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Shantideva said we can become less miserable when we actually go looking to find opportunities to lessen the misery of other beings despite our own discomfort. No act of kindness is insignificant - even a simple act of lifting an earthworm (when seen) off the hard gravel or tarmac and returning it to the soft grassy area will help. Help who, one might ask... the earthworm, of course!! Thats the whole point - our actions must be aimed at reducing self-cherishing. Self-cherishing, when over-emphasised, transforms into misery. But most people, out of sheer habit, only want to know, "Whats in it for me? How does helping an earthworm return to its habitat reduce MY misery?" Thinking so, we will have missed it completely. Genuine compassion does not contain any 'whats MY Benefit' anywhere. True and lasting benefit comes when we totally forget the self - then, everything becomes fresh, open, clear, expansive, and unobstructed... all these are profoundly beneficial for the soul. Heres a look at the principle of 'Forgetting the self' from a psychoanalytical perspective: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/douglas-labier/why-learning-to-forget-yo_b_660571.html A common type of compassion is practicing kindness so that we expect to get something in return; there's a more noble aspect to it, which is to spontaneously realise that all beings want exactly what we want - freedom from sorrow, pain, anguish, despair etc. If we can keep increasing this realisation, then each time we remember it, we are one step closer to buddhahood. Loving Kindness is not a doctrine -- it is a state of mind. I apologise if this comes across as preachy, but im sincerely trying to offer some light to your predicament. If its not helpful, or if you find this condescending, then simply put it aside as nonsense.

You are awesome, Bubbles. _/º\_

The famous Tibetan practitioner Milarepa wrote an amazingly 'simple' summary of the six perfections: For generosity, nothing to do, Other than stop fixating on self. For morality, nothing to do, Other than stop being dishonest. For patience, nothing to do, Other than not fear what is ultimately true. For effort, nothing to do, Other than practise continuously. For meditative stability, nothing to do, Other than rest in presence. For wisdom, nothing to do, Other than know directly how things are.

"The times when you are suffering can be those when you are open, and where you are extremely vulnerable can be where your greatest strength really lies. Say to yourself: “I am not going to run away from this suffering. I want to use it in the best and richest way I can, so that I can become more compassionate and more helpful to others.” Suffering, after all, can teach us about compassion. If you suffer, you will know how it is when others suffer. And if you are in a position to help others, it is through your suffering that you will find the understanding and compassion to do so. Sometimes we think that to develop an open heart, to be truly loving and compassionate, means that we need to be passive, to allow others to abuse us, to smile and let anyone do what they want with us. Yet this is not what is meant by compassion. Quite the contrary. Compassion is not at all weak. It is the strength that arises out of seeing the true nature of suffering in the world. Compassion allows us to bear witness to that suffering, whether it is in ourselves or others, without fear; it allows us to name injustice without hesitation, and to act strongly, with all the skill at our disposal. To develop this mind state of compassion...is to learn to live, as the Buddha put it, with empathy for all living beings, without exception." -- Sharon Salzberg Try as best you can to infuse and inspire your daily practice with a sense of lightness and humour. I know it can be difficult at times, but even the most seasoned practitioner will experience some form of negativity now and again. It will be helpful to heighten our mindfulness of response during these rough patches, remembering that each time we encounter an especially difficult phase, that those moments are actually the crest of our karmic past coming to a head, and that it is like finally arriving at a junction - at this point, where we turn, how we transform and grow, or not, this will rest entirely on our fundamental View and how we have maintained/practiced that View primarily while we are making our way towards each culmination of past actions. The Mani mantra is always a dependable friend at each crossroad we come upon.

You are not alone. Even the Dalai Lama finds it challenging at times

Yep, i agree, Spotless - but certainly some who are familiar with Buddhist theory & practice will have learnt to distinguish between mind, Mind, awareness & consciousness, as these terms will all have been given a somewhat more thorough examination at some point during the practitioner's contemplative excursions down the Buddhist path.

Training in Meditation to See, Recognise, Maintain & Increase One's Enlightening Potential MEDITATION: Abandoning the strangle hold of suffering and worry. This was written by the late Karma Tashi Thundrup. It is a highly effective meditational technique which helps to restore the natural balance of the mind and body. We shall begin by creating a quiet place to sit, cross-legged if we can or on a low stool or straight-backed chair if we cannot. A firm cushion will help to provide a comfortable and stable seat. We sit completely relaxed with our back and neck straight, the spine balanced nicely on the pelvis. A straight back is necessary for the unobstructed passage of spinal energies when they arise. The hands can be placed on the lap, palms upward, the right hand resting in the left and the tips of the thumbs touching. We can meditate with our eyes shut or open, but outer distractions are more easily avoided with the eyes closed. The eyeballs should be perfectly relaxed as in sleep, just gazing, to the mind's eye down the length of the nose. Some teachers insist that one should focus the closed eyes sharply upon the point between the eyebrows where the Ajna chakra manifests but I should warn against this. The muscular strain of such a procedure creates the nervous illusion of flashing lights before the eyes which can easily lead one into a fantasy of meditational success. If you wish to put this sort of thing to the test, sit quietly in a darkened room, close your eyes and watch the fireworks as you push your eyeballs back and forth with your fingers. In sitting meditation, we aim at a profound relaxation, any internal tension will defeat the object of the exercise. All we have to do is to watch our breath. Breathing through the nose we calmly concentrate upon our breathing and just watch the breath moving to and fro. As our concentration deepens we will find our mind, in a manner of speaking becoming one with our breathing. Our concentration must be absolutely calm and without effort. Absorption is the best word I can find to describe the required state of mind. Thoughts will constantly arise to distract the attention. We do not try to block them off or shut them out in any way, but we observe them dispassionately from over our shoulder as it were, leading the mind, on a loose rein, gently back to the breath each time. That is all we have to do. There is no need here for a lengthy dissertation on the manifold subjective results of our meditations for that would arouse a vicarious anticipation of events which is most undesirable. Suffice to say that gradually our awareness of being will become more detached from our thoughts. During our sitting sessions the grasping egotistical nature of our thoughts will become clearer to us, irrespective of whether these thoughts be considered good or bad. As our consciousness becomes finely tuned to the movement of the breath we shall in time develop an awareness of the currents of Pran Energy within the body. This meditation is natural Pranayama (the Way of Pran). If the simple Buddhist practice of watching the breath is persevered with, we will discover that as our concentration deepens and thoughts fall away, the breath will quieten and slow down quite spontaneously. Then we should begin to experience a true meditative state of mind. If at this stage we should begin to congratulate ourselves our meditation will simply go for a diffuse. We shall be exchanging Unconditioned Being for the delusion of achievement. Beware of the "How am I doing?" syndrome. It is a monstrous stumbling block on the path of meditation. Our approach to meditation is as important as the meditation itself. One Tibetan teacher has this to say: "Do not be consistent". There are many Eastern Gurus who encourage their devotees to rise at 6 a.m. every day to do an hour's sitting before breakfast and another obligatory hour before retiring every night. For some of these teachers these obligatory hours are not enough and disciples are urged to spend more and more hours in sitting meditation. We are human beings however and not limpets. If we insist upon sitting cross-legged and cross-eyed for hours at a stretch we need have no surprise to find ourselves being used as a doorstop by one of our more active brethren. Routines can easily condition and enslave us. We practice meditation to restore a quota of spontaneous being into our lives. Rigid routine in meditation is hardly the path to spontaneity. We should meditate when we feel like it. That is all. All kinds of internal happenings arise during sitting meditation of a paranormal or astral nature. It is your own psyche unfolding. Do not talk about them or you will inevitably become confused. We can become attached to these events, the side effects, so to speak, of meditation and tend to evaluate these events as good, bad or indifferent according to our expectations. The Yogin who has realised his goal, however, places no great value upon these events which he recognises as mere projections of his own mind. Therefore we should not leave our sitting reflecting upon how good or bad it was, for the man of meditative power has long gone beyond ideas of good or bad. By the same token we shall not approach our sitting with great anticipation or apprehension. I shall not pontificate further about this for there are no words adequate enough for what I am trying to convey. To summarise our meditation practice: A comfortable seat, a straight back, hands on lap, palms up, tips of thumbs touching. Eyes closed and relaxed, "gazing down the nose". Breathe through the nose. Watch the breath. Calmly concentrate, the reins held loose. When thoughts arise do not resist them or block them off. Witness them from "over your shoulder", and gently lead the attention back to the breath. When you have done enough, rise calmly and slowly and go about your business. There you have it, a simple and very effective meditation technique. A few words of warning which, like Government anti-tobacco warnings should be, by law, printed on the spine of every book about Meditation: WARNING MEDITATION IS NOT A BIG DEAL BIG DEALS CAN LEAD TO MENTAL ILLNESS AND SPIRITUAL DEATH

Question: What is the relationship between Dzogchen and bodhichitta? Khenpo Rinpoches: "The Dzogchen teachings are the highest teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni. From the Dzogchen point of view, everything is totally equal in one profound state, without duality and distinctions. Dzogchen is the ultimate view of the true nature of mind, which includes love and compassion. When we practice Dzogchen we develop compassion and loving-kindness; Dzogchen practice cannot be separated from bodhichitta practice. We cannot ignore relative bodhichitta and accept absolute bodhichitta; both are part of our true nature and both are part of Dzogchen. For this reason, before we meditate, we take refuge and develop the thought of bodhichitta. After we meditate we dedicate the merit to all sentient beings. Whenever we practice or do any kind of beneficial activity, we should not cling to it. At the absolute level, everything is totally pure and perfect in great emptiness. From that point of view, we are completely free from all dualistic concepts and clinging. Until we come to realize the emptiness nature, we continue to follow our thoughts, judging things to be good or bad, better or worse, dirty or clean. Even while we are following our thoughts, the ultimate reality does not change. It is similar to the weather. When you see a cloudy, gray sky, you cannot see the sun, but that does not mean that the sun and the blue sky are not there. They are still there; the moving clouds do not affect them. ... Every person has the enlightened nature, but to actualize that nature it is necessary to practice bodhichitta, the love and compassion for all beings. Bodhichitta is universally precious; everybody appreciates it and everybody has the potential to develop it. Enlightenment is completely dependent upon developing compassion for all beings. The wish to attain enlightenment for the benefit of others is the essence of both the Mahayana and Vajrayana paths. When we develop inner wisdom, we can take care of all sentient beings, and radiate compassion and kindness throughout the universe. We can discover the true nature of the mind and of the entire world. In order to be able to do this, meditation practice is very important. Bodhichitta is the root or the seed from which enlightenment develops. Bodhichitta is not found externally, but it is within your own mind. Although all of us have experienced love and compassion, these qualities need to be developed further. One way to increase them is to do the Dzogchen meditation of resting the mind in its own nature. This is because bodhichitta and emptiness have the same nature, the true nature of the mind. Practicing bodhichitta openly and freely will increase your understanding of emptiness because compassion and emptiness are inseparable aspects of the primordial state of being." Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches The Buddhist Path

"Dzogchen practitioners must combine their meditation on emptiness with compassion. Emptiness means egolessness. This means freedom from selfishness and all clinging. Compassion means caring for all sentient beings, and helping them find total peace and happiness. Practicing on emptiness alone will not help you reach enlightenment. There is a non-Buddhist meditation school in India that teaches that the realization of emptiness comes from completely blocking all sensory experiences. Even if this practice leads to emptiness- realization, if you have trained yourself in blocking the senses how can you practice compassion? It is not our intention to promote Buddhism and de-value other schools. We just want to remind you that the true nature of the mind is the unity of emptiness and compassion. The Dzogchen teachings always talk about emptiness and clarity. Emptiness refers to the utter openness of the nature of the mind, while clarity refers to the rich and beautiful qualities inherent in the nature of the mind. Compassion is one of these qualities. If we accept emptiness and reject compassion, we’re knocking our heads against a wall. Therefore, don’t be partial—be open to the fullness of the teachings and the fullness of yourself. All the great teachers said this. We must practice the unity of emptiness and compassion, wisdom and skillful means, absolute truth and relative truth. When we do this, realization comes beautifully and perfectly. Buddha Shakyamuni gave an important teaching called the King of Posala Sutra. Posala was an ancient city that is now called Shravasti; in Tibetan, it’s called Sharja. This is where the Buddha taught the Diamond Sutra. Addressing the king of Posala, the Buddha said, “Oh great king, you perform many activities, and do not have much time for spiritual pursuits, but if you keep one thing in your heart, you are practicing the Dharma—that is bodhichitta.” Bodhichitta is the core of the Buddha’s teachings, and the core of Guru Padmasambhava’s teachings. It is the essential teaching of all the great masters who followed them." Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches Pointing Out the Nature of Mind (p 149/150)

nice

deep inside a cave many have tried to find peace they bring tea along...

cant quite make a song like a toothless little kid trying to yodel...

Guess we just have to keep planting trees, until one day we get it right. Then, we happily plant even more trees!

Im sorry you did not find Buddhist thought and practice of enough substance to continue pursuing. Its very clear where you are coming from, and i appreciate your opinion very much, believe it or not.

Yes, interesting question indeed, one which is pondered upon quite often, but since you are already biased against Buddhist logic, as indicated in your opening line, i see no reason to even attempt an answer. But should you be willing to investigate the premise of my post in a slightly more open-minded manner, then i will be very happy to direct you to some source materials where you will be able to obtain a better understanding of Dependent Origination, and in the process may become more informed of Buddhist logic.

I think positive and correct meditative exercises will help to uncover the truth that these 'trillions' of triggers can be reduced to just a handful, but if instead one prefers the view that indeed vast numbers of triggers abound, thinking this way could make the whole exercise of uncovering these causes feel much more exasperating than it actually is, and that might well contribute, to some significant extent, attitudes of helplessness and/or feelings of insurmountable challenges to face on the spiritual road, when in fact this is not the case. In Buddhism its said that there are 84,000 afflictive conditions that beset all the 6 classes of beings, but these all can be narrowed down to just a few major hindrances or obstacles, namely greed, jealousy, pride, hate/anger, delusion, conceit, wrong views, excessive indulgences, slothfulness, aggression, and doubt. From these major conditions arise all other negative karmas. The teachings elaborate further by pointing out that any of these hindrances, when allowed to fester, lead to ignorance, craving and attachment (called the 3 unwholesome roots or 3 poisons), which then give rise to what is known as 'round of defilements' (see: Interdependent Origination). In the context of the Yogacara school of Buddhism, all these major hindrances (kleshas) arise due to the "...reification of an 'imagined self'". By knowing and seeing (thru meditation) what an imagined self is made up of sets the ground for seeing thru the veils of conditioned existence, and in turn, this sets the ground leading to the cessation of suffering. As an aside, my personal opinion is that we should refrain from looking at our parents in a negative light, especially for spiritual cultivators, no matter how justified we think our view is. If we can rectify our own faults and expand on our limited views, then we can take the better option of seeing all beings equanimously - no matter what, we must try to always acknowledge, value & respect the source of the gift of life in us. Without this, how can we value and respect our own path towards spiritual emancipation?

Yes, awareness and intent are both very crucial to insight. Well said.

The mother is not the real issue here, is it? I mean, Rara has to deal with Rara 24/7, but Rara need not have to 'deal' with his mother 24/7 - so, perhaps its not the leopard that he needs to be mindful of, rather, its his idea of what a leopard really is, and his relationship with that idea now -- if it is not an idea he likes, then maybe learn how to develop a new idea, one which is conducive for his own mental calmness and well-being, no? Its a coward's approach to have the idea that we actually have buttons for others to push when in truth these buttons are simply our own way of dealing with aspects of our own unwholesomeness. First we might want to consider owning up to these in order to grow - after all, this is part of what spiritual maturity is about. I dunno, thats how i see this anyway.

Thats ok.. its not for everyone.

This is a misunderstanding, Rara. True independence not only comes, but stays for good, when one fully understands the significance of unbinding from the tension of clinging to a self. Being constructive, in the altruistic sense, means the ability to do something of benefit to others while doing something beneficial for the self, or, from another view, to be able to do something beneficial for self which also benefits others. To do this effectively, we have to 'forget' the self, not in the conventional sense of reducing the self to nothing, but in the transcended sense of seeing, and then extending a sort of equalness in the realisation that fundamentally nobody wants to be unhappy, to be hurt, to be cheated on, etc., just as we too desire much the same. This is the Buddhist view of non-self, from one perspective - the ultimate benefit to be derived from this realisation is to uncover one's fundamental good heart. Once you can touch base with this discovery, then you will be able to gradually learn how to act fearlessly in your relationship with others without having to constantly be on your guard, ala building a fence around something non-existent, meaning that brittle, hurtable ego thing. But a lot of people tend to do this, and the amount of energy and attention they put into this exercise prevents them from engaging fully and functionally in the true sense of relating (relationship) with self and others.

As long as there is a holding on to, or a misunderstanding of the concept of 'self', no matter how advanced a practitioner, the potential for conflict (from within and without) will always be sitting on one's left shoulder (or right, doesn't really matter, but its there). Thats why the basics of Buddhist teachings is to encourage a learner to first investigate/realise what the self really is. This facilitates a smooth transition into any other practices one wishes to undertake, and also, more importantly, a genuine sense of delight and humour enters the being upon realisation, which can be very freeing (less clinging > more expansive nature). As Shantideva said, "All suffering arise from clinging to self". Maybe its difficult at first to put this into practice, but even if we can reduce the clinging by 50%, we could experience a major shift already.

Im glad you persisted, Cheya Btw, Martin is Dutch. He's not a professional singer. In fact, he's a retired baker, having invested 32 years of his life to that profession, and golly knows how many years out of this he had harboured a (maybe secret) wish to become a singer, finally mustering enough guts to enter one of Holland's talent shows, singing Nessun Dorma. This song by Martin which i posted above is especially dear to me. It was the 10th of this month when i first heard it, the day my father passed away. Could not stop listening to the song that day, and could not stop the tears from welling...

The one to really thank is you, Manitou. Thru your words, we can learn how being completely vulnerable is the greatest strength there is. For those who seek a way in to the heart, please engage and contemplate deeply Manitou's message of love and courage. It can be transformational for those who listen not just with their ears. late edit - spell.

I think there is a resemblance to brainwashing, but not exactly it - this is something subtler and more sinister, and definitely more complex, but highly effective. There is no force involved, yet the subliminal suggestive messages yield instant result, as evidenced in that part of the video about a certain cigarette company wanting to 'convert' more women to smoking. The change was effected almost instantaneously (overnight, to be precise). You are right, this comes as no surprise, but who can say for certain they are not being swayed in one direction or another by unseen urgings? Are those that resist not subject to another kind of suggestive input as well? Who is really free?

mistaking the rope for the snake, so he got a fright it seems