Buddhist Belief Blog » Fourth Noble Truth

Buddhist Belief – Is There Life Before Death?

Ron Rink — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:04:48 +0000

“To experience love, we must go inside. When you experience real love you get into a state which is beyond words. You are filled with a joy that goes beyond all emotions. True love is the love of the inner Self.”

– Swami Muktananda

Last time we wrote about our belief that we are our physical bodies. As we meditate and learn more about Buddhist Belief, we find out more about the truth. As I ended the post last time —

“But the true essence of who we are is perfect — it is beautiful. The true essence of who we are is not going to eventually decay and crumble away. The truth of who we are goes beyond death and transcends imperfections. Because this is true for you, me and everyone else, everyone is equal. No one is better or worse than anyone else. We are all equal – we are all one.”

As we begin to rest in our practice, and look deeply into our mind, the truth makes itself clear.

Here’s something to try with your next meditation. Pay attention to your breath in the silence. Look deeply into your mind. Since you are a human, you will notice that almost immediately thoughts begin to pop up. Try not reacting to them. Let them be what they are — just thoughts. Keep watching your mind. You should begin to notice there are small gaps between your thoughts. There is a bit of space between the point where one thought ends and the next one begins. You have found the magic space. In this space there is no “I” — there is no “me” — there’s nothing other than the essence of who you are in that space. That’s it! It’s no more complicated than that. I think it was Eckhart Tolle who said the best place to live is in the space between our thoughts.

Interestingly, one of the reasons we all have so much trouble realizing the truth is because it is so simple. Our egos love it when things are complicated and work hard to convince us that something so simple can’t possibly be true.

This space between our thoughts exists in only one place — its in the present moment — it’s in the Now. However, where do we tend to look for the perfect life? You got it! It’s in the illusory future, isn’t it? We tend to keep wasting our precious moments — our “Nows” — and instead fabricate a world of maybes and future illusions. We forget that each moment — each Now — is the opening to a perfect awakening.

There is a perfection — a paradise in each of us. No, it’s not the one with streets paved with gold and pretty angels sitting around eating cream cheese like in the commercials. It’s not some sort of spiritual Disneyland. Instead, it’s the place between our thoughts — it’s the place where we are free of any limitations.

I saw a bumper sticker a while back that said, “I believe in life before death.” That’s right — we don’t have to die to find paradise. No! It’s right here — right now — in this present moment. It’s ours. It’s also up to us to choose it.

Buddhist Belief – Are We Who We Think We Are?

Ron Rink — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:08:43 +0000

“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

The first teachings about Buddhist Belief that the Buddha gave after his enlightenment were the Four Noble Truths. (For those who would like a reminder of what they are, here’s a quick summary:)

The First Noble Truth — Suffering: This might include people’s experience of old age, sickness and death; or not getting what they want; or getting what they don’t want; etc., which gives rise to habitual negative mind states and harmful actions.

The Second Noble Truth — Cause of suffering: People’s desires, cravings and clinging to just about everything. The suffering comes from wanting everything to be permanent, when none of the things being desired and craved for are permanent. It is also caused by not understanding that we, the essence of who we are, is permanent and lasting. Instead we see ourselves as our physical bodies. (This is what I’d like to talk about some today – so please keep reading.)

The Third Noble Truth – The end of suffering: Even suffering is temporary and illusory, being dependent on a dysfunctional way of “seeing’ who we truly are. Therefore suffering can be brought to an end.

The Fourth Noble Truth — The Path leading to the end of suffering: We can do something about the above. The Buddha set out a prescription for the dis-ease. This prescription is commonly known as “The Path” or : “The Teachings” or “The Eightfold Path”.

These teachings were first delivered to the same ascetics Buddha had been practicing with in the forest before his awakening. When the Buddha first returned to his old pals, they were hesitant to listen to what he had to say. They shunned him as a food-eater and sellout. But the Buddha’s newfound freedom and happiness were so apparent and attractive that they couldn’t help but listen to what he had to say.

Now, to get on with what’s on my mind today — it’s no wonder we’re so wrapped up in the belief that we are our physical bodies. I keep reading more and more writings by people who seem to have figured out the truth about life, and they are all pointing out that it is our identification with our flesh and bones as “I” which keeps us from the real truth.

This belief is so completely embedded in our minds that we no longer question it. It’s not just a few of us who think this way, it’s the mind-set of society as a whole. It’s been this way for generations upon generations. It’s a part of our everyday language. Even when we were infants we were taught to believe this way.

There was a time after we were born where we didn’t identify with our bodies. That time was short, however, because those around us began almost immediately to teach us otherwise. “Oh, what a beautiful baby!” “Look at those big, blue eyes!” “What a handsome young man.” “Oh, she’s going to be something when she grows up!” When we became exposed to these compliments, we never gave a thought to the fact they were someone’s idea of who we are – they were nothing more than judgments. Of course we didn’t think about it – we were infants.

The thoughts and comments we make to our newborn plant the seeds of an identity. The truth is that regardless of how we look, everyone is beautiful the moment they are born. To carry this thought a step further, it is safe to say that everyone is beautiful, regardless of their age, isn’t it?

If this is the truth, then why do we crave to have a perfect body – why do we care so much about what someone is going to think about how we look? Think of the millions and millions of dollars that are spent every year on products to make our bodies look more like what we, and others, determine to be beautiful. It’s not only beauty products but it’s also the diet industry. We’re always striving to be thinner, stronger, younger, older, heavier, shorter, taller, etc.

Why do we do this?

It’s because our egos are always comparing our selves, (our physical bodies), with others, because it believes itself to be a separate entity and it uses our body as the dividing line between us and others. But the true essence of who we are is perfect — it is beautiful. The true essence of who we are is not going to eventually decay and crumble away. The truth of who we are goes beyond death and transcends imperfections. Because this is true for you, me and everyone else, everyone is equal. No one is better or worse than anyone else. We are all equal – we are all one.

It is through regular meditation practice that we will learn to understand this basic truth. Even if you don’t understand this yet, it doesn’t mean you’re not perfect and beautiful – you are – you always have been – you always will be.

Buddhist Belief – Everything is Illusion?

Ron Rink — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:30:18 +0000

“In every moment we are absolutely perfect because our true nature is indestructible. Our true nature cannot be conditioned by anything.”

– Anam Thubten

Over the past few weeks I’ve been spending a lot of time studying various writers and teachers on the aspect of Buddhist Belief –that “Everything is Illusion”. I find I’m struggling with this concept. I’m aware my “struggle” is the work of my ego, but knowing that doesn’t seem to relieve the struggle. I keep hearing the words inside of me saying, “How could I possibly be only an illusion? – I’m much too important for that to be true!!” Yeah, right! I need to write something about this “struggle” and see if I can answer the question so many of us studying the Buddhist Belief are asking ourselves — (including me).

The idea of “everything is illusion” is one we in the western world have a lot of trouble wrapping our brains around. Yet, it is a central message in Buddhist Belief and is also central in many other eastern spiritual traditions.

So, is there some way to understand this wisdom?

As a person who is in the stage of life where the aging process, illness and death are more evident, it does become a bit easier to realize that everything IS illusion. The entire story of my life could be on the brink of ending at any time. As I try to look back on all the events of my life up until now, they will often seem dreamlike. Did those things really happen? Will any of it truly make a difference to my consciousness after I’m gone? Does all this exist only in my mind? At the moment of death will all these things, which I think are “who I am” continue, or are they illusionary?

One of the things I was taught many years ago when I first began to follow a Buddhist lifestyle, was to have the attitude when I was meditating to “dissolve the self”. It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Just be in the present — pay attention to the breath — and the “self” will begin to dissolve.

Well, it IS true. I’ve had it happen many times when I meditate. I have no doubt that many of you who read this blog or who are regular meditators, have also experienced your “self” disappear for some period of time. It might have been for only a few seconds, or it might have been for much longer. Either way, it does happen and it’s almost impossible to describe. It’s the glimpse into the true nature of who we are — our true essence. It’s just awareness.

(Funny thing — as I wrote that last sentence, I had to smile because I’m working on a video for my vlog (http://www.wecould2.com) on the topic of “Just Awareness”. It should be ready soon.)

Isn’t death just another concept? Isn’t it another mental construction? Is it possible (as many Buddhist yogis have claimed), to transcend the notion of so-called “death”? As one of the many teachers I’ve read (don’t remember which one) said, “A flower doesn’t talk and complain when it is starting to decay”. Of course, the flower doesn’t have a mind to construct illusory conditions.

I don’t believe when we say, “everything is illusion” means that nothing exists. I do believe it means we’re living from what our minds have projected and perceived, rather than seeing the way things truly are. Buddhism is very much into seeing the way things are. It seems that Buddha’s understanding of inner awakening was seeing directly the way things are. Buddha taught there are not as many problems in the realm of reality as our mind is tirelessly inventing.

An article I read a few days ago in Shambhala Sun quoted the Nyingmapa Master Lonchenpa as saying, “Now, all I can do is to keep laughing at the silliness of the world and everyone.” I feel he’s talking about how we are living in a world of illusions — of concepts — of ideas — rather than in true reality — true wisdom.

I believe it. Do you?

So, until the next time I am moved to write here again, keep meditating every day and you’ll find you will begin to gain confidence in your own true reality.

Namaste — Be in Peace.

Ron Rink
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AN ADDED NOTE OF INTEREST:

Here’s another article to share with you.
====================================================
Monk travels path to find inner peace

By Mindy Rubenstein, Times Correspondent

Published Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Thinley Ningpo became a monk at a Buddhist monastery in northern Tibet. He has made pilgrimages to the sacred places of western Tibet, studied under the eminent scholars of his faith and earned the title of Drupon (“retreat teacher”) and the honorific Rinpoche (“precious one”) for the years he has spent teaching and seeking enlightenment.

So when he was asked Tuesday evening if he has ever given in to his “afflictive emotions” — such as anger and fear — he surprised the crowd at Pasco-Hernando Community College by responding in English: “Oh, all the time!”

Ningpo explained that he spent six years in a monastery, which included working with young children. They could be very difficult, he said, and he would have to continuously practice his meditation.

The Buddhist monk spoke largely through an interpreter for two hours at the New Port Richey campus about the goal of finding inner peace, and the obstacles along the way.The greatest barrier to enlightenment, he said, is caring only about one’s own happiness. We need to “lessen our clinging to ourselves,” he said.

“If you really want to be happy,” he said, “help others.”

He spoke at length about meditating on the love from one’s own mother and extending that love to families, friends, community and the world. He also spoke about looking at others who may not have had that loving experience and to see the result, generating compassion for them.

If someone becomes angry, he said, try to understand that the anger is not that person, but rather an emotion of that person.

“Grow inwardly,” he said, so as not to be overpowered by our emotions, and gain “a deeper understanding of the situation at hand.”

While it is easy to get angry, it takes time and patience to cultivate love and compassion, he said.

Even just meditating for five minutes every morning will help, he said. “Train and tame our minds,” he said.

At the end of his discussion, Ningpo welcomed questions from the audience, which included professors of religion, psychology and sociology, as well as students and members of the community.

Several women spoke about alleviating conflicts at home and about raising children by incorporating the Buddhist philosophy. One man asked about teaching children to meditate.

“It establishes a seed for later on,” the monk said.

Tesha Whitman, 27, lives in Lutz and is a student at PHCC in New Port Richey. She asked about her 3-month-old son and how she can eventually keep him from acting out of fear.

Ningpo said matter-of-factly, in accented English, that parents with good dispositions will have children with good dispositions.

Drupon Thinley Ningpo Rinpoche is one of two resident lamas at the Tibetan Meditation Center in Frederick, Md. He travels the country visiting Buddhist centers like the Port Richey-based Ratnashri Sangha of Tampa Bay, which sponsored his visit.

The monk’s honorary titles mean “precious teacher,” according to PHCC professor of psychology Mike Sadusky, who hosted the event.

“I’ve been trying to get my students to use that title for two or three years now,” Sadusky joked during his warm and light-hearted introduction to Ningpo’s presentation.While he admitted to not be a practitioner of Buddhism and never being able to meditate for more than 30 seconds, Sadusky said told Ningpo, “I feel very blessed to have you here.”
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Ron’s Recommended Reading List

I’ve added another book to the list. See below.

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

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

http://www.theleaderinside.com
http://www.wecould2.com
http://www.buddhistbelief.com

Buddhist Belief – Why Practice Meditation?

Ron Rink — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:09:06 +0000

“You are now in control of your life. You see, the ego is never in control. The ego is controlled by wishes for comfort and convenience on the part of the body, by demands of the mind, and by outbursts of the emotions. But the higher nature controls the body and the mind and the emotions. I can say to my body, “Lie down there on that cement floor and go to sleep,” and it obeys. I can say to my mind, “Shut out everything else and concentrate on this job before you,” and it’s obedient. I can say to my emotions, “Be still, even in the face of this terrible situation,” and they are still. It’s a different way of living. The philosopher Thoreau wrote: If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps he hears a different drummer. And now you are following a different drummer–the higher nature instead of the lower.”

– Peace Pilgrim

In today’s post I’d like to share a few thoughts about meditation and how meditation relates to the way I understand Buddhist Belief. The question I’d like to pursue today is when is a meditation experience good — and when is it not good — or is there such a thing either way? Needless to say, as usual, I’m writing to myself here today, but you’re all welcome to come along for the ride.

If you’re someone who has a meditation practice, I’m sure you’ve had days when you felt like it was great — you felt settled and open — your thoughts came and went without becoming discursive — you were able to get into the present moment with ease. Maybe you even felt, “Wow! That’s how it should always be!” And then in the next day’s meditation you couldn’t find your way to the present moment with a detailed map. It felt particularly bad because you were attached to the meditation experience of the day before.

What we forgot is that either the “good” meditation — or the “bad”meditation — is just what it is. It’s neither good nor bad — it just is what it is. We tend to forget the teachings about not judging ourselves.

I believe the secret is to keep practicing. If we continue to do our daily practice, we’ll begin to see the innate wisdom within us begin to kick in. This is the wisdom based on goodness, openness, and equanimity. It’s the wisdom which will eventually cut through our attachments to our ego-self.

It does take some training of the mind to not get caught up in the good and the bad views of our lives and the lives around us. You can even practice this training in a crowd of people or when you’re doing some “people-watching”. (It’s a favorite practice of mine.) You don’t have to be in your more formal sitting meditation to do this. Just watch someone as you’re people-watching. Take notice of the thoughts going through your mind. Do you notice thoughts about something that you consider to be right — or something you consider to be wrong? Do you make any judgments in your mind about what the person is wearing or how they’re dressed? Do you see yourself being judgmental about their hair style or their behavior or anything else?

Are you now thinking, “Yeah. So what’s the point? Doesn’t everyone have these thoughts?”

The beauty is how you are now noticing what you’re thinking. All those thoughts and judgments aren’t just happening without any awareness on your part. Once you become aware of your thoughts, it becomes so much easier to focus back on the present. Your awareness is the opening of the door to your ever-present wisdom. It’s the first step towards becoming fully awake. It takes loving-kindness to be fully aware — it takes practice to truly relax — it takes determination to keep training this way.

There was a cartoon I saw recently in another Buddhist blog. There were three fish swimming around the hook of someone’s fishing pole. One of the fish is saying, “The secret is non-attachment.”

So, until the next time I am moved to write here again, keep practicing and you’ll find you will begin to gain confidence in your own true wisdom.

Namaste — Be in Peace.

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

AN ADDED NOTE OF INTEREST:

Here’s another article to share with you. Something to keep in mind if you’re going to be in or around Escondido, California.
====================================================
Deer Park Monastery Is the Best Summer Vacation Trip

Imagine this, you are stressed out and you want to go somewhere to stop and rest and maybe have some peace to yourself. Suddenly, you came by a place that is up in the mountains. The surrounding area of the place is very clean, calm, and peaceful. There are not many people around. As you walk around the place, you feel more relaxed and calm.

Well there is a place like that in California, and it is called, Deer Park Monastery.

Deer Park Monastery is located in Escondido, California. Deer Park Monastery is as big as 400 acres and is surrounded with mountains and beautiful scenery.

The monastery was developed on July 2001, by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist Zen Master who developed the tradition called, “Engaged Buddhism.” Engaged Buddhism is a tradition that applies Buddhist teaching to our daily lifestyle to help people become happier people.

Whenever people hear the word monastery or something related to Buddhism, they automatically think about a lot of sitting meditation and chanting. It is different with Engaged Buddhism. Most of the day, the monks and nuns put their time in to do everyday activities such as taking turns cooking, gardening, house keeping, office work and other normal daily activities.

Every year there are retreats for all different age groups, colors, and businesses. All retreats at Deer Park Monastery include the basic practices of sitting meditation and chanting, walking meditation, eating in mindfulness, group discussions, touching the Earth, total relaxation, and working meditation. Depending on the retreat, extra activities may include private consultations, mountain hiking, bonfires, and song and skit performances. Retreats are for beginners as well as experienced practitioners of meditation.

In society today, it is very hard for people to have some peace and not get affected with the media. However, when you get to the monastery, it is a different world and all the media and everything that distracts you is left behind. People are able to think clearly and do not have the media influencing them to do certain things.

If you want to take a vacation and re-charge your energy and come home with a clear mind, staying at Deer Park Monastery will do it for you.

For more info: Log on to Deer Park Monastery for more detail and about up coming retreats with Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

=========================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List

I’ve added another book to the list. See below.

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

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

http://www.theleaderinside.com
http://www.wecould2.com
http://www.buddhistbelief.com

Buddhist Belief – Do You Want Happiness?

Ron Rink — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:07:28 +0000

“The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.” – Atisha (Buddhist Restorationist)

As I’ve mentioned in past articles, I belong to a Buddhist Meditation Group. We met yesterday evening and had a lengthy discussion about one of the basic lessons of Buddhist Belief. This is the lesson of seeing what is, acknowledging it without judging it as right or wrong, and then letting go and coming back to the present moment.

As our discussion on this topic continued, it seemed as though our feelings went quite deep. We talked about being hard-wired — about how certain actions and responses we take to circumstances in our lives are unavoidable because that’s “who we are”. We’re human beings so we have to be the way we are.

Now, I admit I wasn’t in a very good mood when I came to the meditation. However, as the evening progressed, I began to sense I wasn’t the only one who wasn’t feeling too positive about life that day. I’ve given my feelings about this meeting a lot of thought today. I need to put these thoughts into writing for this blog. These are only my thoughts — they’re words to indicate how I understand the teachings of Buddha. In expressing these thoughts I understand how others who have studied the teachings may, or may not, agree with what I say today.

As the above quotation from Atisha would indicate, the aim of the Buddhist life is to reach for enlightenment. It is more about the journey than the destination. This may sound obvious, but you have to want happiness to have it. You have to want to be happy more than you want to be you (the ego you), with all your stories, beliefs, opinions, judgments, dreams, and memories. Happiness will never be found in being the ego you, not even in being a better, improved version of that you; it can only be found in losing your ego-self — losing all thoughts that relate to the me –and finding your true self.

Is there a price to be paid for happiness? In my own life I’ve discovered that happiness isn’t attained by working harder, or having more money, more success, or more friends. We never seem to have enough of these things to be happy. What I believe to be the secret is that as long as I’m focused on my little ego-me I’ll keep missing the goal of happiness because the ego-me doesn’t know how to be happy. Once we get past believing that we are our ego-selves we will discover true happiness. When we discover who we really are, we don’t need anything to make us happy because we already are.

The real you has always been happy, and it has always been possible for you to feel this happiness. Whenever you stop thinking or stop paying attention to your thoughts, (like can happen when you have a good meditation), there it is: peace, contentment, happiness, and joy. It turns out that the only thing in the way of your happiness is your thoughts about you. As Buddha taught, involvement or attachment with this you (the ego self), is the cause of suffering. This ego-you and suffering go hand-in-hand: You can’t have one without the other. So, the choice is clear: You can be involved with all your thoughts about you and suffer or you can be involved with the true essence of you, and be happy by ignoring your thoughts.

Although this choice is clear, it’s no piece of cake to make it happen, is it? Let’s face it, we love our stories, beliefs, opinions, judgments, memories, fantasies, and other ideas. We love them more than we love our true essence. We want to be who we think we are more than we want to stop suffering. When it comes to choosing between our ideas and love, we often choose our ideas. There’s no blame in this. It’s like one of our members said last night, we’re hard-wired to make this choice. Nevertheless, there comes a point in our evolution, when it’s time to wake up out of our programming and make the other choice. When this time comes, essence’s pull will become stronger.

This is the point where most of us are, right now, or we wouldn’t be talking about this or reading about it. It’s time to see that we don’t have to suffer. There is another way to live, but we have to choose it, and doing this is not so easy because of our programming. The hardest thing about making this choice is that it has to be made again and again — in every new moment. This is what we read last night at the beginning of our discussion.

We’re never done with making this choice because the ego part of us will still bug us constantly even long after we’ve realized who we truly are. That ego-mind will weaken as we pay less and less attention to it, but it will continue to tempt us with stories, judgments, opinions, fantasies, and memories. We may learn to see these thoughts for what they are, but they’ll still have some power to draw us in.

Yes, the ego part of us is strong, but it’s only as strong as the attention we give it. We can’t change the hard-wiring, but we can change our relationship to it. When we make this choice, the programming will weaken. It’s the only way to true happiness, and we’re the only ones who can make this choice. Waking up is really hard, but is it as hard as suffering? We tend to think so because it’s so comfortable to stay asleep.

How long do we have to keep bouncing back and forth between the ego-us and the true essence of who we are? Who knows? It could last a lifetime, but Buddha taught us it doesn’t have to. The more we choose to ignore our ego’s pull, the stronger our true voice will become. One day we’ll discover our desire to awaken is so strong that ignoring the ego becomes easy. That’s the day when we’ll be on our way to true freedom — to true happiness.

As usual, I’ve run longer than I intended. To those in our group last night who read this, these are the things I wanted to say during our meeting, but, I am much clearer in my thinking when I take the time to write. To everyone else, I hope you see something of value here. If you have any comments, I’d love to hear them.

So, until the next time I am moved to write here again ….

Namaste — Be in Peace.

Ron Rink

==========================

AN ADDED NOTE OF INTEREST:

I came across this article the other day and it does relate to some extent to what I wrote about above. I don’t have any notes about where I found it or who wrote it. It was in a file I saved many years ago.
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Find Tranquility and Peace in Shambhala

While driving through a nearby town the other day I stopped at a red light and on one of the buildings on an adjacent street there was a large red sign that said “Shambhala.” It piqued my curiosity and decided to investigate. Shambhala, also spelled Shambala or Shamballa, is a Sanskrit phrase combining the words swayam and bhala meaning “self benefited” or “self powered.”

Often known as a center of tranquility or place of happiness, Shambhala is best described as a state of meditation, although for people immersed in it, Shambhala is known as a hidden kingdom in the Tibetan religion of Buddhism. Some say Shambhala is an actual physical place that exists somewhere in what was once part of the Philippines. If it is not a physical place, it is thought to be found through the mind. The 14th Dalai Lama even suggested during the 1985 Kalachakra initiation in Bodhgaya that it is not found in any country but euphoria for a select few, “Although those with special affiliation may actually be able to go there through their karmic connection, nevertheless it is not a physical place that we can actually find. We can only say that it is a pure land, a pure land in the human realm. And unless one has the merit and the actual karmic association, one cannot actually arrive there.”

In order to get to the “Shambhala,” physically or spiritually, you need to first get past the one big hurdle in the process: You. The Shambhala teaches that every person has fundamentals instilled in them when they are born. These fundamental natures are of goodness, intelligence, and warmth. Through rigorous dedication to the teachings and meditation you can help bring out your nature daily and encourage it to grow. By stimulating your inner fundamentals you can inspire your friends and family to do the same and make life a bit better for everyone in your circle.

If encouraging the fundamentals can bring happiness, inviting the opposite natures into your life can bring upheaval. The three main emotions that oppose Shambhala’s teachings are doubt, egotism, and fear. People who follow the track of Shambhala believe that by overcoming these negative elements, awakening our true intelligence will define you as a human being.

This journey of awakening is also called the path of the warrior. The main idea behind a warrior’s path is that the warrior (or person undertaking this feat) will have to summon the courage to look inside themselves to find the “ultimate truth.” There are other main practices in the ancient art of Shambhala, but the warrior path is most important. Looking inside yourself is also popular in the modern natural health world but goes by the name Mindful-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

In order to see clearly, Shambhala stays true to the ideas of Buddhism, but encourages the specific journey of self-reflection and self-expression. With hundreds of spiritual centers teaching this journey around the world, Shambhala believers are able to share their connection with others who either want to be enlightened or are already on the way to an open and honest relationship with their inner self.

If you are already full of peace and are able to reach a meditative state as easy as any unenlightened soul like me can reach over and turn off the morning alarm clock, you are what the Buddhists call a bodhisattva, or “enlightened being.” This person has the task of helping others reach the ultimate state of utopia, what the Buddhists call nirvana. Although the only Nirvana I have had the pleasure of knowing is the ’90s grunge band, and my attempts at meditation often end up in an acute sense of hearing a fly buzzing about the room, I am not completely giving up. If you—like me—would like to be the happiest you could be within your life, give Shambhala a try, or if you can’t find a red sign nearby, try simply looking inside your inner self and getting rid of those negative emotions.
=========================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List

For those who wanted me to repeat the links for the books I’ve mentioned in the last few articles, here they are again — And, I have added a new book for you by Pema Chodron. It’s the last one in the list. I highly recommend all these books to you:

Sharon Salzberg — 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

http://www.theleaderinside.com
http://www.wecould2.com
http://www.buddhistbelief.com

Buddhist Belief – Buddhism and Peace

Ron Rink — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:24:39 +0000

“This is the way of peace: Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.” – Peace Pilgrim

With all the talk these days about wars and violence and aggression, it has me thinking more and more about what peace means to me and to others who yearn for it every day. It also leads me to ponder how one who follows Buddhist Belief will deal with the subject of peace in these times.

The photo I’ve included today is of a completed Sand Mandala that was built the week of May 11, 2009 in our public library here in Dayton, Ohio. The photo was taken by my friend, Jamie McQuinn. I’ve also included a video at the end of this post that goes into more detail about this mandala and the story behind it. Hope you will take a moment to watch it. It does tie in with this post.

So, today I want to write about Buddhism and Peace. Here we are, living through these times of violent conflicts which result in death, injury and misery to millions of innocent people. For those who are not acquainted with Buddhist Belief, and at the risk of boring those of you who do understand, here’s a quick introduction.

Buddhism is based on the teachings of Buddha who lived over 2500 years ago. His name wasn’t “Buddha”, it is actually Siddhartha Gautama. “Buddha” really means ‘one who knows’. Buddha was a human being — he made no claims about being a prophet or a God or a messenger of God. He was a great teacher and he based his teaching on what he discovered for himself through his own effort and experience.

More or less, the entirety of his instructions to his followers could be found within a single verse from the Dhammapada – which is a well-known and much respected anthology of some of His teachings:

‘Sabba papassa akaranan, Kusalassa upasampada, Sacitta pariyo dapanam, etan Buddhana sasanam.’ “Not to do any evil; to cultivate good; This is the teaching of the Buddha.”

Okay, there’s the nutshell version of Buddhist Belief. It’s also a clue as to why writing about Buddhism and Peace might make some sense.

So, what is “evil” in the Buddhist sense of the word? It’s all the thoughts, words and actions that are unwholesome — the stuff associated with greed, hatred and delusion. Greed can manifest in several ways – selfishness, avarice, envy, jealousy, covetousness, and so on. Hate could manifest as ill will, malice, strife, resentment, revenge, pride, etc. Delusion is not understanding the true nature of the world – believing what is not real to be real, the impermanent to be permanent and not understanding the law of cause and effect.

The other side of this is the good, the wholesome. This is about generosity, which is the antithesis of greed. It’s about loving kindness, the opposite of hate, and wisdom which is non-delusion. Buddhists have an ultimate goal — and that’s the goal of enlightenment. Enlightenment is the total and permanent eradication of greed, hatred and delusion by cultivating generosity, loving kindness and wisdom.

(Want to be a Buddhist? That’s all there is to it.)

In the Buddhist Belief, there are some simple ways to determine whether what you’re doing falls into the wholesome or unwholesome category. If an action, this includes thoughts and words as well, does harm to oneself or to others, it is unwholesome. If, on the other hand, it benefits others or oneself, such action is good and wholesome. The Buddha urged his disciples to “use oneself as a standard” when deciding how to treat others. As the old proverb goes, “Do as you would be done by.” Further he has said, “When you know for yourselves these things are unprofitable, blame-worthy and censured by the wise, and when these things are performed and undertaken and result in loss and sorrow, then reject them.”

If we can learn to use these guidelines in our daily lives — and the world could follow our lead — there would be peace and harmony in society.

I’ve run a little longer than I intended, so let me go right to the video I made about the Sand Mandala. I hope you enjoy it.

Until next time ….

Namaste — Be in Peace.

Ron Rink

================================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List

Sharon Salzberg — 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

http://www.theleaderinside.com
http://www.wecould2.com
http://www.buddhistbelief.com

Technorati Tags: attachment, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, Buddhist Belief, Buddhist Belief - Buddhism and Peace, detachment, Eightfold Path, First Noble Truth, Four Noble Truths, Fourth Noble Truth, inner peace, karma, loving kindness, Meditation, metta, mindfulness, Nirvana, Peace, Second Noble Truth, Third Noble Truth

Buddhist Belief – How Do We Deal With Anger?

Ron Rink — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:07:30 +0000

“And the day came that the pain it took to remain tight in a bud was greater than the risk it took to blossom.”

~~~ Anais Nin

I’ve been seriously neglecting my writing about Buddhist Belief. In fact, I haven’t done much in the way of writing these past few weeks on any of my blogs. Most mornings, I begin my day here at the computer with every good intention to get down to business and share what’s on my mind with you. Then, as I begin to write, my focus begins to shatter and I end up getting little accomplished because I’m so scattered in my thinking.

Today isn’t much different, but let me see if I can pull something together here…

As I look outside my office window I see the new blossoms on the lilacs — the trees with all of their bursts of so many different colored blooms — the activity of the birds and their nest building (one house-finch nest has already fledged its young) — yes, even the dandelions standing so tall and proud in my lawn — it seems there is nothing in this immediate environment to take away from the sweet smell of peace in the air. And yet my Internet news sources are all about old wars — new wars — violence of various kinds — the spread of new viruses — it’s as though the things I see out my window don’t mean much in this time. Why is it that what I read on my computer has to be in such stark contrast to what I see outside my window?

Perhaps we need to look into our hearts and minds to see what it is we may be doing to contribute to the negativity and how we might become a part of the solution, rather than a part of the problem. Aren’t religions supposed to further peace and harmony, not contribute to prejudice, bigotry, violence and war? Nonviolence is the first precept of Buddhism, and a fundamental tenet of many world religions; yet look what actually happens in the world throughout history. Even here at home in America, guns in the schools and at home continue to harm us. Violence has come to the fore as a major focus of concern, but we have not made much progress in averting or dealing with it.

Martin Luther King said that we have two choices: to peacefully coexist, or to destroy ourselves. Isn’t it amazing how often we are choosing to destroy ourselves? Do you know how many countries in the world are experiencing war right now? Dozens — even more! Yet here in America we don’t feel it as being a part of our daily lives, unless we, or someone close to us is directly involved. When I look out my window I see no evidence of war — yet, I’m aware that it’s not far away. It’s even closer than we realize.

War doesn’t begin outside somewhere, on a battlefield, along some disputed border, or in a diplomatic conference room or economic summit meeting; war begins with the greed, hatred, prejudice, racism, ignorance and cruelty in the human heart. As Dostoevsky once said, “This is because the true battlefield is the heart of man”. If we want peace in the world — and I firmly believe we all do — we need to face this fact and learn how to soften up and disarm our own hearts, as well as work towards peace in our time. We need to think globally and act locally, beginning with ourselves and each other at home, in the family, as well as outside at work and in the community.

In Buddhist Belief, we strive to be a Buddha — one who embodies the Buddhist heart of love and compassion, loving-kindness, mercy, forgiveness, acceptance and joy. We work towards bringing these qualities into our reality. These qualities, which are latent in all of us, are only waiting to be developed, cultivated, and actualized. That’s what it means to become enlightened and to be a Buddha, which anyone can do if they follow the spiritual path to the end. It means to realize and actualize all that is already in us. That is our Buddha nature, or the innate Buddha within.

This subject is vital to all of us — and I need to write more about it. Stay tuned for a continuation of these thoughts.

I’ll be back to write again with more thoughts about Buddhist Beliefs and how they may apply to our lives.

Until then,

Namaste — Be in Peace.

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

AN ADDED NOTE OF INTEREST:

I was reading some bits and pieces of information I had stored away on my computer which pertained in some way to the teachings of Buddhist Belief. For some reason, this next “story” showed up more than once amongst all the bits and pieces. This was on the blog,
Beyond Blue. It was written by John McManamy who also has a blog called,
Knowledge is Necessity. Since I seem to have more than one copy of it, I’d better share it.

It’s also an interesting way to look at the Metta/Loving Kindness meditation.

Here it is ….

Twenty-one years ago, I was living in Melbourne, Australia. I had recently moved there from New Zealand. It’s pretty hard to recall the order of events, because, basically, I was out of my mind. Or, if I were in my mind, my mind was not a very pleasant place to be in.

I had moved to Melbourne to take up a position as a feature business writer on a daily paper there. I loved the job and the people, but six months later I flipped into mixed mania and quit in a huff, thus cutting myself off from everyone I knew. It was everyone else’s fault, of course. Couldn’t they see that?

My combination of rage and despair and grandiosity stoked a selfish spiritual quest. Basically, I wanted the powers of a mystic – such as to be able to float out of my body – without accepting my responsibilities as a human, such as being able to stay centered in my body.

All I needed was a revelation, but the revelation never came.

By this time, I had read a number of books on Tibet and Buddhism. There was a Tibetan Buddhist center in the area. I decided to check it out.

A lama, through a translator, started talking about “bodhicitta,” loving kindness. Maybe this was the prerequisite to learning to float out of my body, I thought. I’d better pay attention.

The lama asked us to do a little meditation.

Picture someone you really care about, he said. Easy. An immediate past girlfriend came to mind.

Feel the love, he continued, or words to that effect. Not hard either. Well, the two of us had issues, but for an exercise like this I didn’t have much of a problem turning on the unconditional love. Well, a bit of a problem, and there was a bit of conditional to the unconditional, but with a bit of effort I got it going.

Now picture someone neutral, he said, and once more feel the love. Actually, this was fairly easy, as I treated this part of the exercise as a hypothetical. Here you go – hypothetical unconditional love.

I opened my eyes in anticipation of the end of the meditation, but, no, the lama had one more visualization up his sleeve.

Picture someone who is giving you a hard time, he said. Ha! No problem. The no good bastard! Wait till I get my hands on him! Should I run him off the road? No, I’d have to get my license first. A baseball bat to the head, then. No, this was Australia. It would have to be a cricket bat …

Honest to God, there was no way I could anticipate the next part of the meditation. The bastard had it coming. Simple as that. No doubt the lama could read my mind. He’d have to agree with me. Just get this a-hole out of my life – okay, and maybe 10 others, make that 20 others – and I could be the king of loving kindness.

I’d make the lama proud. Here it comes …

Picture all three people in your mind, he said, and feel the same loving kindness for all three.

WHAT?! ARE YOU FRIGGIN’ CRAZY?! NO WAY!!

And that’s when the revelation came.

Suddenly, I realized I had way more hate in me than love. Serious hate. We were talking a drop of love to an ocean of hate. Even I had to know there was something drastically wrong with that. Even I knew that the gig was up. I couldn’t go on living this way. I had work to do.

I didn’t exactly find what I was looking for, yet I found everything I was looking for. That’s the way it is with the spiritual quest. The quest wasn’t about me acquiring mystical superpowers. It was about me being able to live within myself, at ease, instead of in a constant state of war with my mind.

In case you’re wondering, after 21 years I flunk that little meditation every time. I can live with that. Life, after all, is a work-in-progress, but I think I’ve got my priorities right, things such as working on not harboring hate, rushing to judgment, or demonizing people I don’t get along with.

Life is also about working on extending the range of my compassion, making an effort to walk in the shoes of others, doing things for others without expecting anything in return.

Basic Christian teachings I grew up with, but I needed an assist from a Buddhist lama to drive it home. I suppose a Christian would teach that I will find my reward in Heaven. Trust me, I found mine here on earth.
=========================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List

Sharon Salzberg — 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

http://www.theleaderinside.com
http://www.wecould2.com
http://www.buddhistbelief.com

Buddhist Belief – What Happens After Enlightenment?

Ron Rink — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:15:40 +0000

“When the mind is somber, broad daylight gives birth to demons and evil spirits. When the mind is clear, a dark room has its blue sky. That which is self-conscious and ulterior is far from the Truth. That which is Mindless, is near.”

~~~ Taoist poem.

Last week I learned about a singer/songwriter by the name of James Nihan. He did a concert here recently and I had the good fortune to be able to hear some of the songs he’s written. James has been writing and performing for many years. In 2001, he attended a seminar led by don Miguel Ruiz who teaches and writes about the “Four Agreements”. I’ll have more about James below, but suffice it to say that I was amazed at how the lyrics he writes fit so beautifully with the teachings of Buddhist Belief.

In Zen, there is a saying that says after Enlightenment, there sits the ordinary old man.

In the philosophy from which Buddhism originates, it points out that something extraordinary happens when one becomes enlightened — while strangely it is nothing at all. Enlightenment often translates to “the end of knowledge”.

When you think about the teachings of Buddha, especially where he has taught about how, when we reach enlightenment we will find an end to our struggles — and end to our suffering — then isn’t there a good argument to be made if that’s true, then what’s left? What are we going to do if there’s no struggle to deal with every day? Isn’t there something to be said about how wonderful it is to go through the struggles, the tears, the heartaches, and then come out at the other end with healing and peace?

People who practice Buddhist Belief in their life will often be challenged by this question. If there’s nothing left to do — if there’s no longer anything to strive for, what’s the point of going on? What’s the point of trying to reach enlightenment?

Ahh — Ah-hah moment — there is certainly a point and an important one!

This is the time when we can begin to create our story. This is the time when we’re no longer bogged down with the drama — we don’t identify with it — we’ve finally become detached.

As I pointed out in some of my earlier articles on this blog, detachment does not mean “not participating”. It’s not about dropping out of life. It IS about creating our story with the new wisdom that we are not the story. The things happening in your life are no longer the story of you. You’re no longer attached to these “drama-things” so they are not a part of you.

Even though YOU are not the story, everything in life is a story. The evolution of the Universe, from unconscious matter to becoming conscious, is a story. The development of human consciousness, how we evolve from duality and separateness to Enlightenment and union, is a story.

The search for meaning and beauty outside ourselves, and realizing that happiness can only come from within, is yet another story. We turn even the most mundane things (like washing the dishes and doing the laundry) into a story. We have all sorts of feelings about everything and we use those feelings and associations to mold our story. Yes, life is a series of stories.

In The Voice of Knowledge, (Click to learn more) author don Miguel Ruiz (who I mentioned above) makes the point that we are all artists. We are all constantly dreaming, constantly creating and molding our stories. We’re all artists. We’re all creators. We can’t avoid creating.

Here are lyrics from a song created by James Nihan called “I Am An Artist”.

“I am an artist
With a palette in my hand
All the colors of the rainbow
are at my command.
I stand before a canvas
The color of the night
I reach out to the darkness
And I only paint the light.

I am an artist
Sitting at my wheel
Turning what I’m dreaming
Into something that is real.
I shape the life I’m living
With loving hands each day
I am both the potter
And the piece of clay.

Chorus:
I am an artist
I take the world in front of me
Find beauty in all things I see
Create a new reality
I am a dreamer, I am free
To be who I choose to be.

I am an artist
Not just flesh and bone
With my hammer and my chisel
I carve myself from stone
With delicate precision
I chip away the mask
I stand before you naked
When I complete the task.

(Repeat chorus)

I am an artist, I am an artist
I am an artist, I am

(You can learn more about James Nihan and obtain his CDs at his website: http://www.jamesnihan.com)

YOU are an artist. YOU are the creator of your life and your story.

I’ll be back to write again in a few days with more thoughts about Buddhist Beliefs and how they may apply to our lives.

Until then,

Namaste — Be in Peace.

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

AN ADDED NOTE OF INTEREST:

I found this article to be sort of a conundrum since China is giving the folks in Tibet such a bad time about their independence, while at the same time some of their leaders are making statements like those below. It is an interesting read.

Buddhists Tell How to Stay Happy Despite Crisis

By Wu Jin
China.org.cn staff reporter

People’s happiness risks being evaporated along with their wealth as the financial crisis bites. Millions of people around the world are falling on hard times as they lose their jobs or businesses.

Liu Changle, CEO of Phoenix Satellite Television, told a seminar at the World Buddhist Forum in Wuxi, that there had been an increase in suicides in Hong Kong, since the economy of the financial center began its downward spiral.

But in a nearby seminar, monks, believers and scholars spoke about the true path to happiness and the importance of cultivating contentment as part of a strategy to build a harmonious world.

Speaker after speaker said selfishness and greed are to blame for the economic crisis. “The financial collapse is a symptom of the crisis of the value-system predominating in western countries,” said Xiao Wunan, vice president of China’s Socio-Economic and Cultural Exchange Association. “Materialism … stimulates an insatiable appetite for wealth. Profits are being made at the cost of natural resources, without regard for natural rules.”

“I think it’s time to propagate traditional Chinese culture (a combination of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism) which calls for harmony between nature and human beings,” Xiao said.

Yuan Chi, deputy curator of the China Buddhist Literature and Heritage Museum, said: “People are so addicted to the pursuit of profit that they rarely have the chance to experience a culture that can lead to wisdom. Government officials and entrepreneurs are dazzled by the prospect of profit, a double-edged sword that strips people of their dignity and their respect for law and morality.”

To end suffering and curb corruption, the thinkers said people should cultivate altruism, a virtue capable of healing the pain caused by the financial tsunami. Gong Xiya, general manager of Beijing Capital Guarantee & Investment Co Ltd, said: “The Buddha once said ‘a candle can still burn even after it has ignited 1,000 others. In the same way, happiness will never wane when it is shared by others’.”

In spite of fierce competition in the financial field, Gong believes real happiness lies in a peaceful mind and the elimination of greed. She said: “The material, the exhaustible and the external are causes of conflict, while, happiness, which is infinite and internal, can be sought in peace. Happiness is unparalleled wealth; it should be pursued as the ultimate goal in life.”

Her point was echoed by the Venerable Seik Hui Siong, abbot of the Vihara Mahavira Graha Pusa monastery in Indonesia. He said the lust for wealth is insatiable and the accumulation and consumption of worldly goods will not lead to happiness.

“Sakyamuni Buddha taught that suffering cannot be overcome by material things,” the abbot said, “I believe a peaceful environment, free from selfishness, fear, and hatred, is a necessary condition for belief, for cultivating a spiritual path, and achieving common goals.”

Group discussions on a variety of topics concerning the development of Buddhism, the relationship between Buddhism and Science as well as different Buddhist cultures, followed the opening ceremony of the forum in Fangong Palace, at Lingshan, a mountain in the countryside near Wuxi.

The delegates left Wuxi for Taipei, capital of Taiwan Province, by charter flight on Monday, March 30, where the forum will close on Wednesday, April 1.

(China.org.cn April 1, 2009)
=========================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List

Sharon Salzberg — 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“.

“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

http://www.theleaderinside.com
http://www.wecould2.com
http://www.buddhistbelief.com

Buddhist Belief and the End of Life

Ron Rink — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:43:49 +0000

“At such moments one imagines that one stands on some spot of a small planet gazing in amazement at the cold and yet profoundly moving beauty of the eternal, the unfathomable. Life and death flow into one, and there is neither evolution nor eternity, only being.”

~~~ Albert Einstein

When we think about how our practice of following Buddhist Belief, and how it might relate to being with people who may be nearing the end of their life, it can bring up questions. Does using the teachings help us when we’re dealing with someone who may be very ill and nearing the end of life on this planet?

Some of you who read here regularly may be thinking, “Where’s he going with these recent posts? A couple of posts about Karma, and now this post about reaching the end of life?” I don’t know how to answer that other then there seem to be more happenings in my own environment of people dying — or anniversaries of people’s death — or perhaps even my own life showing some of the telltale signs of completing the cycle.

Mindfulness is an important aspect of Buddhist Belief. Mindfulness — the practice of being fully present. Wouldn’t this be a great way to be with someone reaching the end of their life? Just showing up. Not trying to get something out of the relationship we have with this person, but rather to just be there for that person. If you think about it, when we are totally “here” — completely “in the moment” — isn’t that like an end in itself?

What did Buddha say? “When I was enlightened, all beings were enlightened.” Our goal as practitioners of Buddhist teachings is to be as mindful and enlightened as we can. If we are all part of the universe, than we, and the person we’re with, are part of the same thing. If we’re grumpy and depressing, that will have an effect on everyone around us. If we’re loving, compassionate and peaceful, that will also have a rippling effect on everyone around us.

When we’re showing up to be with someone who is approaching the end of life, how we are in that moment is crucial. People who are very ill are much more receptive than they would otherwise be. There isn’t much else going on for them. Their life is coming down to the moment by moment aspects of what is in the here and now. They’re not worrying as much about the future or the past any longer. They’re focused on the present.

You don’t have to bring an entire plan of action when you decide to be with someone who is dying. It’s goes deeper than that — you only have to be in the present with them. Share in the moments with them.

You, and the person you’re with, are sharing this universe together. All those eons of time and space have brought you both to this place at this time. This is all there is. You are both in the here and now. There aren’t any more plans to be made. You might share some memories of past events, but there is still only the Now, the present. For you to be fully present in the deepest way, will mean so much more to the person you’re with.

They will feel the peacefulness — the same sense of peace you feel when you are truly mindful in your own daily life. You will be so much more helpful by being a witness to who they are at this moment and showing them how you honor who and where they are. If you want to help ease them on their current path to where they know they have to go, you also need to be accepting to what is happening. As so many of the teachings of Buddhist Belief tell us, inner peace can come once we learn to accept what is. If you show resistance to what is happening, they will feel that and resist with you. Just be there — be present with them.

I’ll be back to write again in a few days with more thoughts about Buddhist Beliefs and how they may apply to our lives.

Until then,

Namaste — Be in Peace.

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

AN ADDED NOTE OF INTEREST:

Since the two previous posts had to do with Karma, and since, as so ofen happens, after I think I’ve finished with a particular topic to write about, I come across something about the topic I’d like to share with you. Here’s an example of it:

Karma Isn’t Something to Stress Over
By: Veronica Ivey

Karma. This is a term and a philosophy that most people are familiar with. I, however, am losing faith that people actually know what it is and how it works.

The term Karma originates from cultures and religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. It’s a concept that believes that your actions and deeds are direct cause to the effects of the outcome of your life later on. That they actively shape the present and future, and its adaption in the western tradition in Christianity is the whole idea of “You reap what you sow”.

So when adapted to a generalized culture, it’s a general understanding that Karma is simply in place to encourage good deeds and morality. You do something good, something good will happen to you. You participate in heinous behavior, and then life’s waste matter hits the fan.

Everyone knows that Karma can sometimes be a… well, not very nice.

Most people just focus on the bad side of Karma like it’s some voodoo curse you may spray upon the world and walk about cursing people with bad Karma. Like as if Karma undertook the deeds that you wish you could do yourself makes you a much purer minded person. Yes, continue being na’ve. It’s amusing.

About two weeks ago, I was walking through campus in a hurry because I’m always late and running behind, when a certain organization (I will not throw out any names because you know, Karma) stopped me and asked me to donate to their cause. I felt in my pockets and bag for change and realized I had absolutely none. I apologized and tried to move on. The friend I was walking with, however, did have money she was willing to donate, so we walked over to do so. When my friend placed her dollar bill in the collection tin, I got cursed with bad Karma. The person asking people to donate, point blank told me that I would have bad Karma and fail my next test because I did not donate, and my friend would have good Karma because she did. I was rather shocked that someone would be willing to curse me with such a harsh punishment because I didn’t have money to donate. But I walked away laughing at the matter, and both my friend and I were shocked at the audacity of someone just freely giving out bad Karma in the school court yard.

I think cursing someone with bad Karma simply to try to persuade them into cooperating with you just simply to get your way is bad Karma. There is no way you can expect for something good to happen when you are too busy trying to give bad Karma to everyone else.

Good luck to those who have wished bad Karma on everyone else for selfish endeavors. Just sit back, live your life and let Karma do the trick, and remember-what goes around, comes around.

“Karma is a law in Hinduism which maintains that every act done, no matter how insignificant, will eventually return to the doer with equal impact. Good will be returned with good; evil with evil. Since Hindus believe in reincarnation, karma knows no simple birth/death boundaries. . . . Karma is sometimes referred to as a “moral law of cause and effect.” Karma is both an encouragement to do good and to avoid evil, as well as an explanation for whatever good or evil befalls a person.”

-The Skeptic’s Dictionary
=========================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List

For those who wanted me to repeat the links for the books I’ve mentioned in the last few articles, here they are again — And, I have added another wonderful book by Sharon Salzberg. Here’s some information about it. I highly recommend all these books to you:

Sharon Salzberg — 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“.

=====================================================
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

http://www.theleaderinside.com
http://www.wecould2.com
http://www.buddhistbelief.com

Buddhist Belief – Karma — Can We Change It?

Ron Rink — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:32:21 +0000

“There seem to be two kinds of searchers: those who seek to make their ego something other than it is, i.e. holy, happy, unselfish (as though you could make a fish unfish), and those who understand that all such attempts are just gesticulation and play-acting, that there is only one thing that can be done, which is to disidentify themselves with the ego, by realizing its unreality, and by becoming aware of their eternal identity with pure being.”

~~ Fingers Pointing Toward the Moon by Wei Wu Wei

In our last article about the basics of Buddhist Belief, we talked about Karma and thought about many of the questions we have about it. We talked about how our perceptions and biases define our reality. We left the discussion with a question … “Why do we perceive things the way we do?”

I don’t know if there’s a simple answer to that question. I guess you could say we are perceiving our lives exactly as we have decided it should be. We have, somehow, made it our habit to see things a certain way. We are creating our own reality. If you’ll recall from the last article, I wrote this … “The street outside my home is, to my perception, a quiet and beautiful street with lots of trees full of singing birds and homes where peaceful people are living. Others might see my street as sort of scary because there aren’t a lot of street lights or pedestrians.”

So, for me, I created a quiet, beautiful street with lots of trees full of singing birds. Someone else might have created a different street — one that made them uncomfortable. In reality it’s just a street. Well, actually, it’s not even that, is it? A street is just another idea. It’s a concept. Those birds singing in the trees I see in my perception may not see this “thing” as a street. I don’t know what their perception might be. It all depends on how we look at it. What’s interesting is this — if you think about the fact that if you can create a perception or reality, then we should be able to deconstruct it as well.

However we decide to live our lives depends on how we construct it. It is our own outlook on things and events that will determine how we create our reality. What’s equally interesting to me is how, wherever we go, we seem to recreate that reality, don’t we? Even though we may change where we live or who we form relationships with, we manage to somehow turn it all into the same thing we had previously. We keep bringing our reality with us, even though it’s no longer the same.

In terms of Karma, these habitual realities we’ve created are embedded in our subtle consciousness and we continuously transfer these concepts onto a variety of different things.

Yet, concepts are not reality. We need to understand this fact so we can learn to see the difference. Even though we choose to think of things a certain way, it’s not true reality.

(Hmmm, I can see by reading what I just wrote that an example is in order, right?) Let’s take the concept of being afraid to enter a dark room in a strange house. Our perception is a fear of not being able to see into the room, and in our conceived reality it’s not safe to venture in. The problem we face is there is some reason we absolutely have to enter this room. We have to break through the fear. So, we reach around the corner of the door and feel for the light switch and flick it on. Upon seeing into the room and seeing it is safe to enter, our reality instantly changes. Even though our concept of ourselves was initially a certain way — fearful –we discovered we can transcend that concept and completely change our reality — and it can happen instantaneously.

Therefore, since our reality is created through our perceptions, we can also venture through our initial perceptions and change our reality. We always have choices. Our reality is an open question — and we should always keep asking the question to see if there’s a different answer. Again, speaking of Karma, everything happens for a reason. There was some cause for whatever happened. It’s “as it should be”. It doesn’t mean that we’re always happy — or that everyone is getting exactly what they deserve — or that we’re not capable of feeling empathy and compassion for tragic situations.

There’s a lot of suffering in the world. There are terrible things happening every day. There are many innocent people who suffer at the hands of others. There are earthquakes, hurricanes, fires and floods. These are terrible things and they’re difficult to grapple with. We do what we can to help — we don’t just shrug it off as inevitable. The Buddhist teaching of Karma — not unlike the biblical teaching of sin and virtue — says that we can only experience what we have sown. Cause and effect. Do we bear some of the responsibility for awful things happening to people? Since we are all connected, I think we are a part of these things. Perhaps it’s a part of our minds. Who is without some blame?

Who’s going to control things if we, ourselves, are not in control of our own reality? I think we have to start with what we have. We can master and purify ourselves, act ethically and impeccably, we can choose to follow the Eightfold Path of Buddhist Belief, and we can strive to shed some of that light in the world. We can bring it out to the educational system, to the business world, to our families, wherever we live.

We can do that. Yes, We Can!

I’ll be back to write again in a few days with more thoughts about Buddhist Beliefs and how they may apply to our lives.

Until then,

Namaste — Be in Peace.

Ron Rink

====================================================

AN ADDED NOTE OF INTEREST:

Recognizing Dependency
Dharmavidya writes:

Buddhism is a middle way. This does not mean that it is a compromise. It means that it avoids extremes. Thus, on the one hand, it counsels us to avoid over indulgence, yet, at the same time, it would be quite unbuddhist to be puritanical. Moderation is a great virtue. Now, of course, if one’s life is already at some kind of extreme, then even a small move back toward balance may seem radical, but I’d like you to keep in mind the basic principle that the path that Buddha taught is one that is essentially natural and easy. When it does not come easily this is generally because before one tried it one had become dependent upon something unwholesome in a way that one now finds difficult to shrug off. In that situation, it is best to trust the process that Buddhism sets in motion and have some patience. In fact, we are all dependent on many things and while this is something that can get out of hand, as in the case of addictions, most people are compulsive to some degree about at least a few things.

Recognition of our dependency is an important first step in appreciating the usefulness of the Buddha’s teaching. While Buddhism asserts that we are each individuals, it also points out that we are all dependent. We each depend upon many things. Often these dependency relationships are, to all intents and purposes, one way. Thus, I need the sun to shine on this Earth for my life to continue, but the sun could get along quite nicely without me. I walk upon the ground and the ground supports me, but I did not make the ground and it will still be there when I am gone. Although my relations with other people are a little more two-way than this, there are still enormous numbers of people who benefit me that I never meet. Much of my food is imported from far away countries. I rely upon the farmers and the people who sail the ships and fly the airplanes. I never get the opportunity to thank them directly. There is much to be grateful for. A staggering amount, when one starts to think about it soberly. Also, and this can cause anguish, sometimes one’s very existence causes suffering to others. The Buddha’s mother died seven days after she had given birth to him. He grew up knowing that he had been a cause of her death, even though there was nothing he could do about it. Our lives depend upon the deaths of others. Even if we are vegetarian – and Buddhism advocates that we should eat as compassionately as we can – we cannot avoid the fact that many other creatures die in the harvesting and manufacture of our food. In all this, our life is mixed up with joy and sorrow. To live a full life is to feel both of these more deeply.

So we have already established three very important Buddhist principles: individuality, dependency and gratitude. Just appreciating these three ideas and allowing them to penetrate into us can make a huge difference to our lives. If we were to take a few minutes four or five times a day to think back over the previous two or three hours and consider the ways in which we have each been individual, try to list some of the benefits we have received and the conditions that we have depended upon during that time, and feel a little gratitude, then, over a period of time, we will notice a natural improvement in many aspects of our life. We will experience greater peace of mind, find our relationships improving, our physical health is likely to benefit, and it is probable that we shall become more productive and contribute more to the good of our friends, neighbors and society. All this will come about naturally.

Buddhism works like a seed. If one plants the seed and waters it, then it will grow. The resulting plant will differ a bit according to the soil and the aspect of the land and so on and in the same way the seed of Dharma will develop a little differently in each individual. Nonetheless, it will grow and eventually bear tasty fruit. The planting of the seed happens at one moment, but the growing of the plant occurs over a period of time. Realizing the basic points of Dharma is something that happens, as we say, like a penny dropping, but the resulting change then occurs over a much longer period of time. These changes may be imperceptible day to day, but over a longer period we see people becoming kinder, calmer, wiser and freer and this can be the same for each of us.
=========================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List

Sharon Salzberg — 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“.

=====================================================

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

http://www.theleaderinside.com
http://www.wecould2.com
http://www.buddhistbelief.com

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