The New Idea We Ought To Have. Today, I would like to introduce a "new" Buddhist idea to you all. What I would like to talk about is actually an old faith that has been a vital tradition amongst Buddhist circles for thousands of years. Yet it is always new and fresh whenever it is mentioned, especially in a desolate and miserable period such as this. Bodhisattva Sadaparibhuta used to say, "I would never slight you, you shall all be Buddhas. " His saying indicates the ingrained truth of life. It denotes the attitude we ought to have towards all human beings. We know that everyone in this world is different. Those who are unable to strive upwards towards the light will eventually degenerate.
"Human beings are equal, and all of us are able to achieve Buddhahood. " Implicit disdain for others may not be very serious, but sometimes it develops into proud conceit and self-aggrandisement. If we can accept the idea that all humans are equal, and that we can all attain Buddhahood, our pride will gradually dissolve. Buddhism in Everyday Life. Lama Tubten Shenpen Rinpoche - 25.9.2001 / Teaching at Shenphen Rime Tschö ling, Vienna, Austria 'Buddhism in everyday life', this is not a scholastic subject, there is no particular point, a new term to learn. Yet it is an extremely important subject since it finds its justification in every moment of our life. (This teaching hasn't been verified by Rinpoche; it is published "as is") The BuddhaDharma is not a mere collection of words, it is clearly something which has to do with experience. For some people, the Buddha Dharma is something we get from books or from teachers and that we discuss or practice in groups, but once we are coming out of the group it is not something that is alive in our mind.
You may think that there are many moments in daily life which have nothing to do whatsoever with the dharma, but this is an incorrect concept; the dharma can be applied in every moment of our life. This afternoon I was taking the example of 'taking a shower'. [Facing ideologies] Q. A. Q. A. Establishing a Steady Foundation for Practice. A Transcript of the second day of teaching during a Meditation Retreat led by Lama Zangmo at Purelands Retreat Centre in October 2013 shortly after Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche's sudden and tragic death. From what you have said, it seems that many of you find it difficult to maintain a steady and continuous practice. What you lack is a foundation. If we want our practice to remain after leaving the retreat or a supportive environment then we need to have a strong foundation. I have already mentioned the Four Thoughts or Four Contemplations. They are part of every teaching that you receive, but they are also part of Sumpa Lotsawa’s The Ear Whispered Mind Training.
Sumpa Lotsawa was a Tibetan who lived in the twelfth or thirteenth centuries who translated many very important texts. He was also a teacher of the Sakya Pandita. The Ear Whispered Mind Training is summarised in a short story about one of the times that Sumpa Lotsawa went to India to study at one of the great monasteries there. Keep on Trucking. [ Uposatha ] Keep on Trucking Observing Uposatha So far this little venture into the practice of Observing Uposatha has been one of the most interesting actual "puttings into practice" of the Dhamma that I have experienced in a long time.
The last time I seriously "went at it", was in the early 80s when I first started to put together the materials that you see on these pages. It was my thinking at that time that the thing America needed most was a book. A bible. There was nothing of any manageable size out there. The benefits to me of observing Uposatha at that time were in the area of understanding the hold food has on us. It was harrowing, and humiliating; but what I learned could not be put down in words in a million books. The problems getting food were not the worst of it: for me the worst of it was seeing how far I would go to get a cup of coffee.
It's like the story of the king in the story of the Arabian Knights. And I learned to rely on my Kamma. Work'n on it down here, Boss! Daily Life. Perfection is the wedding of Wisdom and Compassion. Skill, the result of training and practice, is the way we apply those qualities through our behaviour in the world. Attention is required to know how and when to act. Progress is partly the result of karma (consequence and result of actions,) merit and accomplishment, and last but certainly not least -- the support of one's spiritual mentors and friends. The Buddhist cultivates attentiveness in the attitude expressed by the term Mindfulness. In response to questions, here are some articles about putting Buddhism into practice in a general way -- what the views are on certain topics, such as Smoking: different perspectives Sexuality: homosexuality Depression, Suicide: Considering that route Marriage: Is there a Buddhist wedding ceremony?
See also, Becoming a Buddhist. Engaged Buddhism Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddhism by Ven. 1 Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. Daily Spiritual Routine for Householders. Sri Swami Chidnandaji Each householder should have an ideal daily routine. The home life should not be left to itself, but taken care of. In addition to those unexpected things that come up every day-a visit of someone, a telephone call, an invitation to go out with someone-every one of you should have an accepted basic programme, a basic schedule for your daily life, which should include an hour of prayer in the morning and an hour of prayer in the evening.
The prayer hour might include the reading of scriptural texts, the reading of sacred and inspiring spiritual books, a few minutes of quiet indrawn meditation, a few minutes of actually articulated prayer, inspiring prayer. There should be some actual act of external worship. Each member of the family should have a private altar. The Art of War. [ Sitting Practice ] A Small Arsenal of Techniques for the Lay Seeker Don't kid yourself. It is war! Behave fearlessly even in the face of your fear. Now and again risk everything even if victory isn't in your sites. When you are about to enter battle, burn your bridges, destroy your provisions, allow for no alternative but victory. OK.
Strategize Don't just passively react or let go when it's natural. Keep Good Company That means, of course, find a Dhamma Friend or Teacher and hang out with those of like mind, but it also means do things that keep your attention on the goal. Accentuate the Positive Lay life is characterized by periods of intense activity and also periods where there is little or no activity. Take it up a notch: when activity is slow, also reduce food intake and sleep; relapse into indulgence in rich foods and extra sleep, if you are going to do these things at all, at times when you are most active in other ways. Find yaself some place ta be alone! Live by Attrition. Daily Life. Dharma Drum Mountain. Presented by Zarko Andreicevic on Nov. 21, 2015 A summary of the talk “Chan” and “daily life” are seemingly two different concepts to most people.
How do we relate the two? Is it possible to have Chan in our daily life? How can we benefit from having Chan in our daily lives? Daily life is comprised of difficulties, conflicts and hardships – Suffering. There are different classifications of Chan practice:Formal practice, informal practice, regular daily practice, intensive practice, individual or group practice. An important characteristic of Chan tradition is that everything we do can be turned into the practice of Chan; it can be easily applied to all aspects of daily life.
The practice of Chan is actually difficult to maintain when you leave an environment devoted to religious practices, such as Dharrma Drum Mountain. The basic and very important principle of Chan practice is to be in the “Present Moment.” We affect our surroundings by our actions, creating a “Web of relationships”. How to Establish a Daily Practice Of Almost Anything, in Six Steps. Illustrations by Tomi Um. Whether it’s meditation, yoga, or your favorite creative activity, you’ll get so much more from doing it every day. Follow these six steps, says Anne Cushman, to enjoy all the benefits of daily practice. Going to a retreat or program is a wonderful way to deepen our meditation practice. But how do we stay connected with these waking-up practices when we go home to the myriad projects, emails, responsibilities, and distractions waiting for us?
This is a question that applies not just to meditation, yoga, and other spiritual practices, but to any creative art we want to commit to, such as painting, writing, or playing an instrument. You may start each day intending to spend half an hour on your zafu, practice walking meditation in the park, or write three haikus capturing the essence of your insights. Here are six steps you can follow to establish a daily practice of almost anything: 1. Get very clear about what you want to commit to—and even more important, why. 2. Establishing an Evening and Morning Routine.
122 8Share Synopsis Creating and keeping morning and evening routines will not only make you feel better but also work better. Evening and morning routines help you feel your best and in control of your days. When you’ve been burning the midnight oil trying to finish a big work project or household chores, it’s only natural to want to catch up on your lost sleep. The problem is, your new day is off to a slower, later start, and your body-clock is out of whack. Before you know it, it’s 11:00 pm, and you’re once again chained to the computer, or trying to find some semblance of relaxation in front of late night T.V. before you have to get up and do it all over again....
Fortunately, small steps can help you gain control of your waking and resting life. Here are some strategies for getting to bed at your best time: Plan on completing projects at least a day before they are due. Here are some strategies for getting up at your best time: About Real Life E® Daily Spiritual Routine for Householders. My Simple Daily Spiritual Practices - Inspired Everyday Living.
Ideally, we do not need spiritual practices because our life becomes the practice. From my perspective, we already are spiritual. As the University of Santa Monica teaches, “we are divine beings having a human experience,” not the other way around! In this sense, there is nothing we need to do to become more spiritual. In my mind, worshipping in a sanctuary is not necessarily more or less spiritual than drinking a glass of water.
For me, I believe that fully experiencing and appreciating the moment with gratitude and awareness- whatever that moment may be- is spiritual living. Below are some simple “practices” that have become themes in my consciousness throughout my days—they are the threads that weave my day together and infuse my day with a connection to what is. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.Thy will be done. 14.Breathing. 15.Silence. 16. 17. How to Create a Spiritual Routine | livingdharmanow. To fill each day with wellbeing, I recommend starting a spiritual or calming routine. photo by Creativity+ Timothy K Hamilton on flickr This is a routine where you can take the time to breathe and be with your own thoughts, passively.
It’s unlike meditation, yoga, or prayer, because there is no impetus to focus on controlling your own mind. Your spiritual routine should be something which allows you to relax your mind instead of regulating it. But that doesn’t mean your routine should be allowed to cloud your mind; a calming routine should never include surfing the internet or watching TV. A spiritual routine will nourish you, and allow you to clear up mental and emotional clutter by daydreaming, by allowing thoughts to come to mind at will, have their say, and then depart.
What Routines Do You Already Have? In my post How to Make Meditation a Habit, I listed many typical routines that one could use to practice mindfulness. Creating Your Own Routines What do you love to do? -drinking tea Start. How to Develop a Strong Morning Practice. “Smile, breathe, and go slowly.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh Your mornings set the tone for the rest of the day. We all know this. If you get off to a bad start, oftentimes the rest of your day follows suit. The best way to combat this is to come up with a meaningful morning practice that acts as a buffer between getting up and starting your day, and puts you in the right headspace to go out and face the world. It gives you a space in the morning where you know you can be mindful to help you strive for mindfulness for the rest of your day, and it also kick starts your body and mind.
What is a Morning Practice? It can be as simple or as involved as you want it to be. Then I shower, get dressed, sit down at my desk, and do a daily one card tarot draw, recording it in my journal. It sounds awfully involved when it’s listed like that. You might notice that it includes not only physical activities, and not solely mental activities, either; it’s a good blend of both. Exercise will get your blood flowing.