Daily Words of the Buddha ~ July 04, 2014

sunset d nm
Yo ca mettaṃ bhāvayati
Appamāṇaṃ paṭissato
Tanū saṃyojanā honti,
Passato upadhikkhayaṃ.

For one who mindfully develops
Boundless loving-kindness
Seeing the destruction of clinging,
The fetters are worn away.


Itivuttaka 1.27

The Udāna and the Itivuttaka, trans. John D. Ireland

 

Lao Tzu ~ Two Kinds of Blessings

kina“There are two kinds of blessings. The first are worldly blessings, which are won by doing good deeds. These concern the mind, and thus are confined in time and space. The second is the integral blessing, which falls on those who achieve awareness of the Great Oneness. This awareness liberates you from the bondage of mind, time, and space to fly freely through the boundless harmony of the Tao. Similarly, there are two kinds of wisdom. The first is worldly wisdom, which is a conceptual understanding of your experiences. Because it follows after the events themselves, it necessarily inhibits your direct understanding of truth. The second kind, integral wisdom, involves a direct participation in every moment: the observer and the observed are dissolved in the light of pure awareness, and no mental concepts or attitudes are present to dim that light. The blessings and wisdom that accrue to those who practice the Integral Way and lead others to it are a billion times greater than all worldly blessings and wisdom combined.”

~ Lao Tzu

Daily Words of the Buddha ~ July 03, 2014

come to the waters
Kāyena saṃvaro sādhu; sādhu vācāya saṃvaro;
manasā saṃvaro sādhu. Sādhu sabbattha saṃvaro.
Sabbattha saṃvuto bhikkhu
sabbadukkhā pamuccati.

Good is restraint in the body; good is restraint in speech;
good is restraint in thought. Restraint everywhere is good.
The monk restrained in every way
is freed from all suffering.


Dhammapada 25.361

The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom,
translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita

 

Daily Words of the Buddha ~ July 02, 2014

3 owl facesCakkhumā,
visamānīva,
vijjamāne parakkame.
Paṇḍito jīvalokasmiṃ,
pāpāni parivajjaye.

A person with good eyes,
encountering a treacherous, uneven place,
would try hard to avoid it.
A wise person, in the world of life,
should avoid evil deeds.

Udāna 5.43

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

 

Daily Words of the Buddha ~ July 01, 2014

peace better than right
Muñca pure, muñca pacchato,
majjhe muñca, bhavassa pāragū.
Sabbattha vimuttamānaso,
na punaṃ jātijaraṃ upehisi.

Let go of the past, let go of the future,
let go of the present, and cross over to the farther shore of existence.
With mind wholly liberated,
you shall come no more to birth and death.

Dhammapada 24.348

The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom,
translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita

I Ching ~ Week of June 30, 2014

 

#30  ~  Li  ~ Radiance; Omens Shine Bright

 

Above:   Li   Glowing light, the power of consciousness
Below :  Li   Glowing light, the power of consciousness 

                  
The Wisdom:

Lights burn bright all around you
You are illuminated
Words are without value
The voice of the heart is heard and is gentle

We exist between lighting and thunder. You are illuminated by the light  and woken up by the thunder. There is no foundation familiar that you have counted on in the past to make you feel safe.   There is no way you could have planned for a change like this that is nothing less than transformation. The timing of this present situation where heart meets soul is so dynamic and clear that the hope you had lost has returned and stands before you and opens to the heart of the matter. The lingering doubts are lies that the ego is throwing at you like poison darts, but they have no effect. You have become tempered by the suffering and are able to quell the fears with the antidote of risk. Risk will set you free. You are returning to the knowing of why you have incarnated at this moment in time and an aspect of your life’s purpose is being revealed.

 

You are now in the sacred geometry of the grand alchemical design.Your are now in the process of your own sacred mission in your tribe, community and in all your relationships…..there is great power to be had to effect change for the better and greater good starting with you.. It is on this personal journey where love and abundance arrive on time so you can serve your and the greater good of Gaia and all sentient beings.

You have been met by spirit, have no doubt, and it has ignited a fire in the heart. You have been close to this awakening before, but the circumstances were not fortuitous, they were dangerous. You flirted with the danger and were burned and then hid your trust and your true heart from view. This time the bridge to what you thought was safety, is burning and you can feel the heat. If you try to turn back you may get to an aspect of freedoam, but you will be scarred at the very place you want liberation, the place of love and your true purpose.This present time is an omen shining so bright you are illuminated and seen, finally seen. You are feeling the power of love of self, which opens to the knowing of your purpose and will open to your allowing yourself to be loved.  You need no special gifts to see yourself in the light of truth because your light, Li, is doubled at this time. You can see and feel everything clearly now. Trust what you see and trust what you feel, it is real. Affirm that you will destroy old, negative patterns, and when you do they will no longer have any power over you. You will be released to revel in a new freedom of thought, feeling, spirit, and loving light.You have worked and worried hard on this last leg of the journey. Now use every tool you have gained and held in your virtual and very real medicine bag, the place where you keep your power totems. Using these tools of spirit, examine your habitual, patterned behavior and change your way of thinking. Change the words from the past playing in your head, the words that stopped you from loving and from being loved. Convert the negative to the positive; this is the gift of the human process. You are in the mode of learning to receive, learning that receiving does not hurt, it inspires. Embrace and rededicate what works, but destroy and burn what doesn’t, and be ruthless about it.

You are moving into the space of making the alchemical mix of true love and your true purpose. Once it is found and recognized, it will need tending, like the fire in your belly and heart. What will allow you to cultivate this loving light are diligence, dignity, kindness, grace, honesty, fearlessness, and compassion.

Integrity and compassion will open the doorway to trust, to accepting your greatness and strength. Using the proper fuel will allow you to create a fire that can spread clarity to your tribe and family who also yearn for the light. Be assured that you are the one—and at this time the only one—who can deliver this light in all its fullness. By increasing the light by using the proper fuels, the intensity of the flames cause no damage; it becomes a healing light, the light of love, creativity, health, and passion.

You will find that along with old ways and preprogrammed behaviors you will be leaving the worn-out and painful alliances of family, friends, and associates, breaking the unsaid contracts that have bound you to old ways, the ways that did not leave room for you to remember your truth. You will again find the beauty of what was etched in the original canvas of your heart, the memory of who you truly are and for what purpose you came to Earth at this time. Joyous spirit now just needs an invitation to dance, not an insistence but a graceful poetic invitation. Your spirit companions have been waiting just off stage for you to make the move…now make it, shake loose the fear for there can be no failure in this dance, all you have to do is….do it. You will not dance alone.

The feeling that is stirring within you is the power that allows you to remember who you truly are in all your magnificence as you step out from behind the veils in your glorious garb of light for all to see. You are at last safe! Enjoy the ride and bring a friend, a child, a lover. Recognize the loving beings of spirit that have been standing with you, waiting for you to step forward into the light of truth, beauty, and goodness.

Have no fear—he, she or the offer at hand is an omen, a good omen. The image of a clinging fire is represented in the original ideograms that comprise Li. It is a fire that clings to the heart and makes way for the new as it burns away old doubts, beliefs, and patterns that have kept you in bondage for a lifetime. Beliefs formed in childhood and ingrained societal patterns are the fuel for the fire that illuminates the jewels of life that have been shadowed by doubt and shame.

All is in the right place at the right time…. look with a discerning eye at where you sit or stand. This is the right place.

The unexpected is here, bringing together what belongs together.

Give it all of your heart, body, and soul.

Be the love you desire and that you will receive. This is the magical inner alchemy you have been preparing for.

In lak’ech

BobbyK    

www.bobbyklein.com

Daily Words of the Buddha ~ June 29, 2014

gnome gardenAttā hi attano nātho,
attā hi attano gati.
Tasmā saṃyamamattānaṃ
assaṃ bhadraṃva vāṇijo.

One is one’s own protector,
one is one’s own refuge.
Therefore, one should control oneself,
even as a trader controls a noble steed.

Dhammapada 25.380

The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom,
translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita

On Sleeping Well in the Cold Forest

meditation_position_sleeping_buddha_poseOn one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Alavi on a spread of leaves by a cattle track in a simsapa forest. Then Hatthaka of Alavi, out roaming & rambling for exercise, saw the Blessed One sitting on a spread of leaves by the cattle track in the simsapa forest. On seeing him, he went to him and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, “Lord, I hope the Blessed One has slept in ease.”

“Yes, young man. I have slept in ease. Of those in the world who sleep in ease, I am one.”

“But cold, lord, is the winter night. The ‘Between-the-Eights'[1] is a time of snowfall. Hard is the ground trampled by cattle hooves. Thin is the spread of leaves. Sparse are the leaves in the trees. Thin are your ochre robes. And cold blows the Verambha wind. Yet still the Blessed One says, ‘Yes, young man. I have slept in ease. Of those in the world who sleep in ease, I am one.'”

“In that case, young man, I will question you in return. Answer as you see fit. Now, what do you think: Suppose a householder or householder’s son has a house with a gabled roof, plastered inside & out, draft-free, with close-fitting door & windows shut against the wind. Inside he has a horse-hair couch spread with a long-fleeced coverlet, a white wool coverlet, an embroidered coverlet, a rug of kadali-deer hide, with a canopy above, & red cushions on either side. And there a lamp would be burning, and his four wives, with their many charms, would be attending to him. Would he sleep in ease, or not? Or how does this strike you?”

“Yes, lord, he would sleep in ease. Of those in the world who sleep in ease, he would be one.”

“But what do you think, young man. Might there arise in that householder or householder’s son any bodily fevers or fevers of mind born of passion so that — burned with those passion-born fevers — he would sleep miserably?”

“Yes, lord.”

“As for those passion-born fevers — burned with which the householder or householder’s son would sleep miserably — that passion has been abandoned by the Tathagata, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. Therefore he sleeps in ease.

“Now, what do you think, young man. Might there arise in that householder or householder’s son any bodily fevers or fevers of mind born of aversion so that — burned with those aversion-born fevers — he would sleep miserably?”

“Yes, lord.”

“As for those aversion-born fevers — burned with which the householder or householder’s son would sleep miserably — that aversion has been abandoned by the Tathagata, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. Therefore he sleeps in ease.

“Now, what do you think, young man. Might there arise in that householder or householder’s son any bodily fevers or fevers of mind born of delusion so that — burned with those delusion-born fevers — he would sleep miserably?”

“Yes, lord.”

“As for those delusion-born fevers — burned with which the householder or householder’s son would sleep miserably — that delusion has been abandoned by the Tathagata, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. Therefore he sleeps in ease.

“Always, always,
he sleeps in ease:
the brahman totally unbound,
who doesn’t adhere
to sensual pleasures,
who’s without acquisitions
& cooled.
Having  cut all ties
& subdued fear in the heart,
calmed,
he sleeps in ease,
having reached peace
of awareness.”

 

—-
Hatthaka Sutta: To Hatthaka (excerpt)
On Sleeping Well in the Cold Forest
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
© 1999

Daily Words of the Buddha ~ June 28, 2014

light of creator

Kodhaṃ chetvā sukhaṃ seti,
kodhaṃ chetvā na socati.
Kodhassa visamūlassa
madhuraggassa brāhmaṇa;
vadhaṃ ariyā pasaṃsanti
tañhi chetvā na socatī.

Slay anger and you will be happy,
slay anger and you will not sorrow.
For the slaying of anger in all its forms
with its poisoned root and sweet sting —
that is the slaying the nobles praise;
with anger slain one weeps no more.

Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.187

Gemstones of the Good Dhamma,
compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

 

 

Daily Words of the Buddha ~ June 27, 2014

butterfly flight
Sukhaṃ yāva jarā sīlaṃ,
sukhā saddhā patiṭṭhitā,
sukho paññāya paṭilābho,
pāpānaṃ akaraṇaṃ sukhaṃ.

Good is virtue until life’s end,
good is faith that is steadfast,
good is the acquisition of wisdom,
and good is the avoidance of evil.

Dhammapada 23.333

The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom,

translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Daily Words of the Buddha ~ June 26, 2014

happy facesSace labhetha nipakaṃ sahāyaṃ
saddhiṃ caraṃ sādhuvihāridhīraṃ,
abhibhuyya sabbāni parissayāni,
careyya tenattamano satīmā.

If for company you find a wise and prudent friend
who leads a good life,
you should, overcoming all impediments,
keep their company joyously and mindfully.

Dhammapada 23.328

The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom,
translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Daily Words of the Buddha ~ June 25, 2014

Africanthought
Yo ca dhammamabhiññāya
dhammamaññāya paṇḍito,
rahadova nivāte ca
anejo vūpasammati.

Thoroughly understanding the Dhamma
and freed from longing through insight,
the wise one rid of all desire
is calm as a pool unstirred by wind.

Itivuttaka 3.92

Gemstones of the Good Dhamma,
compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

 

Daily Words of the Buddha ~ June 24, 2014

crossing over
Appamādaratā hotha!
Sacittamanurakkhatha!
Duggā uddharathattānaṃ,
paṅke sannova kuñjaro.

Delight in heedfulness!
Guard well your thoughts!
Draw yourself out of this bog of evil,
even as an elephant draws itself out of the mud.

Dhammapada 23.327

The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom,

translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita

 

 

Daily Words of the Buddha ~ June 23, 2014

face rose
Yañca kāmasukhaṃ loke,
yañcidaṃ diviyaṃ sukhaṃ,
taṇhakkhayasukhassete,
kalaṃ nāgghanti soḷasiṃ.

Any sensual bliss in the world,
any heavenly bliss,
isn’t worth one sixteenth-sixteenth
of the bliss of the ending of craving.

Udāna 2.12

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

 

 

I Ching For The Week of June 18, 2014

Gu#18 — Gu — decay/corruption/repair


Above: Gen quiet mountain; unshakable, steady, firm, and still

Below : Sun root; standing on a firm platform to achieve a slow and nourishing penetration into the heart of the matter.

The Wisdom:

There is one thing you can count on: all things change.
The root of the situation is breaking down.
This is in the natural order;
No blame, no fear, don’t try to stop it or slow it down.

In the past, when you have been confronted with situations that are falling apart and not working, you have called on tried and true methods to make repairs and clear the way. The old ways are no longer working, as times, energy, and world intent have drastically changed—and this is just the beginning

Dangerous times such as these bring opportunity for creative transformation. Take a look at the foundation of your creations. Examine your health, business, relationships, and state of mind to see if there is some hidden decay beginning to eat away at what you have built and worked so hard for. You are bound to find corruption at the foundation of your ways of thinking that must be repaired and renewed. If you do not see it or find it, you are either not looking hard enough or looking in the wrong places.

As you enter into the internal archeology of the heart and soul, you are getting the feeling of being thwarted in your movement forward and this is causing angst and fear to arise. The churning in the belly, or what you smell and feel burning like acid at the back of your throat is fear. This overpowering sense that is waking you in the night, or distracting you in your daily toil is a signal that you must call on all your resources to access those hidden recesses where there is decay or weakness in your matrix, so you can make a plan of reconstruction, change your ways of thinking and interacting with others, and embrace your fears until they turn into light. You are a light being, a spiritual warrior, now act like one.

Having a plan is vital now. In the original text of the oracle, the Yi Jing, the ideograms for this hexagram indicate to “wait three days” before you make any move to repair the decaying components. The reference to “three days” means a period of contemplation, meditation, and concentration. This is good advice as the weirdness of what is going on is not like any other time. Normally when we spot something that is out of order, our first thought is to move immediately to fix it. In this situation, however, that would not be of benefit as things are not normal. They are, in fact, strange, very strange. If you move too quickly, you will glide over the fine points that need attention, or you may, in your hurry to get out of the discomfort of disrepair, totally miss seeing the actual, true root of the corruption, as it may be masked by pain and suffering. It may be an idea has been corrupted, or it may be that a person involved in your plan has been corrupted by greed or infatuation, or it may be you. Whatever the case, you are called upon to move without fear as the spiritual warrior into the heart of the matter and thoroughly look to your own actions to see that you are not being spurred on by fear, avarice, or greed.

Note well that three days is a brilliant metaphor for slowing down, going into contemplation, and being mindful. In actuality you can do this in just one session of stillness. The important thing is to not jump in too fast. Take your time and open your heart. When you find an aspect of your situation that brings up fear or shame, then you’ve hit on it—this is exactly where you need to address the present breakdown of your very foundation and beliefs. Now go into it heart first. It may mean a change of approach or way of thinking. It may mean rooting out people or situations that are not in harmony with the true you at this time. This is the action that brings change for the better, which places you right where you need to be to work for your own clarity, and for progress in your relationships with tribe and associates.

Everything that manifests as reality begins as a thought form—everything. And we are suffering and living under a very screwed-up view of what reality really is. So in a very real sense you are what you think: Change your way of thinking. This is a time of great opportunity. If you miss this train it will not serve you well; it could, in fact, destroy what you hold close as your wisdom and truth. Do not fear admitting that you totally bought into the global lie; this isn’t about beating yourself up. To the contrary, you have only to admit this to yourself, and then take action to correct your habitual, programmed thinking. No worries about timing; you are right on time.

Be unrelentingly honest with yourself about your recent behavior and ways of thinking. Look at the problems of the past and how your patterned thoughts (and those of the collective tortured reality), stale and childish bad habits, and fear of being your authentic self have held you back and have placed a burden on others and made them miserable. No blame, you can change it up now. You have a window of opportunity now to recognize these negative attitudes, actions, and beliefs and replace them with the truth you are channeling and believe it. Timing and consideration are of utmost importance, as this cycle will soon end and a new one will begin. So, start now.

Look into the past
And examine what has
Led to this period of dissolution.
Liberate negative emotions by acknowledging them.
The words you think are much more powerful then the words you say.

A great and joyous transformation awaits you on your path. Do not let what lies ahead daunt you or cause you to stop because of fear of failure or fear of success. Look evil in the face and raise a swift metaphoric or real kick to the groin.

To make your foundation strong and steady at this important juncture, look to what led you here. From this vantage point you can see clearly where you diverted from the path of authenticity and truth. Then, apply the antidote. And yes, you have it. The greatest curative is an open heart, where your thoughts have no judgment or blame, of either self or others. And when those little devils appear and appear, as they must at a time like this, recognize them, take a deep breath, and then do a ritual to let them go, using focused intent and the power of creative ceremony. Will them away. Your will and intent for the greater good will roll over any negative person, thought form, organized urban terrorists or the obstacles that society places in front of you to suck the fight out of you with its promise for greatness without work, riches that come easy or love that is too good to be true. And when you take the risk to do this, you will be free to give and receive love in grand measures as you proceed on your path toward bliss, accomplishment, and abundance in all things.

And know this: You do not have to come to a full stop in your life to accomplish the tasks before you. Proceed with your work and take time to have fun. Make time for finding yourself in joy. Dance with life and dance with love, as the full galactic universe is playing the tune, and all you have to do is shut up and listen and act on what you hear, see, and feel. Fellow pilgrims, we spiritual warriors are coming home. We are the Warrior Generation. Breathe it, feel it and be it…and the “it” of which I speak and write is Love.

Peace…

BobbyK

www.bobbyklein.com

 

 

Daily Words of the Buddha ~ June 22, 2014

joyous solstice

Sukhā matteyyatā loke,
atho petteyyatā sukhā,
sukhā sāmaññatā loke,
atho brahmaññatā sukhā.

In this world, good it is to serve one’s mother,
good it is to serve one’s father,
good it is to serve the monks and nuns,
and good it is to serve the holy ones.


Dhammapada 23.332

The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom,
translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Daily Words of the Buddha ~ June 21, 2014

Rune Askland
Sabbapāpassa akaraṇaṃ,
kusalassa upasampadā,
sacittapariyodapanaṃ —
etaṃ buddhāna sāsanaṃ.

To avoid all evil,
to cultivate good,
and to purify one’s mind —
this is the teaching of the Buddhas.

Dhammapada 14.183

The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom,

translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita

 

Daily Words of the Buddha ~ June 20, 2014

Wat Arun in Bangkok of Thailand

Yassa selūpamaṃ cittaṃ, ṭhitaṃ nānupakampati,
virattaṃ rajanīyesu,
kopaneyye na kuppati:
Yassevaṃ bhāvitaṃ cittaṃ,
kuto taṃ dukkhamessatī?

Whose mind is like rock, steady, unmoved,
dispassionate for things that spark passion,
unangered by things that spark anger:
When one’s mind is developed like this,
from where can there come suffering & stress?


Udāna 4.34

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

 

 

Daily Words of the Buddha ~ June 19, 2014

mirellasantana
Pāpañce puriso kayirā,
na naṃ kayirā punappunaṃ.
Na tamhi chandaṃ kayirātha,
dukkho pāpassa uccayo.

Should a person commit evil,
let one not do it again and again.
Let one not find pleasure therein,
for painful is the accumulation of evil.

Dhammapada 9.117

The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom,
translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita

 

Daily Words of the Buddha ~ June 18, 2014

morroco
Yo ca vassasataṃ jīve
apassaṃ udayabbayaṃ
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo
passato udayabbayaṃ.

Better it is to live one day
seeing the rise and fall of things
than to live a hundred years
without ever seeing the rise and fall of things.

Dhammapada 8.113

The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom,
translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita