Buddhist Belief Blog

Can you think of any times when you know you’re experiencing the present moment? Just that moment without any of the stuff we almost instantaneously add to the moment when it arrives? Try to think of a moment when whatever occurred was perceived as fresh and not clouded by thoughts of fear or hope. As so many of the teachers of Buddhist Belief, have taught, it is the precious moment before we clutter it up with all our ideas about it – our opinion of it – our interpretations of it – our likes and dislikes. We all have these moments, but they are often so fleeting we rarely ever remember them.

I do recall moments like this. One time I remember was when I was traveling between Ohio and Vermont on the New York State Thruway (Highway 90). There is one Service Plaza stop where you walk across an enclosed bridge which crosses over the Thruway. There are windows on the bridge so you can look down as the traffic passes beneath you. On this occasion, I had stopped and just stood quietly looking down as the cars below me went zooming by. I was completely absorbed by the movement of the cars – the sounds of the people in the Service Plaza and my monkey-chatter had ceased. For just that moment I was there and nowhere else. It was a moment of timelessness without a thought.

However, a moment later, the first thought I had was, “I was in the moment!” – the second thought was “C’mon, Ron, go do what you have to do and let’s get going!” – which ended the beauty of being totally there and nowhere else. I began the process of evaluating the moment and the experience of it and switching my thought pattern to things I had to do. I’m not saying the start of my thinking was wrong – only that it took me away from the beauty of the uncluttered moment.

Have you ever had something happen suddenly which either frightened you or shocked you? I’m thinking about events where you might have slipped on a rug or had someone come up behind you and surprised you. If you have had an experience like this, most likely you reacted to the event without any prior thought. Your whole body and mind became one. You were completely “right there” in that moment. Within seconds though, the adrenaline rush happened and your thought processes kicked in.

Another time which can happen for us – not often – but occasionally is when we first wake up. It happens once in a great while for me – that moment when I wake up and have no conscious awareness of where I am or who I am. My usual “things to do” hasn’t popped into my thought process yet – it’s just a quiet, peaceful “blank” for a second or two. I wish I could be aware of it more often. See if you can spot this in your own life.

As someone who does a lot of writing, when I sit down at the computer to crank out some words, it’s is often a blank slate before the words start to develop. This is especially true with this blog on Buddhism. Sure, sometimes like last week, I knew what I needed to say because I needed to see the words myself so they came easily. But, this week, I don’t know what is going to come out until I start pushing the keys down. So, I need to trust the moment. When the first thought arrives, type it out and have faith in it. I think someone famous once said it’s the first thought which is the best thought (or something like that).

This concept of giving your trust to your first thought can also tie into the Buddhist teachings about mindfulness. When you analyze this idea about your first thoughts, you will see that every thought is a first thought if you take the time to notice it. For example, when you reach for a glass of water, do you just grab the glass and chug it all down without thought? Or is the process more mindful – a series of “moments” – a series of first thoughts. You reach for the glass – then you touch it – then you grasp it – then you lift it – then you move it towards your lips – then you take the first taste with your tongue – etc. etc. These are all first thoughts – these are all moments, one after another.

You can do this in your daily lives. When you make your coffee in the morning – as you drive to work – as you eat your meals or be with your mate – learn to find those moments and treasure them. They go by so quickly and they are all precious. Your life will be a series of fresh, new first thoughts.

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
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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