depression to transform fear and sadness into respect and reflection.
Thus, one is motivated to apply the Noble Eightfold Path.
One first calms the mind using breath meditation. Then one develops peace of mind to carefully help transform fear into respect and depression into happiness.
With respect to happiness, it is result of the calmness, serenity, and peace of mind arising from meditation. Indeed, peace of mind is the opposite of mental unrest.
While happiness is a desired state of mind, it too does not last.
With regular mindful practice, calm insight into one's life will help to return to peace of mind.
Reference:
The Buddha's Four Noble Truths:
• http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1644
• http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/fourtruths.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths
20100719
Meditation On Ignorance
First Truth
At the root of suffering (mental unrest) is dissatisfaction with life.
Second Truth
This mental unrest is rooted in ignorance about its cause in the past, craving for continued contact with feelings, and contact with the external world and the senses.
As a result, one clings to life to the point where one forgets the distinction between self and other.
Thus does one become attached to the world.
Indeed, this attachment to the world becomes so strong that one thinks of the mind and body as permanent in the form of the ego, and considers the personality to have identity independent of others.
In this way, mental unrest arises due to spiritual ignorance about the transient nature of everything including the ego.
Third Truth
So why not stop dissatisfaction with life by illumining ignorance with the wisdom of the Buddhadharma.
Fourth Truth
So as to quiet mental unrest, one practices appeasement of the ego through breath meditation.
For long-lasting stress relief, just be aware of breathing. Done daily, the positive benefits of breath meditation will last a lifetime.
Without restriction, this activity may be done anywhere. However, the quality of breathing is different because you are aware of it.
Indeed, relief of mental unrest is as easy as breathing.
Breath Meditation in Detail
One breathes through one's nose, inhaling positive energy and transforming it into spiritual light. In this light, all stress cannot escape; they are instead illumined and reveal their usefulness to you.
When illumined by meditation, anxiety is transformed into inspiration which turns fear into respect for that which is feared.
If one fears old age and death, the clear mind arising from meditation is able to reflect on growing respect for old age and death.
The Illumined Mind Reflects Easily on Dependent Arising
Indeed, once illumined the mind is able to reflect on dependent arising, and then develop respect for each of its twelve parts (ignorance, formations, consciousness, mind and body (personality or identity), the six sense bases (five physical senses and the mind), contact (between objects and the senses),feeling (registering the contact),craving (for continued contact), clinging, becoming (similar to formations), birth and old age & death).
Once the mind is calm, clear insight into dependent arising manifests itself. Indeed, one is able to validate its twelve conditions.
When one's mind is calm, mental unrest is replaced with calm insight into its root cause and its cure.
Meditation, the Ego and the Gift of Serenity
At this point, with stress forgotten, one is able to practice the deeper meditation needed to reduce dissatisfaction with life, which is the root of stress, mental unrest.
So as to relieve mental unrest, one reflects on ignorance and its relationship with clinging and craving.
This deeper meditation consists of reading the following text and reflecting on its deeper meaning:
What drives the heart and mind apart?
Craving and clinging:
ignorance bears fruit as ego.
What brings the heart and mind as one?
Not craving, not clinging:
wisdom bears fruit by letting go.
Having let go of the world, the mind
free of unrest is calm and serene,
being illuminated by wisdom
to the depths of its very heart.
Thus it is called the heart-mind.
Reference
Dependent arising: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da
At the root of suffering (mental unrest) is dissatisfaction with life.
Second Truth
This mental unrest is rooted in ignorance about its cause in the past, craving for continued contact with feelings, and contact with the external world and the senses.
As a result, one clings to life to the point where one forgets the distinction between self and other.
Thus does one become attached to the world.
Indeed, this attachment to the world becomes so strong that one thinks of the mind and body as permanent in the form of the ego, and considers the personality to have identity independent of others.
In this way, mental unrest arises due to spiritual ignorance about the transient nature of everything including the ego.
Third Truth
So why not stop dissatisfaction with life by illumining ignorance with the wisdom of the Buddhadharma.
Fourth Truth
So as to quiet mental unrest, one practices appeasement of the ego through breath meditation.
For long-lasting stress relief, just be aware of breathing. Done daily, the positive benefits of breath meditation will last a lifetime.
Without restriction, this activity may be done anywhere. However, the quality of breathing is different because you are aware of it.
Indeed, relief of mental unrest is as easy as breathing.
Breath Meditation in Detail
One breathes through one's nose, inhaling positive energy and transforming it into spiritual light. In this light, all stress cannot escape; they are instead illumined and reveal their usefulness to you.
When illumined by meditation, anxiety is transformed into inspiration which turns fear into respect for that which is feared.
If one fears old age and death, the clear mind arising from meditation is able to reflect on growing respect for old age and death.
The Illumined Mind Reflects Easily on Dependent Arising
Indeed, once illumined the mind is able to reflect on dependent arising, and then develop respect for each of its twelve parts (ignorance, formations, consciousness, mind and body (personality or identity), the six sense bases (five physical senses and the mind), contact (between objects and the senses),feeling (registering the contact),craving (for continued contact), clinging, becoming (similar to formations), birth and old age & death).
Once the mind is calm, clear insight into dependent arising manifests itself. Indeed, one is able to validate its twelve conditions.
When one's mind is calm, mental unrest is replaced with calm insight into its root cause and its cure.
Meditation, the Ego and the Gift of Serenity
At this point, with stress forgotten, one is able to practice the deeper meditation needed to reduce dissatisfaction with life, which is the root of stress, mental unrest.
So as to relieve mental unrest, one reflects on ignorance and its relationship with clinging and craving.
This deeper meditation consists of reading the following text and reflecting on its deeper meaning:
What drives the heart and mind apart?
Craving and clinging:
ignorance bears fruit as ego.
What brings the heart and mind as one?
Not craving, not clinging:
wisdom bears fruit by letting go.
Having let go of the world, the mind
free of unrest is calm and serene,
being illuminated by wisdom
to the depths of its very heart.
Thus it is called the heart-mind.
Reference
Dependent arising: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da
20100707
Not Clinging (poem)
Not clinging to belief,
my heart-mind is embraced by Amida
whenever he calls through me.
Namu Amida Butsu.
Because it arises
from not clinging to Amida,
my faith is unwavering.
Namu Amida Butsu.
The above poem was inspired by reading "Reflections on the Religious Case Against Belief" by Carl von Baeyer of the Saskatoon Unitarian Church.
Through this poem, I am freeing my heart-mind of clinging to ideology with regard to my faith.
For each time one calls to Amida gives less fuel for belief to burn until all that is left is faith.
Many thanks for Mr. von Baeyer for inspiring me to study the Buddhist Upādāna.
References:
Reflections on The Religious Case Against Belief: http://www.ucsaskatoon.org/wp/guest-speakers/reflections-carse
Clinging or Upādāna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na#Buddhism
http://gandhara.blogspot.com/search/label/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na
my heart-mind is embraced by Amida
whenever he calls through me.
Namu Amida Butsu.
Because it arises
from not clinging to Amida,
my faith is unwavering.
Namu Amida Butsu.
The above poem was inspired by reading "Reflections on the Religious Case Against Belief" by Carl von Baeyer of the Saskatoon Unitarian Church.
Through this poem, I am freeing my heart-mind of clinging to ideology with regard to my faith.
For each time one calls to Amida gives less fuel for belief to burn until all that is left is faith.
Many thanks for Mr. von Baeyer for inspiring me to study the Buddhist Upādāna.
References:
Reflections on The Religious Case Against Belief: http://www.ucsaskatoon.org/wp/guest-speakers/reflections-carse
Clinging or Upādāna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na#Buddhism
http://gandhara.blogspot.com/search/label/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na
20100630
The Essence of Mahayana Buddhism
In Mahayana Buddhism, it is said that all sentient beings have Buddha Nature, and thus are buddhas.
To me, the term "buddha" means "one who helps and is of service to the Buddhist practitioner on the journey to enlightenment (nirvana)".
Within the context of Buddhism then, all sentient beings the practitioner encounters in life are buddhas who teach the Buddhadharma through validation of the the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Noble Path, and dependent arising.
However, so that the practitioner is not led astray, the Buddhist teachings are still required to be studied.
IMHO this is how the direct experience of all Buddhists teach the validity of Buddhism.
Indeed, even the illiterate who cannot read scripture would still have learned about Buddhism from a Buddhist scholar by listening to him talk about the Buddhadharma.
To me, the term "buddha" means "one who helps and is of service to the Buddhist practitioner on the journey to enlightenment (nirvana)".
Within the context of Buddhism then, all sentient beings the practitioner encounters in life are buddhas who teach the Buddhadharma through validation of the the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Noble Path, and dependent arising.
However, so that the practitioner is not led astray, the Buddhist teachings are still required to be studied.
IMHO this is how the direct experience of all Buddhists teach the validity of Buddhism.
Indeed, even the illiterate who cannot read scripture would still have learned about Buddhism from a Buddhist scholar by listening to him talk about the Buddhadharma.
20100625
Being, Emptiness and Oneness
Oneness encompasses everything, and transcends self and other.
Emptiness is a quality shared by everything, for all things, being impermanent, are empty of substance.
Beingness has to do with existence, in the here-and-now. Being impermanent, it too is empty of substance.
But what of nothingness (nihilism)? If one denies of the existence of nihilism, does that not confirm nothing exists? No, for that is a fallacy, as the denial of nihilism proves that everything exists due to dependent arising.
Thus, nothingness is a ridiculous delusion, much like the non-existence of self. All the concept of non-self demonstrates is that emptiness of self is an important truth of life.
Because everything exists due to dependent arising, all of this (being, emptiness and onesness) is in flux.
Emptiness is a quality shared by everything, for all things, being impermanent, are empty of substance.
Beingness has to do with existence, in the here-and-now. Being impermanent, it too is empty of substance.
But what of nothingness (nihilism)? If one denies of the existence of nihilism, does that not confirm nothing exists? No, for that is a fallacy, as the denial of nihilism proves that everything exists due to dependent arising.
Thus, nothingness is a ridiculous delusion, much like the non-existence of self. All the concept of non-self demonstrates is that emptiness of self is an important truth of life.
Because everything exists due to dependent arising, all of this (being, emptiness and onesness) is in flux.
20100603
Buddhism as Non-Religion
Due to its non-dual nature, its unwillingness to water down Sakyamuni Gautama Buddha's Teaching, and the practicality of meditation, Buddhism as philosophy and psychology is liberating.
Mistaking it for religion, the ignorant flee. Yet the wise augment their faith with it.
Buddhism is non-dual in that at the root of the teaching, dependent arising and karma demonstrates the interdependence of all living beings.
What the concept of self power (jiriki) and Other Power (tariki) teaches is not dualism but that one's self power motivates one to let Other Power help to guide her life, which is similar to the concept of "let go and let God".
In the Buddha's Teaching are the Four Noble Truths, consisting of:
- Life is not satisfying.
- The reason why life is not satisfying is because of ignorant craving.
- To cure this dissatisfaction with life, stop ignorant craving.
- The Noble Eightfold Path stops ignorant craving.
20100517
Short Meditation on Illness
For the Buddhist who seeks the validity of the Buddhadharma, illness becomes another welcome challenge for its symptoms to teach one of the limits of the human body.
Though fever and chills may ravage the body, she who mindfully practices knows that the well-trained mind is abley withstand the pain of suffering which illness brings.
Yet the wise ones know too that when there is medicine for a sickness, it is wise to take it.
Despite the fever, the chills and even the aches that illness brings him, the illness itself has much to teach the mindful one about the transient nature of life.
No pain, no fever, no chills - none of these are distractions to the Buddhist who learns from her experience to accept the help of trusted friends to relieve her of the misery that illness sometimes brings by seeking medical advice.
Grateful is this one to the Buddha and his Dharma, for illness validates his teaching of dependent arising.
Indeed, it has a past cause in a previous illness, and a present cause in a sudden change in immunity; but through the use of medicine to treat this illness, it has an end.
Thus does physical illness teach this one about the spiritual illness of the six senses, and its cure, the Eightfold Noble Path.
Though fever and chills may ravage the body, she who mindfully practices knows that the well-trained mind is abley withstand the pain of suffering which illness brings.
Yet the wise ones know too that when there is medicine for a sickness, it is wise to take it.
Despite the fever, the chills and even the aches that illness brings him, the illness itself has much to teach the mindful one about the transient nature of life.
No pain, no fever, no chills - none of these are distractions to the Buddhist who learns from her experience to accept the help of trusted friends to relieve her of the misery that illness sometimes brings by seeking medical advice.
Grateful is this one to the Buddha and his Dharma, for illness validates his teaching of dependent arising.
Indeed, it has a past cause in a previous illness, and a present cause in a sudden change in immunity; but through the use of medicine to treat this illness, it has an end.
Thus does physical illness teach this one about the spiritual illness of the six senses, and its cure, the Eightfold Noble Path.
20100504
Conquering One's Mind (poem)
Through careful study and practice,
one uses meditation to appease one's ego.
For it is useful to conquer one's mind
before one tries to conquer the world.
By conquering one's mind,
one realizes how to live;
in realizing how to live
one learns how to conquer the world
by the skillful means of clear insight.
one uses meditation to appease one's ego.
For it is useful to conquer one's mind
before one tries to conquer the world.
By conquering one's mind,
one realizes how to live;
in realizing how to live
one learns how to conquer the world
by the skillful means of clear insight.
Meditation on Spiritual Mind Control
Introduction
This note is about Buddhist meditation as the path towards control of one's mind to effectively function in society as an individual. I do not endorse any speculation on religious cults as mind control, for most people willingly choose to follow their spiritual path as they see fit. First I will introduce my philosophy about mind control, use consumerism as a way of explaining how cultural lenses work, and then focus on Buddhist meditation which liberates the mind and the individual.
The Post-Modern Conspiracy Theory of Mind Control
In my personal philosophy, I find the post-modern conspiracy theory of mind control as antithetical to the spiritual form of mind control called meditation.
For mind control in the media arises from mental and behavioral negativities of people in authority which distract from the positive benefits of meditation. Indeed, the popular forms of mind control instill fear in people. This fear is rooted in loss of freedom, individual will, and control over one's own life.
Yet as a cultural meme popularized by the media, one only need to think of movies with mind control as the theme, and the numerous newspaper articles sensationalizing the horrible aftereffects of religious cults (Jonestown).
At the root of mind control is abuse of power by people in authority who are trusted by their followers. For there actually is an element of choice involved in the popular conception of mind control. The individual chooses to give up control over his life to serve the needs of the group.
In serving the needs of the group, the group chooses a leader who has authority over them. If the leader is able to control his desire for more power, then the group prospers. If, because of corruption, the leader abuses his power, the group may still prosper but at the cost of ruining group harmony. Using the ideology which all of the group believes in, the leader justifies his abuse of power. The group may split up into factions over such an abuse.
In the media, mind control supposedly occurs when people in authority "brainwash" the individual against his will. Actually, the individual still has the will to choose to follow the dictates of people with control over his life or to continue to resist efforts (torture) to break his will.
However, I am skeptical of the concept of "total mind control" since most people who "submit" to mind control choose to become willing participants rather than continue to resist the torture, both mentally and physically.
Seeing Through the Cultural Lens of Consumerism
To test this truth, I submit that most people are willing participants in what may be loosely called consumerism.
In consumerism, one is educated from cradle to grave. Through education, one is inculcated in the belief that acceptance in the consumerist society is determined by compliance to the rules of that society. For each person's goal is to be a consumer. To attain that goal in that society, each person must be a productive member of that society. Through the consumer's eyes almost everything is product to be consumed. Indeed, in the ideal consumer society, everything is product.
If one's only purpose in life is to consume product, then one is almost like an automaton. Yet most people who are consumers are willing participants.
However, that's the vision of an ideal world in which consumerism is the ideology. In reality, various aspects of consumerism are internalized by us without most of us realizing it.
Through the lens of consumerism, it's possible to view medicine and religion as product, for both are derived from abstract concepts about the mind and spirituality. If you want to be happy, take a pill. If you need a religion, you can go to church on Sunday or worship in a temple on another day. Yet both the mind and the spirit are intangible objects.
So, a pill does not address the reality of the individual's mental development, nor does a religion address the individual's spiritual development with respect to the mind. All medicine can do is improve a person's health by relieving illness and sometimes preventing death, while religion serves our spiritual needs by giving spiritual purpose to life, relieving anxiety about the afterlife, adding a social dimension to one's spiritual life.
Both the development of the mind and one's spirituality is the responsibility of each of us, not as consumers but as people with free will.
The Effects of Buddhist Meditation
Since Buddhist meditation teaches one to be mindful of one's mind, one's view of life changes.
Rather than see the world through the lens of consumerism, I see the world and myself clearly because of mindful practice.
Careful study of Buddhism helps to see the relationship between all beings as interconnected. Thus the mindful Buddhist knows full too well the folly of controlling others. Instead, he chooses to teach the willing about Buddhist meditation, and lets them decide what they are willing to accept.
Buddhism helps me to see that my choices affect both myself and the world through thorough understanding of Buddhist teachings about the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path and dependent origination, both through careful study of the Buddha's teachings and by direct experience to validate what he said.
As a result, Buddhist meditation helps to see the mind as a process in each being.
At the root of Buddhist meditation is liberation of the mind from the ego. For meditation helps to understand the nature of the mind through direct experience and reflection on the Buddha's Teachings specific to each person's practice. Once liberated, one is able to control his mind effectively.
As the Buddhist sage Takuan Soho once wrote, "Of the mind, do not be mindless" which echoes the Buddha's last words, "Strive to seek your own salvation with diligence."
This note is about Buddhist meditation as the path towards control of one's mind to effectively function in society as an individual. I do not endorse any speculation on religious cults as mind control, for most people willingly choose to follow their spiritual path as they see fit. First I will introduce my philosophy about mind control, use consumerism as a way of explaining how cultural lenses work, and then focus on Buddhist meditation which liberates the mind and the individual.
The Post-Modern Conspiracy Theory of Mind Control
In my personal philosophy, I find the post-modern conspiracy theory of mind control as antithetical to the spiritual form of mind control called meditation.
For mind control in the media arises from mental and behavioral negativities of people in authority which distract from the positive benefits of meditation. Indeed, the popular forms of mind control instill fear in people. This fear is rooted in loss of freedom, individual will, and control over one's own life.
Yet as a cultural meme popularized by the media, one only need to think of movies with mind control as the theme, and the numerous newspaper articles sensationalizing the horrible aftereffects of religious cults (Jonestown).
At the root of mind control is abuse of power by people in authority who are trusted by their followers. For there actually is an element of choice involved in the popular conception of mind control. The individual chooses to give up control over his life to serve the needs of the group.
In serving the needs of the group, the group chooses a leader who has authority over them. If the leader is able to control his desire for more power, then the group prospers. If, because of corruption, the leader abuses his power, the group may still prosper but at the cost of ruining group harmony. Using the ideology which all of the group believes in, the leader justifies his abuse of power. The group may split up into factions over such an abuse.
In the media, mind control supposedly occurs when people in authority "brainwash" the individual against his will. Actually, the individual still has the will to choose to follow the dictates of people with control over his life or to continue to resist efforts (torture) to break his will.
However, I am skeptical of the concept of "total mind control" since most people who "submit" to mind control choose to become willing participants rather than continue to resist the torture, both mentally and physically.
Seeing Through the Cultural Lens of Consumerism
To test this truth, I submit that most people are willing participants in what may be loosely called consumerism.
In consumerism, one is educated from cradle to grave. Through education, one is inculcated in the belief that acceptance in the consumerist society is determined by compliance to the rules of that society. For each person's goal is to be a consumer. To attain that goal in that society, each person must be a productive member of that society. Through the consumer's eyes almost everything is product to be consumed. Indeed, in the ideal consumer society, everything is product.
If one's only purpose in life is to consume product, then one is almost like an automaton. Yet most people who are consumers are willing participants.
However, that's the vision of an ideal world in which consumerism is the ideology. In reality, various aspects of consumerism are internalized by us without most of us realizing it.
Through the lens of consumerism, it's possible to view medicine and religion as product, for both are derived from abstract concepts about the mind and spirituality. If you want to be happy, take a pill. If you need a religion, you can go to church on Sunday or worship in a temple on another day. Yet both the mind and the spirit are intangible objects.
So, a pill does not address the reality of the individual's mental development, nor does a religion address the individual's spiritual development with respect to the mind. All medicine can do is improve a person's health by relieving illness and sometimes preventing death, while religion serves our spiritual needs by giving spiritual purpose to life, relieving anxiety about the afterlife, adding a social dimension to one's spiritual life.
Both the development of the mind and one's spirituality is the responsibility of each of us, not as consumers but as people with free will.
The Effects of Buddhist Meditation
Since Buddhist meditation teaches one to be mindful of one's mind, one's view of life changes.
Rather than see the world through the lens of consumerism, I see the world and myself clearly because of mindful practice.
Careful study of Buddhism helps to see the relationship between all beings as interconnected. Thus the mindful Buddhist knows full too well the folly of controlling others. Instead, he chooses to teach the willing about Buddhist meditation, and lets them decide what they are willing to accept.
Buddhism helps me to see that my choices affect both myself and the world through thorough understanding of Buddhist teachings about the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path and dependent origination, both through careful study of the Buddha's teachings and by direct experience to validate what he said.
As a result, Buddhist meditation helps to see the mind as a process in each being.
At the root of Buddhist meditation is liberation of the mind from the ego. For meditation helps to understand the nature of the mind through direct experience and reflection on the Buddha's Teachings specific to each person's practice. Once liberated, one is able to control his mind effectively.
As the Buddhist sage Takuan Soho once wrote, "Of the mind, do not be mindless" which echoes the Buddha's last words, "Strive to seek your own salvation with diligence."
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