A Gift of Dharma for 2.8.10 February 8, 2010
Posted by Danny Fisher in A Gift of Dharma, Karmapa.Tags: His Holiness the 17th Karmapa
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Today’s quote is another from His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the leader of the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism, whom I previously quoted and wrote a short bio for in this post. Today’s quote is an exchange from His Holiness’ interview this past fall with Tyler Dewar for Bodhi (a publication for which Dewar serves as contributing editor). The interview features some very striking insights and teachings on a range of subjects. (In particular, I was really interested in what His Holiness had to say about families and children, and understanding the role of the dakinis in Vajrayana practice.) Their conversation about the Information Age, however, deserves highlighting:
TYLER DEWAR: It is clear that we live now in an era where there are many technological developments happening, particularly with regard to the way people communicate with each other. We have mobile smart phones, social networking websites, blogs, and perhaps a bit of anxiousness about how others respond to us in these venues. There is a lot of information bouncing around in our day-to-day lives. Some practitioners feel this to be too much information, but, at the same time, these new ways of communicating don’t seem to be fading away. It seems like they are going to be a part of our lives as we move into the future. What is your view of the evolution of communications technologies in relationship to the lifestyles of dharma practitioners? What advice would you give dharma practitioners who might be struggling with the balance between engaging with all of this information and the meditation cushion?
HIS HOLINESS THE KARMAPA: With the Internet and other technologies, we certainly live in the midst of an information-heavy era. We can receive a lot of information in very short periods of time. For dharma practitioners, the most important thing is to examine the changes in our body, speech, and mind that occur when we receive these chunks of information, and to discern whether the way we are responding is helpful to us.
In the past, most of the information we received throughout the day was more or less directly related to our own experience, things we were perceiving in an immediate sense. These days, much of the information we engage with throughout the day is not directly related to our own experience, but we still invest a lot of our energy in it, and we see that it changes the state of our mind. For practitioners, it is important to nevertheless intentionally relax our minds and make sure that our minds have a chance to take their own seat of stability.
Buddhist Hospice Chaplain Hollie Laudal Blogs for the Examiner February 8, 2010
Posted by Danny Fisher in Naropa University, buddhism and chaplaincy, health care, hospice chaplaincy.Tags: Examiner, Hollie Laudal, hospice chaplaincy, Naropa University
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The author (left) with Hollie Laudal (right) in 2006.
My old friend Hollie Laudal, with whom I graduated from the M.Div. program at Naropa University, has just started writing a blog for the Examiner. Hollie is a hospice chaplain, and her first post reflects on the evolution of the role of the health care chaplain. Here’s a choice snippet:
Chaplains play interesting roles. Many people assume that chaplains are Christian, and they react based on their assumptions. We see reactions from, “Oh, a Christian. I’m not interested in that Jesus crap” to the other extreme of, “Oh, please help my mother to accept Jesus into her heart before she passes.”
Chaplains have to ride the edge of these extremes, never knowing which they might get. For the most part, however, people fall somewhere between them. They are learning that chaplains are not present to perform particular services, but rather to ask the questions, “What services do YOU want? What do you want this process to look like?” This, of course, may included prescribed ritual, but a chaplain would not assume this before learning it directly from the patient and family.
Stay tuned for more from Hollie here.
In addition, my pal Tyler Mountain has also started blogging for the Examiner. Read his first post about about budget constraints and the suspension of critical thinking classes at the University of Colorado here.
Caroline Brazier in the Bay Area Next Week February 8, 2010
Posted by Danny Fisher in Caroline Brazier.Tags: Caroline Brazier
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AiCandle – Amnesty International’s New iPhone Application February 8, 2010
Posted by Danny Fisher in Amnesty International.Tags: AiCandle, Amnesty International, iPhone
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Best iPhone apps at AppStoreHQ
A Gift of Dharma for 2.7.10 February 7, 2010
Posted by Danny Fisher in A Gift of Dharma.Tags: Ayya Khema
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Today’s quote is another from the late Buddhist nun Ayya Khema (1923-1997), whom I previously quoted and wrote a little biography for in this post. This is it–from her book All of Us: Beset by Birth, Decay, and Death:
Everyone needs a good friend, who has enough selflessness, not only to be helpful, but also to point out when one is slipping. Treading the Dhamma path is like walking a tightrope. It leads along one straight line and every time one slips, one hurts. If we have a painful feeling inside, we’re no longer on the tightrope of the Dhamma. Our good friend (kalyana mitta)might say to us then: “You stepped too far to the right, or to the left, (whatever the case may be). You weren’t careful, that’s why you fell into depression and pain. I’ll point out to you when you’re slipping next time.” We can only accept this from someone whom we trust and have confidence in.
One can be fooled by a person’s beautiful words or splendid appearance. The character of a person is shown not only in words, but in the small day-to-day activities. One of the very important guidelines to a person’s character is how they react when things go wrong. It’s easy to be loving, helpful and friendly when everything goes well, but when difficulties arise our endurance and patience are being tested as well as our equanimity and determination. The less ego-consciousness one has, the easier one can handle all situations.
At first, when one starts to walk on the tightrope of the Dhamma path, it may feel uncomfortable. One isn’t used to balancing oneself, but rather to swaying all over the place, going in all directions, wherever it’s most comfortable. One may feel restricted and coerced, not being allowed to live according to one’s natural instincts. Yet in order to walk on a tightrope, one has to restrict oneself in many ways with mindfulness. These restrictions may at first feel irksome, like fetters or bonds, later they turn out to be the liberating factors.
To have this perfect jewel of the Dhamma in our hearts, we need to be awake and aware. Then we can prove by our own watchfulness that “the Dhamma of the Blessed One is perfectly expounded.” There is no worldly jewel that can match the value of the Dhamma. Each one of us can become the owner of this priceless gem. We can call ourselves most fortunate to have such an opportunity. When we wake up in the morning, let that be our first thought: “What good fortune it is for me to practice the Dhamma.”
Trailer for Talking with Buddha February 7, 2010
Posted by Danny Fisher in Buddhism and film.Tags: Empty Mind Films, Talking with Buddha
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A Gift of Dharma for 2.6.10 February 6, 2010
Posted by Danny Fisher in A Gift of Dharma.Tags: Jetsun Milarepa
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How about another quote from the great Tibetan saint Jetsun Milarepa(1052-1135), whom I previously quoted and wrote a little biography for here? This is it–his “Song to the Rock Demoness”:
River, ripples, and waves, these three,
When emerging, arise from the ocean itself.
When disappearing, they disappear into the ocean itself.Habitual thinking, love, and possessiveness, these three,
When arising, arise from the alaya consciousness itself.
When disappearing, they disappear into the alaya consciousness itself.Self-awareness, self-illumination, self-liberation, these three,
When arising, arise from the mind itself.
When disappearing, they disappear into the mind itself.The unborn, unceasing, and unexpressed, these three,
When emerging, arise from the nature of being itself.
When disappearing, they disappear into the nature of being itself.The visions of demons, clinging to demons, and thoughts of demons,
When arising, arise from the Yogin himself.
When disappearing, they disappear into the Yogin himself.Since demons are the phantoms of the mind,
If it is not understood by the Yogin that they are empty appearances,
And even if he thinks they are real, meditation is confused.But the root of the delusion is in his own mind.
By observation of the nature of manifestations,
He realizes the identity of manifestation and void,
And by understanding, he knows that the two are not different.Meditation and not meditation are not two but one,
The cause of all errors is to look upon the two things as different.
From the ultimate point of view, there is no view.If you make comparison between the nature of the mind
And the nature of the heavens,
Then the true nature of being itself is penetrated.See, now, that you look into the true meaning which is beyond thought.
Arrange to enter into undisturbed meditation.
And be mindful of the Unceasing Intuitive Sensation!
A Gift of Dharma for 2.5.10 February 5, 2010
Posted by Danny Fisher in A Gift of Dharma, Karmapa.Tags: His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje
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Image from PBS.
Today’s quote is another from His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the leader of the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism, whom I previously quoted and wrote a short bio for in this post. This is it:
Peace and well-being are to be found in this world, and even for Tibet, peace is not impossible. We should understand that just as we seek happiness for ourselves, so do others seek happiness for themselves. Many problems are created in our world today because people do not engage in what will actually lead them onto a path that benefits them and brings happiness. From the time we open our eyes in the morning until we sleep at night, if we can pass the whole day with in a kind-hearted mind and cheerful face, on good terms with people and talking pleasantly to them, our mind will be relaxed when we go to sleep at night. On the other hand, if we spend the day making others upset, if we fight, and even if we win, when we are going off to sleep at night we will have regrets and our mind will not be at ease.
Unite for Human Rights in Iran on February 11th! February 5, 2010
Posted by Danny Fisher in Amnesty International, human rights.Tags: Amnesty International, February 11th, Iran
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urban refuge – Buddhist People of Color and Allies February 5, 2010
Posted by Danny Fisher in Buddhism and the internet, Buddhism in America.Tags: Buddhism in America, culture, diversity, race, urban refuge
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Arun at Angry Asian Buddhist introduces us to urban refuge – Buddhist People of Color and Allies, which is described this way:
A virtual sangha for Buddhist practitioners of color & others interested in promoting cultural & racial diversity in American Buddhism.
Check it out here.
