C T

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3lyYz19mEU

we must hold it close the trump card, like in poker... so it is, in life.

You seem like a nice bloke, GMP. Do you find it easy to make friends? Hows your attitude towards troublemakers, loudmouths, scaremongers, bullies, and chauvinists? Do you have any biases? Do you stick by your principles at all costs? All these considerations have a bearing on how the monkey mind works to assert their dominance over you. This monkey mind feeds off habits and attitudes. If you see them thriving on bananas, dont feed them more bananas. If you do, the gratification will only be temporary, during which time you will enjoy a little respite from their wild ways, but after they have had their rest, they will bunch up again to ask you for more! What worked for me in the past was working with mantras. Whenever i sense unruliness and much aggro, either i listen to recordings, chant out loud or silently play mantras in my mind, coupling this with visualizations of mandalas, deities and also, where convenience permits, i do prostrations. This has become a habit, nowadays, my monkey mind dont really bother me cos its not been getting bananas when it wants, only when i decide, should i decide, i may give them a little airing once in a while, instead of them making the decision when to let me have little breaks, so yeah, im no longer at their mercy now. Taming this monkey mind is quite similar to training pups. Its hard work, pretty frustrating most days, but we do it cos the end result is worth it, and... those who persist despite the frustrations and endless hair-pulling get to cultivate patience, tolerance and love, worthy outcomes all. Keep the faith, and don't lose sight of the end goal.

the Year of the Horse cloudless sky, rainbow appears Tuesday evening...

Ok, if thats ingrained in your persona, fine, by all means, press on, enjoy feeding the trolls since that seems to tie in with your noble objective (to turn trolls into 'normal' folks). Perhaps now you dont have to moan about how posters are poking fun at your OP.

im glad you determined that those whom you perceive as poking jibes at your OP and subsequent posts have no context. next question, then, is: Since you affirm that such posts have no context, why do you keep insisting on stacking them up, as if they all have a valid part to play in this topic? If truly they are without context, why would you even bother to respond, sometimes with a fair amount of gusto even? Trying to understand.

Thats neat, being able to take a good one square on the jaw. In the same vein, what you deem as those poking fun regarding your need for concrete validation of your enlightened state (if there is such a state, but i digress...) can also be viewed as constructive, no? Not being smart here, just trying to tie my shoelaces properly.

ok sorry for posting links. Could have worded the context from my own interpretation, but was afraid that would put readers off. With the links, readers can choose whether to have a peep or not. Thats sort of cleaner and simpler. I think we are referring to same ignorance. Are you also saying that ignorance (avidya) is one's fundamental state? How this is viewed depends from which vehicle one would like to use as an approach. In Mahayana (specifically Vajrayana) students are advised to view all mental/emotional arisings as expressions of wisdom energy. Its a direct approach which do not put emphasis on analysing and watching out for good and not good perceptions and reactions. The path takes the student right to the source of all energetic displays, and are advised not to view these as either good or bad, instead, to try to view all displays from a place of equanimity. From the links provided, it clearly explains how we can learn to identify the major traits that we might consider negative in us and needs work, and then align these with a particular deity (yidam) so that specific antidotes are chosen and applied to transform the mind to the extent that what is deemed 'negative' can actually be used to gain greater wisdom and clarity. From this angle, motivation cannot hinge on grasping and aversion. In daily life, we either remember to apply pure perception to view arisings as one single wisdom display, or we forget, which immediately causes the onset of mundane view, thereby allowing the manifestation and proliferation of grasping and aversion, leading to dualistic thinking, leading to delusions, etc.. creating that chain effect. If at the point of seeing the arising of, for example anger, we remember "ah, its a manifestation of wisdom energy", then this will immediately diffuse any possibility for the anger to catch fire and spread, moreover, not only can we prevent the negative impact, we can actually use the pure energy at the basis as a means to gain greater clarity. This effectively is a direct, alchemically induced, immediate transformation which takes place. In essence, this i think is why Vajrayana is called the direct path. Its fast, but the inherent risks are much greater, thats why students who take it up have to work in accordance with samayas and so on. In summary, we could say that in the moment of remembering, there is the arising of vidya, and in the moment of forgetting, there is the arising of avidya. With right motivation, there is greater likelihood for sustaining the arising of vidya.

I like that image too... to gel the image even more, how about a little twist to the last line... "Have a nice incineration."

You may have your reasons for asserting fundamental ignorance, but from what i understand, ignorance is not fundamental, as in, primordially, there is no such state as ignorance. It has to do with expression ~ sometimes a habitually unpleasant person can express the most profound kindness, and vice versa. I could be wrong, but ignorance stems from accumulated habits and tendencies. Those who have the desire to work on transforming their habits and tendencies, from the Vajrayana perspective, usually begin by first gaining some understanding about the Five Dhyani Buddhas (the 5 Buddha Families): General overview: http://viewonbuddhism.org/5_dhyani_buddhas.html General explanation: http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1658 Detailed article: http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/advanced/tantra/level2_basic_theory/buddha_family_traits.html the above links to be scanned only when you have the time. Promise i will try not to turn this into another drawn-out thingy. hehe... you know what i mean.

I think it only appears like ignorance when we temporarily forget that fundamentally all beings want to avoid suffering. i do not accept this deep desire for happiness is rooted in ignorance. Maybe the way its expressed, the adornments, may appear tainted, but the fundamental essence from where such an urge springs from is always pure. As we develop more wisdom and clarity, the purer the displays become.

Taming Our Mind ~ 17th Karmapa What is the definition of practice? Taming our mind. Those of us who are supposed to be practicing Dharma should carefully examine ourselves – our body, speech, and mind – and become mindful of what we are doing. Otherwise, it is quite possible that although we have the form of a practitioner, we are not really practicing Dharma. Watching carefully to find our own faults, however, does not mean that we have to look down on ourselves or feel that we are worse than others. We do not have to throw ourselves into the river. This is too extreme. What it does mean is that practicing the Dharma is like learning how to dance. When we are learning how to move our arms and legs, we can practice in a room full of mirrors. Seeing our reflection directly, we observe how we are doing even before someone else tells us what is wrong. We all have faults – that is natural and not surprising. We also know how to improve, because we know, or can learn, what to correct and change. Further, we realize that what we are doing is for our own benefit. So if we find some faults or mistakes that we need to change, there is nothing wrong with us; these are just what we need to work on. This is what is meant by “taming our mind.” --- 17th Karmapa

a little window into 'motivation'. its sad and inspiring at the same time.... http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/magazine/ngm-dillie-deer?source=relatedvideo

I think we can derive motivation from many sources. Being able to discern if the source(s) is good/helpful vs harmful will go towards generating the right motivation, i believe. What drives one to act, either considerately or insensitively? Sometimes insensitivity does not necessarily arise from ignorance. Some people do it out of being intentionally spiteful, out of habit, or out of fear. They often know the stress this can cause in self and others, yet cannot help themselves. Some people know they have to change, but do not know how, so they hurt others to express their own helpless state, because thats the only way they know how to ask for help. I used to pass hasty judgements on such behaviour with my book of labels, but i realise now that if effort is made to understand the deeper motives, then we can gradually learn to replace judgement with sincere empathy. How do you derive motivation as per your spiritual work?

According to Mingyur Rinpoche, the determining factor is one's motivation. All of one's thoughts and actions are guided by motive. Its only logical that correct motivation will sustain one's wish to get a certain result. Incorrect motivation can never produce any desirable outcomes.

Mindfulness, from what i understand, envelopes both the process of bringing awareness to body, speech, mind and at the same time feeding a wakeful attention to when external conditions sometimes impede this awareness, pushing and pulling at it, usually at the base where emotional reactions start to surface. With mindfulness comes an alertness to such stirrings, which allows one space to mull over how certain responses tend to extinguish potential stress while some other reactive habits tend to proliferate stress. Again, from what i have learnt, 'nO mind' is the manifest state where mindfulness has taken root, when a keen sense of awareness is habituated, both in waking and dreaming states. Its like the saying, 'sleep when tired; eat when hungry' -- there is no requirement to bring self, mind and thoughts to these ordinary yet very necessary processes, so the masters want students to learn about spontaneity in awareness from such examples. This sort of spontaneity can be successfully gained thru the practice of mindfulness. With enough practice, old habits are washed away to reveal a natural state of beingness.

Virtuous discussion is part of right practice. Right practice cannot be apart from the enlightening process, like warmth cannot be apart from heat. Here's what Dogen had to say: Practice and Enlightenment ~ Dogen Zenji Thinking that practice and enlightenment are not one is no more than a view that is outside the Way [that is, deluded]. In the buddha-dharma, practice and enlightenment are one and the same. Because it is the practice of enlightenment, a beginner’s wholehearted practice of the Way is exactly the totality of original enlightenment. For this reason, in conveying the essential attitude for practice, it is taught not to wait for enlightenment outside practice. Do you think Dogen was right? I think he was. When we practice correctly, its the end of conflict, and we become wholly at one with original nature. When we discuss correctly, there is room for all to be at ease, and when we are completely at ease, permeated with a deep sense of tranquil allowing, it will feel like our original face is revealed. Perhaps its the face that was there before our parents were born.

What is the primary factor in determining whether one's experience is conditioned by frustration or by joyful equanimity? thoughts please, anyone?

Brilliant! thank you for sharing!

That verse clearly points to the interdependent nature of all things (relatedness). Apparent only to those who have the mindful awareness to see the process. Well done!

ed7t:

People expect buddhist practitioners to be without sin. This is the fundamental misunderstanding. "oh, you're suppose to be a buddhist, pouring out love and compassion for all and sunder... how could you be such a dick and say such nasty things? This is so not buddhist." If this kind of thinking does not exist, or if its rectified, then there will be no hypocrisy. Then heated exchanges will simply remain heated exchanges, with no third party judgements. Its only third party observers who can't grasp this idea that Buddhism is not based on guilt, blame and etc. etc. Anger and other emotional outcroppings are not the actual problem. Repeating these again and again, without awareness and due consideration given to the self-power of knowing that its possible to choose a different response, is the real culprit. This is the real disempowering pattern that binds one to states even more languishing than mere hypocrisy. . 2 rupees .

Guided by Compassion ~ Mingyur Rinpoche Most conflicts between people stem from a misunderstanding of one another’s motives. We all have our reasons for doing what we do and saying what we say. The more we allow ourselves to be guided by compassion – to pause for a moment and try to see where another person is coming from – the less likely we are to engage in conflict. Mingyur Rinpoche

Instead of taking the teachings to heart, sometimes i think too much and too far, and try to put the teachings into others' hearts, thinking its the obvious thing to do, but usually, it falls flat. On the other hand, if i totally take the teachings to heart, i dont think i want to comment on anything at all since the heart has a dialect and a feel all its own, and cannot be translated accurately without resorting to conceptual overlays, no matter how subtle. And the main reason for apparent conflicts here, i think, is due to the ongoing battle within the minds of individual buddhist practitioners here, and elsewhere... its the battle to replace worn, tiresome habits with newer, more vibrant and positive ones. Sometimes this internal feud needs to be expressed, and fearing open vulnerability, some resort to anonymous airings to avoid embarrassment and sheepishness. I think a mature practitioner would not be overwhelmed by the occasional ruckus in the slightest. As the saying goes, if one cannot bear the heat, one should not even entertain the idea of becoming a chef. im not at all sure for now, this is an instant thought and reflection on the OP. Maybe i will change views in due course. Depends. Whats for certain, as a self-reminder, is to constantly check if i am motivated by average concerns or by bodhicitta. This is the sweet spot of practice i think. If we recognise exactly when we are fumbling and losing balance away from this spot, then we should be okay. There is hope yet.