CalmAbiding

Thursday, 6 October 2011

The Practice of Metta, or Lovingkindness Audio Talk

The Practice of Metta, or Lovingkindness

Joseph Goldstein talks on loving kindness

Wednesday, 5 October 2011

Going for Refuge | Great Middle Way

Going for Refuge | Great Middle Way:

'via Blog this'

The procedure by which one makes the choice to become a committed Buddhist is known as Going for Refuge. We take shelter in the protection and guidance of the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

It is not necessary to give up your current religious affiliation to practice Dharma, unless that affiliation demands actions that contradict Dharma precepts, such as animal sacrifice, forceful conversion of others, or immoral behaviors. Also, it is not initially necessary to change one’s habits of diet, dress, or relations with others, though some people choose to do so.

Within any genuine tradition, going for Refuge to the Three Jewels is indispensable for making spiritual progress. ‘Going’ means recognizing the wisdom and compassion of the Enlightened Teacher, accepting the teachings as the practical Path to Enlightenment, and seeking the association and guidance of the Community of Practitioners.

The path leads away from the confusion and turmoil of attachment, aversion, and indifference; away from the uncertainty of countless beliefs; away from obstinacy and conceit; and away from fear and anxiety. The path leads toward freedom from all suffering (liberation), and ultimately to the development of wisdom and compassion (enlightenment).

The Three Jewels are aspects of Enlightenment, and thus you are ultimately going for Refuge within, to the Three Jewels in your own heart.

The Buddha, the Enlightened One, is the embodiment of the state of realization and perfect qualities. He is the goal for which we aim, and the actual nature of every sentient being. The Sanskrit term “buddha” literally means “the awakened one”. “Sangye” is the Tibetan term for Buddha. “Sang” means pure and “gye” means manifest. “Sang” indicates that the actual nature of sentient beings is True Purity. “Gye” indicates that the inherent qualities of Natural Perfection have blossomed completely and that in the awakened state all veils that obscure it are completely removed. The qualities of all Buddhas are True Self, True Bliss, and True Permanence. These are expressed spontaneously for the benefit of others as wisdom, compassion, and power.

The historic Buddha of our age, Buddha Shakyamuni, manifested this state approximately 2,500 years ago, and offered us a path of methods enabling us to achieve the same. For this reason, Buddhists deeply venerate Buddha Shakyamuni as our authoritative spiritual guide, and take refuge in Him as the spiritual master.

The Dharma comprises two aspects: the Dharma of Instruction and the Dharma of Realization. The Dharma of Instruction refers to the words of the Buddha and their authentic explanations. Taking refuge in the Dharma of Instruction means to listen to these teachings, to contemplate their meaning, and to cultivate our understanding through the process of meditation. The Dharma of Realization refers to the process of realizing the true nature of reality, the nature of our True Self. This is the ultimate aspect of taking refuge in the Dharma.

In principle, the term Sangha refers to ordained Buddhist monks and nuns, and by extension, to the community of all practitioners. In the context of taking Refuge, however, the Sangha refers in particular to those practitioners who have achieved the result of the path: freedom from cyclic existence – the “Noble Ones”. By virtue of Their experience and maturity they have the capacity to act as authentic spiritual friends to other practitioners. Therefore we take refuge in these practitioners, the “Noble Ones”, or Great Bodhisattvas.

The benefit of taking Refuge is eightfold: we embark on the inner path; we generate the basis for all commitments; negative deeds from the past will be exhausted; hindrances cannot harm us any longer; we accomplish all that we wish; we achieve the great cause of merit; we will not fall into lower states of existence; and we will quickly attain the enlightened state. The Buddha said in the Great Parinirvana Sutra that by taking Refuge in the Three Jewels, we will achieve the state of fearlessness.

Tara Brach: From BuddhaFest's 9/11 Event | Tricycle

Tara Brach: From BuddhaFest's 9/11 Event | Tricycle:
Video from Tara.'via Blog this'

Monday, 3 October 2011

Banksia Street Ararat

Photos of my new old house in Ararat.

Again. all thanks to the love and support of my sister Trish...bless her.

Still needing lots of tender loving care to restore it to its finer days.

Lovely light and a great wilderness of a garden.

Birds singing...the sun shining...what more could anyone want?

The old wood stove in the kitchen

One of the two fireplaces.This one is in the lounge.

The pantry door

These are pictures of the lounge and bedrooms after a clean-up by Will and Jess

The side gate looking toward the front and the road.

The wild garden is heaven for the birds.
As much as I like the way it looks the ivy has to be tamed to protect the structure

Will found the remains of a hidden path and two submerged bathtubs on the track.

The glasshouse is intact. Not one broken panel.

Hidden inside your breast | Great Middle Way

Hidden inside your breast | Great Middle Way:

"Hidden inside your breast'

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Tashi Nyima

Hidden inside your breast

Do not go about worshipping deities and religious institutions

as the source of the subtle truth.

To do so is to place intermediaries

between yourself and primordial wisdom,

and to make of yourself a beggar

who looks outside for a treasure

that is hidden inside your own breast.