Death barrier

Death barrier

Posted: 05 Mar 2010 04:40 AM PST


"Death barrier,
what does it mean to you?"

- a poem from Zuiken's sayings –
 
This question is like a koan. You have to answer it, but not using only your rational mind. You have to put all your heart into this question. Ask yourself over and over again, "death barrier, what does it mean to me?"


What does death mean to you? Do you really feel that you will die, do you really understand impermanence?  This question is addressed to you personally; it is not a general question, not a philosophical question, but a very intimate question. It must become very personal.

Take the thought of death in your everyday life, when you go to bed in the evening, when you start your day in the morning, when you are sad or when you feel happy, when it is your birthday or when you get marry, when eating a good meal, after having sex, when you are satisfied… invite death to enter your mind and make you aware of its hidden presence.

Everything you have is fragile, feel this fragility. "Fragile" is a very good word. Feel the fragility of your own body, of your relations with others, of the environment you live in, and especially feel the fragility of your own so called spiritual achievements. Be aware that you can die everyday, every moment, and fear most about the place you might go after death.
Fear most if you haven't received shinjin (faith) yet and do all you can to be sure that your destination is certain. Don't waste the time you have without solving the most important matters of death and after death.

The justaposition of other people's blog entries is illuminating...

Posted: 05 Mar 2010 03:37 AM PST

The Zennist's post about overcoming the delusion of non-enlightenment is interesting to read in consideration of Leonard Cohen's discussion about Sasaki Roshi: Cohen was deeply appreciative of the fact that Sasaki Roshi deeply cared or "didn't care" about him.

I think that what was the situation was the externals were not that important to Sasaki Roshi.

Inquiry: He should approach with curiosity, not cynicism

Posted: 23 Feb 2010 12:59 AM PST

He should approach with curiosity, not cynicism. (Harald Eia who has made a TV series about nature & nurture which I find skewed, one-sided, cynical, polarizing, and more destructive than constructive.)

  1. True?
    Yes. At times, it seems true.
  2. Sure it is true?
    No. It is just a temporary feeling. Fleeting opinion.
  3. What happens when I take that story as true?
    • I am convinced I am right. I feel it is right. I can find stories supporting it. In my mind, I find people who agree.
    • I tell myself I am right, he is wrong. Also, he is thick-headed who refuses to see it himself.
      • He takes the worst examples among Norwegian researches instead of the best. He overlooks those with nuanced and informed views, and brings focus on those with one-sided and extreme views. He creates a wrong impression about Norwegian scientists. He fuels science-hostility among people. He polarizes the situation.
      • He is more interested in drama than fairness. He sets out to prove his position, even if it means misrepresenting the situation.
      • By polarizing and creating drama, that's where it ends. He overlooks the juiciness and richness that comes from a more nuanced and balanced approach.
      • He creates tabloid TV and tries to make it look like a serious documentary.
      • He fuels science-hostility which does not serve anyone. He is not aware of the consequences of what he is doing.
      • He should have approached the theme with curiosity and interest. That is how you open a topic up. That's what people learn from. That's where you can go much further in exploring the topic. That's where you find the real richness and juiciness of the topic. He should have learned from good, solid presenters like David Attenborough and his nature documentaries, Alan Alda with his Human Spark series, Michael Palin with his travel series.
    • I get hot under the collar. Worked up. Want to talk with someone about it. Want to sort it out for myself.
    • I feel disappointed, even sad. This was a great opportunity to explore a fascinating topic in a level-headed way, and all he does is create drama and polarization. I tell myself it is a wasted opportunity.
    • When did I first have that thought? A long time ago. Any time I see a documentary that tries to create drama, instead of approaching with curiosity and interest, gradually revealing the fascinating aspects of the topic.
  4. Who would I be without it?
    • I would be more open to the situation. Open to see the validity of his approach. I can see that he has a point, even if I still don't agree that his strategy is the most productive one. I can also see that he may not be interested in a productive approach. If that was his goal, he would have done it differently. He may be more interested in entertainment and "good TV". Also, I recognize that his approach brings a lot of attention to the topic, which may be good in the long run even if it looks mostly messy, polarizing, and misinformed right now.
  5. Turnarounds.
    • He shouldn't approach with curiosity
      • No. that may not be his motivation for exploring the topic. He says himself he is upset that he didn't hear about the evolutionary approach when he was a student, and want to expose those responsible for it.
      • It may not be he way in general. I don't know. Again, he said he was not an actively curious student.
      • It triggers beliefs in me, which I then get to explore.
    • He should approach with cynicism
      • Yes. That may be his motivation. (I don't even know if he does approach with cynicism, that's just my interpretation. And another inquiry.)
    • He should approach with cynicism in my own mind
      • Yes, because I need to see something there. I am using him to see and get to know something in myself. It is myself I am seeing in him.
    • I should approach with curiosity
      • Yes. The advice is for myself. I am drawn to approaching this situation with curiosity. Without curiosity, I do all the things I see in him. With curiosity, there is a chance for me to dislodge myself from familiar viewpoints and learn something new.
    • I shouldn't approach with cynicism
      • Yes. Cynicism closes down. Curiosity opens up. Again, the advice is for myself. It feels good to recognize that. It feels like coming home.
tagged:   


Beginner's Mind

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 11:57 PM PST

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." - Suzuki Roshi

One of the many wonderful things about having children is watching them experience the world with "beginner's minds" unencumbered by the burdens we adults carry.
Having a family was what finally and irrevocably brought my path to Buddhism. Seeing how directly the influence of who I am and what I do on my children was powerful motivation to do delve deeper, to start to come to grips with my own suffering and self-destructive ways of being in the world.

For me the driving question was as a father – what was the legacy I wanted to leave my children with? The answer was light, joy and happiness. But these are not things we can give to other people but rather must embrace ourselves before we can share them with others.

This means not striving for perfection or measuring oneself against a standard of what should be. For me it has meant willingly and lovingly making time for telling simple and silly stories, falling asleep while watching cartoons, turning on a light in a dark room, and assembling Legos. It means creating and sharing a world where stuffed animals, imaginary friends and dogs, live and talk, act out and reflect, giving us the opportunity to share our true selves with those we love!

Another wonderful manifestation of beginner's mind is how I appreciate my relationship with my partner. She seems wiser, more caring, loving and attentive. Sometimes she talks and I find myself thinking admiringly - wow that was a pearl of wisdom, where did that come from? Or she will say something and I'll think - that's Buddhism! Or I find myself with this sneaking suspicion she has secretly been listening to my Gil Fronsdal talks from Audio Dharma while I have been sleeping... How is it that she has changed while I am the one who gets up early every morning to meditate?! And is it really so? Or is it that I am more able to appreciate and see her true self? Or is it that somehow our paths are intertwined and mutually supporting? She is a natural Bodhisattva. Wisdom and learning does not always need to be named.
How strange and wonderful to find that while my partner and children haven't taken to meditation, that we are partners, fellow seekers on the path! That they are my teachers in ways big and small.
It is a tender almost heart bursting joy when they come in to kiss my cheek while I meditate. Or cover my legs with a blanket. It seems like this is what it means to be truly human.

May we always embrace our beginner's mind!

May we open our hearts and minds to find teachers and friends in unexpected places, forms and guises,

Real and imaginary
,
Human and animal,

Big and small,

To accompany us on the path!

May we all be happy!

cross-posted from:  http://firehorse1966.blogspot.com/
Thank you from the Progressive Buddhism bloggers

Dhamma Dana: Documentary on Burmese Buddhism screening in Manhattan March 19

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 08:15 PM PST

Dhamma DanaDhamma Dana, an award winning documentary on the Theravada Buddhist tradition in Myanmar (Burma), will be screening at The Interdependence Project in New York City's East Village. The film won the Best Domestic Documentary Prize at the 2009 Queens International Film Festival. It introduces the Theravada philosophy of monastic life while visiting monasteries, meditation centers, and sacred sites around the country.

This event is being offered for free. The filmmaker will join in meditation before the screening and be available for Q&A after. We ask that all attendees please send an RSVP email to info@theidproject.org. The film is on sale for a good cause. All profit from the sale of the film benefits the Dhamma Moli Project. Donations will also be accepted in a joint fundraiser for the Interdependence Project and the Dhamma Moli Project. The Dhamma Moli Project is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, based out of Kathmandu, which provides a home and education for young Nepalese girls who are at risk of being sold to sex traffickers. The Interdependence Project is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that focuses on building community through meditation, activism, and the arts.

Friday, March 19, 8:00-9:30pm
The Interdependence Project
302 Bowery New York, NY 10012
Google Maps

For more information, to purchase Dhamma Dana, or to donate funds, please browse Lowpressurefilms.com
http://www.vimeo.com/7507781

bangla <em>buddhist song</em> ..buddham saranam gachchami.mpg

Posted: 03 Mar 2010 05:20 AM PST


budanm saranam gachchami bangla buddhist song bangladesh buddhist song chitttagong

youtube.com

PBS: The Human Spark

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 11:43 AM PST

alan-alda-human-spark

For a good introduction to what sets humans apart from other animals, you can't do much better than Alan Alda's three-part series The Human Spark.

It is easy to think that since the lives of humans are so different from the lives of other animals, there must be big differences in how we are put together.

But is that the case? Are humans very different from other animals? No. We share almost everything with at least some, and often many, other species.

It is the small differences - often in degree - that sets us apart. As we know from the butterfly effect, in a complex system, small differences in the initial conditions can lead to big differences in how it all unfolds over time. In this case, small differences in biology leads to big differences in how we live our lives.

It is these small differences that leads to what we see as uniquely human such as relatively advanced culture, technology, and social organization.

Small differences can have big consequences.

…………..
…………..

The Human Spark is a good three-part introduction to some of the small differences between humans and other animals that have big consequences.

It is a good reminder that although we share almost everything with some or many other species, differences in degree leads to major differences in how we live our lives.

…………..

For a good introduction to what sets humans apart from other animals, you can't do much better than Alan Alda's three-part series The Human Spark.

Are humans very different from other animals? No. We share almost everything with some or many other species.

It is the small differences - often in degree - that sets us apart, and leads to what we see as uniquely human such as relatively advanced culture, technology, and social organization.

Small differences can have big consequences. Small differences in biology create huge differences in how we live our lives.

I guess this is an example of the butterfly effect in biology. In a complex system, small differences in the initial conditions leads to big differences in how it all unfolds over time.

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Free Webcasted Tibetan Medicine Public Talk Series with Menpa (Dr.) Phuntsog Wangmo

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 09:36 AM PST

The American Branch of the Shang Shung Institute will be presenting 3 monthly Tibetan Medicine video webcasts this Spring, taught by Menpa (Dr.) Phuntsog Wangmo.  We have received many requests for this service, and we are happy to finally be able to provide this wonderful opportunity to learn about Tibetan Medicine from anywhere in the world.

Friday, March, 5th, 2010 7-9pm EST

Topic: Mental Illness in Tibetan medicine

According to Tibetan Medicine there are two causes of Mental Illness: direct and indirect.           Direct causes include diet, behavior, emotional problems, season, and provocation. The Indirect cause is attachment. In this talk Dr. Wangmo will explore how mental diseases are considered in the field of Tibetan Medicine.

Friday, April, 2nd, 2010 7-9pm

Topic: Sacred Conduct of the Tibetan Physician

A physician holds one of the highest and most respected roles in traditional Tibetan society.  In this workshop Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo will share her understanding of what kind of conduct is necessary in order to carry the title of a Tibetan doctor.

Friday, May, 7th, 2010 7-9pm

Topic: Properly Harvesting and Processing Herbs in Tibetan Medicine

In the Tibetan tradition all herbs are considered medicine, but there are a number of guidelines on how to properly harvest and process them.  These include the location where they are picked, the correct time to pick, and how to detoxify, dry, store, and prepare the herbs as medicine.

To attend BY WEBCAST:

Anyone with an ample internet connection and a web browser should be able to connect to this FREE service.

How does this work?  Simply click on the following link, or type the following web address into your browser on the night of the webcast between the hours of 7pm and 9pm EST (Time zone of Boston or New York City): http://213.203.141.7/ssi-usa/

If you live far from Northampton, MA, don't forget to check your local time for this event before attending.  You can do this on the following page:

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html

To attend IN PERSON:

Location: Shang Shung Tibetan Healing Center, Suite 323, Northampton, MA, 01060

Cost: $8 – $20 Sliding Scale

SPACE AT THE HEALING CENTER IS LIMITED. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND IN PERSON PLEASE RSVP: (413) 585-1081 or matt@shangshung.org.

If you would like to donate to the costs needed in order to help the Tibetan Medicine live webcast project continue, please click here to donate directly through the SSI-USA online store, or contact us directly at: secretary@shangshung.org or 413-369-4928.

Please feel free to write us with any questions or comments about this service at: secretary@shangshung.org.  Also, please feel free to pass this message along to anyone who you feel may be interested.

Thanks, and we look forward to continuing this service!

Shang Shung Institute – USA

www.shangshung.org

http://www.shangshung.org/medicineprogram/publictalks/publictalks.php

Menpa (Dr.) Phuntsog Wangmo

Menpa (Dr.) Phuntsog Wangmo received her advanced degree from the Lhasa University School of Traditional Medicine in 1988. There she studied with Khenpo Troru Tsenam and Khenpo Tsultrim Gyaltsen, two of Tibet's foremost physicians who have been credited with the revival of Tibetan Medicine within Tibet under Chinese rule. Menpa Wangmo had the exceptional opportunity to undergo extensive clinical training with Khenpo Troru Tsenam after her graduation. Thereafter, she dedicated many years of work as a Tibetan physician in Eastern Tibet, where she collaborated on and directed projects for A.S.I.A. (Association for International Solidarity in Asia), a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the Tibetan people in the sectors of education, health, training, disaster relief, and sustainable economic development.

From 1996 to the present, Wangmo has continued her work on behalf of A.S.I.A., setting up hospitals and training centers in the remote regions of Sichuan Province and Chamdo Prefecture. Prior to 1996, she was on the faculty at the Shang Shung Institute in Italy, where she gave numerous seminars and conference presentations on Tibetan medicine. Menpa Wangmo is currently on the faculty at the Shang Shung Institute School of Tibetan Medicine in Conway, MA, where she has been in residence since 2001. She is the founding director of this unique program.

Shang Shung Institute

The Shang Shung Institute (SSI) is an international organization that seeks to broaden the world's understanding of traditional Tibetan culture.  At this moment in history the preservation of this rich and beautiful culture is of utmost importance as it is in real danger of being lost.  As such, the SSI promotes programs and initiatives that support the contiuation and survival of this rich cultural heritage.

The SSI was founded in italy in 1989 by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, a renowned scholar of Tibetan culture, as well as one of the foremost living Dzogchen masters.  Other branches of the SSI have since been established in North America, Austria, Russia, and Argentina.

The SSI develops and maintains projects in various countries including: the translation, publication, and archiving of Tibetan texts; the organization and presentation of international cultural and educational events to share and preserve Tibetan heritage; and formal courses of study that train students in ancient Tibetan arts and scinces, including art, language, and traditional Tibetan medicine.

The North American Branch

The North American branch of the International Shang Shung Institute, located in Conway, Massachusetts, was established in 1994. This branch's achievements include: an extensive library of educational resources on Tibetan culture, an onsite and online bookstore full of materials on Tibetan culture and the Dzogchen Teachings of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, and many public programs and courses on Tibetan Culture & Art.

In 1996 the North American Branch founded the Vajra Art Guild to create and preserve the works of noted thangka painter Glen Eddy under the direction of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. Eddy produced hundreds of works on paper and several large scale thangka paintings according to the traditional Tibetan techniques. Additionally, several large Tibetan translation projects have been sponsored, including "The Light of Kailash" by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu and "Elements for the Study of Tibetan Medicine" by Dr. Thubten Phuntsog.

The most extensive project of this branch to date is its four-year medical program based on the curriculum of the traditional medical schools of Tibet. This is the first program in the West to train students in Tibetan medicine.

Regarding the Panchen Lama

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 07:15 AM PST

CNN reports on the rise in prominence of the Chinese-chosen 11th Panchen Lama, Gyancain Norbu:

Born Gyancain Norbu, he was handpicked by the Chinese government as the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama and has largely lived in seclusion in Beijing, tutored by Tibetan and Chinese mentors.

He now is being positioned as the representative of Tibetan Buddhism.

Last month, he was elected vice president of the Buddhist Association of China and at its recent conference, he said he "would uphold the leadership of the Communist Party of China, adhere to socialism, safeguard national reunification, strengthen ethnic unity and expand Buddhist exchanges on the basis of adherence to law and love for the nation and Buddhism," the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Comments like those further fueled questions of his legitimacy among Tibetans. The Dalai Lama's Web site says the Chinese-named Panchen Lama is "spurned" by most Tibetans.

The Dalai Lama, sent into exile in India after an aborted rebellion against Chinese rule, says he would like to see greater autonomy for the Tibetan people. But Beijing considers him a separatist.

In 1995, the Dalai Lama anointed another boy of the same age as Norbu, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, as the latest reincarnation of the Panchen Lama. But he disappeared shortly afterwards.

Suspicions that the boy had been kidnapped were heightened in May 1996 when the Chinese leadership admitted to holding him and his family in "protective custody." Pro-Tibet groups labeled him as the world's youngest political prisoner.

China Tibet Online says:


Living Buddhas of Tibetan Buddhism attending the 3rd Session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political and Consultative Conference said the 11th Panchen Lama's new membership in the National Committee of CPPCC was a great honor not only for himself but also for the whole Tibetan Buddhism circle.

The 11th Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu was among 13 people who on Feb. 28, 2010 became new members of the National Committee of CPPCC, the country's top advisory body.

Dupkang Tupden Kedup, head of the Tibet Branch of the Buddhist Association of China as well as a member of CPPCC, said the 11th Panchen Lama was well educated in religious knowledge and "had demeanour of a senior living Buddha".

"He asked me many questions. Through his words, I can see a very knowledgable living Buddha both in religious and social aspects," Shinza Tenzin Choeta, who once contacted with the 11th Panchen in 2005, believed that he would become an outstanding religious leader in the future.

"He can speak Chinese and Tibetan languages and is also very good at English." The 11th Panchen Lama impressed people with his fluent English at the Second World Buddhist Forum held on Mar. 28, 2008, in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province.


It would not surprise me if the Chinese-chosen 11th Panchen Lama is indeed very knowledgeable of the Dharma as well as an able practitioner. There are many serious Buddhist clergy in China; and this fact tends to be overlooked in the West where issues of the past regarding China and Tibet often veer into racism.

I have written to the office of the Dalai Lama asking him if, as a Buddhist, he would say he still thinks most Tibetans "spurn" the Chinese-chosen 11th Panchen Lama. Of course how he knew most Tibetans think, or how he thinks he could speak for them reminds me of Republican politicians claiming they know what "Americans" think. I'll publish any reply.

I'll also try to contact the Chinese-chosen 11th Panchen Lama.