Sharp as a Razor (poem)

Sharp as a razor the mind cuts
through mental negativities, be it anger or fear.
Letting love bloom to transform anger
into calmness of mind, and fear into fearlessness,
the calm mind is free to remove all negativities.

Once free of the bondage of fear, I am ready to meet
any challenge with courage, tempered by love unconditional.
For it is love that provides the mind in keeping sharp.
What is calmness of the mind but love abiding?
What is fearlessness but love taming all fears?

Hostilities Are Stilled

Hostilities aren't stilled
through hostility,
regardless.
Hostilities are stilled
through non-hostility:
this, an unending truth.

-Dhammapada, 1, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.


Contrast the above quote (Verse 5 of Chapter 1 of the Dhammapada) with Venerable Acharya Buddharakkhita's version:

5. Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.



To this I add: loving-kindness is a perfect expression of non-hatred.

With practice, the wise are able to abandoned hatred and cease hostilities. Having abandoned hatred, they are able to put a stop to hostilities.

Through meditation, the calm mind is achieved which enables the power of love to replace hatred with love of humanity.

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Originally posted: December 19, 2005 7:24 PM

Medicine Buddha Magical Thinking in Tibetan Buddhism

"The Medicine Buddha mantra is held to be extremely powerful for healing of physical illnesses and purification of negative karma. One form of practice based on the Medicine Buddha is done when one is stricken by disease. The patient is to recite the long Medicine Buddha mantra 108 times over a glass of water. The water is now believed to be blessed by the power of the mantra and the blessing of the Medicine Buddha himself, and the patient is to drink the water. This practice is then repeated each day until the illness is cured." &smash; Wikipedia entry for Medicine Buddha.

This only works via the placebo effect after a lot of Buddhist mindful practice including hours of meditation and receiving tantric rituals regarding the Buddha i.e. the long process involved in becoming one with the Buddha.

It does not work if the disciple has doubts about the practice, but since she has already found her riot Vajra master, all doubt has been removed.

Nothing in the text quoted is that magical.  For with belief anything is possible.