Jade Mountains - Practice Within the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives

Links for 2009-11-09 [del.icio.us]

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST

Under The Ground In A Box - Suddenly

Rev. Mugo — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:33:10 -0500

I know a dad who went to wake his teenage son only to find him dead in his bed. The son had suffered a fatal asthma attack. There was nothing that could be done. We hear of such events and non can know the anguish save those who have known it too.

The innocent questioning of a small boy about why dead people are buried under the ground in a box had his dad pondering...on his owns sons death. O the anguish! See this posting in Views From the Bike Shed blog for an interesting posting and a poem by John Latham who suffered his sons death from an asthma attack.

Thanks to Julius, once again, for this great link to a great post.

Living In North Norfolk

Rev. Mugo — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:02:03 -0500

A brilliant altar set up in memory of Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett. Rev. Jigen, my Dharma sister, was celebrant for the ceremony during a day retreat in north Norfolk.

Yep! There is a senior monk of our Order living in north Norfolk. We go way back to the early 1980's at Shasta. As a new monk I'd volunteer to help her set up for ceremonies and clear away afterwards. Generations of monks have apprenticed with her since then. We all know the very first thing you do when setting up for a ceremony is take the altar apart and clean everything thoroughly. Cleaning everything thoroughly is a good start for most things when I think about it.

Please join with me in urging the Reverend to SET UP HER OWN WEBSITE! And if you are in Norfolk and want to learn to meditate I can put you in touch with her.

Endure - Joyfully

Rev. Mugo — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:46:56 -0500

It was November 6Th, 1996. Around 2.00 pm. I leaned over the railing outside my Masters house watching the golden leaves fall from the Lindon Tree in the garden at Shasta Abbey. I was commenting to the monk beside me that I felt no sadness. There was a sort of joy, almost elation in the air. How could this be? My Master had just died. Breathed her last. He commented something to the effect that it was like another leaf falling from a tree. Then I went indoors and got on....

And that's what I've been doing ever since. There is that which endures, joyfully.

From The Dharmapada

Rev. Mugo — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:05:06 -0500

Cultivate the company of those who support your aspiration
for energetic practise of the Teachings.
The beauty of pure conduct
conditions whole-hearted well-being
giving rise to complete freedom from remorse.

The Dharmapada

This verse is from the 2009 Buddhist Calendar on the November page. The calendar can be downloaded from Urban Dharma. I guess the 2010 one will be available shortly....

You might want to put aside some time to explore Urban Dharma. Kusala Bhikshu has amassed a huge amount of teaching on this site - a real treasure house to be sure. And, as all Buddhist do, please express your gratitude by offering a donation to help support Kusala Bhikshu in his work.

Many thanks to V for pointing me to this quote on the calendar.

Life Passes....

Rev. Mugo — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:25:52 -0500

With all this wind and rain and blowing and rushing waters the fleeting nature of existence seems to be up and around calling for attention. The full moon is out this evening, but not in sight where I am. There is something special about this autumn moon.

Here is a scrap of teaching that comes to mind. Life passes as quickly as a flash of lightening. Quickly the body passes away, in a moment life is gone... And a quote by the Venerable Bede.

The present life of man, O king, seems to me, in comparison of that time which is unknown to us, like to the swift flight of a sparrow through the room wherein you sit at supper in winter, with your commanders and ministers, and a good fire in the midst, whilst the storms of rain and snow prevail abroad; the sparrow, I say, flying in at one door, and immediately out at another. Whilst he is within, he is safe from the wintry storm; but after a short space of fair weather, he immediately vanishes out of your sight, into the dark winter from which he had emerged. So this life of man appears for a short space, but of what went before, or what is to follow, we are utterly ignorant.

Ecclesiastical History: Book II

Thanks to Walter for the above quote.

Snow Storms - How To Walk In Them

Rev. Mugo — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:42:05 -0500

This morning I was sitting in on a tea and talk at one of our temples. It was a delight to be there and especially wonderful to meet a long-time and loyal reader. One of the questions on the table was about how to deal with the snow storm of distractions that come at you in life. At work for example. The Reverend launched into several great responses. All the while I was thinking, Snow storm, snow storm? - looking out the window at the leaves being blown around wildly in the high winds. - Snow storm/leaf storm. How does one behave in a snow storm? And just as I'd got my head straight on the question, and answer. The Reverend gave more or less the same answer! That's the way it happens sometimes. Great minds think alike, or together at least.

I'll not go into what I came up with on the matter because the answer is obvious when one think in terms of how one deals with an actual snow storm. Or leaf storm! Hum. The question of distractions generally is interesting tho'. Storms come and storms go. Snow melts and the leaves, lots of them at the moment, rot. Eventually.

Daily life practice is really very straight forward. We overly concern ourselves with being blasted off our perch in a gale, or what ever. When in actual fact we are moving with the wind. And, still there is sitting still.

Jim left a posting this evening. The ending sentence goes thusly:

...It reminds me that we are not just homo sapiens (those who know) but homo sapiens sapiens (those who know they know).

Good day all in all, even with the high winds and rain. Lots of good company - great to meet you Dave, O newly discovered reader.

Comments?

Rev. Mugo — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:38:59 -0400

I'm spending time answering comments this evening, to the sounds of fireworks cracking and crashing in the night.

Reflections On Listening And Giving Advice

Rev. Mugo — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:11:18 -0400

The following is part of an email I sent to Adrienne this morning. Since it started to look like a blog post I asked her if I could publish it, with additions. She agreed.

Dear Adrienne,

I have been writing a post in my head this morning about giving advice. Your post yesterday The Trouble with Advice has got me going.

I have also been thinking about listening and how one obviously has ones views and opinions bubbling up while somebody is talking, and hearing ones own thoughts needs to be in the picture also. Further, there is the wider listening. The sound-scape you could call it. Traffic, the hard drive of the computer, cooking sounds, the toilet being flushed - these are in the background, less in ones direct awareness but there non the less. Yes, listening in the sense of listening to what somebody is saying is specific. However my sense is that to really listen/be there, with all of ones senses, the sound-scape is there also. Ones own mind being very much part of the sound-scape to take account of. To own and not give away rashly, if at all.

So....the edge one keeps approaching when listening to somebody (say she is telling you about her day at work) is: allowing the sound-scape yet not rushing to respond when it's not needed right now, and refraining from saying something like 'you've got to be JOKING' when she comes out with something bonkers. Those are the times when it's obvious to keep ones mouth shut...and continue to listen and ask questions when in the sort of position you (Adrienne) are in professionally.

For the most part (this is my view) most people are not actually asking for feedback, advice or comment - or what ever. They, as you say, asking for and benefiting from simply being listened to. Further, when somebody is overtly asking for advice they are not necessarily asking you to tell them, chapter and verse how to live their lives better or how to discipline their children or animals! Advice can be over done especially between friends and even more especially within families! An example from this very morning: I was being waved off by my cousin and family with whom I'd stayed the night. And there I was letting slip several sentences of jolly advice - it's the process not the product and never mind you saving the world, take care of yourself...! How horrible is that?

The context of the conversation is a good guide. Forums are an advice 'fest', because that's what they are set up for. However the comment section of Jade is not a forum so generally people don't take it upon themselves to offer advice to other commenter's, or to me. Which is how I prefer comments to be. Some blogs do have this element but here not. So why is that? For now as a preview, and to remind me what it is I'm going to write about tomorrow, I've a thought on what Jade might possibly have become for a few people. A Buddhist temple! If this is so I'll feel free to respond to comments again, with...spiritual encouragement.

The Four Reliances

Rev. Mugo — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:13:44 -0400

Rely on the message of the teacher,
not on her personality;
Rely on the meaning,
not just on the words;
Rely on the real meaning,
not on the provisional one;
Rely on your wisdom mind,
not on your ordinary, judgmental mind.

Shakyamuni Buddha:
The Four Reliances

When, and where, would this advice NOT apply?

To Change 'It'

Rev. Mugo — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:37:00 -0400

Andrew has a new post titled Looking at Everything. It's for anybody who has ever wanted to change the world, to do something about it. Where it is ones own particular wish and way to make the world a better place.

I know where I started out with it, and I know where I am with it now. Action not optional, acceptance essential.

Links for 2009-10-02 [del.icio.us]

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Contemplativespaces
Helmuts thinking

Links for 2009-09-12 [del.icio.us]

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Holding no bough

Links for 2009-04-13 [del.icio.us]

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PDT

The Error Nerd

Links for 2009-04-06 [del.icio.us]

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PDT

News & Musings
Venerable Khemadhammo's blog

Links for 2009-03-25 [del.icio.us]

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Listening to the silences
Roy Vincent - book of his experiences of mental health and survival

Links for 2009-03-01 [del.icio.us]

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 PST

Of Zen and Computing

Beach, Shanklin [Flickr]

Mugo — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:05:52 PST

Mugo posted a photo:

Deck chair hire.

Drinking Fountain, Shanklin sea front [Flickr]

Mugo — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:45:59 PST

Mugo posted a photo:

The inscription makes no sense to me.

DSCN2197 [Flickr]

Mugo — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:43:14 PST

Mugo posted a photo:

Wind shelter Shanklin [Flickr]

Mugo — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:42:25 PST

Mugo posted a photo:

Flint [Flickr]

Mugo — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:38:11 PST

Mugo posted a photo: