Sparks of Living and Beyond

Let's keep God Out of it!

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 16:31:00 +0000

The Master said that he wanted a new shirt for his birthday.

His disciples were delighted .

The finest cloth was bought.

The village tailor was summoned. he came in to have the Master measured, and promised:

"By the will of God, I will have the shirt ready within a week."

A week went by, and a disciple was dispatched to the tailor, while the Master excitedly waited for his shirt.

Said the tailor, "There has been some delay. But, by the will of God, it will be ready by tomorrow."

The next day, the tailor said, "I'm sorry it isn't done. Try again tomorrow, and, if God wills, it will certainly be ready.

The following day, the Master said: "Ask him how long it will take if he keeps God out of it!"

After a silence... to speak

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 15:48:00 +0000

We all have special days to remember the dead, don't we? Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Jew, Buddhist...

The reason perhaps is that these prayers and rituals we send up for our 'ancestors' or 'dearly beloved' are really a way of lessening our own fright of death ... the great unknown.

And somehow we want to believe in a heaven or an afterlife where all of us 'good souls' will be together again?

But have you thought about it?

Would you really be able to stand your family being in your face for all eternity?

What about that cantankerous great grandfather, or that grumpy uncle.... maybe you are hoping that

they haven't made it up there? Or perhaps you believe that they will be in the 'other place'?

What does that say about you or the other place...? Or your beliefs?

Give Thanks

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:04:00 +0000

The year draws to an end.

As every year does, it has brought with it
challenges and opportunities

separations and reunion'
laughter and tears...

It's November

Five days to Thanksgiving...
and I'm just reminded
that it makes sense
to give praise

for all that has happened this year......

Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 00:07:00 +0000

Thanksgiving is a festival connected with American history and culture. For me, however, the last Thursday of November marks a day set aside for a few quiet moments. It’s a day to ponder upon the way the Universe has been kind to me.

Have I really learnt to ‘give thanks in all circumstances, to give thanks for all things’?

What are the wonderful things that happened to me this past year, since the last Thanksgiving? What were the opportunities I had for learning?

Who are the new people who have come into my life? What are the new opportunities I got to be happy and make others happy?

As I sit, in the quiet moments of that space between night and dawn, on the close of yet another Thanksgiving Day, I feel my heart opening up to the silence of the Universe, and my mind letting go of the tensions and worries of everyday living. And from somewhere, inside my consciousness, from inside my being, there is a wonderful one-ness with creation, and tears flow… tears of gratitude, tears of joy. As I sit in thankful meditation, I get, for a fleeting moment, a glimpse of the tapestry that is being woven by the Great Weaver in the Sky, as I see in how many beautiful ways hundreds of times throughout the year, She Who Has No Name has worked her miracles for me through the hands of countless people.

I realize, once again, that I am not alone, not for one single moment of the day. I realize that I, perhaps small, perhaps insignificant, definitely imperfect am still the receiver of a boundless, infinite Love. And that is immensely comforting.

That’s what I give thanks for on Thanksgiving Day.

WHAT IS A BUDDHA?

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:17:00 +0000

A Buddha is a person who has developed all positive qualities and eliminated all negative qualities.

Buddha was an "ordinary" human like you and me before he became enlightened.

Enlightenment is compared to awakening, as a person suddenly experiences a complete transformation of body and mind from sleeping to waking up.

One could say that a Buddha represents the very peak of evolution, as he/she is omniscient or all-knowing.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama writes in 'The Buddhism of Tibet':

"Our teacher, Sakyamuni Buddha, is one among the thousand Buddhas of this aeon. These Buddhas were not Buddhas from the beginning, but were once sentient beings like ourselves. How they came to be Buddhas is this.

Of body and mind, mind is predominant, for body and speech are under the influence of the mind.

Afflictions such as desire do not contaminate the nature of the mind, for the nature of the mind is pure, uncontaminated by any taint.

Afflictions are peripheral factors of a mind, and through gradually transforming all types of defects, such as these afflictions, the adventitious taints can be completely removed. This state of complete purification is Buddhahood; therefore, Buddhists do not assert that there is any Buddha who has been enlightened from the beginning."

The historical Buddha, Shakyamuni or Gautama Buddha, lived about 2,500 years ago in India.

However, he was not the first Buddha, and will not be the last either.

He taught that during this eon (very long time period, maybe comparable to the life-time of the universe as we know it), there would be 1,000 fully enlightened Buddhas who would introduce Buddhism (after it has been totally forgotten).

The numbers one to three in this eon are Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, Kashyapa, then comes Shakyamuni (the historical Buddha some 2,500 years ago), and the next Buddha will be called Maitreya.

Heavenly Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 02:34:00 +0000

On a cold winter morning, with mist all around, in quiet solitude, thoughts turn to heavenly things.
I would like to share with you a small extract of the evening recitations practised in the Mahayana Buddhist Temples, called the 'Pure Land Sutra'

In this way did the Buddha speak to the Venerable Sariputra:

"O Sariputra, if you go from here to the West and pass beyond Ten Ten Thousands of Hundreds of Thousands Buddhas Lands there exists a region called the Land of Ultimate Joy where there exists a Buddha called Amitabha. He is there now, expounding the Dharma, this Arhat.
"Now, Sariputra, why do you think that this land is called the Land of Ultimate Joy? Because in that realm for all living beings there is neither physical pain nor mental pain and the sources of blessings are without number. For this reason is it called the Land of Ultimate Joy.
"Furthermore Sariputra, the Land of Ultimate Joy is adorned with seven terraces and seven rows of wind chimes together with seven avenues of trees. The above are enclosed on all sides by the four precious substances. With such excellent things unique to Buddha Lands is this excellent Buddha Land adorned.
"Furthermore, O Sariputra, in that world called Ultimate Joy there are Lotus Ponds, ornamented with the seven precious stones. The water that fills them has the eight good qualities and the bottoms of these ponds are covered with pure golden sands that extend to their banks. On the four sides of these Lotus Ponds are flights of stairs--golden and silver, with beryl and crystal in splendid perfection. And at the top of these stairs are raised pavilions majestically adorned with gold and silver, beryl, crystal and coral, red pearls and agate. And in the ponds grow Lotus Flowers that are as large as the wheels of a cart blue colored, as if emitting blue radiance; yellow colored, as if emitting yellow light; red colored, radiating redness; white colored of pure white radiating light and their subtle and mysterious fragrances cleanse the air. O Sariputra for this reason is the Ultimate Joy Land perfect in its meritorious adornments.

[to be continued]

The Mother of Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 06:56:00 +0000

MARY, MOTHER OF JESUS - A Profile - Part one

Her name was Mary, a form of the name Miriam, the famous sister of Moses. The name was common among Jewish women in those days.

A well-known tradition says she was born in Jerusalem, the daughter of Joachim and Ann.
Other early sources say Mary was born in Nazareth. There is even an ancient record that points to Sepphoris, a town a few miles from Nazareth, as her birthplace.

Wherever she was born, Mary's life most likely unfolded in the staunch Jewish settlement of Nazareth in the hills of Galilee, not far from the important caravan routes linking Egypt and Mesopotamia.

The Jews there were a strong, robust people. The hill climate was dry and healthful. And though the land often lacked water and no one knew from one year to the next if enough rain would fall or if invading locusts or field mice would spoil the crops -- still, facing uncertainty only made the people of Galilee more hard-working and close-knit. Struggling for a living deepened their religious spirit. They learned you must depend on God always.

Mary was a woman of rural Galilee. She lived as they did, in a small family house of stone and mud-brick. She worked like any young girl, grinding wheat and barley into flour, preparing dishes of beans, vegetables, eggs, fruits, nuts, and occasional chunks of mutton. Wool had to be made into clothing. Bread had to be baked. A few chickens and a donkey had to be fed. And in the village, small as it was, there were always little children to care for.

Almost daily she carried a large jar of water from the town well for washing and cooking (the well still supplies modern Nazareth today and is called "Mary's Well"). Early on, the Jews found that cleanliness prevented disease, so frequent washing -- an important chore of women -- became part of their religious practice. The well also was a favorite spot where women talked and traded bits of everyday news.

They lived in a war-torn land. For centuries before the Roman occupation, conquering armies of Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians and Greeks fought over Palestine. Despite their wars, revolts and riots, the Jews remained a subject people -- taxed, bullied and despised by succeeding rulers. Like their compatriots, the Jews of Nazareth were never far from the dangers of political violence. During the Jewish uprisings in Galilee around 6 A.D. -- when Jesus was a child -- Roman legions captured the city of Sepphoris, sold all its inhabitants into slavery and burned the city to the ground.

From the people of Nazareth Mary learned about life. Few strangers visited the town. It had little wealth, culture or learning. But just as a tiny drop of water contains a wealth of living organisms, so the small town of Nazareth had a rich life of its own. Children were born, young people married, someone died and was buried. Mary felt these joys and sorrows. A sheep was lost, a family quarreled, a son left home. From such small things, life's deepest lessons could be learned.

The Greatest things

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:51:00 +0000

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

Conquer

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:31:00 +0000

These teachings are like a raft, to be abandoned once you have crossed the flood.

Since you should abandon even good states of mind generated by these teachings,

How much more so should you abandon bad states of mind!

You can explore the universe looking for somebody who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself,
and you will not find that person anywhere.

Conquer the angry man by love.

Conquer the ill-natured man by goodness.

Conquer the miser with generosity.

Conquer the liar with truth.

The Dhammapada

Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:53:00 +0000

The master was in a mellow mood and the disciples were inquisitive.

Did he ever feel depressed, they asked.

He did.

Wasn't it also true that he was in a continual state of happiness, they persisted. It was.

What was the secret, they wanted to know.

Said the Master, "This: Everything is as good or as bad as one's opinion makes it."

Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 11:08:00 +0000

An easy-going disciple complained that he had never really experienced the silence that the master frequently commended.

Said the Master, "Silence only comes to active people."

Non-violence

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:02:00 +0000

A snake in the village had bitten so many people that few dared to go into the fields.

Such was the Master's holiness that he was said to have tamed the snake and persuaded it to practise the discipline of non-violence.

It did not take long for the villagers to discover that the snake had become harmless.

They took to hurling stones at it and dragging it around by the tail.

The badly battered snake crawled into the master's house to complain.

Said the Master, " Friend, you've stopped frightening people. That's bad.!"

"But it was you who taught me to practise the discipline of non violence", answered the snake.

"Friend," sighed the Master, "I told you to stop hurting , not to stop hissing!"

Miracles

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 03:34:00 +0000

The man has travelled from a faraway land and crossed the seas

in search of the Master.

When he arrived at his dwelling, he asked a disciple,

"What miracles has your Master worked?"

Well, there are miracles, and then there are MIRACLES," said the disciple.

"In your land

you say it is a miracle when God does someone's will.

In our land

we say it is a miracle

when someone does the will of God"

Adulthood

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:53:00 +0000

The disciple was forever at his prayers.

The Master said, "When will you stop leaning on God and stand on your own two feet?"

The disciple was astonished.

He protested, "But Master, you are the one who taught us to look upon God as our father!"

The Master sighed.

"When will you learn that a father isn't someone you can lean on

but someone who cures you of your tendency to lean?"

When U thot I wuzzn't lookin'

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:20:00 +0000

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING
Because others are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say.

When you thought I wasn't looking
I saw you hang my First painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a Stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my Favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little Things can be the special things in life.
When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a Prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always Talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a Meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I Learned that we all have to help take care of each Other.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of Your time and money to help people who had nothing, And I learned that those who have something should Give to those who don't.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care Of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have To take care of what we are given.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you Handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't Feel good, and I learned that I would have to be Responsible when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw Tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things Hurt, but it's all right to cry.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you Cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and Productive person when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and Wanted to say,'Thanks for all the things I saw when You thought I wasn't looking.'

Washing feet... washing minds?

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:54:00 +0000

This year

Holy week and Holi week are the same.

Both are spring festivals.

renewal, birth, spring, colour, salvation,

and the hope that there's something beyond death

At the moment of death, to rely on our minds?

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 18:23:00 +0000

When we die we leave everything behind, especially this body we have cherished so much and relied upon so blindly and tried so hard to keep alive.

But our minds are no more dependable than our bodies.

Just look at your mind for a few minutes.

You will see that it is like a flea, constantly hopping to and fro.

You will see that thoughts arise without any reason, without any connection.

Swept along by the chaos of every moment, we are the victims of the fickleness of our minds.

If this is the only state of consciousness we are familiar with, then to rely on our minds at the moment of death is an absurd gamble.

- Sogyal Rinpoche

Fundamentalism means loss of innocence

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 04:36:00 +0000

We are living in a world that keeps growing crazier.

When we see 'sin' in everything.

When we discover 'abuse' even in the most ordinary of happenings.

When we forget what innocence and freedom means.

When we sacrifice our God-given intelligence to mouldy religious texts.

Our spiritual growth grinds to a halt.

Conflict happens.

War errutpts.

Jihad will be followed by Crusade.

Crusade will be countered by Hinduditva.

Drop everything.

Get naked.

Return to innocence.

Legacy

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 13:38:00 +0000

My legacy -

What will it be?

Flowers in spring,

The cuckoo in summer,

And the crimson maples

Of autumn ...

- Ryokan (1758-1831)

Dewdrops on a maple leaf

p.143

Translated by John Stevens

You are blessed, click here

Just Being

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Sun, 27 May 2007 07:37:00 +0000

Nothing in the cry

of cicadas

suggests

they are about to die

- Basho

Simply Zen

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Thu, 24 May 2007 14:02:00 +0000

My daily activities are not unusual,
I'm just naturally in harmony with them.

Grasping nothing, discarding nothing...

Supernatural power and marvellous activity –
Drawing water and carrying firewood. -

Layman Pang-yun (740-808)

True Theology?

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Tue, 22 May 2007 03:17:00 +0000

One of the stories collected by a popular story-teller in India goes something like this: Once a parachutist found himself caught up in a storm, and he was swept off several kilometers away from his original destination.

He landed on the top of a tree, and was only happy his life was saved.

He saw someone passing by, and called out to him and asked, "Sir, can you tell me, where I am?" Came the answer, "You are on the top of a tree."

The parachutist said." Are you a theologian?"

At this the other man was simply wonder-struck.

He asked the parachutist. "Yes I am, but how do you know that?".

The parachutist replied. "Oh that is easy. Because what you said is correct, but useless!"
Theology can state many correct things, and yet become quite useless and even ridiculous when it fails to identify its topos, its location.

A general theology would be a theology on the top of a tree, in the clouds.

That is why every theology has to be really located, has to be contextual.

This is what the experiences in our Third World societies continue to impress upon us.

All true theology can only be partial.

Paradoxically, we can say that, precisely because the Ultimate Reality is total, all our theology can only be partial. This is not something new. In fact it has always been so.

But the difference is that certain theologies claimed to be total theologies are unaware of the fact that they were only universalizing what has been a particular, historically and culturally limited experience.

Here I would like to recall an experience narrated to me by a friend from Nepal who is an expert also in Buddhism.

He took a group of theology students to a Buddhist monastery.

After the chief monk spoke, the young students were vying with each other in putting critical questions to the monk.

One of them argued this way: If Buddhism teaches that desire is the root cause of all suffering and that we should free ourselves from desires, then, there will still remain at least one desire the desire not to have desires. Perfect logic, of course! But the response of the experienced monk was simple: "This means, my friend," said the monk, you are not yet ready for Enlightenment."

We need to first walk a bit on the path to experience and understand it.

This is how every authentic theology needs to begin.

But where does this path lie?

Life is today the path on which we encounter God, and it is in walking on the path of life in a determined context that true contextual theology takes flesh and bone.

Song of Eknath

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Wed, 16 May 2007 10:00:00 +0000

How sweet is the curdling of liquid ghee.

So blissful is the seeker, when the hidden one reveals his form.

Dark is he, dark is the totally unknown and locked is the way to thoughts and words: the scriptures are silent, the Vedas do not utter a word.

Not so the revealed one.

How bright! How near!

Our thirst is quenched if only he appears, who is so dear to our heart. The ever perfect one, eternal bliss, being and thought - see, it is Govinda, source of ecstasy and rapture.

Strength, courage, honor, and exalted spirit - see, we witness our God sharing all this.

If I catch a glimpse of God, my eye-sight is restored.

I have escaped the net of life, the guilt of my senses is cancelled.

In the light of the lamp all hidden things are made apparent - so it is when I think of my God: the god from faraway is here!

Eknath was a scholar, fluent in Marathi, Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic. He wrote Bhavartha Ramayana, Rukmini Swayamvara, Eknathi Bhagavata and numerous abhangas and bharudas. Many incidents in his life, tell about how he fought against untouchability. He shocked the contemporary Brahmin community by such deeds. He faced their anger by holding a crying untouchable child in his arms, or serving food to untouchables instead of inviting Brahmins or giving Ganga-Jal to a dying donkey.
Eknath is known as a scholar of the Bhagvata Purana. The Jnaneshwari, which is available today, is the one amended amd edited by Sant Eknath.

The community of Humanity

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Sun, 13 May 2007 07:10:00 +0000

Actually, we are all part of the community of humanity.

If humanity is happy, has a successful life, a happy future, automatically, I will benefit.

If humanity suffers, I too will suffer.

Humanity is like one body, and we are part of that body. Once you realize this, once you cultivate this kind of attitude, you can bring about a change in your way of thinking.

A sense of caring, commitment, discipline, oneness with humanity--these are very relevant in today's world.

I call this secular ethics, and this is the first level to counter negative emotions.

The second level in this connection is taught by all major religious traditions, whether Christian or Muslim or Jewish or Hindu.

They all carry the message of love, compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment, and discipline.

These are countermeasures for negative emotions. When anger is about to surface, when hatred is about to flare up, think of tolerance. It is important to stop any mental dissatisfaction when we feel it because it leads to anger and hatred.

Patience is the countermeasure for mental dissatisfaction.

Greed and its self-centeredness bring unhappiness, and also destruction of the environment, exploitation of others, and increases the gap between the rich and the poor.

The countermeasure is contentment.

So practicing contentment is useful in our daily lives.

....All religious traditions talk about methods of compassion and forgiveness.

If we accept religion, we should take the religious methods seriously and sincerely and use them in our daily lives. Then, a meaningful life can develop.

from "Many Ways to Nirvana: Reflections and Advice on Right Living"

by His Holiness the Dalai Lama,

edited by Renuka Singh

Dust and Ashes

noreply@blogger.com (Scorpio) — Mon, 07 May 2007 02:51:00 +0000

Here you see a naked Sadhu performing a painful and difficult act of penance according to the Hindu tantric tradition.

The Western religious teacher, and in particular the 'Christian' onlooker may express dismay, shock, and may even feel disgusted at this 'vulgar' display of the naked body. Some may even call this 'satanism' and 'devil worship'.

The Christian, [and maybe the Jew] has always been so obsessed with 'covering up'. The Christian religious rituals [and jew and Mohamedan] have vestments that are elaborate and cover up one's nakedness. And yet, According to Christian tradition, we aere all created 'in God's Image'.

St. Francis of Assissi was known to have thrown off all his clothes at the defining moment of spiritual revelation. He stood stark naked in front of a whole crowd of the elite and the commoners and renounced his father's wealth. He stood there, sky clad, in all his created glory and said "Now I can truly say, Our Father in Heaven". The Bishop covered him with his cloak. But a few minutes later, he gave away that cloak to a poor beggar, walking away naked. he later wore clothes of coarse sackcloth.

Why are Christians so ashamed of their god-given bodies?

In Hindu tradition, the priest actually strips down to the very basics to worship. To belong to nature. To stand humbled before the Power.

Renunciation in the East has been achieved through the shedding of clothes. Many great Teachers and saints were sky-clad. Mahavir and the other founders of the Jain religion did not wear clothes, but they did cover their mouths so as not to harm tiny insects. Even today, there are many Gurus in the Indian tradition who have renounced clothes.

To be unclad is not to be indecent. One can go around as naked as the day he was born, with a clear mind, devoid of attachment. One can wear the longest cloak and protest his modesty, and yet be indecent and lecherous in his mind.

[series to continue]