I do not wish to lead I'm shy and quiet And somewhat retiring. But I cannot but be That which circumstances Have always made me.
Pioneer, I fear, Into places unknown. The last frontier Between ear and ear The only peaceful land I've ever known.
Some wish death To their enemy This I can't condone. Because misery is misery And will rebound A soundless sound And what you give Is ultimately, what you own.
So own your anger Make it yours, Don't let it own you And choose your course.
Because you will not be Punished for your anger Rather will you be, Burnt by everything That you ever caused To suffer misery.
Its always been that way Since before the dawn Of human history. Doing it the same way And expecting different ends This is the definition of insanity.
But everyone pretends, That their new war, Is for something new. But if you look closely Its me against you, With nothing true But our hate, I just hope its Not too late.
To make a change A new start, before The world is torn apart. I hope for dark ages To end for good. And a new dawn To rise as it should With the power of love Shining up above. And
A farmer requested a Tendai priest to recite sutras for his wife, who had died. After the recitation was over the farmer asked: "Do you think my wife will gain merit from this?"
"Not only your wife, but all sentient beings will benefit from the recitation of sutras," answered the priest.
"If you say all sentient beings will benefit," said the farmer, "my wife may be very weak and others will take advantage of her, getting the benefit she should have. So please recite sutras just for her."
The priest explained that it was the desire of a Buddhist to offer blessings and wish merit for every living being.
"That is a fine teaching," concluded the farmer, "but please make one exception. I have a neighbor who is rough and mean to me. Just exclude him from all those sentient beings."
Honnin Myo. (Ho=manifest Myo=potential), literally from the manifest into the unmanifest, or, from this day forward. Don't regret your past mistakes, learn from them, and travel into tomorrow armed with wisdom gained from yesterday's folly.
Provided he makes and wins an argument about Buddhism with those who live there, any wandering monk can remain in a Zen temple. If he is defeated, he has to move on.
In a temple in the northern part of Japan two brother monks were dwelling together. The elder one was learned, but the younger one was stupid and had but one eye.
A wandering monk came and asked for lodging, properly challenging them to a debate about the sublime teachings. The elder brother, tired that day from much studying, told the younger one to take his place. "Go and request the dialogue in silence," he cautioned.
So the young monk and the stranger went to the shrine and sat down.
Shortly afterwards the traveler rose and went in to the elder brother and said: "Your young brother is a wonderful fellow. He defeated me."
"Relate the dialogue to me," said the elder one.
"Well," explained the traveler, "first I held up one finger, representing Buddha, the enlightened one. So he held up two fingers, signifying Buddha and his teaching. I held up three fingers, representing Buddha, his teaching, and his followers, living the harmonious life. Then he shook his clenched fist in my face, indicating that all three come from one realization. Thus he won and so I have no right to remain here." With this, the traveler left.
"Where is that fellow?" asked the younger one, running in to his elder brother.
"I understand you won the debate."
"Won nothing. I'm going to beat him up."
"Tell me the subject of the debate," asked the elder one.
"Why, the minute he saw me he held up one finger, insulting me by insinuating that I have only one eye. Since he was a stranger I thought I would be polite to him, so I held up two fingers, congratulating him that he has two eyes. Then the impolite wretch held up three fingers, suggesting that between us we only have three eyes. So I got mad and started to punch him, but he ran out and that ended it!"
Once a division of the Japanese army was engaged in a sham battle, and some of the officers found it necessary to make their headquarters in Gasan's temple.
Gasan told his cook: "Let the officers have only the same simple fare we eat."
This made the army men angry, as they were used to very deferential treatment. One came to Gasan and said: "Who do you think we are? We are soldiers, sacrificing our lives for our country. Why don't you treat us accordingly?"
Gasan answered sternly: "Who do you think we are? We are soldiers of humanity, aiming to save all sentient beings."
Ryokan, a Zen master, lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening a thief visited the hut only to discover there was nothing to steal.
Ryokan returned and caught him. "You have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you should not return empty-handed. Please take my clothes as a gift."
The thief was bewildered. He took the clothes and slunk away.
Ryoken sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow," he mused, "I wish I could have given him this beautiful moon."
"We are clearly living in a period of profound historical transition. As many point out, more positive forms of human interaction and dialogue must be developed if we are to bring out the creative possibilities of this era. What can Buddhism contribute to building a new culture of dialogue?
The word dialogue comes from the Greek dia--through--logos, a word that includes the meanings of language, principle, rationality, law, etc. Dialogue in Buddhism is not merely a vehicle or means for communicating its message. Rather, the practice of dialogue expresses a central tenet of Buddhism--faith in human beings, in their limitless dignity and potential as possessors and embodiments of universal truth. In the Buddhist tradition, dialogue--open and respect-based human interaction--has played a central part in the quest to discover and identify common or universal values that would allow human beings to live in the best, most humane and empowering ways.
Today the idea of "universal values" is often viewed with suspicion, if not open hostility, as code and cover for one culture imposing itself on another. But a belief in the existence of common human values need not contradict belief in a particular cultural and religious perspective.
If we examine the lives of all of humanity's great religious and philosophical teachers, we find that they have all been masters of the art of dialogue. At the same time, they are without exception people of firm, seemingly unshakable faith. This suggests that strongly-held convictions are not necessarily an impediment to dialogue; rather, they may be the critical condition for its success." - SGI Quarterly, Dialogue in Buddhism
A first date to me is a chance to get to know somebody beyond whatever social setting we met in the first place. IMO, if this also entails getting to know them in a biblical sense, then sure, why not?
Never had it happen, as there's always WAAAAY too much to talk about usually, but...I'm not against it. It may be I've been friends with them for years, and we've exhausted topics of conversation and its time to work on chemistry...who knows?
Thank you dawn. I just hope something I say at one point or another offers a kernel of enlightenment to you. The bodhi vow is often very hard to live up to. I'm only human.
Attachment to labels is evil. Attachment in and of itself is value neutral. Its all in what we take away from it that makes the difference between ignorance and wisdom.
There is no Good Buddha, There is no Bad Buddha. There is only...The Buddha. See how labels our ego assigns create the suffering?
I care enough Not to care. I will my fate I attract the weight Of millenia in my soul, I am the road I am a toad, I am the way For myself today No matter what You might say.
Label me If you will, I care enough Not to care. My ego sometimes Invests itself In conversations Counter to my health.
Everything has utility Even those who label me As this or that, a child, A brat, I see myself More in who they are In relation to my wealth Then they ever could Inside their small self.
So call me names I'll take the blame What good fortune There is in shame That I might learn Forebearance and A measure of wisdom.
I care enough Not to care, I shoulder burdens That aren't there I am illusion You are smoke So just relax And let the yoke Of your dogma fall We are uknown One and all.
Materialism and responsibility are 2 different things j. You might be deliberately, if sub-consciously, confusing the semantics of the terms.
Having a pet is a huge responsibility. It doesn't make you a materialist however. Pets are good for our spiritual side. The bond between pet and owner is not material, but emotional, so I cant see that it requires a materialistic bent to have one.
Galactic_bodhi Forum Posts (9,196)
Before the Dawn
I do not wish to leadI'm shy and quiet
And somewhat retiring.
But I cannot but be
That which circumstances
Have always made me.
Pioneer, I fear,
Into places unknown.
The last frontier
Between ear and ear
The only peaceful land
I've ever known.
Some wish death
To their enemy
This I can't condone.
Because misery is misery
And will rebound
A soundless sound
And what you give
Is ultimately, what you own.
So own your anger
Make it yours,
Don't let it own you
And choose your course.
Because you will not be
Punished for your anger
Rather will you be,
Burnt by everything
That you ever caused
To suffer misery.
Its always been that way
Since before the dawn
Of human history.
Doing it the same way
And expecting different ends
This is the definition of insanity.
But everyone pretends,
That their new war,
Is for something new.
But if you look closely
Its me against you,
With nothing true
But our hate,
I just hope its
Not too late.
To make a change
A new start, before
The world is torn apart.
I hope for dark ages
To end for good.
And a new dawn
To rise as it should
With the power of love
Shining up above.
And