2011 March 25 « Rev. Danny Fisher

A Gift of Dharma for 3.25.11

Lama Sarah Harding (left) with the author (right) at Lady Kunchok Palden’s birthday party in Boulder, CO, May 2006. Photo by Jenna Herbst.

Today’s quote is from our friend and former Naropa University prof Lama Sarah Harding. Sarah is a lama in the Shangpa Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, who in 1980, under the supervision of H.E. Kalu Rinpoche, completed the very first three-year retreat ever for westerners. Her published translations include Creation & Completion: Essential Points of Tantric Meditation, Machik’s Complete Explanation: Clarifying the Meaning of Chöd, and the brand new Niguma, Lady of Illusion. She’s also a complete delight, the bee’s knees — one of my favorite people. This is it – Snow Lion Publications’ Dharma Quote of the Week this week:

We are duped by maya. The whole display of our senses has tricked us into believing it and thus seduces us into the world of suffering. And the illusionist is that old trickster, one’s own mind. But when this illusory nature is recognized to be just that, one is released from the bondage of the magic show, at which time it becomes a wonderful spectacle, even a display of the unimpeded creativity and freedom of mind. Then maya itself is both the medium for this realization and the expression of it.

This conscious and intentional method of relating to all phenomena as illusion is thus cast in a totally positive light on the spiritual path, a complete turn-around from the original negative valuation of it as deceit. Now illusion is seen as illumination and opportunity. The nature of our relationship with it is the salient point, rather than its own nature, which certainly does not exist anyway, in any way.

March 25, 2011

BuddhistChaplains.Org

This from the mind and effort of our friend and past interviewee Jennifer Block at Zen Hospice Project:

http://buddhistchaplains.org

Brand new.
Come visit.
Post a comment.
Join the Directory.
Contribute content.

… with dedication to:
All Buddhist chaplains serving in our communities — those near & far, new & vintage, known & yet to be known.

…with special thanks to:
Steve Goodwin for skillfully building this site for us. May his generosity return to him 1,000 fold.
Lori Hefner et al. for creating the first Buddhist chaplain network & website, and blessing this one.

…with apologies for:
Any confusion & quirks encountered herein. Tell us & we’ll address them, pronto.

1 comment

March 25, 2011

Tell Congress: Tax Millionaires and Billionaires

This from CREDO Action:

There’s an epidemic of home foreclosures. Unemployment is rampant. The cost of food, gas and health care is going up. Families across the country are falling into poverty, while many more are struggling just to get by.

And now the same Republicans who only months ago went to the mat to extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy are saying we cannot afford our social safety net because “we’re broke.”

There is something deeply wrong with our priorities as a country if we’re cutting back on services for children and the elderly, the sick and the destitute, and anything that helps the middle class stay afloat while simultaneously cutting taxes for the [wealthiest one percent]…

While President Obama and some of the Democratic leadership have fallen into this trap of accepting the rightwing framing of the debate, progressive champions Rep. Jan Schakowsky and Sen. Bernie Sanders are leading the fight for a real solution to our budget crisis.

They have each introduced a bill to raise the income tax rates on people who make more than one million dollars a year. And they need our help to start changing the narrative around the budget.

Tell Congress: Tax millionaires and billionaires.

Sign the petition here.

1 comment

March 25, 2011

URGENT ACTION: Free All Prisoners of Conscience in Burma

Take Action On This Issue

This from Amnesty International, following the horrible earthquake that struck Burma yesterday:

While Myanmar’s rulers released Aung San Suu Kyi on November 13th, we’re still waiting for the release of ALL prisoners of conscience in Myanmar.

It is time for Myanmar’s neighbors to speak with one voice, telling Myanmar’s authorities to protect the three freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association.

Call on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to exercise its influence and press Myanmar’s authorities to release all prisoners of conscience.

Send your message here.

March 25, 2011

Smile at Fear Audio, DVD, and Book at Shambhala Publications

Visit www.shambhala.com.