2011 March 28 « Rev. Danny Fisher

March 28, 2011

A Gift of Dharma for 3.28.11

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 — from Sarah’s introduction to her translation of Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé’s Treasury of Knowledge, Book Eight, Part Four: Esoteric Instructions, A Detailed Presentation of the Process of Meditation in Vajrayana, pg. 17:

Esoteric Buddhism is the precious crown jewel of spiritual practice in Tibet, a land once distinguished as a repository of all levels and approaches of Buddhism. The multi-layered complex of philosophical and contemplative practice opens up into a distinct spiritual path for everyone. The vast wealth of eclectic knowledge is the context that supports the profound teaching of tantra, or esoteric Buddhism. These teachings are said to offer a quick and easy way to discover one’s own nature through a variety of curiously effective techniques. The esoteric or secret quality of the tantras, however, is only revealed by direct contact with masters who embody an awakened state of mind. Then the practitioner sees directly the living teaching, and is in turn seen by the guru in his or her unique capacities and needs. It is this relationship that powers the development of spiritual growth. For that reason the direct instructions transmitted within such relationships are the most prized of all the Buddha’s doctrines.

March 28, 2011

Tell Congress to Oppose School Vouchers

This from The Interfaith Alliance:

The House of Representatives will vote this Wednesday on legislation that (if passed) would resurrect the failed Washington, D.C. private school vouchers program — Please take a moment now to ask your Representative to vote against the Scholarships for Opportunity Results (SOAR) Act (H.R. 471)and ensure that federal funds aren’t used to support religious education.

Multiple government studies conducted over the last five years have shown that the program failed to improve the academic achievement of students, and many schools getting funds do not meet basic accountability standards like employing teachers who have at minimum, a bachelor’s degree.

As if the measured lack of success and accountability weren’t enough, roughly 80% of the students receiving the voucher use it to attend religious schools, creating unnecessary entanglement between institutions of religion and government. While there is no doubt that religious schools provide an important service to students and families, they should continue to do so only with private dollars.

Thanks to a compromise worked out last year between President Obama and leaders in Congress, the voucher program is set to be phased out, limiting the funding to cover only the education of students currently receiving vouchers, so that their education would not be disrupted by having to transfer to a new school. But the SOAR Act would negate this compromise and open the program again to receive new students and even moe federal dollars.

This will likely be a very close vote so it is crucial that your Representative in Congress hears from you. Please ask your Representative to oppose the SOAR Act and any other attempts to funnel public tax payer dollars to private religious schools.

Send a message to your representative in Congress here.

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March 28, 2011

What Meditation Really Is: Khandro Rinpoche, Mingyur Rinpoche, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and More!

Via the fabulous Tanya McGinnity at Full Contact Enlightenment:

Find more at www.youtube.com/user/WhatMeditationIs.

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