The Mindful Buddhist

A Buddhist View on Medical Marijuana

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Tue, 9 Jun 2015 09:42:00 -0700

This is a snip from an article posted in The Medical Marijuana Review

Buddhists have used cannabis in tandem with meditation practices “as a means to stop the mind and enter into a state of profound stillness, also called Samadhi.” They add: “Various spiritual texts, including the Buddhist Tara Tantra, list cannabis as an important aide [sic] to meditation and spiritual practice.”
One source notes that Buddha himself believed cannabis was a cure for rheumatism.

Brian Ruhe, of the Theravada Buddhist Community of Vancouver, sides with the Dalai Lama on the issue.

“I’m in favor of [medical marijuana] as well. I explain it by saying the idea of medical marijuana is reducing suffering, and reducing suffering is good. In this case it’s reasonable, showing intelligent use for that situation,” he adds.

Ruhe has been a practicing Buddhist for 22 years and spent seven months as a Buddhist monk in Thailand in 1996.

“Medical marijuana is OK because Buddhism is a path of intelligence, discernment and compassion, not just following rules,” he contends.

“The Buddha said his teachings were not internally inconsistent because sometimes he would say one thing to a person, and something else to someone else. This is an example.”

Brian Ruhe, of the Theravada Buddhist Community of Vancouver

Ruhe, also the author of two books on meditation and a teacher of university-level courses on Buddhist philosophy and meditation, emphasizes that the medicinal aspect is key. “You should avoid recreational marijuana, to avoid deluding thoughts.”

Sean Hillman, a Buddhist scholar-practitioner and a University of Toronto doctoral student in Religion, Bioethics and South Asian Studies, says that “it is difficult to establish an authoritative stance” on many issues.

As such, “what people choose to ingest is their private business, not subject to Buddhist religious scrutiny,” Hillman notes.

He spent 13 years as a Buddhist monk, ordained by the Dalai Lama. His research straddles religious studies and medical anthropology, with a strong interest in the interaction between religion and end-of-life decision making.

“Simply, when the pain at hand is addressed without any intoxicating side effects, medication has been administered correctly and pain management is effective,” he states.

“Finding the best delivery method and dosage are the challenges. If there is intolerable pain, it is not yet managed. Going beyond this threshold can lead to side effects, including drowsiness and even respiratory failure. I would ask if it is possible to treat illness by this means without side effects.”

The real challenge, therefore, may not be inherent in the chemistry of the drug. Unwieldy side effects are “obstacles on the various Buddhist paths,” as Hillman puts it.

Ajahn Punnadhammo, a Buddhist monk ordained in Thailand in 1992 who runs the Abbot of Arrow River Forest Hermitage in the Thunder Bay, Ontario, region, says most Buddhists would find medical marijuana acceptable because the use of opiates as painkillers for severe injury or illness has already been around for decades and Buddhists don’t oppose that medicine.

“Recognizing that any of these substances are open to abuse, most Buddhists would accept their proper medical use with due caution,” Punnadhammo adds.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dave Gordon

Dave Gordon is a freelance writer in Toronto. His work can be found in the New York Times, Baltimore Sun, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Toronto Star, National Post and others.

Less Obsessions and Ambitions

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Tue, 9 Jun 2015 08:40:00 -0700

If we have ambitions—even if our aim is enlightenment—then there is no meditation, because we are thinking about it, craving it, fantasizing, imagining things. That is not meditation. This is why an important characteristic of shamatha meditation is to let go of any goal and simply sit for the sake of sitting. We breathe in and out, and we just watch that. Nothing else. It doesn’t matter if we get enlightenment or not. It doesn’t matter if our friends get enlightened faster. Who cares? We are just breathing. We just sit straight and watch the breath in and out. Nothing else. We let go of our ambitions. This includes trying to do a perfect shamatha meditation. We should get rid of even that. Just sit.

The beautiful thing about having less obsessions and ambitions—and just sitting straight and watching the breathing—is that nothing will disturb us. Things only disturb us when we have an aim. When we have an aim, we become obsessed. Say our aim is to go somewhere, but somebody parks right in front of our car, blocking us. If something gets in the way of our aim, it becomes a terrible thing. If we don’t have an aim, though, it doesn’t matter.

1 of 4 The Four Noble Truths

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Mon, 8 Jun 2015 15:42:00 -0700

What is the Noble Truth of Suffering? Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, sickness is suffering, dissociation from the loved is suffering, not to get what one wants is suffering: in short the five categories affected by clinging are suffering.

There is this Noble Truth of Suffering: such was the vision, insight, wisdom, knowing and light that arose in me about things not heard before.

This Noble Truth must be penetrated by fully understanding suffering: such was the vision, insight, wisdom, knowing and light that arose in me about things not heard before.

This Noble Truth has been penetrated by fully understanding suffering: such was the vision, insight, wisdom, knowing and light that arose in me about things not heard before.

[Samyutta Nikaya LVI, 11]

The First Noble Truth with its three aspects is: "There is suffering, dukkha. Dukkha should be understood. Dukkha has been understood."

This is a very skilful teaching because it is expressed in a simple formula which is easy to remember, and it also applies to everything that you can possibly experience or do or think concerning the past, the present or the future.

Suffering or dukkha is the common bond we all share. Everybody everywhere suffers. Human beings suffered in the past, in ancient India; they suffer in modern Britain; and in the future, human beings will also suffer. What do we have in common with Queen Elizabeth? - we suffer. With a tramp in Charing Cross, what do we have in common? - suffering. It includes all levels from the most privileged human beings to the most desperate and underprivileged ones, and all ranges in between. Everybody everywhere suffers. It is a bond we have with each other, something we all understand.

When we talk about our human suffering, it brings out our compassionate tendencies. But when we talk about our opinions, about what I think and what you think about politics and religion, then we can get into wars. I remember seeing a film in London about ten years ago. It tried to portray Russian people as human beings by showing Russian women with babies and Russian men taking their children out for picnics. At the time, this presentation of the Russian people was unusual because most of the propaganda of the West made them out to be titanic monsters or cold-hearted, reptilian people - and so you never thought of them as human beings. If you want to kill people, you have to make them out to be that way; you cannot very well kill somebody if you realise they suffer the way you do. You have to think that they are cold-hearted, immoral, worthless and bad, and that it is better to get rid of them. You have to think that they are evil and that it is good to get rid of evil. With this attitude, you might feel justified in bombing and machine-gunning them. If you keep in mind our common bond of suffering, that makes you quite incapable of doing those things.

The First Noble Truth is not a dismal metaphysical statement saying that everything is suffering. Notice that there is a difference between a metaphysical doctrine in which you are making a statement about The Absolute and a Noble Truth which is a reflection. A Noble Truth is a truth to reflect upon; it is not an absolute; it is not The Absolute. This is where Western people get very confused because they interpret this Noble Truth as a kind of metaphysical truth of Buddhism - but it was never meant to be that.

You can see that the First Noble Truth is not an absolute statement because of the Fourth Noble Truth, which is the way of non-suffering. You cannot have absolute suffering and then have a way out of it, can you? That doesn’t make sense. Yet some people will pick up on the First Noble Truth and say that the Buddha taught that everything is suffering.

The Pali word, dukkha, means "incapable of satisfying" or "not able to bear or withstand anything": always changing, incapable of truly fulfilling us or making us happy. The sensual world is like that, a vibration in nature. It would, in fact, be terrible if we did find satisfaction in the sensory world because then we wouldn’t search beyond it; we’d just be bound to it. However, as we awaken to this dukkha, we begin to find the way out so that we are no longer constantly trapped in sensory consciousness.

Stephen Hawking: One of Buddhism’s Three Poisons threatens us all.

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 17:01:00 -0800

There was an interesting report in the Washington post today, physicist Stephen Hawking has identified humanity’s aggression as one of the greatest threats to humanity itself. Quoth Hawking: “The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression. It may have had survival advantage in caveman days, to get more food, territory or partner with whom to reproduce, but now it threatens to destroy us all.” (Likewise, he said about empathy that it’s the quality he “would most like to magnify is empathy. It brings us together in a peaceful, loving state.”)

Aggression is all too familiar to us all, of course, but it has an especially notable place in Buddhist thought. Sometimes rendered simply as “anger,” or “hate,” aggression is referred to as one of Buddhism’s “Three Poisons,” along with passion (alternatively rendered as greed, or desire), and ignorance (or, delusion).

I thought this was a very poignant observation made by Hawking. I have to admit I never thought he would make a reference to Buddhism. Of course in retrospect it does make sense!

Namaste!

Ev~

Happy Losar!

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 17:39:00 -0800

Today is the first day of Losar, the Tibetan New Year. In Tibetan astrology, this is the year of the Wood Sheep.

The Dharma Is Nothing If Not Counterintuitive

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 19:48:00 -0800

here’s an old story about a frog. He’s lived all his life in a well, and one day another frog appears at its rim. They get to talking, and the strange frog tells the older one that he’s come from somewhere called the ocean.

“I never heard of that. I guess it’s about a quarter the size of my well?”

“No. More than that,” answers the other.

“OK—a half?”

“Much bigger,” the strange frog laughs.

“The same size, then?”

“No, even bigger,” says the foreign frog.

“Alright. This, I got to see,” says the oldster as he clambers out the well and sets out for the ocean.

It’s a hard road, but at last he arrives.

Unfortunately, when he sees the ocean, the shock is so great that it blows his mind and his head explodes.

Lately it has occurred to me that this beloved story told by the 19th-century master Patrul Rinpoche could apply to many of us in our encounter with Buddhism. Just like that frog, we have a bad case of the disease of conceit. We are so confident in the opinions that we bring with us to our encounter with the dharma that we neglect how it radically differs from our preconceptions. We are the frog before it leaves the well.

Sadly, many of us believe that we are already in possession of all there is worth knowing about Buddhism. Such a conceit has a number of causes, but chief among them is the conviction that Buddhism and our own pre-existing assumptions are identical. This belief is particularly pernicious because it blocks any genuine encounter with the dharma. We can represent this belief in the form of a syllogism: My opinions are compassionate. Buddhism is compassionate. Therefore Buddhism must be identical with my opinions.

We exhibit a similar lack of self-awareness when we assert that our version of Buddhism is free of dogma. What do we really mean when we say this? It might be rephrased: Buddhism should be free of dogma (that I don’t like). However, Buddhism must conform to contemporary opinions and the received wisdom of Enlightenment thought and scientificity (because they are not dogmas, and I like them).

A common example of unconcern with examining our prior assumptions is evident when we declare that “Buddhism is just common sense,” when that’s precisely what it’s not. Dharma is nothing if not counterintuitive. After all, our perception and “intuition” indicate that we possess a permanent, singular, and autonomous identity, ensuring our entanglement in the cycle of birth and death.

It’s such assumptions—whether religious, political, or cultural—that have to be temporarily suspended if we’re to uncover the nature of reality.

The pride behind holding beliefs unquestioningly is one of the six stains to be avoided when receiving the teachings. As Patrul Rinpoche himself pointed out, it is very difficult to recognize the stains for what they are. Yet, unless we can dissolve them, our receipt of spiritual teachings will at best be profitless, and at worst, poisonous.

What’s required is a sense of humility, which will render us open to the teaching. The traditional analogy that illustrates this positive approach to the dharma is that of a vessel placed right side up so that it can be filled with water. This receptivity is not to be confused with credulity, nor a hurried reach for certainty when the teachings get difficult. It is rather a readiness to attend to the words and meaning of the teaching, and to persist in critical reflection until it is digested and becomes a part of our thinking.

Regrettably, there are many examples of our casual habit of assuming, without evidence, that two-and-a-half millennia of Buddhist teachings are identical with modern opinions. You see its effect in the dismay expressed by some when they discover, for instance, traditional Asian Buddhist views on ethical issues regarding matters of life and death. What often results is a determined effort to excise the offending teaching, sometimes in the name of a “higher compassion,” or to rejig it to complement notions that are currently fashionable.

One could well guess that our disregard for the actual teaching is one reason why many Asian Buddhists have come to regard Western Buddhists as ultimately unserious. In fact, this might sometimes lead the more cynical Asian teachers to steer clear of anything that might challenge their putative disciples or provoke their displeasure. Some might even be tempted to alter the teachings themselves.

Naturally, such evasiveness accomplishes little for the survival of the dharma. What is the use of a dharma, after all, that doesn’t challenge our assumptions?

We might yet espouse a view of the dharma that is capable of undermining our pride. Patrul Rinpoche offers the Four Metaphors given in sutra:

Noble one, think of yourself as someone who is sick,
Of the dharma as the remedy,
Of your spiritual teacher as a skillful doctor,
And of diligent practice as the way to recovery.

As for the teacher, there are enough genuine ones. And if we go and find one, things could start to get interesting for us frogs right about now.

Namaste!

Ev~

Credits:
Lama Jampa Thaye is a scholar, author, and meditation teacher from the UK.
Illustration by James Thacher

Dharma, Dharma, Dharma

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Mon, 9 Feb 2015 20:26:00 -0800

Being civil often has an element of acting. However, in the hinayana tradition, you are behaving rather than acting. Acting is trying to manifest yourself for the sake of display, whereas behaving is how you feel. Acting is the way you dance, and behaving is the way you sneeze or hiccup. You know if you are being genuine. You are the first person who knows. When you are acting, you are concerned with other people’s possible reactions; but when you are behaving, you are just behaving. It’s like sitting on the toilet seat and doing your duty: nobody is watching. It’s your private concern, so there is a quality of genuineness. In the hinayana, you behave decently because the dharma is actually a part of you. That is the meaning of taming yourself. . . .Becoming a dharmic person means that in your everyday life from morning to morning, around the clock, you are not trying to kid anybody.

Namaste!

Ev~

RELIGIONS - I Will Show You Mine If You Show Me Yours

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Sun, 8 Feb 2015 07:42:00 -0800

Should We Compare Religions?

Out of respect for religions with different beliefs, it is natural for some to feel that they should never be compared – lest there be disrespectful discrimination of any kind. However, if different religions are not compared or contrasted, there would be no way to more deeply understand them. Without genuine understanding, there can be no genuine interfaith harmony. In fact, there might be disharmony instead, due to misunderstanding and lack of understanding. Without comparison, there is also no way to as objectively as possible choose or appreciate any single religion in comparison to another.

It might still seem possible to learn about different religions in themselves, without comparing. Yet, it is through systematic comparison that we learn about both the differences and similarities between them. Such comparison tends to naturally arise in the mind too. It is also natural to understand other religions through one’s religious perspective, whether we are aware of this or not. What matters is to never compare inaccurately or out of ill will. There is also the obvious need to agree to disagree when it comes to different belief systems, instead of forcing those with alternative beliefs to agree.

It is idealistic but dangerous to assume that all religious systems are teachings of the enlightened – because this easily leads to blind acceptance. It is true that there are ‘religious’ zealots who have gone astray, who practise warped teachings. Thus, to compare religions with as much wisdom as we can muster, while being open to reflection on others’ opinions (which is what the Buddha suggested) is the safer path to follow, before embracing any religion for life. The Buddha himself openly compared 62 religious systems in his time to contrast the alternative teachings he had to offer.

The Law Of Karma - Explained

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Sat, 7 Feb 2015 16:26:00 -0800

We know that what binds us in samsara are the defilements — desire, ill-will and ignorance. We spoke about this when we talked about the Second Noble Truth — the truth of the cause of suffering. These defilements are something which every living being in samsara shares, whether we speak of human beings or animals or beings who live in the other realms which we do not normally perceive. In this, all living beings are alike and yet amongst all the living beings that we can normally perceive, there are many differences. For instance, some of us are wealthy, some are less wealthy, some are strong and healthy, others are disabled and so forth. There are many differences amongst living beings and even more so there are differences between animals and human beings. These differences are due to karma.

What we all share - desire, ill-will and ignorance - are common to all living beings, but the particular condition in which we find ourselves is the result of our particular karma that conditions the situation in which we find ourselves, the situation in which we may be wealthy, strong and so forth. These circumstances are decided by karma. It is in this sense that karma explains the differences amongst living beings. It explains why some beings are fortunate while others are less fortunate, some are happy while others are less happy. The Buddha has specifically stated that karma explains the differences between living beings. You might also recall that the understanding of how karma affects the birth of living beings in happy or unhappy circumstances — the knowledge of how living beings move from happy circumstances to unhappy circumstances, and vice versa, from unhappy to happy circumstances as a result of their karma - was part of the Buddha’s experience on the night of His enlightenment. It is karma that explains the circumstances that living beings find themselves in.

Having said this much about the function of karma, let us look more closely at what karma is. Let us define karma. Maybe we can define karma best by first deciding what karma is not. It is quite often the case that we find people misunderstanding the idea of karma. This is particularly true in our daily casual use of the term. We find people saying that one cannot change one’s situation because of one’s karma. In this sense, karma becomes a sort of escape. It becomes similar to predestination or fatalism. This is emphatically not the correct understanding of karma. It is possible that this misunderstanding of karma has come about because of the popular idea that we have about luck and fate. It may be for this reason that our idea of karma has become overlaid in popular thought with the notion of predestination. Karma is not fate or predestination.

If karma is not fate or predestination, then what is it? Let us look at the term itself. Karma means action, means "to do". Immediately we have an indication that the real meaning of karma is not fate because karma is action. It is dynamic. But it is more than simply action because it is not mechanical action. It is not unconscious or involuntary action. It is intentional, conscious, deliberate, willful action. How is it that this intentional, will action conditions or determines our situation? It is because every action must have a reaction, an effect. This truth has been expressed in regard to the physical universe by the great physicist Newton who formulated the law which states that every action must have an equal and opposite reaction. In the moral sphere of conscious actions, we have a counterpart to the physical law of action and reaction, the law that every intentional, will action must have its effect. This is why we sometimes speak either of Karma-Vipaka, intentional action and its ripened effect, or we speak of Karma-Phala, intentional action and its fruit. It is when we speak of intentional action together with its effect or fruit that we speak of the Law of Karma.

In its most basic sense, the Law of Karma in the moral sphere teaches that similar actions will lead to similar results. Let us take an example. If we plant a mango seed, the plant that springs up will be a mango tree, and eventually it will bear a mango fruit. Alternatively, if we plant a Pong Pong seed, the tree that will spring up will be a Pong Pong tree and the fruit a Pong Pong. As one sows, so shall one reap. According to one’s action, so shall be the fruit. Similarly, in the Law of Karma, if we do a wholesome action, eventually we will get a wholesome fruit, and if we do an unwholesome action eventually we will get an unwholesome, painful result. This is what we mean when we say that causes bring about effects that are similar to the causes. This we will see very clearly when we come to specific examples of wholesome and unwholesome actions.

We can understand by means of this general introduction that karma can be of two varieties - wholesome karma or good karma and unwholesome karma or bad karma. In order that we should not misunderstand this description of karma, it is useful for us to look at the original term. In this case, it is kushala or akushala karma, karma that is wholesome or unwholesome. In order that we understand how these terms are being used, it is important that we know the real meaning of kushala and akushala. Kushala means intelligent or skilful, whereas akushala means not intelligent, not skilful. This helps us to understand how these terms are being used, not in terms of good and evil but in terms of skilful and unskilful, in terms of intelligent and unintelligent, in terms of wholesome and unwholesome. Now how wholesome and how unwholesome? Wholesome in the sense that those actions which are beneficial to oneself and others, those actions that spring not out of desire, ill-will and ignorance, but out of renunciation, loving-kindness and compassion, and wisdom.

One may ask how does one know whether an action that is wholesome or unwholesome will produce happiness or unhappiness. The answer is time will tell. The Buddha Himself answered the question. He has explained that so long as an unwholesome action does not bear its fruit of suffering, for so long a foolish person will consider that action good. But when that unwholesome action bears its fruit of suffering then he will realize that the action is unwholesome. Similarly, so long as a wholesome action does not bear its fruit of happiness, a good person may consider that action unwholesome. When it bears its fruit of happiness, then he will realize that the action is good. So one needs to judge wholesome and unwholesome action from the point of view of long-term effect. Very simply, wholesome actions result in eventual happiness for oneself and others, while unwholesome actions have the opposite result, they result in suffering for oneself and others.

Specifically, the unwholesome actions which are to be avoided relate to the three doors or means of action, and these are body, speech and mind. There are three unwholesome actions of the body, four of speech and three of mind that are to be avoided. The three unwholesome actions of body that are to be avoided are killing, stealing and sexual misconduct. The four unwholesome actions of speech that are to be avoided are lying, slander, harsh speech and malicious gossip. The three unwholesome actions of mind that are to be avoided are greed, anger and delusion. By avoiding these ten unwholesome actions we will avoid their consequences. The unwholesome actions have suffering as their fruit. The fruit of these unwholesome actions can take various forms. The fully ripened fruit of the unwholesome actions consists of rebirth in the lower realms, in the realms of suffering — hell, hungry ghosts and animals. If these unwholesome actions are not sufficient to result in rebirth in these lower realms, they will result in unhappiness in this life as a human being. Here we can see at work the principle of a cause resulting in a similar effect. For example, habitual killing which is motivated by ill-will and anger and which results in the taking of the life of other beings will result in rebirth in the hells where one’s experience is saturated by anger and ill-will and where one may be repeatedly killed. If killing is not sufficiently habitual or weighty to result in rebirth in the hells, killing will result in shortened life as a human being, separation from loved ones, fear or paranoia. Here too we can see how the effect is similar to the cause. Killing shortens the life of others, deprives others of their loved ones and so forth, and so if we kill we will be liable to experience these effects. Similarly, stealing which is borne of the defilement of desire may lead to rebirth as a hungry ghost where one is totally destitute of desired objects. If it does not result in rebirth as a ghost, it will result in poverty, dependence upon others for one’s livelihood and so forth. Sexual misconduct results in martial distress or unhappy marriages.

While unwholesome actions produce unwholesome results - suffering, wholesome actions produce wholesome results - happiness. One can interpret wholesome actions in two ways. One can simply regard wholesome actions as avoiding the unwholesome actions, avoiding killing, stealing, sexual misconduct and the rest. Or one can speak of wholesome actions in positive terms. Here one can refer to the list of wholesome actions that includes generosity, good conduct, meditation, reverence, service, transference of merits, rejoicing in the merit of others, hearing the Dharma, teaching the Dharma and straightening of one’s own views. Just as unwholesome actions produce suffering, these wholesome actions produce benefits. Again effects here are similar to the actions. For example, generosity results in wealth. Hearing of the Dharma results in wisdom. The wholesome actions have as their consequences similar wholesome effects just as unwholesome actions have similar unwholesome effects.

Karma, be it wholesome or unwholesome, is modified by the conditions under which the actions are performed. In other words, a wholesome or unwholesome action may be more or less strong depending upon the conditions under which it is done. The conditions which determine the weight or strength of karma may be divided into those which refer to the subject — the doer of the action — and those which refer to the object — the being to whom the action is done. So the conditions that determine the weight of karma apply to the subject and object of the action. Specifically, if we take the example of killing, in order for the act of killing to have its complete and unmitigated power, five conditions must be present — a living being, the awareness of the existence of a living being, the intention to kill the living being, the effort or action of killing the living being, and the consequent death of the living being. Here too, we can see the subjective and the objective conditions. The subjective conditions are the awareness of the living being, the intention to kill and the action of killing. The objective conditions are the presence of the living being and the consequent death of the living being.

Similarly, there are five conditions that modify the weight of karma and they are persistent, repeated action; action done with great intention and determination; action done without regret; action done towards those who possess extraordinary qualities; and action done towards those who have benefited one in the past. Here too there are subjective and objective conditions. The subjective conditions are persistent action; action done with intention; and action done without regret. If one does an unwholesome action again and again with great intention and without regret, the weight of the action will be enhanced. The objective conditions are the quality of the object to whom actions are done and the nature of the relationship. In other words, if one does a wholesome or unwholesome action towards living beings who possess extraordinary qualities such as the arhats, or the Buddha, the wholesome or unwholesome action done will have greater weight. Finally the power of wholesome or unwholesome action done towards those who have benefited one in the past, such as one’s parents, teachers and friends, will be greater.

The objective and subjective conditions together determine the weight of karma. This is important because understanding this will help us to understand that karma is not simply a matter of black and white, or good and bad. Karma is moral action and moral responsibility. But the working of the Law of Karma is very finely tuned and balanced so as to match effect with cause, so as to take into account the subjective and objective conditions that determine the nature of an action. This ensures that the effects of actions are equal to and similar to the nature of the causes.

The effects of karma may be evident either in the short term or in the long term. Traditionally we divide karma into three varieties related to the amount of time that is required for the effects of these actions to manifest themselves. Karma can either manifest its effects in this very life or in the next life or only after several lives. When karma manifests its effects in this life, we can see the fruit of karma within a relatively short length of time. This variety of karma is easily verifiable by any of us. For instance, when someone refuses to study, when someone indulges in harmful distractions like alcohol and drugs, when someone begins to steal to support his harmful habits; the effects will be evident within a short time. They will be evident in loss of livelihood and friendship, health and so forth. We cannot see the long-term effect of karma, but the Buddha and His prominent disciples who have developed their minds are able to perceive directly the long-term effects. For instance, when Maudgalyayana was beaten to death by bandits, the Buddha was able to tell that this event was the effect of something Maudgalyayana had done in a previous life when he had taken his aged parents to the forest and having beaten them to death, had then reported that they had been killed by bandits. The effect of this unwholesome action done many lives before was manifested only in his last life. At death we have to leave everything behind — our property and our loved ones, but our karma will accompany us like a shadow. The Buddha has said that nowhere on earth or in heaven can one escape one’s karma. So when the conditions are correct, dependent upon mind and body, the effects of karma will manifest themselves just as dependent on certain conditions a mango will appear on a mango tree. We can see that even in the world of nature certain effects take longer to appear than others. If for instance, we plant the seed of a papaya, we will obtain the fruit in shorter period than if we plant the seed of a durian. Similarly, the effects of karma manifest either in the short term or in the long term.

Besides the two varieties of karma, wholesome and unwholesome karma, we should mention neutral or ineffective karma. Neutral karma is karma that has no moral consequence either because the very nature of the action is such as to have no moral consequence or because it is done involuntarily and unintentionally. For example, sleeping, walking, breathing, eating, handicraft and so forth in themselves have no moral consequence. Similarly, unintentional action is ineffective karma. In other words, if one accidentally steps on an insect, being unconscious of its existence, this also constitutes neutral karma because there is no intention - the intentional element is not there.

The benefits of understanding the Law of Karma are that this understanding discourages one from performing unwholesome actions which have suffering as their fruit. Once we understand that in our own life every action will have a similar and equal reaction, once we understand that we will experience the effect of that action, wholesome or unwholesome, we will refrain from unwholesome behavior, not wanting to experience the effects of these unwholesome actions. And similarly, understanding that wholesome actions have happiness as their fruit, we will cultivate these wholesome actions. Reflecting on the Law of Karma, of action and reaction in the moral sphere encourages us to renounce unwholesome actions and cultivate wholesome actions.

Wisdom

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Sat, 7 Feb 2015 16:01:00 -0800

Wisdom does accumulate—not in a linear arithmetic progression but in a complex, dynamic system. Each understanding sheds light upon the others in an interactive living process. Insights that seem unassailable may suddenly meet passionate doubt, all clarity shattered at the very moment it is most needed. Then, just as suddenly, wisdom will resurface, stronger for having vanished, wisdom that now knows of its own disintegration.Wisdom does accumulate—not in a linear arithmetic progression but in a complex, dynamic system. Each understanding sheds light upon the others in an interactive living process. Insights that seem unassailable may suddenly meet passionate doubt, all clarity shattered at the very moment it is most needed. Then, just as suddenly, wisdom will resurface, stronger for having vanished, wisdom that now knows of its own disintegration.

Namaste!

Ev~

Where Are You Stuck?

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Fri, 6 Feb 2015 11:46:00 -0800

Others will always show you exactly where you are stuck. They say or do something and you automatically get hooked into a familiar way of reacting - shutting down, speeding up, or getting all worked up. When you react in the habitual way, with anger, greed, and so forth, it gives you a chance to see your patterns and work with them honestly and compassionately. Without others provoking you, you remain ignorant of your painful habits and cannot train in transforming them into the path of awakening.

Namaste!

Ev~

10 Ideals To Drop If You Want To Be Happier.

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Tue, 3 Feb 2015 08:58:00 -0800

It’s time to care less. Yep, that’s right. Sometimes we take the world on our shoulders, and instead of making the world a better place, all we end up doing is creating more stress for ourselves.

1. What others think

Dance to your own beat. Act dumb. Do whatever you have to but don’t take on board what others think. It’s your life, your decisions and choices. Others love to judge, and why should you care if they do? Only you define yourself, so let them be amused if it makes them happy. When you care too much about that others will say, you live your life for them and not yourself.

2. Past mistakes

We all make mistakes and mess up in life. That’s just how life goes. Don’t be hard on yourself, though. Accept that everyone gets it wrong sometimes; it’s part of the human condition. You really are allowed to cut yourself some slack. Learn to forgive yourself more often.

3. Failure

The big “F” word that everyone fears. It doesn’t have to be a scary concept, though. Ultimately, it depends on your attitude to failure. If you see failure as not being perfect, you’re going to be permanently miserable. A more realistic idea of failure is giving up. If you haven’t given up, you haven’t failed. See failure as a learning curve, a trial and error process. See failure as your friend – it’s no big deal unless you allow it to be.

4. What you don’t have

The human default position tends to err on the side of lack rather than abundance, which is not conducive to feeling carefree. We focus on what we don’t have and end up feeling thoroughly deprived. What’s the point of that? I often tell my clients to focus on the positives of what they have and the negatives of what they don’t have. Why would you want to torture yourself with all the things you don’t have? That type of thinking will not serve you in any productive way at all. Make a list of all the things in your life that you appreciate. There will always be others with more and others with less. What you have is enough.

5. “What Ifs”

We can drive ourselves crazy worrying about what might happen in the future. No one can predict the future (psychics might dispute this), and there is no point in torturing yourself unnecessarily about things that may never come to pass. Remind yourself that this type of worry is wasted energy and distract yourself. Face worry head on – if you can do something in the present moment, go for it. If not, distract yourself and ‘shelve’ the worries.

6. “I’ll be happy when…” thoughts

When we believe that we will be happy once something has happened, we effectively put our life on hold until the event happens. Wishing your current life is away is a precious waste of happy moments in life. Be in the moment more and care less about being happy in the future. Decide to be happy now. Happiness is not a destination, it is a manner of traveling.

7. Regrets

Regret is a part of life. The past cannot be undone, so it pays to look at what you have done in life philosophically. Did you learn something from it? If you learned never to do it again or to try a different approach, then you’ve ended up with a positive result. Accept what has gone before, make allowances for human error and move on.

8. Rejection

Many of us are so afraid of rejection that we stay in our comfort zones and never risk true intimacy. Wear your heart on your sleeve and risk being vulnerable. The more you hide out of fear, the greater the fear will grow. Show yourself that you can express your feelings and live with the consequences. You will conquer fear of rejection in this way and feel more carefree. Even if the outcome is not as expected, you will soon realize that it wasn’t as bad as you anticipated and that you can deal with it. Be a little more thick skinned, be brave and see life as an adventure.

9. Society’s expectations

Be thin, be beautiful. Show off your wealth and status and then you’ll be adored. What nonsense. When you like and accept yourself as you are, you don’t need to prove yourself to anyone. Don’t buy into the constant media images of perfection. Most of the images are airbrushed and lead us to believe that we should all look as perfect. Try not to take it to heart. We all like to see perfect images, but don’t lose sight of the fact that most of it is digitally enhanced and not natural. Love yourself, imperfections and all. Self acceptance is true freedom.

10. Being good enough

It’s easy to feel that we don’t measure up somehow. We live in a competitive world. It’s okay and even healthy to want to improve and grow as a person. It becomes unhealthy, though, when we internalize negative ideas about how we aren’t good enough. Always challenge this type of thinking. What is “good enough”? Where is the international rule book that clarifies what “good enough” is? As long as you feel happy with who you are, where you are and how far you have come, that is all that matters.

We all worry unnecessarily and create inner misery for ourselves. Remember the above ten points, as they are definitely items you can immediately remove from your worry list. Hopefully you’ll feel a little lighter and a little more carefree too! I hope you have an awesome Day

Namaste!

Ev~

Introduction to Buddhism Pt.1

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Sun, 1 Feb 2015 17:02:00 -0800

I haven't posted for sometime. I feel inspired to start posting again. Namaste!

The Three Marks of Existence

Buddhism has been described as a very pragmatic religion. It does not indulge in metaphysical speculation about first causes; there is no theology, no worship of a deity or deification of the Buddha. Buddhism takes a very straightforward look at our human condition; nothing is based on wishful thinking, at all. Everything that the Buddha taught was based on his own observation of the way things are. Everything that he taught can be verified by our own observation of the way things are.

If we look at our life, very simply, in a straightforward way, we see that it is marked with frustration and pain. This is because we attempt to secure our relationship with the "world out there", by solidifying our experiences in some concrete way. For example, we might have dinner with someone we admire very much, everything goes just right, and when we get home later we begin to fantasise about all the things we can do with our new-found friend, places we can go etc. We are going through the process of trying to cement our relationship. Perhaps, the next time we see our friend, she/he has a headache and is curt with us; we feel snubbed, hurt, all our plans go out the window. The problem is that the "world out there" is constantly changing, everything is impermanent and it is impossible to make a permanent relationship with anything, at all.

If we examine the notion of impermanence closely and honestly, we see that it is all-pervading, everything is marked by impermanence. We might posit an eternal consciousness principle, or higher self, but if we examine our consciousness closely we see that it is made up of temporary mental processes and events. We see that our "higher self" is speculative at best and imaginary to begin with. We have invented the idea to secure ourselves, to cement our relationship, once again. Because of this we feel uneasy and anxious, even at the best of times. It is only when we completely abandon clinging that we feel any relief from our queasiness.

These three things: pain, impermanence and egolessness are known as the three marks of existence.

Namaste!

E~

The Noble Eightfold Path

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Sat, 2 Aug 2008 08:30:00 -0700

The Noble Eightfold Path describes the way to the end of suffering, as it was laid out by Siddhartha Gautama. It is a practical guideline to ethical and mental development with the goal of freeing the individual from attachments and delusions; and it finally leads to understanding the truth about all things. Together with the Four Noble Truths it constitutes the gist of Buddhism. Great emphasis is put on the practical aspect, because it is only through practice that one can attain a higher level of existence and finally reach Nirvana. The eight aspects of the path are not to be understood as a sequence of single steps, instead they are highly interdependent principles that have to be seen in relationship with each other.

1. Right View

Right view is the beginning and the end of the path, it simply means to see and to understand things as they really are and to realize the Four Noble Truth. As such, right view is the cognitive aspect of wisdom. It means to see things through, to grasp the impermanent and imperfect nature of worldly objects and ideas, and to understand the law of karma and karmic conditioning. Right view is not necessarily an intellectual capacity, just as wisdom is not just a matter of intelligence. Instead, right view is attained, sustained, and enhanced through all capacities of mind. It begins with the intuitive insight that all beings are subject to suffering and it ends with complete understanding of the true nature of all things. Since our view of the world forms our thoughts and our actions, right view yields right thoughts and right actions.

2. Right Intention

While right view refers to the cognitive aspect of wisdom, right intention refers to the volitional aspect, i.e. the kind of mental energy that controls our actions. Right intention can be described best as commitment to ethical and mental self-improvement. Buddha distinguishes three types of right intentions:

1. the intention of renunciation, which means resistance to the pull of desire,

2. the intention of good will, meaning resistance to feelings of anger and aversion, and

3. the intention of harmlessness, meaning not to think or act cruelly, violently, or aggressively, and to develop compassion.

3. Right Speech

Right speech is the first principle of ethical conduct in the eightfold path. Ethical conduct is viewed as a guideline to moral discipline, which supports the other principles of the path. This aspect is not self-sufficient, however, essential, because mental purification can only be achieved through the cultivation of ethical conduct. The importance of speech in the context of Buddhist ethics is obvious: words can break or save lives, make enemies or friends, start war or create peace. Buddha explained right speech as follows:

1. to abstain from false speech, especially not to tell deliberate lies and not to speak deceitfully,

2. to abstain from slanderous speech and not to use words maliciously against others,

3. to abstain from harsh words that offend or hurt others, and

4. to abstain from idle chatter that lacks purpose or depth. Positively phrased, this means to tell the truth, to speak friendly, warm, and gently and to talk only when necessary.

4. Right Action

The second ethical principle, right action, involves the body as natural means of expression, as it refers to deeds that involve bodily actions. Unwholesome actions lead to unsound states of mind, while wholesome actions lead to sound states of mind. Again, the principle is explained in terms of abstinence: right action means

1. to abstain from harming sentient beings, especially to abstain from taking life (including suicide) and doing harm intentionally or delinquently,

2. to abstain from taking what is not given, which includes stealing, robbery, fraud, deceitfulness, and dishonesty, and

3. to abstain from sexual misconduct. Positively formulated, right action means to act kindly and compassionately, to be honest, to respect the belongings of others, and to keep sexual relationships harmless to others.

5. Right Livelihood

Right livelihood means that one should earn one's living in a righteous way and that wealth should be gained legally and peacefully. The Buddha mentions four specific activities that harm other beings and that one should avoid for this reason:

1. dealing in weapons

2. dealing in living beings (including raising animals for slaughter as well as slave trade and prostitution)

3. working in meat production and butchery

4. selling intoxicants and poisons, such as alcohol and drugs. Furthermore any other occupation that would violate the principles of right speech and right action should be avoided.

6. Right Effort

Right effort can be seen as a prerequisite for the other principles of the path. Without effort, which is in itself an act of will, nothing can be achieved, whereas misguided effort distracts the mind from its task, and confusion will be the consequence. Mental energy is the force behind right effort; it can occur in either wholesome or unwholesome states. The same type of energy that fuels desire, envy, aggression, and violence can on the other side fuel self-discipline, honesty, benevolence, and kindness. Right effort is detailed in four types of endeavors that rank in ascending order of perfection:

1. to prevent the arising of unarisen unwholesome states,

2. to abandon unwholesome states that have already arisen,

3. to arouse wholesome states that have not yet arisen, and

4. to maintain and perfect wholesome states already arisen.

7. Right Mindfulness

Right mindfulness is the controlled and perfected faculty of cognition. It is the mental ability to see things as they are, with clear consciousness. Usually, the cognitive process begins with an impression induced by perception, or by a thought, but then it does not stay with the mere impression. Instead, we almost always conceptualize sense impressions and thoughts immediately. We interpret them and set them in relation to other thoughts and experiences, which naturally go beyond the facticity of the original impression. The mind then posits concepts, joins concepts into constructs, and weaves those constructs into complex interpretative schemes. All this happens only half consciously, and as a result we often see things obscured. Right mindfulness is anchored in clear perception and it penetrates impressions without getting carried away. Right mindfulness enables us to be aware of the process of conceptualization in a way that we actively observe and control the way our thoughts go. Buddha accounted for this as the four foundations of mindfulness:

1. contemplation of the body,

2. contemplation of feeling (repulsive, attractive, or neutral),

3. contemplation of the state of mind,

4. contemplation of the phenomena.

8. Right Concentration

The eighth principle of the path, right concentration, refers to the development of a mental force that occurs in natural consciousness, although at a relatively low level of intensity, namely concentration. Concentration in this context is described as one-pointedness of mind, meaning a state where all mental faculties are unified and directed onto one particular object. Right concentration for the purpose of the eightfold path means wholesome concentration, i.e. concentration on wholesome thoughts and actions. The Buddhist method of choice to develop right concentration is through the practice of meditation. The meditating mind focuses on a selected object. It first directs itself onto it, then sustains concentration, and finally intensifies concentration step by step. Through this practice it becomes natural to apply elevated levels concentration also in everyday situations.

Forgiveness Through Understanding

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:31:00 -0700

Unforgiveness is a sign of ignorance. To understand is to forgive.

By unforgiveness I mean a particular attitude, and abiding state of mind rather than an initial emotional reaction. When we are hurt, our pain is natural. If we are trying to suppress or to ignore this feeling, we are not true to ourselves. If we deny an experience of pain, we miss an opportunity to learn a lesson which it brought. So, it is wise to allow ourselves to feel pain before we let it go.

Someone might object an idea that we need to accept our responsibility for all of our experiences. They say, in essence: "If a person suffers from an inferiority complex and feels bad about himself/herself, that person will sink deeper into guilt and self-condemnation after accepting responsibility for all the bad things that happened to him/her. This concept only brings people down and makes them depressed. It doesn't inspire them to greater achievements" .
It might be possible that for certain individuals the burden of reality is too heavy, and they have to believe in illusions for some time. It might be true that in some cases people are too weak emotionally to handle the truth. However, there could be no real healing of wounds or deep personal transformation without accepting of the truth. Truth makes people free, ignorance makes people bound. Surely enough, truth is not always pleasing to human ego. Nevertheless, it needs to be swallowed and assumed before we will break mental patterns which cause us to have painful experiences over and over.

How does our increased understanding helps us to forgive?
First of all, we put all the painful experiences in the context of our evolutionary development. Perhaps, people who have difficulties with accepting responsibility for their pain, still think of it in terms of punishment. But this is never the case. No consequence of our actions is a punishment, but every consequence is a lesson. It brings our attention to a certain area of our life where an inner change is needed. Attention directs our energy flow. "The other person" whom we might blame for something bad that happened to us, is but the outward expression of a particular mental state within ourselves we need to deal with.

For instance, there are some people who complain about "discrimination" and "prejudices" they encounter. But what they fail to understand is that within themselves, they are not so tolerant and open toward others. Those who feel that they are "oppressed", often are full or anger and resentment. If they would have enough power, they would become oppressors and discriminators, just the way people they condemn are.

Forgiveness begins when we stop complaining about life, and accept it as it is â€" as the starting point for making it better. Forgiveness involves our honest self-examination and getting rid of all self-imposed or socially conditioned negativity. If all the people around us feel bad about some group, it doesn't mean that we should blindly accept their attitude. Let us think and decide for ourselves! At the same time, let us not expect ourselves or others to be perfect. We all are in a state of transition. We all make mistakes. But our personal transformation is up to us â€" and as we become determined to work at ourselves, we discover that all seeming obstacles become helpful influences.

The Four Noble Truths Pt. 4

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:13:00 -0700

THE FOURTH NOBLE TRUTH: THE TRUTH OF THE PATH LEADING TO THE END OF SUFFERING
The Middle Path
As a youth, Prince Siddhartha enjoyed the indulgent life of pleasure in his father's palace. Later, when he renounced the worldly life and became an ascetic, he experienced the hardship of torturing his mind and body. Finally, not long before attaining Enlightenment, he realized the fruitlessness of these two extreme ways of life. He realized that the way to happiness and Enlightenment was to lead a life that avoids these extremes. He described this life as the Middle Path.

These three ways of life may be compared to the strings of different tensions on a lute. The loose string, which is like a life of indulgence, produces a poor sound when struck. The overly tight string, which is like a life of extreme asceticism, similarly produces a poor sound when struck and is, moreover, likely to break at any moment. Only the middle string, which is neither too loose nor too tight, and is like the Middle Path, produces a pleasant and harmonious sound when struck. So those who follow the Middle Path which avoids the extreme of indulging one's desires and the opposite extreme of torturing one's mind and body unreasonably, will find happiness, peace of mind and Enlightenment. This is the Fourth Noble Truth of the path leading to the end of suffering.

So these who follow the Middle Path which avoid the extreme of indulging one's desires and opposite extreme of torturing one's mind and body unreasonably, will find happiness, peace of mind and Enlightenment. This is the Fourth Noble Truth of the path leading to the end of suffering.

THE EIGHTFOLD PATH
Like a wise and experienced doctor, the Buddha recognized the sickness of suffering. He identified its caused and discovered its cure. Then, for the benefit of mankind, the Buddha put his discovery into a systematic formula that can be easily followed in order to rid ourselves of suffering. The formula includes both physical and mental treatment, and is called the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Four Noble Truths Pt. 3

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:11:00 -0700

THE THIRD NOBLE TRUTH: THE TRUTH THE END OF SUFFERING
The Buddha's realization of the end of suffering and his attainment of Nirvana at the age of thirty-five, crowned his search for Truth with success. For six years, the Bodhisattva had spared no effort to find a solution to the problems of suffering. He had tried the principal methods of ending suffering and had found them wanting. Eventually he found his own solution to the problems of life.

CONFINDENCE IN THE BUDDHA'S TEACHING
Having realized the Truth through his own efforts, the Buddha offered it to all who were ready to listen. There is an old story of a turtle and a fish. The turtle lived on land as well as in the water while the fish only lived in the water. One day, when the turtle had returned from a visit to the land, he told the fish of his experiences. He explained that creatures walked rather than swam. The fish refused to believe that dry land really existed because that was something beyond his own experience. In the same way, people may not have experienced the end of suffering, but it does not mean that the end of suffering is not possible.

A patient must have confidence in an experienced doctor, otherwise he will never take the medicine that the doctor has prescribed for him and will not be cured of his sickness. Similarly, people must have confidence in the Teaching of the Buddha, who has shown that end of suffering is really possible.

THE END OF SUFFERING
The end of suffering is the final goal of the Buddha's Teaching. It can be experienced by anyone here and now. For example, when greed and anger arise in one's mind, unhappiness is the result and, when thoughts of greed and anger cease, one's mind becomes happy and peaceful. To end suffering completely, one must remove desire, ill will and ignorance. This is the Third Noble Truth of the End of Suffering.

HAPPINESS
The Buddha taught that the end of suffering is supreme happiness. Every step towards the end of suffering is accompanied by ever-increasing joy. Those who follow the Teaching of the Buddha live happily without greed among those who are overwhelmed by desire. They live happily without anger among those who harbor ill will. The more people free themselves from desire, ill will and ignorance, the greater will be their happiness. When they have completely overcome desire, ill will and ignorance, they will know the supreme happiness as experienced by the Buddha.

ENLIGHTENMENT
By putting the Buddha's Teaching into practice, people too can achieve supreme Enlightenment. Enlightenment has countless qualities, of which perfect wisdom and great compassion are the most important. Through perfect wisdom and great compassion, He is able to help countless beings to overcome their suffering.

EXPERIENCE NIRVANA FOR ONESELF
The end of suffering has been described as supreme happiness and Enlightenment. However, these terms do not fully express the real nature of the end of suffering, or Nirvana. Nirvana cannot be exactly put into words. Attempting to describe Nirvana is like saying that a mango is sweet, and that it is not like a banana or an apple. One has to eat a mango in order to know for oneself what the taste is really like. Similarly Nirvana has to be experienced for oneself.

Therefore, if people have confidence in the Buddha's Teaching and put it into practice, they can achieve happiness peace and Enlightenment.

The Four Noble Truths Pt. 2

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:10:00 -0700

THE SECOND NOBLE TRUTH: THE TRUTH THE CAUSES OF SUFFERING
The Buddha's had observed that life is suffering. Before He could find a solution to the problem of suffering in life, He had first to look for the cause of suffering. The Buddha was just like a good doctor who first observes a patient's symptoms and identifies the cause of illness before prescribing a cure. The Buddha discovered that the direct causes of suffering are desire or craving, and ignorance. This is the truth of the cause of suffering, which is the Second Noble Truth.

CRAVING
is the deep-seated desire that all living beings have for the pleasures of the senses, and for life itself. For instance, people always seek to enjoy good food, entertainment and pleasant company. Yet none of these can give them complete and lasting satisfaction. After the fine meal has been eaten, the beautiful music heard and the pleasant company shared, one is still not content. One would like to enjoy these pleasures again and again, and for as long as possible.

People who desire to own many things also can never be fully satisfied too. Like children in a toyshop, they crave all the attractive things they see around them. But like children, they soon become dissatisfied with what they already have and desire more. Sometimes, they can hardly eat or sleep until they get what they want. Yet when they succeed in getting what they want, they may still find their happiness short-lived. Many will be too worried for the safety and condition of their new possessions to enjoy it. Then when the object they possess eventually breaks into pieces and has to be thrown away, they will suffer its loss even more.

When we have obtained something we desire, we may want more and more of it, and so greed arises. Because of desire and greed, people will lie, cheat and steal to get what they want. Uncontrolled desires can also lead to addiction, for example, to smoking, drinking and overeating, all of which lead to suffering and cause mental and physical harm.

If another person prevents one from getting what is desired, one may feel anger towards that person. Desire, when obstructed, can lead to ill will and anger. This in turn can lead to harsh words, violent quarrels and even fights or killings. All this is suffering.

IGNORANCE
Craving or desire is like a great tree having many branches. There are branches of greed, of ill will and of anger. The fruit of this tree is suffering, but how does the tree of craving arise? Where does it grow? The answer is that the tree of craving is rooted in ignorance. It grows out of ignorance.

Ignorance is the inability to see the truth about things, to see things as they really are. There are many truths about the world which people are ignorant of because of the limitations of their understanding.

Science has shown, for instance, that there are sounds that people are unable to hear and waves of light that they are unable to see. People would be totally unaware of radio waves, or ultra-violet light rays if special instruments had not been developed to enable them to observe these things. So long as people remain ignorant of things about the world in which they live, they suffer from all kinds of misunderstandings and delusions.

When people develop their minds and acquire wisdom through study, careful thought and meditation, they will see the Truth. They will see things as they really are. They will understand the suffering and impermanence of life, the Law of Cause and Effect and the Four Noble Truths. By overcoming craving and ignorance, they will attain happiness and Enlightenment just as the Buddha did about 2500 years ago.

The Four Noble Truths Pt. 1

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:07:00 -0700

THE FIRST NOBLE TRUTH: THE TRUTH OF SUFFERING
The Buddha's discovery of the solution to the problem of suffering began with the recognition that life is suffering. This is the first of the Four Noble Truths. If people examine their own experiences or look at the world around them, they will see that life is full of suffering. Suffering may be physical or mental.
PHYSICAL SUFFERING
takes many forms. People must have observed at one time or another, how their aged relatives suffer. Most of them suffer aches and pains in their joints and many find it hard to move about. With advancing age, the elderly find life difficult because they cannot see, hear or eat properly. The pain of disease, which strikes young and old alike, is unbearable, and the pain of death brings much grief and suffering. Even the moment of birth gives pain both to the mother and the child that is born.
The truth is that suffering of birth, old age, sickness and death are unavoidable. Some fortunate people may now be enjoying relatively happy and carefree lives, but it is only a matter of time before they, too, will experience suffering. What is worse, this suffering must be borne alone.
MENTAL SUFFERING
Beside physical suffering, there are also various forms of mental suffering. People feel sad, lonely or depressed when they lose someone they love through separation or death. They feel irritated or uncomfortable when they are forced to be in the company of those whom they dislike or those who are unpleasant. People also suffer when they are unable to satisfy their limitless needs and wants.
HAPPINESS IN LIFE
When the Buddha said that there is suffering in life, He did not deny that there is happiness also. On the contrary, He spoke of various kinds of happiness, such as the happiness of friendship, the happiness of family life, and so on. But all these kinds of happiness are impermanent and when one loses them, one suffers. For example, one may like a pleasant and charming person and enjoy his or her company. But when one is separated from that person, the happiness turns into suffering. One suffers because of one's attachment to pleasures that do not last. People often remain unaware of the inevitable sufferings of life because they are distracted by temporary pleasures.

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 10:27:00 -0700

"For the sake of love of purity…refrain from eating flesh,
for fear of causing terror to living beings…refrain from eating
flesh."
-The Buddha-

Namaste!

Each year in the United States, 10 billion land animals are raised and
killed for meat, eggs, and milk. Statistically, farm animals comprise 98
percent of all animals in the country with whom we interact directly,and
that staggering percentage does not even include the estimated 10
billion aquatic animals killed for human consumption. Indeed, the
numbers of animals killed by trappers and hunters; in classrooms,
research laboratories, and animal shelters; and on fur farms; and those
animals raised as companions or used for entertainment by circuses and
zoos, collectively make up only 2 percent of the animals in some
established relationship with humans.
These farm animals—sentient, complex, and capable of feeling pain
and frustration, joy and excitement—are viewed by industrialized
agriculture as mere meat-, egg-, and milk-producing machines, and their
welfare suffers immensely as factory farm profit outweighs their
well-being. Yet, despite the routine abuses they endure, no federal law
protects animals from cruelty on the farm, and the majority of states
exempt customary agricultural practices—no matter how
abusive—from the scope of their animal cruelty statutes. The welfare
of farm animals often loses out to the economic interests of factory
farmers who can make larger profits by intensively confining animals and
breeding them for rapid growth with little regard for the amount of
suffering the animals endure.
Every year in the United States, more than 9 billion animals are killed
for food; millions more die of stress, suffocation, injuries, or disease
in the food industry.
In his or her lifetime, the average American meat-eater is responsible
for the abuse and deaths of some 2,400 animals, including approximately
2,287 chickens, 92 turkeys, 31 pigs, and 12 steers and calves.

Was The Buddha Fat?

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:17:00 -0700

I received an email today asking if The Buddha really was fat?
Actually, The Buddha was NOT fat.
In Buddhism there is a lot of symbolism in Buddhism I have compiled a few of the elements of The Buddha statue that is fairly universal:

* The earlobes are elongated, partly to indicate the Buddha is all-hearing and partly as a reminder of the heavy earrings that weighed them down before Siddhartha renounced material things to seek enlightenment.

* The Buddha's head is usually enlarged (sometimes by a large bump on top) to symbolize wisdom; a jewel in the bump denotes brilliance.

* The hair is generally curly. According to legend, after shearing off his long princely locks, Siddhartha from then on had a head of short, fine curls — not a common look in Asia and thus a distinguishing sign.

* A dot or protrusion in the center of the forehead represents power or an all-seeing eye.

* The fingers are long, slender, and usually finely webbed to indicate that the Buddha can "catch" people, similar to the Christian idea of Jesus the fisherman. Webbing also has the practical advantage of making the statue's delicate fingers less likely to break off.

* Often a stylized representation of light emanates from the Buddha, akin to a halo but usually encircling the entire body.

Different postures — standing, sitting lotus position (cross-legged), sitting half-lotus position (one leg hangs down to the ground), and lying down — represent different stages or aspects of the Buddha's life. The two lotus positions symbolize that Buddha, like the lotus plant, emerged from the mud to achieve enlightenment. The reclining Buddha usually represents his death, passing into nirvana and escaping the tedious cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
You didn't ask, but mystic hand gestures called mudra (Sanskrit for "seal" or "sign") are also a big deal in Buddhism. The five most common.

* Teaching mudra. Also called "turning the wheel of law." Used by the historical Buddha when preaching, the right hand is in front of the chest, palm outward, thumb and forefinger forming a circle. The left hand is beneath the right hand, also with thumb and forefinger touching, but palm inward. Variation: right hand at shoulder level pointing up and the left at hip level pointing down, both with palm outward and index finger and thumb forming circles; sometimes called the "reasoning" mudra.

* Fearlessness mudra. Upraised hand lifted above thigh, palm facing out, fingers pointing up, usually with middle finger slightly forward; means "fear not" and is a sign of protection.

* Welcoming mudra. Right hand pointing downward, palm facing out, often with middle finger slightly forward; means welcome, blessing, or charity.

* Meditation mudra. Found mostly on seated images. Both hands in lap, palms upward, usually right on top of left but sometimes fingers curled, thumbs touching to form a circle; indicates a state of, well, meditation.

* Earth-touching mudra. Statue in lotus position, with right hand hanging over right knee, palm inward, fingers (or just forefinger) touching the earth; left hand in lap, palm upward, sometimes holding a begging bowl. Symbolizes the Buddha "calling the earth to witness" his victory over temptation.

I will make another post on Mudras soon.

The Monk and The Scorpion

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:03:00 -0700

The city majestrate was walking through the square one morning when he noticed a monk crouching by a puddle left by the just ended downpour.

The monk, had noticed a scorpion in a puddle. He extended his hand and plucked the scorpion from the water.

With this, the scorpion stung the monks finger. The monk dropped the scorpion. The majestrate could here a whimper as he observed the monk sucking his finger in attempt to quell the pain.

The majestrate became astonished when the monk reached back into the water to pick up the scorpion with the inevitable stinging result.

The majestrate admonsihed the monk. " Do you not realize that is the scorpion's nature to sting you?" he asked the monk with a tone of arrogance.

The monk replied "Do you not realize it is in my nature to help it?"

Zen Coffee Philisophy

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 09:40:00 -0700

We are all filled with good qualities of peace, love, joy, compassion, and kindness. When uncomfortable situations arise, we need to remind ourselves of these beautiful inner qualities that we all possess and can share with everyone around us and in every situation we are in. We can mindfully bring those inner qualities out into our world and spread a lot of loving kindness around. When you find yourself getting angry at someone or feeling frustrated in a particular experience, take a deep breath in. Just breathe for a moment or two. Be mindfully aware of how you're feeling and know that you have the ever-present choice to respond to that person or situation with loving kindness. Take a moment or two to breathe in and smell the coffee.

In my Zen coffee philosophy, stirring just a smidge of loving kindness into the coffee cup of all your experiences produces a perfect blend of calm coffee flavored with compassion. Breathe in the peaceful qualities that are within you and feel kindness toward the person who has made you angry or the situation that brought you stress. Breathe out that loving kindness that is within you.

Unbrokenness

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:50:00 -0700

There is a brokenness
out of which comes the unbroken,
a shatteredness out
of which blooms the unshatterable.
There is a sorrow
beyond all grief which leads to joy
and a fragility
out of whose depths emerges strength.

There is a hollow space
too vast for words
through which we pass with each loss,
out of whose darkness
we are sanctioned into being.

There is a cry deeper than all sound
whose serrated edges cut the heart
as we break open
to the place inside which is unbreakable
and whole,
while learning to sing.

Buddha's First Sermon and Last Words

noreply@blogger.com (Rev. Peme Karuna) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:40:00 -0700


1. Buddha's First Sermon:

            SETTING IN MOTION THE WHEEL OF TRUTH
               (Dhammacakkappavattana-sutta)

Thus have I heard.  The Blessed One was once living in the
Deer Park at Isipatana (the Resort of Seers) near Baranasi
(Benares).  There he addressed the group of five bhikkhus:
  'Bhikkhus, these two extremes ought not to be practised by one
who has gone forth from the household life.  What are the two?
There is devotion to the indulgence of sense-pleasures, which is
low, common, the way of ordinary people, unworthy and
unprofitable; and there is devotion to self-mortification, which is
painful, unworthy and unprofitable.
  'Avoiding both these extremes, the Tathagata has realized the
Middle Path: it gives vision, it gives knowledge, and it leads to
calm, to insight, to enlightenment, to Nibbana.  And what is that
Middle Path ... ? It is simply the Noble Eightfold Path, namely,
right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right
livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.
This is the Middle Path realized by the Tathagata, which gives
vision, which gives knowledge, and which leads to calm, to
insight, to enlightenment, to Nibbana.
   'The Noble Truth of suffering (Dukkha) is this: Birth is
suffering; aging is suffering; sickness is suffering; death is
suffering; sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair are
suffering; association with the unpleasant is suffering; dissocia-
tion from the pleasant is suffering; not to get what one wants is
suffering - in brief, the five aggregates of attachment are suffering.
  'The Noble Truth of the origin of suffering is this: It is this
thirst (craving) which produces re-existence and re-becoming,
bound up with passionate greed.  It finds fresh delight now
here and now there, namely, thirst for sense-pleasures; thirst for
existence and becoming; and thirst for non-existence (self-
annihilation).
  'The Noble Truth of the Cessation of suffering is this: It is
the complete cessation of that very thirst, giving it up, renouncing
it, emancipating oneself from it, detaching oneself from it.
  'The Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of
suffering is this: It is simply the Noble Eightfold Path, namely
right view; right thought; right speech; right action; right
livelihood; right effort; right mindfulness; right concentration.
  '"This is the Noble Truth of Suffering (Dukkha)": such was
the vision, the knowledge, the wisdom, the science, the light,
that arose in me with regard to things not heard before.  "This
suffering, as a noble truth, should be fully understood": such was
the vision, the knowledge, the wisdom, the science, the light, that
arose in me with regard to things not heard before.  "This suffer-
ing, as a noble truth, has been fully understood": such was the
vision, the knowledge, the wisdom, the science, the light, that
arose in me with regard to things not heard before.
  '"This is the Noble Truth of the Origin of suffering": such was
the vision, . . . "This Origin of suffering, as a noble truth,
should be abandoned": such was the vision, . . . This Origin
of suffering, as a noble truth, has been abandoned": such was
the vision, . . . with regard to things not heard before.
  '"This is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of suffering":
such was the vision, . . . "This Cessation of suffering, as a noble
truth, should be realized": such was the vision, . . . "This
Cessation of suffering, as a noble truth, has been realized":
such was the vision, . . . with regard to things not heard
before.
  '"This is the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation
of suffering": such was the vision, . . . "This Path leading to the
Cessation of suffering, as a noble truth, should be followed
(cultivated)": such was the vision, . . . "This Path leading to the
Cessation of suffering, as a noble truth, has been followed
(cultivated)": such was the vision, the knowledge, the wisdom,
the science, the light, that arose in me with regard to things
not heard before.
  'As long as my vision of true knowledge was not fully clear in
these three aspects, in these twelve ways, regarding the Four
Noble Truths, I did not claim to have realized the perfect
Enlightenment that is supreme in the world with its gods, with
its Maras and Brahmas, in this world with its recluses and
brahmanas, with its princes and men.  But when my vision
of true knowledge was fully clear in these three aspects, in these
twelve ways, regarding the Four Noble Truths, then I claimed
to have realized the perfect Enlightenment that is supreme in the
world with its gods, its Maras and Brahmas, in this world with its
recluses and brahmanas, with its princes and men.  And a vision
of true knowledge arose in me thus: My heart's deliverance is
unassailable.  This is the last birth.  Now there is no more re-
becoming (rebirth).
  This the Blessed One said.  The group of five bhikkhus was
glad, and they rejoiced at his words.


2. Buddha's Last Words:

               THE LAST WORDS OF THE BUDDHA
   (Mahaparinibbana-sutta of the Digha-nikaya, Sutta No. 16)

Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ananda: 'It
may be, Ananda, that to some of you the thought may come:
"Here are (we have) the Words of the Teacher who is gone; our
Teacher we have with us no more".  But Ananda, it should not
be considered in this light.  What I have taught and laid down,
Ananda, as Doctrine (Dhamma) and Discipline (Vinaya), this will,
be your teacher when I am gone.
  'Just as, Ananda, the bhikkhus now address one another with
the word "Friend" (Avuso), they should not do so when I am
gone.  A senior bhikkhu, Ananda, may address a junior by his
name, his family name or with the word "Friend"; a junior
bhikkhu should address a senior as "Sir" (Bhante) or "Venerable"
(Ayasma).
  'If the Sangha (the Community, the Order) should wish it,
Ananda, let them, when I am gone, abolish the lesser and minor
precepts (rules).
  'When I am gone, Ananda, the highest penalty should be
imposed on the Bhikkhu Channa.'
  'But, Sir, what is the highest penalty?'
  'Let the Bhikkhu Channa say what he likes, Ananda; the
bhikkhus should neither speak to him, nor advise him, nor
exhort him.'
  Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: 'It may be,
Bhikkhus, that there may be doubt or perplexity in the mind of
even one bhikkhu about the Buddha, or the Dhamma, or the
Sangha, or the Path, or the Practice.  Ask Bhikkhus.  Do not
reproach yourselves afterwards with the thought: "Our Teacher
was face to face with us; we could not ask the Blessed One
when we were face to face with him".'
  When this was said, the bhikkhus remained silent.
  A second time and a third time too the Blessed One addressed
the bhikkhus ... as above.
  The bhikkhus remained silent even for the third time.
  Then the Blessed One addressed them and said: 'It may be,
Bhikkhus, that you put no questions out of reverence for your
Teacher.  Then, Bhikkhus, let friend speak to friend.'
  Even at this, those bhikkhus remained silent.
  Then the Venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One: 'It is
wonderful, Sir.  It is marvellous, Sir.  I have this faith, Sir, in
the community of bhikkhus here, that not even one of them has any
doubt or perplexity about the Buddha, or the Dhamma, or the
Sangha, or the Path, or the Practice.'
  'You speak out of faith, Ananda.  But in this matter, Ananda,
the Tathagata (i.e. Buddha) knows, and knows for certain,
that in this community of bhikkhus there is not even one bhikkhu
who has any doubt or perplexity about the Buddha, or the
Dhamma, or the Sangha, or the Path, or the Practice.  Indeed,
Ananda, even the lowest in spiritual attainments among these
five hundred bhikkhus is a Stream-entrant (Sotapanna), not liable
to fall (into lower states), is assured, and is bound for Enlighten-
ment.'
  Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: 'Then,
Bhikkhus, I address you now: Transient are conditioned things.
Try to accomplish your aim with diligence.'
  These were the last words of the Tathagata.