04
November

Buddhist Belief – Violence is a State of Mind!


“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

Violence doesn’t always have to be a physical act. It is one of our emotions and it gets its start in our mind. One of the many teachings of Buddhist Belief is that if there is violence in the world, we have created it. Even when we are thinking thoughts that are harmful to ourselves, we are committing violence.

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

Violence can be very subtle. It can manifest itself with no more than what we are thinking. If we hear something on the TV, or read something online or in the news, and we react to it with a thought of hatred or a wish for harm to come to someone who has done evil in the world, we are promoting violence. Not only are we in this subtle way creating violence, there may be thousands of others having similar thoughts. Even though we may never act out such thoughts in reality, there may be someone else who is having these thoughts who will. Violence exists because we haven’t learned how to control our mind. If the only emotion we ever have in our heart and mind is love, there would be no violence – all those other thoughts would dissolve. If you speak harshly to someone, or even just give someone a dirty look which will hurt their feelings – or what your do or say to another person causes them to feel badly – that’s a form of violence.

Can you imagine or remember a time when those around you were all in a bad mood? Perhaps you were feeling great and suddenly all these others around you were being miserable. How long would it take you to pick up on their mood and eventually find yourself in the same place? Buddha taught how everyone’s pain can become your pain, and everyone’s joy can become your joy. It’s equanimity. It’s an illusion to believe we are separate from each other. We may think we’re “just me” – but it’s more like “we are all one”. If we could become truly aware of how we are all connected, we would exude love and compassion for everyone because we would feel it, just like we could feel the example I gave above of the moods of those around you and how it affected you.

So much of what we think and do is based on our selfishness. We can come up with so many clever excuses to justify how our selfishness determines how we think. But excuses are just that – excuses. What are some of the “afflictions” Buddha says are our reasons for being so dissatisfied? A few of them are, envy, pride, doubt, anger, delusions, attachment to material things and an incorrect world view. These are all creatures of the way our minds work. They’re just thoughts and making excuses for them is a cop out!

Every time we do something, or say something, or think something based on what is in our mind, we plant a seed that will eventually flower. That flowering makes for our life experience. It’s about being aware of where our mind is and learning how to reposition it. One way to gain some control of our mind is through meditation. Yoga is also a good way. The object it to develop a mind focused on love and compassion for all others. Planting seeds of love and compassion will create a flowering which extends the definition of who you truly are.

One of the meditations I use frequently and which has helped me to work through times when negativity rears its ugly head and when I forget the interconnectedness of all of us, is the Metta or Loving Kindness meditation. Here’s a guided version I created of this meditation which I’d like to share with you. Just click the link below.

Metta Meditation

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

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26
August

Buddhist Belief – Buddhist Responsibility for Environment?


“Sit, Be still, and listen,
For you are drunk,
And we are at the edge of the roof.”
~~~ Rumi

One of the most basic of Buddhist Beliefs is when Buddha points out that our unhappiness is a direct result of our grasping and craving. He said that to end suffering we need to exercise self-restraint, cut way back on our consumption, do more sharing and practice other compassionate ways when relating to our fellow beings. This idea that we are separate from the rest of the world is an illusion – in fact it is our most troublesome delusion. “We are not a collection of objects – we are a communion of subjects.” So notes eco-theologian, Thomas Berry.

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

We live in a corporate-dominated world today. This domination has resulted in a culture based on greed, materialism and alienation from nature. This culture is further influenced by our governments which are largely controlled by the same corporations and economic institutions they should be regulating. The government, the corporations and all of us share the same basic view – the view that we need to continue to grow and to acquire more and more no matter what the long-term consequences might be. Here we are today – we’re experiencing record-breaking droughts, floods, snowstorms, wildfires, hurricanes and tornadoes. And yet, we keep repeating the same patterns over and over despite what happens to our ecology. We’re not “getting it!”

Most of us are already aware of the fact that our climate is in trouble. Not everyone believes it’s our fault, though. Many people are still figuring it will all straighten itself out in time – that all these major ecological events are cyclical. However, as a Buddhist, I lean more towards the belief that what is happening with our glaciers, oceans, coral reefs, etc., are the result of our own need to continually satisfy our own selfish needs. Our craving for more energy sources since the 1950s has led to an industrial growth economy whereby we initiated dangerous climatic transformations. As my friend, Bill McKibben, who founded 350.org points out, the safe level of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is 350 parts per million (ppm). With all the emissions from the coal-fired industrialization in China and India, plus the increase in industrial growth throughout the world, plus the increase in the burning of fossil fuels, we’ve pushed the levels of CO2 up over 395 ppm. At the rate we’re increasing our addiction to fossil fuels and coal, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to turn this around in time.

What is difficult to wrap my brain around is the fact that our society has made the choice not to protect itself from the results of climate change. Science has been defeated by power, money, as well as the greed and bureaucracy of our corporations and government. The concept of “becoming more green” was one of the ways we got sold a bill of goods. When we were convinced to become more “green”, we shifted the responsibility away from corporations, which are accountable for most carbon pollution, and from governments which should be restraining the corporations, and onto us, the private consumers. Now it’s up to us to solve the climate crisis. It’s a lot cheaper for the corporations to change public perception of what they do than to actually change what they do. So the marketing has been changed to persuading us that fossil fuels are essential and not dangerous. Just look at all the commercials showing up on television these days about how great “fracking” for natural gas can be. Look at whose commercials these are – they’re paid for by Exxon Mobil. The other bit of cynical marketing has been about “clean coal”. Is that an oxymoron?

The ignorance, fear and greed of our corporations and government have acquired a disastrous momentum, which has, in turn, led to our cultural obedience. However, as a Buddhist, I believe that once we become aware of the truth, we are presented with a choice. We can choose to continue down the same path, or we can choose to share what we know as widely as possible. The “power’s that be” no longer have the same control over us. We know alternatives are out there and they are necessary. We have to find ways to break the cycle of corruption in our governments as the result of money influencing political decisions. We have to get off fossil fuels.

There’s a great example of what I mean taking place in Washington, D.C. right how as I write this. The civil disobedience action in front of the White house to get President Obama to stop the construction of the Keystone XL Tar Sands Oil Pipeline is showing some good results. This is a two-week continuous sit-in happening each day. The people taking part are putting their bodies on the line for their beliefs. Most are being arrested and fined. Yet, each day, more people are showing up. There’s more on this at my other blog at http://www.ronrink.com.

What is true for each of us is also true for our culture. Rumi’s lines at the beginning of this article are so appropriate. We have become drunk on the manipulation of the corporations and the government. We are drunk to the point of not realizing the situation we’re in. We’ve been drinking this liquor for over 50 years and we are now teetering on the edge of the roof. The “tipping point” of our environment is nearly here, if it’s not here already. We need to act now to counteract the forms of ignorance and greed we’ve some to accept. We can’t continue to survive on what has been created.

That’s it for this time. Let me hear your comments on this writing on the environment, especially since I’m writing in a Buddhist Blog.

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

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16
August

Buddhist Belief – Buddhism and the Environment


“The poison of global warming due to the harnessing of machines in all places and times,
Is causing the existing snow mountains to melt,
And the oceans will consequently bring the world within reach of the aeon’s end.
Grant your blessings that the world may be protected from these conditions! ”

~~~ Kyabje Sakya Trizin Rinpoche

One of the questions I’ve asked myself many times over the past years is how does the following of my Buddhist Belief affect my political and environmental activism? As some of you may have noticed, I have begun to post articles to a new blog in my own name, http://www.ronrink.com. The articles for this blog will all be devoted to Climate Change and/or Global Warming. In the past few articles, my focus has been on the proposed new Keystone XL Pipeline which is designed to transport the dirtiest form of oil, tar sand oil, from Alberta Canada to the oil fields of Texas. But the question for today’s article here on Buddhist Belief is what is my role as a practicing Buddhist in this activism?

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

I suppose one way to answer this question might be found in this quote from Buddha:


“It is in this way that we must train ourselves: by liberation of the self through love. We will develop love, we will practice it, we will make it both a way and a basis, take our stand upon it, store it up, and thoroughly set it going.”

First, I have to come to some stark conclusions. Human beings are opportunistic, as are all higher animals, and characteristically greedy. We’re also rather intelligent and find we are capable of grabbing excessive power and control over our Earth’s resources. We’re also easily led into using many forms of aggression to attain our desires. Now that we have ‘accidentally’ acquired the capacity to destroy the climate of this planet, what will we call upon to restrain ourselves? What are some of the consequences of our “technological prowess”?

One thing we have learned is how all this brilliance on our part hasn’t brought us the happiness we desire. In our ‘advanced’ societies, the rates of anxiety, stress and mental illness are greater than ever previously recorded. On a physical level too, cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory and auto-immune disease as well as diverse ‘functional illnesses’ have become epidemic. What will our governments, corporations and politicians now do with the power of life or death over the biosphere from which our species evolved?

Do our politicians even have a basic understanding of science? I guess there are a few who do, but they are definitely in the minority. How do the citizens of this country and the future generations compare to the way our politicians view the lure of the corporations and their money, the massive corporate special interests and their money, and particularly the campaign dollars provided by the fossil fuel industry? As it stands at the moment, we don’t even fit into the picture. The latest Congressional fiasco about the debt ceiling proved this beyond doubt.

The answer to these questions will be the determining factor in our Earth’s history. Are we now approaching the end of an era of geological time – or as the Buddhists refer to it – the end of an aeon.

As a consumer society we have followed the principle of having rather than well-being. This principle is powered by polluting energy sources and guided by a pseudo-scientific principle of limitless economic growth. We think we can continue to grow and accumulate without regard to the ability of our planet to absorb this growth. Both these factors are contrary to the basic laws of biology. The truth, as former senior economist at the World Bank, Professor Herman Daly states, is otherwise:


“The larger system is the biosphere and the subsystem is the economy. The economy is geared for growth, whereas the parent system doesn’t grow. It remains the same size. So as the economy grows, it encroaches upon the biosphere, and this is its fundamental cost.”

Scientists consider that a ‘top predator’, like we human beings, relies on the whole pyramid of biological life beneath it. Therefore the destruction of whole ecosystems is suicidal for our species. For Mahayana Buddhism, which sees all life as interdependent, driving other species to extinction is unmistakably harming ourselves and our own destiny.

When we take a look at why we have become the way we are, we only have to look at the way advertising has become such an integral part of our lives. This begins even before we are able to speak. I can see it happening in my own home with one of my wife’s grandchildren. He is just learning to say a few words, yet if he’s in the same room as the television, he locks onto any commercials as they come on. From even this early age, we are bombarded by powerful imagery, that comes to us via an hypnotic medium – the television. Somehow, this imagery gets embedded into our subconscious mind. From America to China, consumerism has become an organizing principle for billions of peoples’ lives. Zen Buddhist philosopher David R. Loy states:


“Consumerism requires and develops a sense of our own impoverishment. By manipulating the gnawing sense of lack that haunts our insecure sense of self, the attention economy insinuates its basic message deep into our awareness: the solution to any discomfort we might have is consumption. Needless to say, this all-pervasive conditioning is incompatible with the liberative path of Buddhism.”

Fossil fuels will be exhausted within this century. The production of oil, the most valuable and versatile fossil fuel, seems already to have peaked. This is happening just as increased summer melting of the Arctic pack-ice moves us towards the first predicted “tipping point” in a climate crisis. We have entered upon the period of climate-energy emergency.

That’s it for this time. Next time I’ll talk a little more about how we, as Buddhists, can help with this crisis.

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

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23
July

Buddhist Belief – Who Was the Buddha?


“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path. ”

~~~ Buddha

As you know I haven’t posted much here in the past couple of months. I did get a guest article up last week, but I haven’t done much writing about Buddhist Belief myself during this time. There are a variety of reasons for this – the most prominent one has to do with my own health issues. They are sapping my energy to an extent I would never have imagined. The other is the writing of my own book, Lost and Found, which is a memoir of my youthful life. (http://www.wecould2.com) I was falling behind on this and needed to devote more energy to it. It’s a book I need to finish in this lifetime. I’m the only one who knows how it’s supposed to end.

This blog about Buddhism will never really be finished. The blog may come to an end someday, but the words about Buddhism will be with us for a long time. I may not write here with the same regularity as I have in the past, but I won’t abandon it.

I also find my passion for the topic of Climate Change has prompted me to take on another blog (http://www.ronrink.com) on that topic.

So, I’m busy – I’m tired – and I’m still a Buddhist. I will continue to write here – just not as often.

Now, on to today’s article.

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

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to actually meet the Buddha? I know, he died over 2,500 years ago – but has it ever crossed your mind as to what it would have felt like to see him – listen to him teach – and maybe follow him around for awhile?

I have – and I can see where trying to re-invent him for today leaves open the possibility of making him into what we think he might be. We have a slew of quotes and teachings purported to be right from the Buddha’s mouth, but we still have the possibility of taking those words and molding them to fit what we would wish him to be – sort of doing a make-over to fit what we’d like to see.

For example, what did he look like? In some areas of the world he’s sort of squat and has a big belly. In other areas of the world he might be quite statuesque. There are so many images of him it’s impossible to form a solid conclusion. We just don’t know what he truly looked like – and – you know – it doesn’t truly matter!

What does the Buddha mean to those of us who follow his teachings? We have a sort of archetypical view of him, don’t we? So many of the representations of the Buddha capture the essence of what he taught – what he stood for. We often see him represented as touching the ground – which means his wisdom is well grounded – he is connected to this planet we live on. Often his eyes will be represented as clear, relaxed and aware.

That fits, doesn’t it? The word Buddha means awakened mind. Buddha means awake and aware. This makes me wonder – if when we think about what it would be like to have been around when the Buddha was alive – maybe what we are really looking for is we want to meet our own awakened mind. Hmmm, maybe now we’re getting somewhere!

Looks to me like what we should be doing is getting down with who we truly are. The only opening to our awakened mind is us. Who are we? How do we live our lives? There are teachers all around us who write the books and do the retreats and pass along the teachings and traditions of Buddhism. They’re kind of like radio receivers and transmitters. They picked up what they were taught and they are now passing it along to us. When you realize how most of these teachings have survived for so many years, you start to get the idea there just might be something in them we should learn.

To cut to the chase – and to demonstrate why what we’ve learned from our teachers isn’t truly complicated – Buddha was someone who, like us, started out in a materialistic way, then became a seeker, and then claimed he had found a way to get a handle on no longer being materialistic, and said it was possible for all of us to learn the same thing he did.

He added that if we could learn what he learned, we would find true happiness and inner peace.

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

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19
May

Buddhist Belief – How Hot is Your Anger?


“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

One of the things so many teachers of Buddhist Belief include in their teaching is to not react with anger toward others because anger has a way of turning into hatred. Hatred will only lead to more hatred.

Do you get angry? If so, what makes you angry? It’s an interesting question, isn’t it? I know I do. Perhaps not as much as I did in past years, but, yes, I do still get angry. Or, I get irritated. Here’s an example of what I mean. Sometimes when I’m trying to explain something to a person or to a few people, they just don’t seem to get it. So, I try again using different words to get my point across and they still don’t get it. I then notice I’m getting a kind of nervousness in me. I feel anxious about not being able to make myself clear enough for people to understand. That irritation turns into impatience or anger and the next thing you know I’m thinking things like, “Oh, c’mon on people – this isn’t rocket science I’m talking about here! Why can’t you get it?” Or, I start into a thought process which goes something like this, “I might just as well give up trying to get through. I should just give up and stop talking.”

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

When I hear about some of the things that are happening here in our country with the politics – and when I watch the dysfunction in how our government is working, I tend to get a bitter taste inside of me. Sometimes it turns into a hard place in the pit of my stomach. So, I write letters – I sign petitions – say things on my Facebook page. I used to go out and do marches and take part in protests and stand on street corners and wave signs at people driving by. Age and health has caused my activism to be more of an “at-home” process now – but I guess I’m still wondering if this is anger or is it irritation. Or, is this an okay way to react for someone trying to live a Buddhist lifestyle?

Some people do have a short fuse. They’re the folks who will start yelling and screaming at the drop of a hat. They’re also the ones you’ll see taking out their anger on some inanimate object. I used to know this guy who did construction work who would bang tools around when something didn’t go the way he had planned. He screwed up some pretty nice tools doing this. Then, there are those who go to the next step and take their anger out on other people. Not good!

A former Buddhist teacher of mine in Vermont used to ask his students what they gained by being angry about something. Invariably, after some thought, the answer would always be “Nothing”. He then would ask what do you lose by being angry. Again, usually the answer was “Nothing”. Then came the teaching … he would say, “Oh, but you do lose. You lose your peace of mind. You lose your positive karma.” He would point out how when we’re being angry we’re teaching our mind to use anger to deal with problematic issues. He would also remind us that the pathway to hatred is anger – and each time we get angry we’re widening the pathway to hatred.

Hatred is much more dangerous than anger. We need to become aware of those times when anger takes over. We need to recognize it for what it is. Next, we need to learn why we became angry. Then we need to spend some meditative time with the reason or reasons.

One technique I use is to make a sincere attempt to walk away from the cause of my anger. Turn away from it. Take a quiet walk. Listen to some peaceful music. Pick up a good book. But, as most of us know, there will be times when the anger is just too intense to walk away from it. What I was taught by my Vermont Buddhist teacher is to know when the anger is so hot you are totally aware of it. It’s no longer just possible you’re angry – you know it. That’s when you look at what you’re losing out on by being angry. As I said above, your peace of mind is lost. You can’t seem to do anything you want to do. Your concentration is shot. You can’t talk to people in a decent way. You feel a need to cry you’re so frustrated. That’s when you ask yourself, “Is this what I want?”

Hopefully the answer is a resounding, “No!” When you succeed with this, you will be beginning the training of your mind to go this route rather than the route to hatred.

This process of training ourselves to react differently to situations which arouse our anger is not easy. However, if we learn the power of being compassionate with ourselves as a way to protect ourselves, we’ll see that compassion is much stronger than anger. Most of us have an established pattern of using anger. Buddhist teaching says our practice is to work on changing the pattern to use love and compassion, not only for ourselves but for others as well. Like with any practice, it needs to done over and over. Do this and it will become a habit – and a darn good one.

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

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22
April

Buddhist Belief – Can We End Suffering?


“If you would like to know what you did in past lives, look at your present body,” and “if you would like to know where you will go next, look at your present actions.”

~~~ H.E. Garchen Rinpoche

This past Tuesday night I had the wonderful privilege to be present for a talk by His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche. He spoke on “How to Find Happiness in Today’s World” and I found his wisdom to be inspiring. I felt he made the teachings of Buddhist Belief so clear and understandable. Rinpoche doesn’t speak much English, so his talk was done through an interpreter, who did an amazing job of making his entire message clear to all of us. It was an evening I will remember for all my life.

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

As I said above, his talk was inspiring and it leads me to want to write some of my own thoughts about what he had to say. He spoke a great deal about the suffering we humans have to endure in our lives. One of the things Buddha made clear in many of his teachings is that Buddhism is about how to get rid of suffering. So often, people acquaint Buddhism with just the opposite – they feel Buddhism is about suffering, but all the teachings are about how to eliminate it from our lives. In fact, if people came to Buddha with questions or to seek advice about things which would not lead to the relief from suffering, he didn’t discuss them.

There’s a wonderful Buddhist story about the time when Buddha was walking through the forest with some monks and he picked up a handful of leaves. He asked the monks to decide which was the greater amount, the leaves in his hand or all the leaves in the forest. Of course, all the monks said there were more leaves in the forest. Buddha told the monks that there are, indeed, many more leaves in all the forest and they were similar to all the things we know or think we need to know. However, he went on, all the things that are necessary to know – things which should be taught and practiced, were equal to the number of leaves in his hand.

This story seems to bring some clarity to what we need to know to alleviate suffering based on Buddhist Belief. We don’t need to know a lot in order have a clear understanding of what should be in our practice. We have to be paying attention to whether we’re placing our life principles on clinging to things and stuff we call “mine”. When Buddha compared the things he had realized (which were as many as the leaves in the forest) with the things he taught his followers to include in their practice (which were merely a single handful of leaves), the single handful of teachings were about the principle of not grasping or clinging to anything as being “self” or belonging to “self”.

Grasping and clinging is what causes suffering. When we grasp and cling we suffer. When we cease to grasp and cling, suffering vanishes. Our practice is to train our minds to not grasp, cling, and give into our “wants”. That’s enough. That’s all we have to do. This is our practice. When we are free of grasping and clinging our hearts will be in refuge with the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. I felt Garchen Rinpoche made this crystal clear the other night.

Once we are free of grasping or clinging to a self or a possession of self, all our behaviors will be in keeping with the Buddhist concept of “sila” or virtuous conduct. When our minds are free we find we are able to concentrate with ease. Only the mind that is free of the causes of suffering can have the true stability of correct concentration. As far as wisdom goes, the essence of wisdom is the mind which is free of “self”.

Getting back to the story of the leaves, Buddha taught that his handful of leaves was the essence of the end of suffering. This was all we needed to know and understand. Once we train our minds with this practice, we have learned all we need to know.

As Garchen Rinpoche said often the other night , “The cause of happiness is love. The cause of suffering is self-grasping.”

I’d like to leave you with a short video about H.E. Garchen Rinpoche. Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcUghigbD3o

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

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16
April

Buddhist Belief – How Does the Present Moment Feel?


“Past and Future are a duality of which Present is the reality. The Now-Moment alone is eternal and real.”

~~~ Why Lazurus Laughed by Wei Wu Wei

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.

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

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

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

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08
April

Buddhist Belief – The Middle Way


“All conditioned things are impermanent – When one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification. ”
~~~ Buddha

Since I’m going through the process of dealing with a hacker on my other blog, I decided to give myself a follow-up lesson on how to deal with the aggravations we receive in our lives so often. I do believe that if I write about something, it will stick with me longer than if I just think about it. So, here’s hoping what I write today will do some good. I need it! Perhaps you may find some value as well — I sure do hope so.

In our world today we have a strong tendency to believe there is something we want but which seems to be always just out of our grasp. What is this “something”? Could it be we’re seeking something to bring into our life that will never change? Is there something out there we can truly count on – that will never let us down? With all the things and stuff we have in our lives today, we seem to missing something we will always be able to rely upon. There are even those times when we think we have found it so we grab onto it and don’t ever want to let go. However, when we hold this view, we will eventually run into the first of Buddha’s Four Noble Truths as we are taught in Buddhist Belief, and we will confront some change – or experience loss – and we will suffer.

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

Buddha taught how we should always adhere to the middle path because it helps us to avoid getting off on one extreme or the other. The other extreme I’m thinking of here – the opposite of the extreme I just described, is the view that our lives are just crappy. It doesn’t matter what we do or don’t so, life will just continue to be one hassle after another. There’s nothing to be hopeful about or care about. There’s no reason to try and fix anything because it won’t do any good. Why bother? Life is just nothing! Everything is empty! Of course, if you’re practicing in the Zen tradition the monk will come along, hit you over the head with a stick, and say, “If everything is empty, why did that hurt?”

One of the aspects Buddha taught in advocating for the middle way was there are many things which will come into our lives that are there for our use and enjoyment. But, if we could lose the clinging and the grasping onto those things – avoid the extreme attachments, we would be much happier in the long run. If we could only learn to live with things as they are, we would suffer much less.

I can hear some of you commenting about how there is an aspect of emptiness in the Buddhist beliefs – it is a part of life. That is true. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t care about things – or that nothing matters. The things and events which come into our lives don’t show up by accident, you know, they’re there for a reason. Our universe isn’t built on chance happenings. There are the laws of nature involved here. One of these is the law of karma. The things we do in our existence do have an effect. As many of the teachers I’ve read in the past say, karma teaches us that as certain seeds get planted, so will that fruit be. If you plant an apple seed, you can pray, beg, promise whatever you want in return for this apple seed to grow a mango tree, it ain’t gonna happen! The law of nature says if you want a mango tree, you have to plant a mango seed.

Once we reach the place where we realize when we avoid the belief there is something “out there” we can grab onto which will never change – which will always be there for us, while at the same time we avoid the belief that nothing matters and all is meaningless — we will find a much greater peace in our lives. This is the middle way taught by Buddha. This is the way that makes sense in the long run. The middle way is the way of truth. The middle way is the way of understanding how things are in the here and now. The middle way is to have the wisdom of understanding that things will come into our lives for many reasons, but that they will someday pass away, that they are not permanent. The middle way is realizing that what we do matters and will have an effect in the universe.

Once we learn to live our lives according the the middle way, we will find a life filled with wisdom, love, peace and happiness.

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

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01
April

Buddhist Belief – More on Meditation


“Well, meditation is the- is when we- is the– Well, when we actually experience meditation, when we’re not trying to do it, it’s the awakening to consciousness itself so specific- so the very simple definition is that most of the time our awareness is focused upon particular objects that arise in consciousness whether they may be thoughts, objects, other people and our ideas about them. So 99% of the- 99.9999 or almost all the time our attention is focused on objects that arise in consciousness. So the experience of meditation is when our awareness is released from identification with any object and begins to focus on consciousness itself. So when awareness focuses on its own ground, which is consciousness, that’s what meditation is.”

~~~ Andrew Cohen

Last time I brought you an article by Eckhart Tolle which was on a topic I’ve been spending more and more time thinking about. Today, we’ll get back to writing more about meditation, as promised. When we study the various teachings of Buddhist Belief in the writings of the many teachers we choose for our study, we invariably find how all these teachers tell us that it is the training of our minds which will eventually lead to finding true inner peace. Our minds have spent years and years learning how not to stay focused on one thing for more than a few moments at a time. As Dr. Phil would say, “How’s that working for ya?”

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

Once we begin a daily practice we learn how not to be distracted from the breath as we meditate. We discover how our mind isn’t so easily distracted with our everyday problems. We used to wonder if we’d ever be able to do this and now find we’re much more relaxed and able to stay focused. Yes, it does take regular daily practice to get to this place, but it can be done and is possible for any of us.

We become more confident that we can keep our mind from being overly distracted. We don’t enter our mediation time worrying about whether outside influences will be able to pull us away from our practice. Now we’re more concerned about the quality of our meditation – the texture – the experience. We’re now thinking about how we can make our minds even stronger, more vibrant. We need to be careful when we get to this point though. There is always the possibility of slipping into feeling we’ve reached some sort of enlightenment. Our mind is certainly stronger, more stable than it was before. There is a tendency to relax too much and become lazy in our practice. We’re sort of like the bee who sees the flower carrying the nectar, but can’t seem to figure out how to land on it.

This is where the taming of the mind comes in. We need to begin to tighten up the mind some more so as to achieve more clarity. This is where our mind will be stronger, more stable, able to know more clarity. It’s still not perfectly still – that may still come – but it’s much more quiet than it ever was before. We will still have discursive thoughts, but we’re feeling more harmony now. We’re not struggling to find the tranquility – it’s there. As I commented above, one of the teachers I’ve studied uses the metaphor of the bee who couldn’t figure out how to land on the flower. Now the bee experiences great delight when it can now draw the sweet nectar from the flower. Our meditation now tastes good – it’s more joyous. If you were struggling when you first started your daily practice you will now feel the pressure lift – you might even experience a certain amount of bliss and freedom.

Sure, our mind will still feel tight at times and loose at others. We will still notice how we have to keep making minor adjustments to our practice, but we won’t feel any stress in doing so. We won’t be as frantic as we may have been in the past. The peace we feel at this stage is telling us we’re doing fine. Our practice time is now more joyous and clear. We now see the strength of a trained mind. We can sense a new excitement because what used to be a burden is now full of possibilities. Our mind will have actually grown.

I hope you will work with this concept of a daily meditation practice. It is definitely worth the time and effort.

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

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15
March

Buddhist Belief – Meditation


“Meditation leads the practitioner along a well-defined path from confused mind to a mind that is clear and strong ”
~~~ Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

I decided to use the same quote and photo for this blog post as the subject material is continuing from the previous post. You may recall that we talked about setting up a basic routine of regular, daily meditation. We talked about placing our focus on the breath. We talked about how, when the thoughts inevitably come popping onto your mind, to just let them go and bring your focus back to your breath. As we also mentioned last time, a meditation practice is basic to Buddhist Belief. It was the intention of the writing last time to help you to either get started with a regular meditation practice routine, or to continue with your existing practice. So, this time, let’s continue with these thoughts and see where it leads us.

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

Hopefully, you have now learned what it feels like to keep your mind on your breath as you meditate. When the discursive thoughts and other distractions take your focus off the breath, we now know better how to bring ourselves back to the breath. This is a sort of continual placement – one where we find we are becoming better able to maintain our mindfulness and awareness.

Of course, one of the reasons why this is easier to do is because we have a better understanding of the purpose behind why we are doing this practice. We have found this is the perfect way to bring us a few moments of peaceful abiding. We are beginning to see the futility of outside concerns, fantasies, thoughts and emotions. We are finding it’s alright to give those things up for the time we are meditating. The world isn’t going to end because we didn’t give these distractions our attention for a few moments. We can see the benefits. This is beginning to look like a good thing to be doing every day.

Soon this ability to be at rest during our meditations will become more normal. You’ll begin to find how your time to keep the focus on your breath without disruptive thoughts will increase. Your practice will become more and more refined as you continue. Our mindfulness is becoming more mature and stable. We’re able to stay in the present more easily. When our mind does depart, as it will, it’s usually to chase after some little pleasure or unfinished task. As you continue with your practice you will see how you can return to the breath with greater ease. When we were in the early stages of our learning and training of our minds, it seemed like being able to keep our focus in the present was a real chore. But now, as your practice begins to mature, we find our mindfulness is much more potent.

Since we are all human beings, there will be days when our practice was everything we hoped it would be and other days where it wasn’t. The good thing is that the longer you keep up with your daily practice routine the fewer dissatisfying meditations you will experience. The key factors are being gentle with yourself, being consistent with your practice and maintaining a good attitude.

Soon, as you continue with your practice you will enter a stage where you will experience very little distraction. You will be able to keep your focus solidly on your breath. You will be in a place where your mind will become more stable than you ever imagined.

More on this next time.

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: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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