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When we come across the phrase “The Three Times” while
reading contemporary translations of
ancient Buddhist texts,
what are they talking about?
The three times are:
#1 Past,
#2 Present and
#3 Future.
In the ancient Madhyamaka Shastras of Nagarjuna we
read that one really can not occupy either the past or
the future but only the present moment.
Of course we have the capacity to recall or
even confabulate the past that
we might learn, and
like wise, we have the ability to
imagine the future of either our dreams or nightmares, that
we may plan accordingly.
Are these necessarily bad things?
Of course not; it
depends on how they’re used.
Our resistance to move forward can
be directly proportional to both our lust for the past and
our dread of the future.
In the movie “Strange Days” the
leading lady explains to the protagonist who’s
squandering his present,
by obsessing about the past, that,
“…memories were meant to fade…”
Our greatest fulfillment is NOT found in
the past’s glories or tragedies, nor
in our future’s pleasures or torments, but
in what we do with THIS present moment.
Can you remain centered, in this moment, even
when memories assail you?
Can you be resourceful, in the here and now, even
while planning for your future.
Nope, Buddha is not the fiend Hannibal Lector, who
wishes to remove the top Ray Liotta’s skull that
he may feed upon his brains.
Come, let us not confuse Shakyamuni or Gautama with
Hannibal Buddha who
wishes to dine upon our
recall or anticipation.
Buddha does NOT invite us to perform a home lobotomy, so
put down the running power drill, and
no one will get hurt.
What then are we to do with our natural capacity to
recall and plan?
Are they our foes?
Must we arm ourselves against them as
Homer J. Simpson would fend off his common sense?
No, not so much.
Come let us simply notice when they assert themselves.
Rather than fight or indulge them, let’s
bring them into the paths of:
• Devotion,
• Awareness,
• Compassion and
• Letting-go.
Come let us consider this process:
#1) – First, the spears of recall or anticipation pierce the
sphere of our perception {awareness}.
#2a) – if the memories or fantasies are painful then we
apply our teachers instructions and
invoke the Buddha of Compassion {devotion} to
take away other’s similar sufferings {compassion}.
For instance, if our memory fills us with anger then we
metaphysically take away other’s anger and it’s causes.
#2b) – if the memories or fantasies are pleasurable, we can
use the teachings and invocations to
give that pleasure to others {love}.
If our fantasies bring us joy then we
can use Buddhas mental-yoga to
lavish all others with vast amounts of
joy and it’s causes.
#3 we can then use Buddha’s wisdom practices to
deconstruct the memories or fantasies and truly let-go of them {wisdom}.
And that, my friends, is how we coexist with the past and future with out
allowing them to pull us off our center;
that is how we can actually use the past and future to
reinforce our present moment application of Buddha’s yoga of mind.
When could you learn his techniques?
This year's Thursday-night series of weekly webinars begins Tomorrow night!
You could register now .
May you and yours be
happy and healthy!
Om Mani Padme Hum,
NON-sectarian Buddhist: Monk, Teacher, Healer and Tantrika
Who is Kuan Yin, Chenrezig, Avalokiteshvara and the Buddha of Compassion?
What is the difference between a Buddha, a Bodhisattva and a Boob?
What is the Six-syllable mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, and what does it mean?
What is Enlightenment?
What is the key to Breathing meditation?
What is Suffering?
Did you know it's possible to transform sorrow, anger and fear into joy, love, peace and the wisdom of Letting-go?
With so many meditation teachers, lamas, roshis, rinphoches, sifus, bhantes and methods to select from, how could you know which one to rely upon?
Could you be curious about the Bliss of Tantric Sex? Then check out these two essays
How could Buddhism compare to other spiritual traditions?
What is the spiritual freedom and liberation that Buddha offers us?
What did the Dalai Lama say the Meaning of Life was, and what could that mean?
What is meant by Karma, causality and cause and effect?
What can we do with our painful emotions?
How could we manifest the ideal Marriage?
What methods could you use to fill your heart with the Bliss of Gratitude?
If you like to receive Reiki then you'll love Lama Jigme's Healing Energy treatments.
What is the subtle art of Awareness {Rigpa} and Letting-go that could be the secret to mastering Mahamudra, Dzogchen, Zen and Vipassana?
What is the four-fold Yoga of Buddha ?
Have you registered for the live, on-line, Webinar, Meditation class?
If you're curious about the Paleo, Vegetarian or Vegan life styles or weight-loss is an issue in your life then you could benefit from these FREE videos.
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I’m not terribly taken by iconology, but
Buddha’s Dharma Chakra {Sanskrit for “Teaching Wheel”} is
tough to miss.
My favorite rendering of the symbol depicts a
wagon wheel with four longer spokes in
the cardinal directions and
four standard spokes in the intermediate directions.
This is a very clever way to express two numbers, both:
• four and
• eight.
What are the FOUR noble truths represented by
the longer spokes in the cardinal directions?
#1 Suffering’s Presence
#2 Suffering’s Cause
#3 Suffering’s Transcendence
#4 Transcendence’s Means
What are the elements of the eight fold path that are
represented by the wheel’s total number of spokes?
A. Contemplation’s
#1 - Right aspiration
#2 - Right thought
B. Morality’s {or Compassion’s}
#3 - Right Action
#4 - Right Livelihood
#5 - Right Speech
C. Concentration’s
#6 - Right Concentration
#7 - Right Mindfulness
#8 - Right Effort
A self-satisfied fool explained that…
…he had NO need for
my presentation of Buddha’s Dharma because,
“I’ve got my hands full with just the Eight-fold path, I
don’t have time, energy or interest for anything else.”
What that self-styled meditation teacher failed to comprehend was that
EVERYTHING that Buddha taught, each
of the 84,000 discourses of the Pali Tipitaka can be:
• chopped-up,
• shuffled, and
• organized under
one or more of the headings of the Eight-fold path.
What was that fellow’s major malfunction ?
Was it:
• confusion,
• preconception,
• rigidity,
• pride,
• aggression, or
• fear?
Which could be your greatest stumbling block?
This year's Thursday-night series of weekly webinars begins in only 2 weeks!
You could register now .
May you and yours be
happy and healthy!
Om Mani Padme Hum,
NON-sectarian Buddhist: Monk, Teacher, Healer and Tantrika
Who is Kuan Yin, Chenrezig, Avalokiteshvara and the Buddha of Compassion?
What is the difference between a Buddha, a Bodhisattva and a Boob?
What is the Six-syllable mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, and what does it mean?
What is Enlightenment?
What is the key to Breathing meditation?
What is Suffering?
Did you know it's possible to transform sorrow, anger and fear into joy, love, peace and the wisdom of Letting-go?
With so many meditation teachers, lamas, roshis, rinphoches, sifus, bhantes and methods to select from, how could you know which one to rely upon?
Could you be curious about the Bliss of Tantric Sex? Then check out these two essays
How could Buddhism compare to other spiritual traditions?
What is the spiritual freedom and liberation that Buddha offers us?
What did the Dalai Lama say the Meaning of Life was, and what could that mean?
What is meant by Karma, causality and cause and effect?
What can we do with our painful emotions?
How could we manifest the ideal Marriage?
What methods could you use to fill your heart with the Bliss of Gratitude?
If you like to receive Reiki then you'll love Lama Jigme's Healing Energy treatments.
What is the subtle art of Awareness {Rigpa} and Letting-go that could be the secret to mastering Mahamudra, Dzogchen, Zen and Vipassana?
What is the four-fold Yoga of Buddha ?
Have you registered for the live, on-line, Webinar, Meditation class?
If you're curious about the Paleo, Vegetarian or Vegan life styles or weight-loss is an issue in your life then you could benefit from these FREE videos.
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The further you progress on the path, the
greater the sensory acuity that
you will experience.
What I’ve found is that when I feel a
lot of disproportional crankiness,
it is often the first signs of
my immune system getting ready to
produce the cold-like symptoms of
a so called “Healing-crisis.”
As a consummate wimp,
I find that far too painful and
so prefer the gentler approach of
preemptively dealing with a healing crisis
BEFORE the actual symptoms appear.
My vegan training turned me on to
the power of fresh, raw ginger,
cut into nickel-sized discs
and chewed like a breath mint.
You see my friends,
emotions do not happen in a vacuum,
emotions do not manifest, independent of
the body’s natural processes.
Remember both impermanence and interdependence
are the two most fundamental aspects
of Buddha’s wisdom trainings.
So do not be surprised when
physical causes create emotional results.
Contrary to common belief,
Buddha was NOT a heartless, sour-pussed ascetic,
in-fact in the most ancient of Buddhist scriptures
there are specific instructions for the care of monks
with special physical needs,
be they temporary or permanent.
Sadly that has been forgotten in
some Theravaden Monasteries where
monks are expelled for
being disabled or sickly.
So rather, than needlessly chastise ourselves for
merely feeling {as opposed to acting upon} the
crankiness that can signal the onset of illness,
let us follow the Buddha’s example and be nurturing.
Just as the Catholics {bless their hearts}
teach that charity begins at home,
likewise the Lojong and Tonglen teachings of
the Mahayana teach that our mind training begins
by being responsive to our own needs.
And no, that should not be confused
with the solo, Tantric practice of self love…
that’s completely different!
This year's Thursday-night series of weekly webinars begins in only 3 weeks!
You could register now .
May you and yours be
happy and healthy!
Om Mani Padme Hum,
NON-sectarian Buddhist: Monk, Teacher, Healer and Tantrika
Who is Kuan Yin, Chenrezig, Avalokiteshvara and the Buddha of Compassion?
What is the difference between a Buddha, a Bodhisattva and a Boob?
What is the Six-syllable mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, and what does it mean?
What is Enlightenment?
What is the key to Breathing meditation?
What is Suffering?
Did you know it's possible to transform sorrow, anger and fear into joy, love, peace and the wisdom of Letting-go?
With so many meditation teachers, lamas, roshis, rinphoches, sifus, bhantes and methods to select from, how could you know which one to rely upon?
Could you be curious about the Bliss of Tantric Sex? Then check out these two essays
How could Buddhism compare to other spiritual traditions?
What is the spiritual freedom and liberation that Buddha offers us?
What did the Dalai Lama say the Meaning of Life was, and what could that mean?
What is meant by Karma, causality and cause and effect?
What can we do with our painful emotions?
How could we manifest the ideal Marriage?
What methods could you use to fill your heart with the Bliss of Gratitude?
If you like to receive Reiki then you'll love Lama Jigme's Healing Energy treatments.
What is the subtle art of Awareness {Rigpa} and Letting-go that could be the secret to mastering Mahamudra, Dzogchen, Zen and Vipassana?
What is the four-fold Yoga of Buddha ?
Have you registered for the live, on-line, Webinar, Meditation class?
If you're curious about the Paleo, Vegetarian or Vegan life styles or weight-loss is an issue in your life then you could benefit from these FREE videos.
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Why do we form our hands into the
prayer {AKA “Anjali” in Sanskrit} gesture {“Mudra” in Sanskrit} and
place them before our sternum {breast bone} while
reciting the prayer of Refuge and Bodhichitta?
Do we do it as a symbol of supplication to
somehow communicate the pseudo-spiritual idea that
we are, some how, unworthy?
Nope, NOT so much!
We’re not Worthy!
We do it because it helps our subtle energies to
coalesce into our body’s central channel.
This could then increase our:
• peace,
• joy,
• clarity,
• bliss and
• resourcefulness… yum!
This year's Thursday-night series of weekly webinars begins in just 5 weeks!
You could register now .
May you and yours be
happy and healthy!
Om Mani Padme Hum,
NON-sectarian Buddhist: Monk, Teacher, Healer and Tantrika
Who is Kuan Yin, Chenrezig, Avalokiteshvara and the Buddha of Compassion?
What is the difference between a Buddha, a Bodhisattva and a Boob?
What is the Six-syllable mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, and what does it mean?
What is Enlightenment?
What is the key to Breathing meditation?
What is Suffering?
Did you know it's possible to transform sorrow, anger and fear into joy, love, peace and the wisdom of Letting-go?
With so many meditation teachers, lamas, roshis, rinphoches, sifus, bhantes and methods to select from, how could you know which one to rely upon?
Could you be curious about the Bliss of Tantric Sex? Then check out these two essays
How could Buddhism compare to other spiritual traditions?
What is the spiritual freedom and liberation that Buddha offers us?
What did the Dalai Lama say the Meaning of Life was, and what could that mean?
What is meant by Karma, causality and cause and effect?
What can we do with our painful emotions?
How could we manifest the ideal Marriage?
What methods could you use to fill your heart with the Bliss of Gratitude?
If you like to receive Reiki then you'll love Lama Jigme's Healing Energy treatments.
What is the subtle art of Awareness {Rigpa} and Letting-go that could be the secret to mastering Mahamudra, Dzogchen, Zen and Vipassana?
What is the four-fold Yoga of Buddha ?
Have you registered for the live, on-line, Webinar, Meditation class?
If you're curious about the Paleo, Vegetarian or Vegan life styles or weight-loss is an issue in your life then you could benefit from these FREE videos.
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In the “Advanced Collection of Practices”
we can read:
“In the expanse where all
phenomena come to exhaustion,
you encountered the wisdom
of the Dhar-ma-ka-ya;
in the Clear-light of empty space you saw
Sam-bho-ga-ka-ya pure-lands appear;
to work for beings’ benefit,
you appeared to them in Nir-ma-na-ka-ya form.
Limitless light, A-mi-ta-bha Buddha,
I bow before you!”
Despite how things could seem,
the purpose of praising one’s
• lineage,
• root and
• heart
teachers is neither to
bolster some old guy’s sagging self esteem nor
to make us feel small, inadequate or overwhelmed.
Nope, the purpose of this praise is to
remind us both:
#1 what we should aspire to and,
#2 what we could accomplish in THIS very year!
The previous praise mentioned what is known as the three bodies of a Buddha:
#1 the truth body or Dhar-ma-ka-ya,
#2 the bliss body or Sam-bho-ga-ka-ya and
#3 the emanation body or Nir-ma-na-ka-ya,
{which are also winning answers in scrabble}.
Not only can that sound pretty phantasmagoric, but
it could sound like some pretty heavy metaphysics.
Are we supposed to believe this stuff hook, line and sinker?
Oh, please DON'T!
Come, let us reason.
As Bodhisattvas we are to practice Buddha’s four mental yogas of:
#1 awareness,
#2 devotion,
#3 love and
#4 letting-go.
How could the four yogas be related to
the three bodies of a Buddha?
Easy!
#1 The wise Dharmakaya could represent mastery of
the yogas of Awareness and Letting-go,
#2 The powerful Sambhogakaya could represent mastery of
the yogas of Devotion and Letting-go and
#3 the dynamic Nirmanakaya could represent mastery of
the yogas of Love {or Compassion} and Letting-go.
Notice the constant presence of the Yoga of Letting-go.
Our practice of awareness is not a Buddhist exercise unless
it’s combined with the yogas of letting go.
Our practice of devotion is not a Buddhist activity unless
it’s tempered with the art of letting-go and
our trainings in love are not Buddhist unless
they are blended with the science of Letting-go.
Nope, it’s NOT enough to understand this intellectually.
They must become such a visceral reality that
we are able to practice them:
• spontaneously,
• habitually,
• easily and
• effectively.
That’s why it’s so crucial what we perform our
formal 9-minuet practice {or sadhana} NO less then
EVERY morning and EVERY evening, EVERY day and
that we perform either the 3-breath, 7-breath or 9-breath INformal practice
EVERY time we notice significant pain or pleasure.
Oh yeah, I said it… Pleasure.
That’s why in Tantra, we learn how to meditate
even while making love!
There are only 4 days until the Tuesday-night series of weekly webinars!
You could register now .
May you and yours be
happy and healthy!
Om Mani Padme Hum,
NON-sectarian Buddhist: Monk, Teacher, Healer and Tantrika
Who is Kuan Yin, Chenrezig, Avalokiteshvara and the Buddha of Compassion?
What is the difference between a Buddha, a Bodhisattva and a Boob?
What is the Six-syllable mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, and what does it mean?
What is Enlightenment?
What is the key to Breathing meditation?
What is Suffering?
Did you know it's possible to transform sorrow, anger and fear into joy, love, peace and the wisdom of Letting-go?
With so many meditation teachers, lamas, roshis, rinphoches, sifus, bhantes and methods to select from, how could you know which one to rely upon?
Could you be curious about the Bliss of Tantric Sex? Then check out these two essays
How could Buddhism compare to other spiritual traditions?
What is the spiritual freedom and liberation that Buddha offers us?
What did the Dalai Lama say the Meaning of Life was, and what could that mean?
What is meant by Karma, causality and cause and effect?
What can we do with our painful emotions?
How could we manifest the ideal Marriage?
What methods could you use to fill your heart with the Bliss of Gratitude?
If you like to receive Reiki then you'll love Lama Jigme's Healing Energy treatments.
What is the subtle art of Awareness {Rigpa} and Letting-go that could be the secret to mastering Mahamudra, Dzogchen, Zen and Vipassana?
What is the four-fold Yoga of Buddha ?
Have you registered for the live, on-line, Webinar, Meditation class?
If you're curious about the Paleo, Vegetarian or Vegan life styles or weight-loss is an issue in your life then you could benefit from these FREE videos.
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Each of us is profoundly flawed.
Try to be perfect, and
you’ll just make yourself nutty.
Instead, let us strive to do what is best,
and be:
• vulnerable,
• open and
• enthusiastic to
the idea of learning from our mistakes.
We all have faults.
How could we become unstained by them?
We could drag our faults into Buddha’s
paths of compassion and letting-go.
That way, every time a flaw rears it’s scabby head…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuapyExYJBI&feature=related
...instead of harming us, it could serve us.
There are only 2 more weeks until the Tuesday-night series of weekly webinars!
You could register now .
May you and yours be
happy and healthy!
Om Mani Padme Hum,
NON-sectarian Buddhist: Monk, Teacher, Healer and Tantrika
Who is Kuan Yin, Chenrezig, Avalokiteshvara and the Buddha of Compassion?
What is the difference between a Buddha, a Bodhisattva and a Boob?
What is the Six-syllable mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, and what does it mean?
What is Enlightenment?
What is the key to Breathing meditation?
What is Suffering?
Did you know it's possible to transform sorrow, anger and fear into joy, love, peace and the wisdom of Letting-go?
With so many meditation teachers, lamas, roshis, rinphoches, sifus, bhantes and methods to select from, how could you know which one to rely upon?
Could you be curious about the Bliss of Tantric Sex? Then check out these two essays
How could Buddhism compare to other spiritual traditions?
What is the spiritual freedom and liberation that Buddha offers us?
What did the Dalai Lama say the Meaning of Life was, and what could that mean?
What is meant by Karma, causality and cause and effect?
What can we do with our painful emotions?
How could we manifest the ideal Marriage?
What methods could you use to fill your heart with the Bliss of Gratitude?
If you like to receive Reiki then you'll love Lama Jigme's Healing Energy treatments.
What is the subtle art of Awareness {Rigpa} and Letting-go that could be the secret to mastering Mahamudra, Dzogchen, Zen and Vipassana?
What is the four-fold Yoga of Buddha ?
Have you registered for the live, on-line, Webinar, Meditation class?
If you're curious about the Paleo, Vegetarian or Vegan life styles or weight-loss is an issue in your life then you could benefit from these FREE videos.
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