Dharma in the time of COVID

[Miroku]

Malcolm Smith and many Tibetan lamas explain this current pandemics in the terms of Mamos (one of the eight classes of beings) being enraged with us. Mostly due to burned food, which also means burned corpses of animals (not sure if human bodies count) because they detest the smell. And China burned a lot of pigs last year due to swine flu. Also many forms of pollution and irresponsible behaviour. It is our karma to go through this, unfortunately.

 

If that is true or not... does not really matter, because the result is here. For practitioners this is a great time to really see how far we have come. Taken down from our tall towers made of marble and "good vibes". See our attachments as Heart mentioned. Truly beneficial.

 

Few weeks back when it was starting here, I heard an elder man call his wife. She was in a hospital and he called her to talk with her as visits were forbiden. That was a powerful moment for me. Hearing the tenderness in the man's voice but also realizing this might be the last time they can talk. Rather unsettling and heartbreaking. Hope they are all right.

[gatito]

On 3/26/2020 at 3:23 PM, Miroku said:

Malcolm Smith and many Tibetan lamas

 

[Miroku]

7 hours ago, gatito said:

 

 

Look! You made me roll too!! 

[doc benway]

Tibetan Bönpos also see the world through shamanic eyes.

There are spirits in everything - when human activity disturbs these spirits and beings they can harm us.

This is the foundation for the current recommendation that Bönpos engage in tantric practices such as the one I referenced earlier.

[C T]

On 3/26/2020 at 11:23 PM, Miroku said:

Malcolm Smith and many Tibetan lamas explain this current pandemics in the terms of Mamos (one of the eight classes of beings) being enraged with us. Mostly due to burned food, which also means burned corpses of animals (not sure if human bodies count) because they detest the smell. And China burned a lot of pigs last year due to swine flu. Also many forms of pollution and irresponsible behaviour. It is our karma to go through this, unfortunately.

 

If that is true or not... does not really matter, because the result is here. For practitioners this is a great time to really see how far we have come. Taken down from our tall towers made of marble and "good vibes". See our attachments as Heart mentioned. Truly beneficial.

 

Few weeks back when it was starting here, I heard an elder man call his wife. She was in a hospital and he called her to talk with her as visits were forbiden. That was a powerful moment for me. Hearing the tenderness in the man's voice but also realizing this might be the last time they can talk. Rather unsettling and heartbreaking. Hope they are all right.

 

This insightful piece resonates well with what you've highlighted. Thank you for the reminder. 

 

https://www.thegreatawakening.org/blog/2020/3/22/the-mamos-language-a-short-guide-to-peace-on-earth?fbclid=IwAR1-lNaolreBun-fR1lrDv1I7TsAbCDF8hfTYA688dK2BwhthZRy4X1G4oU

[Miroku]

2 minutes ago, C T said:

 

This insightful piece resonates well with what you've highlighted. Thank you for the reminder. 

 

https://www.thegreatawakening.org/blog/2020/3/22/the-mamos-language-a-short-guide-to-peace-on-earth?fbclid=IwAR1-lNaolreBun-fR1lrDv1I7TsAbCDF8hfTYA688dK2BwhthZRy4X1G4oU

 

Quite funny I had it opened yesterday, but decided to close it as I didn't have the time. Well, guess it is the time to read it. Thank you! 

[gatito]

8 hours ago, Miroku said:

 

Look! You made me roll too!! 

 

 

[gatito]

1 hour ago, steve said:

Tibetan Bönpos also see the world through shamanic eyes.

There are spirits in everything - when human activity disturbs these spirits and beings they can harm us.

 

[Maddie]

I tend to ponder karma a lot anyhow but this pandemic has caused me to ponder collective karma more.

 So what the sutras teaches is that karma seeks opportunity to ripen when the conditions are right for it to do so. 

 So if you have a few people who were mass murderers in past lives but they're sprinkled out amongst people who do not have this karma it would seem very unlikely that this kind of karma on a mass scale is going to have opportunity to ripen.

 on the other hand it would seem logical to assume that if you have a large number of people who have a decent amount killing karma and they're all together in one place at one time then the likelihood of this karma ripening into a genocide for example is much more likely.

 On the other hand he have a bunch of people whose karma is predominantly one of kindness and compassion generosity then you would assume this society would be very peaceful and healthy and prosperous assuming these people didn't just go to one of the Heavenly realms.

 From a karma point of view though I think basically comes down to the proportion of people in the same place and at the same time with the same karma increase the likelihood of major events to occur they're pleasant or unpleasant.

[Miroku]

9 hours ago, dmattwads said:

I tend to ponder karma a lot anyhow but this pandemic has caused me to ponder collective karma more.

 So what the sutras teaches is that karma seeks opportunity to ripen when the conditions are right for it to do so. 

 So if you have a few people who were mass murderers in past lives but they're sprinkled out amongst people who do not have this karma it would seem very unlikely that this kind of karma on a mass scale is going to have opportunity to ripen.

 on the other hand it would seem logical to assume that if you have a large number of people who have a decent amount killing karma and they're all together in one place at one time then the likelihood of this karma ripening into a genocide for example is much more likely.

 On the other hand he have a bunch of people whose karma is predominantly one of kindness and compassion generosity then you would assume this society would be very peaceful and healthy and prosperous assuming these people didn't just go to one of the Heavenly realms.

 From a karma point of view though I think basically comes down to the proportion of people in the same place and at the same time with the same karma increase the likelihood of major events to occur they're pleasant or unpleasant.

 

I am no thinker, but you might find this useful.

 

AFAIK karma is a wild wild thing. Since we have been reborn again and again from the beginingless time there is no telling what got into the mix. All I know really is that I even if I die in sickness and poverty I can count myself among the lucky ones.

[Maddie]

32 minutes ago, Miroku said:

 

I am no thinker, but you might find this useful.

 

AFAIK karma is a wild wild thing. Since we have been reborn again and again from the beginingless time there is no telling what got into the mix. All I know really is that I even if I die in sickness and poverty I can count myself among the lucky ones.

 

That is a very interesting article.

[Mark Foote]

As I understand it, karma is the consequence of the intention there was in an action.  Doesn't so much matter whether the intention was good or bad, just that there was intention.  If there is no intention, then there is no karma.

 

Where there have been deeds, Ananda, personal weal and woe arise in consequence of the will there was in the deeds. Where there has been speech–where there has been thought, personal weal and woe arise in consequence of the will there was in the speech–in the thought.

 

Either we of ourselves, Ananda, plan those planned deeds conditioned by ignorance, whence so caused arises personal weal and woe, or others plan those planned deeds that we do conditioned on ignorance, whence so conditioned arises personal weal and woe. Either they are done deliberately, or we do them unwittingly. Thence both ways arises personal weal and woe. So also is it where there has been speech, where there has been thought. Either we plan, speaking, thinking deliberately, or others plan, so that we speak, think unwittingly. Thence arises personal weal and woe. In these six cases ignorance is followed after.

 

But from the utter fading away and cessation of ignorance, Ananda, those deeds are not, whence so conditioned arises personal weal and woe. Neither is that speech, nor that thought. As field they are not; as base they are not; as wherewithal they are not; as occasion they are not, that so conditioned there might arise personal weal and woe.

 

(SN II text ii, 36 “Kindred Sayings on Cause” XII, 3, chapter 25, “Bhumija”; Pali Text Society SN Vol II pg. 31-32)

 

A clockwork universe of cause and effect, until ignorance (and with it, willful or habitual activity of speech, body, and mind) ceases.  Basically, we go in circles until the "unexpected happens and time unfolds", as here:
 

"In work published last December in Physical Review A, Gisin and his collaborator Flavio Del Santo used intuitionist math to formulate an alternative version of classical mechanics, one that makes the same predictions as the standard equations but casts events as indeterministic — creating a picture of a universe where the unexpected happens and time unfolds."

(https://www.quantamagazine.org/does-time-really-flow-new-clues-come-from-a-century-old-approach-to-math-20200407/)

 

I would say we are only beginning to see the consequences of the ignorance and intentional actions of humankind.  The only way out, as always, is to trust the force and take a shot.
 

[Boundlesscostfairy]

Keeping prayer circles going...

 

Worshiping and meditation..

 

Also prayers and magical rituals all about ending Covid!