Practice

Hastamalaka

Gill Washington Advaita, Enlightenment, Practice, Spiritual Writings , , 0 Comment

Here he was to get one more great disciple. Prabhakara was a brahmin.
He had a son who was a dumb boy. He appeared to be dull. But Shankara
felt that he was a yogi. Instead of asking the parents who had brought
the boy ‘Why is the boy like this? since when?’ he asked the boy
straightaway : “Who are you, my boy?” What else could be so sacred a
place as the one where the divine master was standing for the yogi to
break his silence? One who was dumb spoke in answer, “I am the eternal
self and not dead matter.” This was the simplest form of expressing the
nature of the self. By the grace of the master, the dull and the silent son
of that couple revealed himself to be a great and wise sage. The master
felt happy and taking him as disciple, named him Hastamalaka.

From freeindia.org

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Sure Heart’s Release

Gill Washington Awakening, Freedom, Jack Kornfield, Joy, Life, Peace, Practice, Suffering , , , , 0 Comment

From After the Ecstasy, the Laundry:
How the Heart Grows Wise on the Spiritual Path

by Jack Kornfield

For almost everyone who practices, cycles of awakening and
openness are followed by periods of fear and contraction.
Times of profound peace and newfound love are often over-
taken by periods of loss, by closing up, fear, or the discovery
of betrayal, only to be followed again by equanimity or joy. In
mysterious ways the heart reveals itself to be like a flower that
opens and closes. This is our nature. The only surprising thing is
how unexpected this truth can be. It is as if deep down we all
hope that some experience, some great realization, enough years
of dedicated practice, might finally lift us beyond the touch of
life, beyond the mundane struggles of the world. We cling to
some hope that in spiritual life we can rise above the wounds of
our human pain, never to have to suffer them again. We expect
some experience to last. But permanence is not true freedom,
not the sure heart’s release.

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Intelligence and Enlightenment

Gill Washington Buddhist Writings, Enlightenment, Joseph Goldstein, Practice , , , 0 Comment

From Insight Meditation

by Joseph Goldstein

“One of my favorite stories from the Buddha’s time tells
about a disciple of the Buddha who was very dull. His
brother, another disciple, was an arhat, fully
enlightened, and was also very smart. The dullard had
been inspired by the teachings and had been ordained as
a monk. He had the sweetest heart, but his mind was
really slow. Because he was slow, his brother gave him
as his practice a four-line verse of the Buddha’s
teachings to memorize.

The dullard struggled and struggled to learn one line.
Then, as he was trying to learn the second line, it
pushed out the first. One line was all his mind could
hold. This struggle went on and on; he simply did not
have the intelligence to do it. His arhat brother
finally gave up and said, “This is hopeless. You had
better leave the order of monks.” The poor dullard was
totally dejected. He felt so sad, because his heart was
devoted to the Dharma.

As the dullard was walking back to his village, feeling
very low, the Buddha, knowing what had happened, came
and walked by his side. He stroked the poor dullard’s
head and consoled him by giving him a practice exactly
suitable to his condition. “Here’s a meditation subject
for you. Take this white hankerchief and stand out in
the hot sun and rub it.” That was the whole meditation.

So the dullard took the hankerchief, went out in the
sun, and began to rub it. Slowly the hankerchief started
to become dirty with the sweat from his hand. As that
happened, memories awakened in him of previous lifetimes
of practice, when he had seen impurities coming from his
body. As he continued to watch the soiled handkerchief,
a profound dispassion arose and his mind opened. He
became fully enlightened, intelligence and all the
traditional psychic powers came to him, in addition to
deep understanding of the Dharma. The story then ends by
describing some good-humored psychic tricks the former
dullard played on his surprised brother.

I feel great affection for the dullard.”

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Practice Dhamma

Gill Washington Ajahn Chah, Buddhist Writings, Practice, Spirituality, Truth , , 0 Comment

From A Taste of Freedom

by Ajahn Chah

It’s of great importance that we practice the Dhamma. If we
don’t practice, then all our knowledge is only superficial
knowledge, just the outer shell of it. It’s as if we have some
sort of fruit but we haven’t eaten it yet. Even though we have
that fruit in our hand we get no benefit from it. Only through
the actual eating of the fruit we really know its taste.

The Buddha didn’t praise those who merely believe
others, he praised the person who knows within himself.
Just as with that fruit, if we have tasted it already, we don’t
have to ask anyone else if it’s sweet or sour. Our problems
are over. Why are they over? Because we see according to
the truth. One who has realized the Dhamma is like one
who has realized the sweetness or sourness of the fruit. All
doubts are ended right here.

When we talk about Dhamma, although we may say a
lot, it can usually be brought down to four things. They are
simply to know suffering, to know the cause of suffering,
to know the end of suffering and to know the path of practice
leading to the end of suffering. This is all there is. All
that we have experienced on the path of practice so far
comes down to these four things. When we know these
things, our problems are over.

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About This Mind

Gill Washington Ajahn Chah, Buddhist Writings, Nature, Practice, Sorrow, Spirituality, Suffering, Truth , , 0 Comment

By Ajahn Chah

About this mind… In truth there is nothing really wrong with it. It is intrinsically pure. Within itself it’s already peaceful. That the mind is not peaceful these days is because it follows moods. The real mind doesn’t have anything to it, it is simply (an aspect of) Nature. It becomes peaceful or agitated because moods deceive it. The untrained mind is stupid. Sense impressions come and trick it into happiness, suffering, gladness and sorrow, but the mind’s true nature is none of those things. That gladness or sadness is not the mind, but only a mood coming to deceive us. The untrained mind gets lost and follows these things, it forgets itself. Then we think that it is we who are upset or at ease or whatever.

But really this mind of ours is already unmoving and peaceful… really peaceful! Just like a leaf which is still as long as no wind blows. If a wind comes up the leaf flutters. The fluttering is due to the wind — the “fluttering” is due to those sense impressions; the mind follows them. If it doesn’t follow them, it doesn’t “flutter.” If we know fully the true nature of sense impressions we will be unmoved.

Our practice is simply to see the Original Mind. So we must train the mind to know those sense impressions, and not get lost in them. To make it peaceful. Just this is the aim of all this difficult practice we put ourselves through.

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Song of Mahamudra

Gill Washington Buddhist Writings, One, Practice, Spirituality , , , , 0 Comment

by Tilopa

From: Teachings of the Buddha

Edited by  Jack Kornfield

Mahamudra is beyond all words and symbols,
But for you, Naropa, earnest and loyal, must this be said.

The Void needs no reliance; Mahamudra rests on naught.
Without making an effort, but remaining natural,
One can break the yoke thus gaining liberation.

If one looks for naught when staring into space;
If with the mind one then observes the mind;
One destroys distinctions and reaches Buddhahood.

The clouds that wander through the sky have no roots, no home,
Nor do the distinctive thoughts floating through the mind.
Once the Self-mind is seen, Discrimination stops.

In space, shapes and colors form
But neither by black nor white is space tinged.
From the Self-mind all things emerge;
The Mind by virtues and by vices is not stained.

The darkness of ages cannot shroud the glowing sun;
The long eons of Samsara ne’er can hide the Mind’s brilliant light.

Though words are spoken to explain the Void, the Void as such can
never be expressed. Though we say “the Mind is a bright light,
” it is beyond all words and symbols. Although the Mind is void
in essence, all things it embraces and contains.

Do naught with the body but relax;
Shut firm the mouth and silent remain;
Empty your mind and think of naught.
Like a hollow bamboo rest at ease your body.
Giving not nor taking, put your mind at rest.
Mahamudra is like a mind that clings to naught.
Thus practicing, in time you will reach Buddhahood.
The practice of Mantra and Perfections, instructions in the Sutras and
Precepts, and teaching from the Schools and Scriptures will not bring
realization of the Innate Truth. For if the mind when filled with some
desire should seek a goal, it only hides the Light.

One who keeps the Tantric Precepts yet discriminates, betrays the
vows of Awakening,

Cease all activity; abandon all desire; let thoughts rise and fall as they
will like the ocean waves.

One who never harms the Non-abiding nor the Principles of non-distinction,
upholds the Tantric Precepts.

He who abandons craving and clings not to this or that,
Perceives the real meaning given in the Scriptures.

In Mahamudra all one’s sins are burned; in Mahamudra one is reletantric, preceptsased from
the prison of this world. This is the Dharma’s supreme torch. Those who
disbelieve it are fools who ever wallow in misery and sorrow.

To strive for liberation one should rely on a Guru. When your mind receives
the Guru’s blessing emancipation is at hand.

Alas, all things in this world are meaningless; they are but sorrow’s seeds.
Small teachings lead to acts. One should only follow teachings that are great.

To transcend duality is the Kingly View; to conquer distractions is the
Royal Practice; the Path of No-practice is the Way of the Buddhas. 0ne who
treads that Path reaches Buddhahood.

Transient is this world; like phantoms and dreams,
Substance it has none. Grasp not the world nor your kin;
Cut the strings of lust and hatred; meditate in woods and mountains.
If without effort you remain loosely in the “natural state,”
soon Mahamudra you will win and attain the Non-attainment.

Cut the root of the tree and the leaves will wither;
cut the root of your mind and Samsara falls.

The light of any lamp dispels in a moment the darkness of long eons;
The strong light of the mind in but a flash will burn the veil of ignorance.

Whoever clings to mind sees not the truth of what’s beyond the mind.
Whoever strives to practice Dharma finds not the truth of Beyond-practice.
One should cut cleanly through the root of the mind and stare naked.
One should thus break away from all distinctions and remain at ease.

One should not give and take but remain natural, for Mahamudra is beyond
all acceptance and rejection.

Since the consciousness is not born, no one can obstruct it or soil it;
Staying in the “Unborn” realm all appearances will dissolve into the
ultimate Dharma.

All self-will and pride will vanish into naught.
The supreme Understanding transcends all this and that.
The supreme Action embraces great resourcefulness without attachment.
The supreme Accomplishment is to realize immanence without hope.

At first a yogi feels his mind is tumbling like a waterfall;
In mid-course, like the Ganges, it flows on slow and gentle;
In the end, it is a great vast ocean,
Where the lights of Child and Mother merge in one.

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Song of the Bright Mirror Samadhi

Gill Washington Dongshan, Enlightenment, Practice, Spirituality, Truth, Zen , , , , , , , 0 Comment

 Dongshan

From: Essential Zen

Edited by Kazuaki Tanahashi & Tensho David Schneider

This dharma as it has been directly entrusted
by buddha ancestors.
Now that you have realized it
you must guard it mindfully.

Snow heaped in a silver bowl,
a heron fading into the bright moon.
Similar but unequal.
Place them side by side
and you will see which is which.

The meaning is not in words.
Inquiring students seek further.
Moving forward creates pitfalls.
Avoidance leads to a standstill.

Faced with a great wall of fire,
turning your back on it and touching it are both wrong.
Expressing it in colorful words
only stains it.

Midnight is bright,
dawn brings no dew.
Things are truth itself
to be used for removing delusion.
This is not created
and yet not inexpressible.

As form and image face each other
in a bright mirror,
you are not it
but it is you.

It is like a baby
perfectly possessing five freedoms:
Not coming, not going,
not rising, not staying…

And goo goo wa wa –
words that are not words.
In the end nothing is grasped
because speech is not precise.

In the double-split hexagrams
the particular and the general integrate.
When the lines are closed they become three,
and its final change makes five.

A blade of zhi grass has five flavors,
A vajra has five points.
Within the general, something marvelous lies.
Drumming and singing go together.

Penetrating the source, penetrating the paths.
Here is a short path, here is a long path.
If you miss it, that’s a good sign.
Don’t neglect it.

What is natural and inconceivable
belongs neither to delusion nor enlightenment.
Causes and conditions right at this moment
shine completely in silence.

So minute that it penetrates any space.
So enormous that it exceeds all bounds.
The slightest difference
puts it out of tune.

Because the basic teachings of sudden and gradual
have been set up,
the Zen school has become divided.
These ways have become standard.
Even though you master such teachings
the truth keeps on escaping.

You may sit still but waver inside –
a tied up horse, or a cowering rat.
The Ancient Teacher pitied us
and transmitted the dharma.

Because of our delusions
we say black is white.
When delusions disappear
understanding reveals itself.

If you wish to conform to the old ways,
take a lesson from the past.
People trying to attain the buddha way
by gazing for ten eons at a tree
are like a tiger with tattered ears
or a hobbled horse.

A greedy mind sees
rare treasures.
A surprised mind sees
raccoons and white bulls.

Legendary bowman Yi with his skill
shoots the mark a hundred paces away.
When arrowheads meet head-on,
is it only a matter of skill?

Right when a wooden man sings
a stone woman gets up and dances.
It’s not within the reach of knowledge
nor does it admit ideas.

Retainers serve their lord;
children obey their father.
Without obedience there is no respect;
without service there is no civic virtue.

Conceal your practice, work inside.
Be ignorant, look foolish.
Just keep on doing it.
This is called host with host.

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