Buddhist Beliefs

April

Buddhist Belief – Taking Refuge in the Buddha

”This act of taking refuge in the Buddha is a major step – it’s a new chapter in our life. It is vital for us taking this step to repeatedly pause and reflect upon just how significant this is. Often, what happens in our sanghas is we say we’re taking refuge in the Buddha, but we’re also prone to take these words and this step for granted. It is our reflecting on what this step means which will eventually bring us closer to our destination as well as give us a better understanding of the other steps.”

The Three Jewels are the foundation of all the various forms of Buddhism. The word buddha means “The Awakened One”. The Buddha we’re referring to when we speak of taking refuge in him is the one who awakened from the sleep of ignorance on his own some 2500 years ago.

Buddhist Belief, meditation, nirvana, mindfulness, karma, peace

What do we mean when we say awakened? The way I was taught was awakened means to be free from suffering, to be truly liberated and to posses true wisdom. This awakening will be found only in your true self – your own reality. You won’t find this via some special blessing by some person, or from magical occurrence, not even from membership in some group. Meditation alone won’t get you there either – not if it’s the only path you follow.

This act of ‘taking refuge in the Buddha’ is a major step – it’s a new chapter in our life. It is vital for us taking this step to repeatedly pause and reflect upon just how significant this is. Often, what happens in our sanghas is we say we’re taking refuge in the Buddha, but we’re also prone to take these words and this step for granted. It is our reflecting on what this step means which will eventually bring us closer to our destination as well as give us a better understanding of the other steps.

The thing we need to understand as the most important element of ‘Taking Refuge in The Buddha’ is, until we become buddha’s ourselves, is that Buddha is the ultimate teacher. He gave us the Buddhist Beliefs and the rules to follow a Buddhist lifestyle. It’s not some rigid indoctrination – it’s not some dogma being imposed on you. Rather, it’s the guidance we can use to develop ourselves, to learn, to ponder, to meditate upon, and eventually find a deep, profound insight into the wisdom and understanding of the Four Noble Truths.

So, we take refuge in the Buddha. We turn to the teachings brought down from the Buddha over the ages. If you dig deeply into the various teachings, and the teachers, you will see they tend to all point us in the direction of becoming happy. The teachers are all Buddha as far as we’re concerned. They are those who have learned from The Buddha and are now passing his wisdom along to us. The teacher (buddha) is the one who can point us towards the way of our true reality.

When we make the decision to take refuge in the Buddha it is important that we fully understand what the Buddha is and what is it about him that allows us to take refuge there. We need to be careful in our understanding here so we don’t become mislead. We need to be cautious that we don’t ascribe to him status he never claimed for himself. He is not a god – he is not a personal savior. We also don’t want to sell him short – he is more than a benevolent sage – he is more than an ancient philosopher – and he is more than some meditation guru.

Rather, a more correct view would be to see him in the same context he assigned to himself – a fully Self-Enlightened One. He is self-enlightened because he realized the truths entirely on his own. He didn’t have a teacher or guide other than himself. He’s self-enlightened because he figured out, on his own, the entire truth with all its twists and turns. As a Buddha he not only fathomed all the truths himself, he also went out and taught them to others so that others too, can awaken from the sleep of ignorance and become enlightened.

Many students of Buddhism, especially those of us in the western world, will ascribe to the notion that taking refuge in the Buddha is equal to taking refuge in the “Buddha-mind in ourselves”. Caution here is important so we don’t get caught up on the idea that whatever our mind contrives as we study can qualify as the true Dharma. This can lead us far astray from the true meaning of taking refuge in the Buddha. We need to understand that we’re seeking the guidance of one who is distinctly different from ourselves – one who has scaled heights we have barely begun to glimpse. Yet, the best way is to again, follow the teaching of Buddha. He taught this:

” Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”

~~~ Buddha

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Side Note: One of the things discussed at our sangha this past Sunday was the “Present” – and how difficult it is to stay in the “present”. I talked about a song I have that speaks to the fact that “Now Is All There Is”. This is sung by Dave Carroll. I hope you enjoy this — Now!

Now, by Dave Carroll
==========================================================

Metta ….May I be well and happy. May I live in safety. May I be healthy and strong. May I live with ease. May all beings be well and happy. May all beings live in safety. May all beings be healthy and strong. May all beings live with ease.

Namaste — Be in Peace.

Ron Rink
=====================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List —

Just click the links that are sort of Grey in color to take you to where you can learn more about each book and how you can purchase a copy for your own library.

Stephanie Kaza — Hooked!: Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire, and the Urge to Consume

Stephanie Kaza, an amazing writer and Buddhist teacher I knew from my 36 years living in Vermont, gathers key Buddhist thinkers to reflect upon aspects of consumerism, greed and economics. Certainly, many other authors have examined consumerism from the lens of their religious traditions, but this book’s Buddhist perspective is unusual, and its pairing of consumerist critiques with core Buddhist concepts is generally fruitful. Check this one out! Hooked!

Stephanie Kaza — Mindfully Green: A Personal and Spiritual Guide to Whole Earth Thinking

Another one from my Vermont friend — Stephanie Kaza, a biologist and professor of Environmental Studies at University of Vermont, combines Zen Buddhist practices and teachings with her 40 years as an environmentalist for this guide to enlightened environmentalism, proposing a belief in the interdependence of people and nature as the genuine way to “go green”: “When we come to see ourselves as part of the green web of life… we are naturally drawn to respond with compassion.” A good read for Buddhists or anyone from any religion. Mindfully Green

Anam Thubten — No Self – No Problem

No Self – No Problem
shows how to realize the ultimate meaning of life in each moment by dissolving all notions of ego-identity. It asks that spiritual seekers wake up to their true nature, which is already enlightened. Based on Buddhist wisdom traditions, this easy-to-read book discusses in simple, but profound and inspiring language, how we can live a life full of love, satisfaction, and happiness. No Self – No Problem

Sharon Salzberg — The Kindness Handbook

“It takes boldness, even audacity, to step out of our habitual patterns and experiment with a quality like kindness–to work with it and see just how it might shift and open up our lives. This book is an invitation to do just that. — From The Kindness Handbook

Eckhart Tolle’s amazing best seller, A New Earth

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s wonderful book, My Stroke of Insight: Nirvana is just a breath away!

And this one by Sharon Salzberg and is entitled: A Heart as Wide as the World: Living with Mindfulness, Wisdom and Compassion“.

This is a new one for you by Pema Chodron entitled: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
=====================================================
Always remember this wonderful quote from Buddha ….

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

~~~ Buddha

Shanti everyone, … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

~~~ Buddha

Have a peaceful day!! —

Ron Rink

P.S. If you’d like to read my memoir/novel, you can access it here:
http://www.wecould2.com

Technorati Tags: attachment, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, Buddhist Belief, dependent origination, detachment, environment, inner peace, karma, Lotus Sutra, loving kindness, Meditation, metta, middle way, mindfulness, Nirvana, Peace, Three Jewels

Posted by Ron Rink under Buddhist Belief | Comment now » |

05

April

Buddhist Belief – The Three Jewels or Refuges

In Buddhism, the Three Jewels are the Buddha, the Dharma (teachings of Buddha), and the Sangha (the community of believers). While on the path of becoming a Buddhist, one needs protection of the Three Jewels ,or the Three Refuges, as they offer protection from the fickle and unstable world we live in.

From “An Information Guide to Buddhism”

This past Sunday I was able to attend the Buddhist Group Sangha at the church I attend, the Miami Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship – and I was fortunate to be able to share in this time because of the advances in technology – in this case – Skype and a webcam. Sunday was the third time I was able to do this thanks to the wonderful willingness of some of the members in the group to bring their laptops and webcams to the gathering so we could hear and see each other in this way. I am now home-bound. It’s not that I’m unable to go out in my non-motorized wheel chair, but I have chosen to drastically limit those times because of how difficult they’ve become.

This past week, there was some discussion about how to keep the present with us as we go about our everyday lives. We also open our Sangha gatherings with a reading about the Three Jewels – or the Three Treasures – or the Three Refuges – which are, taking refuge in the Buddha – taking refuge in the Dharma – and taking refuge in the Sangha. Our discussion on Sunday started my thought process of looking back on when I first began my voyage into Buddhism and what I learned from my teachers over the years of my study of Buddhist Beliefs. I decided to write about some of what I’ve learned about the Three Jewels and how some of my teachers taught me to apply them when following a Buddhist lifestyle.

Also, I would like to write more about the craving, clinging and attachments that are bringing about dissatisfaction in so many of our lives. Relating how the teachings about the Three Jewels relate to the Four Noble Truths is my goal for the next few posts to this blog. Today’s post will be more of a background venture into how I became a Buddhist and in the next posts we’ll delve into the topic of the Three Jewels more deeply.

It was in the late 1950s when I first took a look at Buddhism. I read a couple of books but never really changed how I was living. I had finished my time in the Navy and was in the early stages of my banking career coupled with the adventurous aspects of a free-wheeling culture. It was several years later, the early 1970s, when I began to delve more deeply into what it meant to be a Buddhist. This happened at the time I first moved to Vermont from the south – Florida and Georgia.

Soon after arriving in Vermont, I became friends with some of my neighbors who were studying Buddhism. These folks were studying with two Buddhist teachers who had decided to live in Vermont. These teachers were both Zen teachers and they were a married couple. When I first met them they were in a bit of a quandary because they had accepted some money from the wife’s parents to help them build their home. They felt accepting this money was giving in to seeking more personal comfort. As the husband would state from time-to-time, “I’d be content with a small cabin in the woods!” However, they did plan to start a family soon. They were also desiring a larger space for the growing Sangha which held twice-weekly meditations and the hopes of hosting retreats at some point. As a group we spent some time discussing this and we came to the understanding that we are rather spoiled in this country and compared to many other cultures, we’re basically unaware of just how spoiled we are. We’re surrounded with abundance. There are so many material goods readily available to us.

(This reminds me of that awful musical commercial by one of the furniture companies that went, “I want it ALL – I want it ALL – and I want it NOW!” I would cringe and grab for the remote mute button every time I heard it!)

We have grown to believe that all we have to do to be happy is to satisfy our desires. We’ve become addicted to the drug of more. Yet, as people who take refuge in the dharma, we’ve been taught how true fulfillment comes to us by learning how to put our desires on the back burner. Buddha said that chasing after desires is like drinking salt water – you can never satisfy your thirst – you will only make yourself want to drink more. Desire builds on itself – it only leads to more desire.

The sad part for us born into our Western culture is we were taught, starting at birth, to develop the habit of desire – a habit which results in learning about greed and attachment at an early age. We want our children and grandchildren to “have it better than we had it”, so they learn that most anything they want will magically manifest in their lives. These habits that have been with us for so long are darn hard to break. It’s easier not to even try. But, consider this – our small (ego) self is habitually and addictively drawn to greed and attachment. We know how difficult it is to break a life-time habit. We also know through our studies, that the practices of Buddhism provide a path to the way out. Buddhist practice is the answer to learning another way of living. With practice, with training our minds, we can become less vulnerable to the ego’s incessant demands.

The basic foundation of Buddha’s teaching, taking refuge in the Three Jewels, is taught in most all of the various sects. In the Zen teachings I learned originally, this act of taking refuge is a daily function. Every morning I would speak the following:

“I take refuge in the Buddha, and resolve that with all beings, I will understand the Great Way, whereby the Buddha-seed may forever thrive.
I take refuge in the Dharma, and resolve that with all beings, I will enter deeply into the sutta treasure, whereby my wisdom may grow as fast as the ocean.
I take refuge in the Sangha, in its wisdom, in its example, in its never-failing help, and resolve to live in harmony with all sentient beings.”

(Yes, I did still have this written on a card in my desk drawer!)

By putting our trust in the Buddha (seeing our true nature as no-self), by following the Dharma (the teachings of the Buddha), and by practicing with a Sangha (a community of followers of the Way of the Buddha), our lives can change in a dramatic way. This is how we can transform our lives from selfishness to selflessness. This is how we can learn to live lives of wisdom, compassion, and joy. This is how we can learn to free ourselves from the addictions of egocentric consumerism.

In the next post I’ll write more about the first of the Three Jewels, Taking Refuge in the Buddha.

Metta ….May I be well and happy. My I live in safety. May I be healthy and strong. May I live with ease. May all beings be well and happy. May all beings live in safety. May all beings be healthy and strong. May all beings live with ease.

Namaste — Be in Peace.

Ron Rink
=====================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List —

Just click the links that are sort of Grey in color to take you to where you can learn more about each book and how you can purchase a copy for your own library.

Stephanie Kaza — Hooked!: Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire, and the Urge to Consume

Stephanie Kaza, an amazing writer and Buddhist teacher I knew from my 36 years living in Vermont, gathers key Buddhist thinkers to reflect upon aspects of consumerism, greed and economics. Certainly, many other authors have examined consumerism from the lens of their religious traditions, but this book’s Buddhist perspective is unusual, and its pairing of consumerist critiques with core Buddhist concepts is generally fruitful. Check this one out! Hooked!

Stephanie Kaza — Mindfully Green: A Personal and Spiritual Guide to Whole Earth Thinking

Another one from my Vermont friend — Stephanie Kaza, a biologist and professor of Environmental Studies at University of Vermont, combines Zen Buddhist practices and teachings with her 40 years as an environmentalist for this guide to enlightened environmentalism, proposing a belief in the interdependence of people and nature as the genuine way to “go green”: “When we come to see ourselves as part of the green web of life… we are naturally drawn to respond with compassion.” A good read for Buddhists or anyone from any religion. Mindfully Green

Anam Thubten — No Self – No Problem

No Self – No Problem
shows how to realize the ultimate meaning of life in each moment by dissolving all notions of ego-identity. It asks that spiritual seekers wake up to their true nature, which is already enlightened. Based on Buddhist wisdom traditions, this easy-to-read book discusses in simple, but profound and inspiring language, how we can live a life full of love, satisfaction, and happiness. No Self – No Problem

Sharon Salzberg — The Kindness Handbook

“It takes boldness, even audacity, to step out of our habitual patterns and experiment with a quality like kindness–to work with it and see just how it might shift and open up our lives. This book is an invitation to do just that. — From The Kindness Handbook

Eckhart Tolle’s amazing best seller, A New Earth

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s wonderful book, My Stroke of Insight: Nirvana is just a breath away!

And this one by Sharon Salzberg and is entitled: A Heart as Wide as the World: Living with Mindfulness, Wisdom and Compassion“.

This is a new one for you by Pema Chodron entitled: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
=====================================================
Always remember this wonderful quote from Buddha ….

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

~~~ Buddha

Shanti everyone, … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

~~~ Buddha

Have a peaceful day!! —

Ron Rink

P.S. If you’d like to read my memoir/novel, you can access it here:
http://www.wecould2.com

Technorati Tags: attachment, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, Buddhist Belief, dependent origination, detachment, environment, inner peace, karma, Lotus Sutra, loving kindness, Meditation, metta, middle way, mindfulness, Nirvana, Peace, Three Jewels

Posted by Ron Rink under Buddhist Belief | Comment now » |

27

March

Buddhist Belief – The Middle Way

The core of Dharma practice is freeing oneself from the attachments of this life. It focuses on the deeper issue of gaining complete release from discontent by means of freeing our minds from the afflictions of confusion, attachment, and anger. In a broader sense, Dharma practice is concerned with serving others, in terms of both their temporary and ultimate needs.

Does this mean that one who is committed to Dharma suddenly renounces all worldly enjoyments – no more vacations, no entertainment, no sensory pleasures? No. If one tries that approach it usually results in spiritual burnout; and the common rebound is equally extreme sensual indulgence.

For this reason, the practice of Buddhist Dharma is often called the Middle Way because it seeks to avoid the extremes of sensual indulgence and severe asceticism. The former leads to perpetual dissatisfaction and the latter damages one’s physical and mental health…The Middle Way is a sensitive exertion of effort that is neither lax nor aggressive, and from this practice there ultimately arises an increasing satisfaction and delight in virtuous activity that is a result of our spiritual transformation.

~~~ B. Allan Wallace, Tibetan Buddhism from the Ground Up

I’ve been thinking a lot about attachment lately. As my life is going through so many changes now, I’m noting how so many of my old habits of being attached to things and stuff are rapidly fading. My needs are fewer and fewer. Those of us who are making a study of Buddhist Beliefs, have undoubtedly learned about the path of the Buddha. Most of us refer to it as the middle path because it not only avoids extremes of behavior, it also avoids a couple more extreme points of view. One view is that somewhere in this world filled with so many sense pleasures, there will be something which will not change – something which will last forever. The one thing we can truly count on to always be there.

So we keep looking for it. Every so often we’re pretty darn sure we’ve found it. This will be it! This will be the perfect find. This, I know will not betray me. This will last forever. So we grab onto it. We hold on so tightly. Eventually, we find the disappointment – the thing we knew would always be there changes in some way. It’s not the same anymore. Or, perhaps we lose it for some reason. Invariably, the end result is we suffer. The world we’re exposed to here is constantly trying to lure us with commercials and advertisements all working so hard to convince us that their “thing” is the exact “thing” we were seeking. We keep falling into the trap of wanting, clinging, grasping and attachment. If we could just stop, think and avoid these lures, we would be a lot happier in the long run.

The other view, which is also rather extreme, is that our lives are empty. And, since there’s nothing of importance, that life is all rather blank and void, that it doesn’t matter what we think or do, then why bother trying to make it better? Why should I bother putting any effort into trying to change the world?

Of course, right about then the Zen master will walk up behind you and give you a good rap on the head with his stick as he asks, “If everything is empty, why did that hurt?”

Buddhists do understand that emptiness is a characteristic of all of life. If we look openly at any experience we will find it’s true – nothing is permanent – everything is subject to change in some way – nothing is going to last forever, not even us. This is something I give a lot of thought to these days. I see where this disease I have is headed. The changes I see in my life, almost on a daily basis, are surprising, even though I knew to expect them. This isn’t some crazy, accidental universe we live in. Things happen because of certain laws – the laws of nature – the laws of karma. It’s because of these laws, and if we have an understanding of this, we know that we have the ability to truly transform our lives every day.

The Middle Way taught by the Buddha is a way of living that avoids these two extremes. We abandon the idea there is something out there that we can desire, find, buy and cling to that will not change. Followers of the Middle Way also avoid the mistaken belief that nothing we do will matter or make a difference. Everything thing we do has a reaction. The lessons of the Middle Way have been so helpful in my own life these days. I am learning to avoid the extremes by an acceptance of the way things are. Whatever arises in life will also pass at some point. What we do does matter – we are part of the Universe and our actions will ripple out everywhere. We learn to accept the fact there is nothing out there which will not change in some way, at some time.

Living a life guided by the Middle Way will create a life filled with wisdom and love.

Metta ….May I be well and happy. My I live in safety. May I be healthy and strong. May I live with ease. May all beings be well and happy. May all beings live in safety. May all beings be healthy and strong. May all beings live with ease.

Namaste — Be in Peace.

Ron Rink
=====================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List —

Just click the links that are sort of Grey in color to take you to where you can learn more about each book and how you can purchase a copy for your own library.

Stephanie Kaza — Hooked!: Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire, and the Urge to Consume

Stephanie Kaza, an amazing writer and Buddhist teacher I knew from my 36 years living in Vermont, gathers key Buddhist thinkers to reflect upon aspects of consumerism, greed and economics. Certainly, many other authors have examined consumerism from the lens of their religious traditions, but this book’s Buddhist perspective is unusual, and its pairing of consumerist critiques with core Buddhist concepts is generally fruitful. Check this one out! Hooked!

Stephanie Kaza — Mindfully Green: A Personal and Spiritual Guide to Whole Earth Thinking

Another one from my Vermont friend — Stephanie Kaza, a biologist and professor of Environmental Studies at University of Vermont, combines Zen Buddhist practices and teachings with her 40 years as an environmentalist for this guide to enlightened environmentalism, proposing a belief in the interdependence of people and nature as the genuine way to “go green”: “When we come to see ourselves as part of the green web of life… we are naturally drawn to respond with compassion.” A good read for Buddhists or anyone from any religion. Mindfully Green

Anam Thubten — No Self – No Problem

No Self – No Problem
shows how to realize the ultimate meaning of life in each moment by dissolving all notions of ego-identity. It asks that spiritual seekers wake up to their true nature, which is already enlightened. Based on Buddhist wisdom traditions, this easy-to-read book discusses in simple, but profound and inspiring language, how we can live a life full of love, satisfaction, and happiness. No Self – No Problem

Sharon Salzberg — The Kindness Handbook

“It takes boldness, even audacity, to step out of our habitual patterns and experiment with a quality like kindness–to work with it and see just how it might shift and open up our lives. This book is an invitation to do just that. — From The Kindness Handbook

Eckhart Tolle’s amazing best seller, A New Earth

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s wonderful book, My Stroke of Insight: Nirvana is just a breath away!

And this one by Sharon Salzberg and is entitled: A Heart as Wide as the World: Living with Mindfulness, Wisdom and Compassion“.

This is a new one for you by Pema Chodron entitled: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
=====================================================
Always remember this wonderful quote from Buddha ….

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

~~~ Buddha

Shanti everyone, … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

~~~ Buddha

Have a peaceful day!! —

Ron Rink

P.S. If you’d like to read my memoir/novel, you can access it here:
http://www.wecould2.com

Technorati Tags: attachment, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, Buddhist Belief, dependent origination, detachment, environment, inner peace, karma, Lotus Sutra, loving kindness, Meditation, metta, middle way, mindfulness, Nirvana, Peace

Posted by Ron Rink under Buddhist Belief | Comment now » |

12

March

Buddhist Belief – Dependent Origination – Huh?

“It’s a series of events – we desire something – we want it – (craving) – we get it and treasure it and don’t want to let it go because it makes us feel good (clinging) – and there is a birth of attachment which becomes a part of who we are (becoming). It works the same the other way too – unpleasant feeling results in not wanting followed by pushing away. This chain of events, according to Buddhist teachings, is called “dependent origination”. It shows how nothing is independently produced. This series is happening so fast we don’t even notice it. Yet, it’s the driving force by which we live.”
~~~

I was doing some reading and studying in some of my texts and articles relating to Buddhist Beliefs, and I found myself stuck once again on the topic of “Dependent Origination”. I wrote about this topic here once before, and I think I was just as confused about it then as I was during my study. I felt like I understood it, but my “wisdom meter” disagreed with me. So, I decided to really dig in and see if I could write something that would make sense to me – and to you. Here’s hoping!

About a week ago, I went on the Internet and bought a few books, a warm pair of slippers to wear around here and paid for a renewal of a domain name. The same day I also got an email with a new quote from the Buddha. One of the items I ask Google to search for and send me are articles written about Buddhism. I got one that same day about karma. The email told me about how actions always have results. You’ve probably heard it too – “If I plant a plum seed, I will get a plum tree. If I practice greed I will be more greedy. If I practice compassion, I will be more compassionate.” Buddhism 101, right?

The Buddhist teachings talk about this all the time. We come upon something we like – something we desire. This object gives us a pleasant feeling in our minds and our bodies. We associate this good feeling directly with the object. It really feels good! We come to realize that in order to keep this feeling going, we have to get the object. We cling to the feeling – then we cling to the object and the next thing you know, we give birth to an attachment. This has now become a part of our self.

It’s a series of events – we desire something – we want it – (craving) – we get it and treasure it and don’t want to let it go because it makes us feel good (clinging) – and there is a birth of attachment which becomes a part of who we are (becoming). It works the same the other way too – unpleasant feeling results in not wanting followed by pushing away. This chain of events, according to Buddhist teachings, is called “dependent origination”. It shows how nothing is independently produced. This series is happening so fast we don’t even notice it. Yet, it’s the driving force by which we live.

We’ve taught ourselves – and others have been helping with this teaching since the day we were born – that to avoid suffering, we have to get what we want or stay away from what we don’t want. However, isn’t it interesting that as we follow this cycle over and over we continue to suffer? It’s as though we don’t have any control, even though we read in our studies of Buddhist teaching how it’s all this craving and clinging which is causing us to not find peace and happiness.

Is there a way to break free of this endless cycle or are we locked into what we’ve been taught all or lives?

There is an answer. It’s called mindful awareness. As you know, mindfulness is the part of your mind that knows exactly where you are and what you’re doing in each moment. With mindfulness our mind is connected to the moment. It’s this power which can break through the automatic response to the desires and the clinging. Here’s an example:

Man, I really do want that latest iPad when it’s released. (I really don’t, but it’s just what popped into my mind as I write this.) I can feel the desire coursing through my body. I just think about it and my heart sort of flutters and I have this aching in my gut. That new iPad is so perfect for answering all my current techie needs.

But, wait a moment. Let me truly look at all these emotions I’m feeling right now. Are they really needs or are they just thoughts and sensations. When I put the brakes on and take a moment to check out what’s really going on in my mind, I can see it’s not a need – it’s just me falling into the same old trap of thinking I want something I don’t truly need. I’m just buying into all the hype and it’s making me think irrationally. It’s only me and my thoughts, nothing else.

Buddha’s teaching makes it clear that it is painful to want. If we can let wanting go, we get rid of the pain. When we get what we want it’s only a temporary fix. It doesn’t take long before we want some more. Buddhist wisdom teaches that desires don’t have to be fulfilled to make them go away. If we stop and look at the thought of desire, we can see it is just a thought – we can catch the want before it turns into a big-ole desire. We just have to catch our self in the midst of wanting and let it go. Break the cycle.

Of course, we need to have the time to be mindful, don’t we? If we’re so busy we don’t have time to think, then what do we do? This gets to be a real problem with the Internet. The time between seeing the slippers I talked about above and imagining how great they would make my feet feel, (my feet seem to always be cold!), seeing the link to place the order, and ordering them, was almost instantaneous. Gone were the days when you would see the item in the paper, then get a friend to go downtown with you, take the bus or the car and drive to the store, and after some parking or some lengthy walks, you might eventually get to the point of purchase. Plenty of time to “rethink” this “desire”.

What is happening now, though? Dependent Origination has been put on the fast track, hasn’t it? Where is the time to squeeze in a little mindfulness? Now we can fill our desires with a click of a mouse. You can see it in the youth today – they are living in a culture where they can get whatever they want whenever they want it. Where are the moments to break the cycle?

Scary! We have become slaves to the sped up dependent origination cycle. The objects of desire are endless and we can get them instantly.

Not a happy ending to this one without something changing.

Metta ….May I be well and happy. My I live in safety. May I be healthy and strong. May I live with ease. May all beings be well and happy. May all beings live in safety. May all beings be healthy and strong. May all beings live with ease.

Namaste — Be in Peace.

Ron Rink
=====================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List —

Just click the links that are sort of Grey in color to take you to where you can learn more about each book and how you can purchase a copy for your own library.

Stephanie Kaza — Hooked!: Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire, and the Urge to Consume

Stephanie Kaza, an amazing writer and Buddhist teacher I knew from my 36 years living in Vermont, gathers key Buddhist thinkers to reflect upon aspects of consumerism, greed and economics. Certainly, many other authors have examined consumerism from the lens of their religious traditions, but this book’s Buddhist perspective is unusual, and its pairing of consumerist critiques with core Buddhist concepts is generally fruitful. Check this one out! Hooked!

Stephanie Kaza — Mindfully Green: A Personal and Spiritual Guide to Whole Earth Thinking

Another one from my Vermont friend — Stephanie Kaza, a biologist and professor of Environmental Studies at University of Vermont, combines Zen Buddhist practices and teachings with her 40 years as an environmentalist for this guide to enlightened environmentalism, proposing a belief in the interdependence of people and nature as the genuine way to “go green”: “When we come to see ourselves as part of the green web of life… we are naturally drawn to respond with compassion.” A good read for Buddhists or anyone from any religion. Mindfully Green

Anam Thubten — No Self – No Problem

No Self – No Problem
shows how to realize the ultimate meaning of life in each moment by dissolving all notions of ego-identity. It asks that spiritual seekers wake up to their true nature, which is already enlightened. Based on Buddhist wisdom traditions, this easy-to-read book discusses in simple, but profound and inspiring language, how we can live a life full of love, satisfaction, and happiness. No Self – No Problem

Sharon Salzberg — The Kindness Handbook

“It takes boldness, even audacity, to step out of our habitual patterns and experiment with a quality like kindness–to work with it and see just how it might shift and open up our lives. This book is an invitation to do just that. — From The Kindness Handbook

Eckhart Tolle’s amazing best seller, A New Earth

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s wonderful book, My Stroke of Insight: Nirvana is just a breath away!

And this one by Sharon Salzberg and is entitled: A Heart as Wide as the World: Living with Mindfulness, Wisdom and Compassion“.

This is a new one for you by Pema Chodron entitled: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
=====================================================
Always remember this wonderful quote from Buddha ….

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

~~~ Buddha

Shanti everyone, … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

~~~ Buddha

Have a peaceful day!! —

Ron Rink

P.S. If you’d like to read my memoir/novel, you can access it here:
http://www.wecould2.com

Technorati Tags: attachment, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, Buddhist Belief, dependent origination, detachment, environment, inner peace, karma, Lotus Sutra, loving kindness, Meditation, metta, mindfulness, Nirvana, Peace

Posted by Ron Rink under Buddhist Belief | Comment now » |

01

March

Buddhist Belief – Is It Wholesome?

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought; it is founded on our thoughts; it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks and acts with pure thought, happiness follow him, like a shadow that never leaves him. Fools of little understanding have themselves for their greatest enemies, for they do evil deeds which must bear bitter fruits.”
~~~ Dhammapada

So much of human behavior seems to settle around the aspects of greed or hatred or both. In terms of Buddhist Beliefs, greed is the desire to get and hold onto what one wants, while hatred is the desire to ignore or destroy what one does not want.

We don’t even have to give either of these aspects of our behavior any thought, they are just there as though we were born with these traits. When you stop to think about it, probably we were. When we humans first came into existence we had instincts to cause us to seek out and chase down what could be something which would provide food for us, and also the instinct to know how to kill the prey. This force in us, these instincts, came under the heading of desire. This was a part of us from the very start of our existence.

Along the way of our development we began to learn things about non-greed and non-hatred. We seemed to pick up the understanding that we could switch off the selfishness of thinking only about ourselves and see some benefit in cooperation, communication and concern for the others in our tribe. We started to care for our young and the elderly. We discovered by doing so we were able to thrive much more effectively than before.

Here’s the catch, though. These new ways of thinking about compassion and cooperation didn’t replace the older instinctive ones, they were just added on. Sometimes we act out of our selfishness and sometimes we act out of compassion and wisdom. If you truly stop and think about it, we don’t have a lot of control as to which way we go. We do need to do what’s necessary to take care of ourselves. We also will find times when being generous and unselfish come just as naturally.

Buddha knew about these aspects of human nature. He recognized these opposites as wholesome or unwholesome. He saw that these were more than just actions, they were also based in our human emotions. The more we humans choose to act on the emotion of being kind and generous, the more likely we are to feel that same emotion again and again. The more we choose to act on the emotions of hatred or strong dislike, the more likely we are to act more often on that emotion.

Once we learn this wisdom, we realize we need to become more skillful in our ethics. If we react to our surroundings based only on our old instincts rather than our wisdom, we tend to create more suffering, not only for ourselves, but also for others. If we draw on our knowledge that compassion leads to less suffering, we tend to follow those impulses. It makes more sense to develop the skills to choose the path which leads to less suffering. If you look at where we are in the world today, we can gain an understanding of the futility of setting out to win all the battles using our old instincts. What happens is we end up losing the wars.

At the same time, we can also see how some of the things we do which are of benefit to our well-being can not seem to be as gratifying as we thought they would. Often, in the short run, these things can seem to be harmful, while, if we hold out for the long run, the good for ourselves and others becomes more obvious.

As always, it comes down to our choices. Do we go with our basic instincts or do we choose the path of compassion and love. Buddha was clear on this – the path to greater awareness calls upon our intelligence, our wisdom, to care for one another.

It seems we have reached the time where using our intelligence and wisdom has arrived.

Metta ….May I be well and happy. My I live in safety. May I be healthy and strong. May I live with ease. May all beings be well and happy. May all beings live in safety. May all beings be healthy and strong. May all beings live with ease.

Namaste — Be in Peace.

Ron Rink
=====================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List —

Just click the links that are sort of Grey in color to take you to where you can learn more about each book and how you can purchase a copy for your own library.

Stephanie Kaza — Hooked!: Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire, and the Urge to Consume

Stephanie Kaza, an amazing writer and Buddhist teacher I knew from my 36 years living in Vermont, gathers key Buddhist thinkers to reflect upon aspects of consumerism, greed and economics. Certainly, many other authors have examined consumerism from the lens of their religious traditions, but this book’s Buddhist perspective is unusual, and its pairing of consumerist critiques with core Buddhist concepts is generally fruitful. Check this one out! Hooked!

Stephanie Kaza — Mindfully Green: A Personal and Spiritual Guide to Whole Earth Thinking

Another one from my Vermont friend — Stephanie Kaza, a biologist and professor of Environmental Studies at University of Vermont, combines Zen Buddhist practices and teachings with her 40 years as an environmentalist for this guide to enlightened environmentalism, proposing a belief in the interdependence of people and nature as the genuine way to “go green”: “When we come to see ourselves as part of the green web of life… we are naturally drawn to respond with compassion.” A good read for Buddhists or anyone from any religion. Mindfully Green

Anam Thubten — No Self – No Problem

No Self – No Problem
shows how to realize the ultimate meaning of life in each moment by dissolving all notions of ego-identity. It asks that spiritual seekers wake up to their true nature, which is already enlightened. Based on Buddhist wisdom traditions, this easy-to-read book discusses in simple, but profound and inspiring language, how we can live a life full of love, satisfaction, and happiness. No Self – No Problem

Sharon Salzberg — The Kindness Handbook

“It takes boldness, even audacity, to step out of our habitual patterns and experiment with a quality like kindness–to work with it and see just how it might shift and open up our lives. This book is an invitation to do just that. — From The Kindness Handbook

Eckhart Tolle’s amazing best seller, A New Earth

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s wonderful book, My Stroke of Insight: Nirvana is just a breath away!

And this one by Sharon Salzberg and is entitled: A Heart as Wide as the World: Living with Mindfulness, Wisdom and Compassion“.

This is a new one for you by Pema Chodron entitled: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
=====================================================
Always remember this wonderful quote from Buddha ….

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

~~~ Buddha

Shanti everyone, … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

~~~ Buddha

Have a peaceful day!! —

Ron Rink

P.S. If you’d like to read my memoir/novel, you can access it here:
http://www.wecould2.com

Technorati Tags: attachment, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, Buddhist Belief, detachment, environment, inner peace, karma, Lotus Sutra, loving kindness, Meditation, metta, mindfulness, Nirvana, Peace

Posted by Ron Rink under Buddhist Belief | Comment now » |

07

February

Buddhist Belief-Pain and Suffering

“By means of meditation we can teach our minds to be calm and balanced; within this calmness is a richness and a potential, an inner knowledge which can render our lives boundlessly satisfying and meaningful. While the mind may be what traps us in unhealthy patterns of stress and imbalance, it is also the mind which can free us. Through meditation, we can tap the healing qualities of mind.”

~~~ Tarthang Tulku

Hello to all — This post will be a bit different from those in the past years. I am delighted to be a part of an “on-line sangha” made up of good friends from the sangha I belonged to while I was still able.

A couple of days ago, one of our members wrote about some of her readings on the topic of pain and suffering. A great discussion ensued. I became a part of that discussion and would like to share some of what was said with you. I will not be using the actual names of anyone other than myself.

Before I get into the serious stuff, I have to inject a touch of humor. Here’s a wonderful photo that showed up on Facebook the other day:

Doesn't Hurt to Ask!

The discussion opened with this message:

Hello,

I have been thinking, again about pain and suffering. I have seen it written that pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. As a central teaching Buddhism, it is important to study. I am constantly learning more about it. We also have little idea of what other people’s spiritual state may be. We do not know their thoughts or feelings we are good at projecting our own feelings on to others. We are good at judging others. We may think other people would be suffering in a situation that is painful, but they may not be. I have seen people who were near death that were happy. They were not faking it. It is not the situation, but the state of mind which creates suffering. Pain, on the other hand is every where. It is our affective experience of pain which causes suffering. People may be in abysmal circumstances, but may not suffer. Monks tortured and imprisoned by the Chinese claim not to have suffered. Yet, we are here to be compassionate. This is not the compassion of pity. It is the compassion of recognizing that we all do suffer. We hope to ease others suffering. It is the same as our own suffering. It is not to create suffering in ourselves or take on others suffering. We hope to teach others to ease suffering, just as we work on that goal ourselves.

This is from a Zen UU minister.

http://www.zenfortherestofus.com/pain.html

A quote from the article:
“The point of Buddhist transcending of suffering is not anesthesia. Unfortunately, much that passes for a description of Buddhist thought in our culture for years has seen Buddhism as a way being totally indifferent, of not emotionally responding. Buddhism is portrayed as a kind of emotional anesthesia that avoids all problems by simply not letting yourself become involved in them at all.

It is not a question of getting yourself not to feel pain anymore. Indeed, our usual response to pain, the indulging, wallowing in it, grasping . . . or pushing away, all produce suffering. But these responses also tend to numb us. And, in some ways, this is what we are after in the wallowing, obsessing, the grasping and pushing away. We are seeking the numbing that leaves us not feeling the pain so acutely.

In Buddhism, transcending suffering may well result in our feeling the pain that is inevitable even MORE acutely. Hence, the centrality in Buddhism of compassion, not indifference. But, if it means feeling pain more acutely, it also means feeling JOY more acutely. For, the anesthesia we have the habit of doing to ourselves to shut off our pain results also in shutting off much—if not all—of the playfulness and joyousness of life.”
=====================================
Another member of the sangha came in with:

I too tend to focus on this principle myself.
Something I was told was (easier said than done, but helps me, at least) is when something “painful” (which is obviously subjective) occurs, to embrace it.
Fully accept the pain, the “suffering” you feel & upon realization that you have embraced the pain, the suffering is no longer there.
Be it a stubbed toe or hurt emotions, accepting the pain, acknowledge the response to “suffer”, accept it, embrace it… it’s no longer there. (But that stubbed toe still throbs!) LoL

That’s what I was taught & wanted to share.
Again, easier said than done, but with practice it becomes more natural (note: I didn’t say easier).
========================================
Another of our active contributors wondered how the rest of us would respond to this: To those of you who are discussing anger, pain and suffering, how do you see those in the lower caste systems of India, and those in certain parts of Africa who have AIDS, or are suffering from starvation and illnesses. Do you think they have chosen their paths? Do you think it is Karma that has them where they are in this life?
===========================================
This is where I stuck my nose in:

First, I do see where, and why, someone may be feeling these discussions tend to get a bit hard to understand. Well, I guess that happens a lot when we’re talking about Buddhism. It is hard to understand — and the main reason is — ta-dah — Buddhism wants to shake us loose from a lifestyle and a culture we’ve lived in all our lives. We don’t like that — we’d rather keep on keeping on with what we have. It is difficult to understand any talk that says we have to suck it up or suffer — that it’s our choice. Some choice, right? I don’t like it either! Learning to suck it up, sucks!

Now, on to the pain and suffering part. Again, here Buddha is trying to tell us to do something contrary to what we are presently doing.

Let’s use myself as an example here.

I am at a stage now with my Pulmonary Fibrosis where every breath is a struggle and is often painful. I did an online Tricycle retreat yesterday where the leader was pointing out how our breath comes in 4 parts — the in-breath — the pause before the out-breath — the out-breath — and the pause before the next in-breath. I am now at a place where there is no longer a pause between the in-breath and the out-breath when I’m breathing normally. When I’m exerting a little energy and become winded and gasping, I even lose the pause before the next in-breath. If it’s there, I can’t sense it.

This is constant. It won’t go away in a few minutes — or a few hours — or a few weeks — or ever. It will only get worse. That’s just the way it is. Have I accepted it? — Of course, I can’t fight it — so I have accepted it. It is what is. I made the wrong choice many, many years ago, and this is how karma tends to work.

Am I transcending the suffering? Not at all. I am always suffering. I can’t make my mind say, “Don’t suffer!” I am suffering. If there’s a good Buddhist way to transcend the suffering I haven’t found it. Can the mind be trained when a terminal illness has progressed this far? I’m thinking perhaps not. The reality is there may be another “mind” out there — the non-self mind — which can transcend the suffering of this body I’m in, but it’s not in the “mind” I’m living with. Even during deep meditation — or for that matter, even during sleep, I am still suffering. I can’t find a way to tap into that “other” mind which can transcend suffering.

Can I still show peace and compassion to others? Sure.

Can I show my own happiness? Not too well, I’m afraid. It’s just too hard to physically hide the suffering any longer. It’s on my face — it’s in my eyes — it’s in my whole body. I am not happy to be in this condition.

Am I happy about other things? Sure — there are lots of things I’m happy about. I’m especially happy for the friends who are a part of my life. You all are among those wonderful friends.

Am I afraid of death? Not at all. Believe me when I say I am anxiously awaiting it. I am doing everything I can to make this final transition as peaceful and contemplative as I can. It’s been a challenge considering the recent changes in my home life, but I’ve worked out some of the physical arrangements here to help counteract a lot of the chaos and disruption.

Buddha taught that if we go out in peace, there’s a good chance we’ll come back in peace. I’m counting on it.

Peace and love to all of you!!

Ron Rink

P.S. Maybe we’ll count this message as my Buddhist Blog post for this time. Heck, maybe I’ll actually post it there too. — RR
======================================
There was another post after I started to write this, so I’ll include it here:

Shit happens. I don’t think that has anything to do with karma. That people are tortured or made to be sex slaves isn’t because of their karma. I don’t think that people who are in pain draw that to themselves necessarily. I think that our actions and thoughts create problems for us. I view that as making the same mistake repeatedly. That kind of mistake in my view is doing something that causes you suffering and/or creates suffering for others. An example might be losing your temper because things don’t go your way. Its kind of like the story of the person who walks down the street and falls into a hole everyday. One day, they see that if they cross the street, they will stop falling into the hole. That is karma to me. One day, we see that our habitual patterns of thinking create suffering and are unproductive.

That there is suffering or dissatisfaction with life, is from the first Noble Truth. The Noble Truths are 1) There is dissatisfaction with life (or suffering); 2) Attachment causes the suffering; 3) There is an end to suffering; 3) The way to end suffering is through the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path is a way to live, to follow the path to enlightenment or at least a way to suffer less. The point here is about choosing how we react to our situation. We choose how we react through practice. So, in the above example, instead of losing our temper, we recognize that we are angry. We see the anger is from us. We may want to fix the situation but, if we call people names or in some way harm others, we create problems. Anger may motive us to try to fix unjust conditions. If we hold on to an emotion instead of letting it go and let it flow through us, we create problems. The same could be said for other emotions.

Lets take the lower caste people in India. Many are Buddhist. Again, we are not talking about karma. They may not have much money and live in huts. They can see this as terrible. They can also enjoy their family relationship, their community and their celebrations. They create unhappiness when they compare themselves to someone else. The desire for things to be different is what creates suffering. We can not assume that people who have less are not happy. When I worked for hospice, this point was really made clear to me. I can assume that if you are dying that you are suffering. That is not true. There are people who are dying who are genuinely happy. They accept that they are dying. They feel that they have had a good life. They recognize that everyone dies. They are ready to die also. I think that is amazing. That kind of acceptance and peace is admirable. There are few people who can do this. We do not know the state of mind of someone who is dying. We may know that they are in pain, but we do not know their heart. We do not know if they are resisting their fate. We do not know unless they tell us so. Pity is not part of Buddhism.

Just as an aside, I was reading recently how happy most of the people living in the slums of India are. They have celebrations, they value their relationship and they enjoy their lives. If they just thought about how awful everything is, they would miss out on what is wonderful about life. I have read in some countries, which lack material goods, they pity us. They think we are disadvantaged because we let other people take care of our children and do not take care of our own elders.

So, what do we do when we see pain. I think that it is clear that, in Buddhism, the correct response is compassion. We strive to change what we can. We recognize that we can not change everything for everyone. We recognize that is the current condition of the world. We suffer and are in pain. They suffer and are in pain. Suffering because other people suffer doesn’t help them. Feeling compassion and recognizing that we are all in the same boat helps. Acting compassionately, to the best of our ability does help. That includes compassion toward ourselves.

I go over this stuff to learn. That there is suffering or dissatisfaction is the First Noble Truth. It is important to me to understand and discuss. When there is a discussion about it, I go look something up. I hope to share what I learn with other people.

What Buddha talked about with his followers is hard to say. I do know that Buddhist teachers talk about these things. Pema Chodron discusses these issues in a clear way.

Suffering is NOT karma. Suffering or dissatisfaction is the emotional response to pain, not getting what you want, getting something you don’t want, etc. This doesn’t imply a disinterest or lack of compassion for people who suffer or are in pain. We can not assume that people who are in dire circumstances suffer, because we do not know their heart. We are just like everyone. That is why we know about suffering. In Buddhism, we reach peace by confronting and changing ourselves.
=============================================
That’s all there is up to this point. I’m not going to add anything further at this time. I’ll go ahead and post this and see what the rest of you have to add.

Be well — be in peace,

Ron Rink

Technorati Tags: attachment, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, Buddhist Belief, detachment, environment, inner peace, karma, Lotus Sutra, loving kindness, Meditation, metta, mindfulness, Nirvana, Peace

Posted by Ron Rink under Buddhist Belief | Comment now » |

14

January

Buddhist Belief – Challenges

”Medicine King, now I say to you, I have preached various sutras, and among those sutras the Lotus is foremost!”
~~~ from the Burton Watson translation of the Lotus Sutra

What is involved with meeting the challenges of later life? How do those challenges relate to following Buddhist Beliefs? How do we stay inspired? Do we still have inner resources to draw on for wisdom? So many questions looking for answers.

Now that I have been including the primary Lotus Sutra chant, Nam myoho renge kyo, in my meditations, I feel the answer to one of those questions, (Do we still have inner resources to draw on for wisdom?), is a resounding, YES! As I chant this with my meditations and other times through the day, I think about how this sutra came into being. This was a lesson taught by the Buddha in the latter years of his life. Since it was written by someone who was aging I wonder if it is especially understandable by older people? I know I feel a connection to it. This sutra was written and then stored for many years. Some scholars say it was stored for 500 years or more. They also felt the sutra was held back because the monks hadn’t reached the point where they could understand it. I’m not a monk by any means and I know as I study it I feel as though I’m studying one huge koan!

The primary teaching of the Lotus Sutra is its extensive instruction on the seventh paramita, skillful means, and the perfection of a Bodhisattva. This sutra also refers to the Buddhist traditions of Mahāyāna. As I said earlier, I am only beginning my study of this sutra and it is not easy to understand. I keep looking for different translations and explanations and am slowly finding more and more sources. Throughout all of them, one factor remains constant – this sutra is a special teaching that supersedes everything else that the Buddha has taught, but the Sutra never actually states what that teaching is. This is said to be in keeping with the general Mahāyāna Buddhist view that the highest teaching cannot be expressed in words.

Again, in my feeble attempt to put what I’m learning into words we can all understand, this sutra talks a lot about the parent/child relationship of all the former Buddhas, to those of us who are the children needing to be taught. I’m coming to the conclusion there are hundreds, if not thousands of Buddhas available to help as I progress through this stage of my studies and my life.

I feel I am learning as I continue to include the chant, Nam myoho renge kyo, of the sutra in my meditation. My quandary was how to be at this stage of my life and also learn how to be with “what is” – when the “what is” is not as I had hoped it would be. Oh, I have moments, plenty of them, where I would like to be anywhere but where I am. Most of those moments come when the two-year-old is having one of his tantrums. Or, now that he has figured out I am always attached to an oxygen tube and am only able to reach so far, he will pick up something he knows is off limits to him and then stand just out of my reach and give me a look of defiance that says, “I dare you to try and take this from me!”. The teenagers have a pretty good grip on how to push my buttons as well.

However, I have the luxury of being able to spend most of my weekdays in solitude. My wife works outside the home, the teenagers are in school, and the two-year-old goes to the sitter. I do treasure the weekdays. At the same time, the learning process is happening every moment. The way things are right now, is the way they’re going to be for the foreseeable future. I haven’t reached the point of true acceptance of this reality as yet, but I am learning ways to adapt. The changes happening to my body are rather harsh realities, but I feel following the teachings of Buddha are showing me how to still tap into the peace within.

I feel it is time for me to move on to a different topic with the next post. I don’t know yet what that topic will be, but I feel you’ve read enough about all the changes taking place in my home-life. Thanks for bearing with me as I unloaded!

Metta ….May I be well and happy. My I live in safety. May I be healthy and strong. May I live with ease. May all beings be well and happy. May all beings live in safety. May all beings be healthy and strong. May all beings live with ease.

Namaste — Be in Peace.

Ron Rink
=====================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List —

Just click the links that are sort of Grey in color to take you to where you can learn more about each book and how you can purchase a copy for your own library.

Stephanie Kaza — Hooked!: Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire, and the Urge to Consume

Stephanie Kaza, an amazing writer and Buddhist teacher I knew from my 36 years living in Vermont, gathers key Buddhist thinkers to reflect upon aspects of consumerism, greed and economics. Certainly, many other authors have examined consumerism from the lens of their religious traditions, but this book’s Buddhist perspective is unusual, and its pairing of consumerist critiques with core Buddhist concepts is generally fruitful. Check this one out! Hooked!

Stephanie Kaza — Mindfully Green: A Personal and Spiritual Guide to Whole Earth Thinking

Another one from my Vermont friend — Stephanie Kaza, a biologist and professor of Environmental Studies at University of Vermont, combines Zen Buddhist practices and teachings with her 40 years as an environmentalist for this guide to enlightened environmentalism, proposing a belief in the interdependence of people and nature as the genuine way to “go green”: “When we come to see ourselves as part of the green web of life… we are naturally drawn to respond with compassion.” A good read for Buddhists or anyone from any religion. Mindfully Green

Anam Thubten — No Self – No Problem

No Self – No Problem
shows how to realize the ultimate meaning of life in each moment by dissolving all notions of ego-identity. It asks that spiritual seekers wake up to their true nature, which is already enlightened. Based on Buddhist wisdom traditions, this easy-to-read book discusses in simple, but profound and inspiring language, how we can live a life full of love, satisfaction, and happiness. No Self – No Problem

Sharon Salzberg — The Kindness Handbook

“It takes boldness, even audacity, to step out of our habitual patterns and experiment with a quality like kindness–to work with it and see just how it might shift and open up our lives. This book is an invitation to do just that. — From The Kindness Handbook

Eckhart Tolle’s amazing best seller, A New Earth

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s wonderful book, My Stroke of Insight: Nirvana is just a breath away!

And this one by Sharon Salzberg and is entitled: A Heart as Wide as the World: Living with Mindfulness, Wisdom and Compassion“.

This is a new one for you by Pema Chodron entitled: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
=====================================================
Always remember this wonderful quote from Buddha ….

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

~~~ Buddha

Shanti everyone, … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

~~~ Buddha

Have a peaceful day!! —

Ron Rink

P.S. If you’d like to read my memoir/novel, you can access it here:
http://www.wecould2.com

Technorati Tags: attachment, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, Buddhist Belief, detachment, environment, inner peace, karma, Lotus Sutra, loving kindness, Meditation, metta, mindfulness, Nirvana, Peace

Posted by Ron Rink under Buddhist Belief | Comment now » |

27

December

Buddhist Belief – The Lotus Sutra

Buddhist Belief – The Lotus Sutra

“Therefore, one should understand that the title of the Lotus Sutra, Myoho-renge-kyo, represents the soul of all the sutras.”

~~~ Nichiren

As the years accrue, the call to the inner life grows louder. It seems as though the greatest ally to those who follow Buddhist Belief, is to see the wisdom of the dharma, the teachings, and to strengthen our commitment to the practice. I also received several responses from readers of this blog to the question I asked a couple of weeks ago – Should I continue to stay on a path I had chosen for this time of my life, a path of contemplation focusing more on inner preparation for my final days – or – should I bring my focus more onto my current situation and learn to deal with it? I was finding being able to stay on my chosen path difficult because of the introduction into my daily home life of two teenage girls and a two-year-old boy, my wife’s grandchildren who now live with us.

Most of those who did write to me felt I should find ways to be able to live with “what is” and to still be able to follow what I felt were the necessary steps to go where my health was taking me. I knew these were all words of wisdom offered after careful thought on the part of the wonderful people who commented. I also knew I hadn’t a clue as to how to proceed. When I looked carefully at how I was currently dealing with the stress which rose up in me with all the chaos and disruption to the way I was accustomed to living, I knew I was facing a huge challenge – a challenge I truly didn’t want to accept. Where was I going to find the energy to accept AND fulfill what I felt I needed to do with my remaining life? I was already physically worn out with all the life-changes my age and illness were presenting.

So, I decided to do some more reading and studying of some of the Buddhist teachers who have helped me in so many ways over the years. In doing so I came across several references to Nichiren Buddhism. Nichiren Buddhism follows the teachings of Nichiren, a Buddhist monk who lived in thirteenth-century Japan. These teachings provide a way for anybody to readily draw out the enlightened wisdom and energy of Buddhahood from within their own lives, regardless of individual circumstances. Each person has the power to overcome all of life’s challenges, to live a life of value and become a positive influence in their community, society and the world. When Nichiren was a young monk he set out to study the Buddhist sutras hoping to find some answers as to why people weren’t living happy and empowered lives. He came to the conclusion that the Lotus Sutra contained the essence of the Buddha’s enlightenment and felt it held the key to transforming people’s suffering.

Considering my situation, this interested me, so I decided to dig in deeper. Thanks to my nearly constant companion, the Internet, I found plenty to study about the Lotus Sutra and translations of the Sutra itself. I’m still early in the process of this study but have added one new thing to my daily meditation practice — the invocation, or chant, of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. This invocation is a universal practice to enable people to manifest Buddhahood in their lives, and gain the strength and wisdom to challenge and overcome any adverse circumstances.

I thought, “This is something I have to check out!”

I began chanting this aloud as I meditated, but my breath capacity wouldn’t let me do so without struggling to breathe, which obviously distracted me from the chant itself, so I am now “chanting” this in my mind as I sit. ( I trust that doing this is my mind will have the same effect as chanting it aloud.) These words “myoho-renge-kyo” are the essence of the Lotus Sutra. As Nichiren said, “Therefore, one should understand that the title of the Lotus Sutra, Myoho-renge-kyo, represents the soul of all the sutras.” He viewed the words of the sutras as expressions of the mind of the Buddha, and further revealed that all the teachings of the Buddha are encoded within the phrase of “Myoho-Renge-Kyo”. This phrase has the meanings of “The Wonderful Law of Life” – or the “Universal Law of Cause and Effect”. It is also referred to as the ultimate reality of life.

The Buddhist way of “attaining enlightenment” requires a dedicated practice of devoting one’s life to the Universal Law or the Dharma. The Sanskrit word, “Namu” means “devotion to”. By including the “Namu” (devotion) to Myoho-Rengo-Kyo (the Universal Law of Life), Nichiren revealed that the Law of Namu-Myoho-Rengo-Kyo is the direct path to Enlightenment, as it unifies one’s subjective self with the objective reality of life (the Dharma). It all comes down to this – the teaching of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo can be interpreted as expressing the state of being “one with the law” and thus manifesting the state of Buddhahood.

In addition to learning more about the Lotus Sutra in my reading, I also came across several other references to how I should take these circumstances in my life as a blessing, a teaching and a training.

My first thought was, “A blessing?” – you have to be kidding.

Yet, over these past couple of weeks with the addition of the Lotus Sutra chant to my practice I have noticed slightly more ability to be more adaptable. I won’t say I’m truly “accepting” at this point, but at least I’m not trying to find ways to disappear any longer. When all this chaos began here a few weeks ago, I was cursing my illness and the restrictions it was putting on my ability to be more mobile. Now I’m adapting to the reality that I’m here to stay and this is what life is all about now. My studies of the teachings of Buddhism have led me to the understanding that these teachings are the things I need to include in my life now. I included them before, but not to the degree I need to include them now. This is now the “major leagues” – and I need to “up my game!”

More on this in future posts. Thanks again to all who got back to me on my question.

Metta ….May I be well and happy. My I live in safety. May I be healthy and strong. May I live with ease. May all beings be well and happy. May all beings live in safety. May all beings be healthy and strong. May all beings live with ease.

Namaste — Be in Peace — Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo …

Ron Rink
=====================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List —

Just click the links that are sort of Grey in color to take you to where you can learn more about each book and how you can purchase a copy for your own library.

Stephanie Kaza — Hooked!: Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire, and the Urge to Consume

Stephanie Kaza, an amazing writer and Buddhist teacher I knew from my 36 years living in Vermont, gathers key Buddhist thinkers to reflect upon aspects of consumerism, greed and economics. Certainly, many other authors have examined consumerism from the lens of their religious traditions, but this book’s Buddhist perspective is unusual, and its pairing of consumerist critiques with core Buddhist concepts is generally fruitful. Check this one out! Hooked!

Stephanie Kaza — Mindfully Green: A Personal and Spiritual Guide to Whole Earth Thinking

Another one from my Vermont friend — Stephanie Kaza, a biologist and professor of Environmental Studies at University of Vermont, combines Zen Buddhist practices and teachings with her 40 years as an environmentalist for this guide to enlightened environmentalism, proposing a belief in the interdependence of people and nature as the genuine way to “go green”: “When we come to see ourselves as part of the green web of life… we are naturally drawn to respond with compassion.” A good read for Buddhists or anyone from any religion. Mindfully Green

Anam Thubten — No Self – No Problem

No Self – No Problem
shows how to realize the ultimate meaning of life in each moment by dissolving all notions of ego-identity. It asks that spiritual seekers wake up to their true nature, which is already enlightened. Based on Buddhist wisdom traditions, this easy-to-read book discusses in simple, but profound and inspiring language, how we can live a life full of love, satisfaction, and happiness. No Self – No Problem

Sharon Salzberg — The Kindness Handbook

“It takes boldness, even audacity, to step out of our habitual patterns and experiment with a quality like kindness–to work with it and see just how it might shift and open up our lives. This book is an invitation to do just that. — From The Kindness Handbook

Eckhart Tolle’s amazing best seller, A New Earth

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s wonderful book, My Stroke of Insight: Nirvana is just a breath away!

And this one by Sharon Salzberg and is entitled: A Heart as Wide as the World: Living with Mindfulness, Wisdom and Compassion“.

This is a new one for you by Pema Chodron entitled: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
=====================================================
Always remember this wonderful quote from Buddha ….

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

~~~ Buddha

Shanti everyone, … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

~~~ Buddha

Have a peaceful day!! —

Ron Rink

Technorati Tags: attachment, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, Buddhist Belief, detachment, environment, inner peace, karma, Lotus Sutra, loving kindness, Meditation, metta, mindfulness, Nirvana, Peace

Posted by Ron Rink under Buddhist Belief | Comment now » |

21

December

Buddhist Belief: No Gain — Relationships won’t solve our problems, but they can help us grow.

The author of this article doesn’t know it, but he wrote this for me in order to get my attention! It certainly does talk to me about where I am in my life at this time. I need to read this carefully many times over, so I’m putting it in my blog where it won’t get lost.

I hope it will be of help to you as well.

Be well — be in peace,

Ron Rink
===============================================================
No Gain — Relationships won’t solve our problems, but they can help us grow.

by: Barry Magid

My teacher Charlotte Joko Beck pretty much sums up her attitude toward relationships when she says, “Relationships don’t work.”

Rather than talk about everything we normally think that we gain from relationships, like love, companionship, security, and family life, she looks at relationships from the perspective of no gain. She focuses on all the ways relationships go awry when people enter into them with particular sorts of gaining ideas and expect relationships to function as an antidote to their problems. Antidotes are all versions of “If only…” If only she were more understanding; if only he were more interested in sex; if only she would stop drinking. For Joko, that kind of thinking about relationships means always externalizing the problem, always assuming that the one thing that’s going to change your life is outside yourself and in the other person. If only the other person would get his or her act together, then my life would go the way I want it to.

Joko tries to bring people back to their own fears and insecurities. These problems are ours to practice with, and we can’t ask anyone else, including a teacher, to do that work for us. To be in a real relationship, a loving relationship, is simply to be willing to respond and be there for the other person without always calculating what we are going to get out of it.

Many people come to me and say, “I’ve been in lots of relationships where I give and give and give.” But for them it wasn’t enlightenment; it was masochism! What they are missing from Joko’s original account is a description of what relationships are actually for—what the good part is. In addition to being aware of the pitfalls that Joko warns us about, we should also look at all the ways in which relationships provide the enabling conditions for our growth and development. That’s particularly obvious with children. We would all agree that children need a certain kind of care and love in order to grow and develop. Nobody would say to a five-year-old, “What do you need Mommy for? Deal with your fear on your own!” The thing is that most of us are still struggling with remnants of that child’s neediness and fear in the midst of a seemingly adult life. Relationships aren’t just crutches that allow us to avoid those fears; they also provide conditions that enable us to develop our capacities so we can handle them in a more mature way.

It’s not just a parent-child relationship or a relationship with a partner that does that. The relationship of a student with a teacher, between members of a sangha, between friends, and among community members—all help us to develop in ways we couldn’t on our own. Some aspects of ourselves don’t develop except under the right circumstances.

Aristotle stressed the importance of community and friendship as necessary ingredients for character development and happiness. He is the real origin of the idea that “it takes a village” to raise a child. However, you don’t find much in Aristotle about the necessity of romantic love in order to develop. His emphasis was on friendship.

Aristotle said that in order for people to become virtuous, we need role models—others who have developed their capacities for courage, self-control, wisdom, and justice. We may emphasize different sets of virtues or ideas about what makes a proper role model, but Buddhism also asserts that, as we are all connected and interdependent, none of us can do it all on our own.

Acknowledging this dependency is the first step of real emotional work within relationships. Our ambivalence about our own needs and dependency gets stirred up in all kinds of relationships. We cannot escape our feelings and needs and desires if we are going to be in relationships with others. To be in relationships is to feel our vulnerability in relation to other people who are unpredictable, and in circumstances that are intrinsically uncontrollable and unreliable.

We bump up against the fact of change and impermanence as soon as we acknowledge our feelings or needs for others. Basically, we all tend to go in one of two directions as a strategy for coping with that vulnerability. We either go in the direction of control or of autonomy. If we go for control, we may be saying: “If only I can get the other person or my friends or family to treat me the way I want, then I’ll be able to feel safe and secure. If only I had a guarantee that they’ll give me what I need, then I wouldn’t have to face uncertainty.” With this strategy, we get invested in the control and manipulation of others and in trying to use people as antidotes to our own anxiety.

With the strategy (or curative fantasy) of autonomy, we go in the opposite direction and try to imagine that we don’t need anyone. But that strategy inevitably entails repression or dissociation, a denial of feeling. We may imagine that through spiritual practice we will get to a place where we won’t feel need, sexuality, anger, or dependency. Then, we imagine, we won’t be so tied into the vicissitudes of relationships. We try to squelch our feelings in order not to be vulnerable anymore, and we rationalize that dissociation under the lofty and spiritual-sounding word “detachment,” which ends up carrying a great deal of unacknowledged emotional baggage alongside its original, simpler meaning as the acceptance of impermanence.

We have to get to know and be honest about our particular strategies for dealing with vulnerability, and learn to use our practice to allow ourselves to experience more of that vulnerability rather than less of it. To open yourself up to need, longing, dependency, and reliance on others means opening yourself to the truth that none of us can do this on our own. We really do need each other, just as we need parents and teachers. We need all those people in our lives who make us feel so uncertain. Our practice is not about finally getting to a place where we are going to escape all that but about creating a container that allows us to be more and more human, to feel more and more.

If we let ourselves feel more and more, paradoxically, we get less controlling and less reactive. As long as we think we shouldn’t feel something, as long as we are afraid of feeling vulnerable, our defenses will kick in to try to get life under control, to manipulate ourselves or other people. But instead of either controlling or sequestering our feelings, we can learn to both contain and feel them fully. That containment allows us to feel vulnerable or hurt without immediately erupting into anger; it allows us to feel neediness without clinging to the other person. We acknowledge our dependency.

We learn to keep our relationships and support systems in good repair because we admit to ourselves how much we need them. We take care of others for our own sake as well as theirs. We begin to see that all our relationships are part of a broad spectrum of interconnectedness, and we respect not only the most intimate or most longed-for of our relationships but also all the relationships we have—from the most personal to the most public—which together are always defining who we are and what we need in order to become fully ourselves.

Relationships work to open us up to ourselves. But first we have to admit how much we don’t want that to happen, because that means opening ourselves to vulnerability. Only then will we begin the true practice of letting ourselves experience all those feelings of vulnerability that we first came to practice to escape.

From Ending the Pursuit of Happiness: A Zen Guide, © Barry Magid 2008.

Technorati Tags: Buddhist Belief, mindfulness

Posted by Ron Rink under Buddhist Belief | Comment now » |

12

December

Buddhist Belief – More about The Aging Question

The Five Remembrances:
Buddha recommended we bring this almost into the mantra category as a reminder of life’s ephemeral nature. (1) We will grow old. (2) Our bodies will deteriorate. (3) Death is inevitable. (4) Everything changes. (5) We must part from our loved ones, and our actions or karma are our true belongings, the ground upon which we stand.
~~~ Buddha

Since I am in the process of aging and also a practitioner of Buddhist Belief, I have to ask myself, and hopefully you who are reading this blog, how are we dealing with the inevitability of aging? It doesn’t matter whether you’re in your 20s or 30s or whether you’re in your 70s or 80s, or somewhere in between or older, the question is still there. Nothing is permanent. We may think we’ll live forever, but the fact is, we won’t. Our time will come. So, how do we prepare?

Where does our practice and way of life fit into this picture of impermanence? Let’s face it, our culture is in denial and is phobic about death. How do we find a path through this getting old stage of life while we live in this culture? Buddha taught there were three characteristics central to Buddhism – dukkha (suffering), anatta (nonself) and anicca (impermanence). All three of these characteristics are vital to all of us as we move through our lives. For those of us in our older years, it’s time to start paying attention.

In Buddha’s time, the culture had the tradition of ashramas, the four stages of life. First we are students – followed by a period of providing for our family. Once your children were grown and your career had run its course (sort of like retirement age in our culture), it was time to focus on your inner life – a time when you would go on retreat and get more involved in your practice. Our culture isn’t much different, except for the last stage.

Here in our modern-day western culture, we find the idea of focusing on our inner life to be a huge challenge. How do we make the leap from a fast-paced, “work your butt off” lifestyle, to one that is calmer and contemplative – one where we give more of ourselves to meditation and inner discovery? Our lives, up until this “getting older stage”, have been driven to doing rather than being. This has become a form of addiction for all of us, and there’s nothing more difficult than trying to rehab ourselves out of an addiction. I know I still get up every morning and “go to work”. No, I don’t get paid any more, and no,I don’t climb in a car and drive to an office any longer, but I do have an office in my home and I do go there every day – most every day of the week. It’s where I do my work – the writing for this blog and two others. It’s where I do my political activism and other forms of rabble-rousing. Yes, I do meditate and it is an important part of my day, but it’s on a schedule just like the rest of my life.

This is not how I should be living now with my health the way it is and at my age. Perhaps it is time for me to call up another of Buddha’s teachings – the Five Remembrances. Buddha recommended we bring this almost into the mantra category as a reminder of life’s ephemeral nature. (1) We will grow old. (2) Our bodies will deteriorate. (3) Death is inevitable. (4) Everything changes. (5) We must part from our loved ones, and our actions or karma are our true belongings, the ground upon which we stand. If this is true, then what becomes truly important, especially in our culture of television, tweeting, and Facebook?

I’m slowly becoming more and more convinced there is a sacred dimension to the process of aging because we begin to see how precious time can be. This is the time to call upon our practice to sustain us – to inspire us. I do clearly see this, but putting it into my own way of life is proving to be an enormous challenge. I need to summon up some new, inner strength to carry this off. This is when I’m dealing with declining energy levels and a life-threatening illness. To now make this leap into a more contemplative life is a huge task, especially in my current environment.

I was speaking to some friends yesterday when I brought up the fact that my wish for this time of my life was to be able to be more contemplative and to be able to devote my quiet moments to preparing myself for my final days. However, now with two teenagers and a 2-year old living in my home, their very ill mother where my wife has to devote so much energy and care, plus all the related drama that goes along with all that, it is near impossible. One of my friends, (a person I hold in the highest regard for their wisdom) commented, “You probably need to just let that idea go!”

Was that comment right? Is that the way to go now? Do I need to find a different direction than the one I had hoped for?

I’m curious and would love to hear your thoughts over the coming days. Please comment here and let me know what you think. Thanks!!

Metta ….May I be well and happy. My I live in safety. May I be healthy and strong. May I live with ease. May all beings be well and happy. May all beings live in safety. May all beings be healthy and strong. May all beings live with ease.

Namaste — Be in Peace.

Ron Rink
=====================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List —

Just click the links that are sort of Grey in color to take you to where you can learn more about each book and how you can purchase a copy for your own library.

Stephanie Kaza — Hooked!: Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire, and the Urge to Consume

Stephanie Kaza, an amazing writer and Buddhist teacher I knew from my 36 years living in Vermont, gathers key Buddhist thinkers to reflect upon aspects of consumerism, greed and economics. Certainly, many other authors have examined consumerism from the lens of their religious traditions, but this book’s Buddhist perspective is unusual, and its pairing of consumerist critiques with core Buddhist concepts is generally fruitful. Check this one out! Hooked!

Stephanie Kaza — Mindfully Green: A Personal and Spiritual Guide to Whole Earth Thinking

Another one from my Vermont friend — Stephanie Kaza, a biologist and professor of Environmental Studies at University of Vermont, combines Zen Buddhist practices and teachings with her 40 years as an environmentalist for this guide to enlightened environmentalism, proposing a belief in the interdependence of people and nature as the genuine way to “go green”: “When we come to see ourselves as part of the green web of life… we are naturally drawn to respond with compassion.” A good read for Buddhists or anyone from any religion. Mindfully Green

Anam Thubten — No Self – No Problem

No Self – No Problem
shows how to realize the ultimate meaning of life in each moment by dissolving all notions of ego-identity. It asks that spiritual seekers wake up to their true nature, which is already enlightened. Based on Buddhist wisdom traditions, this easy-to-read book discusses in simple, but profound and inspiring language, how we can live a life full of love, satisfaction, and happiness. No Self – No Problem

Sharon Salzberg — The Kindness Handbook

“It takes boldness, even audacity, to step out of our habitual patterns and experiment with a quality like kindness–to work with it and see just how it might shift and open up our lives. This book is an invitation to do just that. — From The Kindness Handbook

Eckhart Tolle’s amazing best seller, A New Earth

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s wonderful book, My Stroke of Insight: Nirvana is just a breath away!

And this one by Sharon Salzberg and is entitled: A Heart as Wide as the World: Living with Mindfulness, Wisdom and Compassion“.

This is a new one for you by Pema Chodron entitled: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
=====================================================
Always remember this wonderful quote from Buddha ….

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

~~~ Buddha

Shanti everyone, … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

~~~ Buddha

Have a peaceful day!! —

Ron Rink

P.S. If you’d like to read my memoir/novel, you can access it here:
http://www.wecould2.com

Technorati Tags: attachment, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, Buddhist Belief, detachment, environment, inner peace, karma, loving kindness, Meditation, metta, mindfulness, Nirvana, Peace

Posted by Ron Rink under Buddhist Belief | Comment now » |

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Buddhist Belief – Taking Refuge in the Buddha

Buddhist Belief – The Three Jewels or Refuges

Buddhist Belief – The Middle Way

Buddhist Belief – Dependent Origination – Huh?

Buddhist Belief – Is It Wholesome?

Buddhist Belief-Pain and Suffering

Buddhist Belief – Challenges

Buddhist Belief – The Lotus Sutra

Buddhist Belief: No Gain — Relationships won’t solve our problems, but they can help us grow.

Buddhist Belief – More about The Aging Question