Month: May 2018

How Buddhists Think

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By Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

An excerpt from a teaching called “How Buddhists Think”

Some years ago, His Holiness the Dalai Lama took part in an interfaith discussion at a cathedral in Washington, D.C.  The Episcopalian ministers and Catholic priests repeatedly stressed the sameness at the core of all religions.  His Holiness stood up and said that in some respects we are all the same: we all wish for peace on Earth, we wish for the benefit of beings, we wish for the end of suffering, we wish to attain a level of consciousness in which we are unified with our optimum goal, whatever that might be.  “But,” he said, “between your religion and my religion there are fundamental differences.  And that has to be okay.  There has to be unity in diversity.”

Although I would certainly never speak for the Dalai Lama, I assume that the “fundamental differences” to which he referred have to do with Buddhism’s lack of an external God.  This is generally not understood by Westerners.  The Buddha’s teachings do not advocate the attainment of oneness with a God, with anything external.  Instead, the Buddha teaches the essential sameness of all phenomena, pointing out that in the beginning there was no distinction.  The Buddha tells us that such a distinction exists only in our mind, which is fixated on self-nature as being inherently real.

In truth, our Nature is all-pervasive.  There is no separation.  There is no distinction.  When Realization is achieved, it is a non-specific awareness, a luminosity, an innate wakefulness.  The process of fixation, of contrivance and distinction, is pacified.  That is not the same as attaining oneness with anything external.  The Buddha leads us to pacify the delusion that causes fixation on duality.

There is no optimum state one has to create, no supreme being towards whom to move.  For a Buddhist, the goal is awakening.  It is an awakening to the Nature that cannot be nearer, or stronger, or better than it is now.  It can never be tainted, pushed away, destroyed.  It remains stable and unchanging.  It is simply “Suchness.”

Copyright ©  Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.  All rights reserved

Astrology for 05/31/2018

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05/31/2018 Thursday by Jampal & Wangmo

Theme: Restrained emotions

It’s a more serious day and emotions are reigned in as you seek to accomplish your tasks. The bigger picture is cause for optimism but it’s the smaller stuff that attracts your attention today. You can harness mental energy to tackle difficult problems for the next few days. You or others will speak your mind but not in a threatening way. There is is increasing subjectivity. Be aware there are always two sides to a discussion. What makes Superman a hero is not that he has power, but that he has the wisdom and the maturity to use the power wisely.~Christopher Reeve

 

The Feast

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Tsog - A Spiritual Feast

The banquet is ready
The feast is set
And never will I forget
The taste, the sweetness.

The Bodhichitta, sublime display
Of all the Buddhas. Sweetness
Without measure. Peerless pleasure
The dazzling play of light
And essence.

Oh! For the day still coming
When virtue prevails
The ship to Liberation sails
For you. Come aboard!
Know the Lotus Lord.

In this day, in this time,
Taste the bliss- love sublime awaits.
Where are you? Will you obey
The call within, or turn away?
Will the treasure be yours, today?

Oh, Beloved, will you stay?

By Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo on October 23, 2009

Astrology for 05/30/2018

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05/30/2018 Wednesday by Jampal & Wangmo

Theme: From steady to lively communication

The planet of communication, Mercury, enters its home sign of Gemini which accelerates the pace of thought and communication. Its a time when conversation flows more freely and people change their minds. Enjoy social events and bring your sense of humor. All forms of communication are strengthened, ranging from writing through to public speaking and tweeting! Another astrological theme for the next few weeks is strengthening physical spaces that support your spiritual pursuits. No use, Joker! I knew you’d employ your sneezing powder, so I took an Anti-Allergy Pill! Instead of a SNEEZE, I’ve caught YOU, COLD! ~Batman

Today the Moon is Void of Course from 2.27 am EST USA until 5.28am. If you’re in another country check what that means for you time-wise. It’s best to avoid making major decisions or signing contracts during this time.

 

 

Astrology for 05/29/2018

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05/29/2018 Tuesday by Jampal & Wangmo

Theme: Tuning into others

There is a harmonious flow between planets in the element of water concerning idealism, spirituality and relationships for the next few days. You can be on the giving or receiving end of nurturing, deepening and feeling supported. Gentleness brings good results. The full moon heightens emotions so wherever you experience challenges those too can be heightened. These challenges will relax tomorrow. Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.~Albert Einstein

Limitless Kindness

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An excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo from the Vow of Love series available on Amazon

One of the most important and central thoughts in Buddhist philosophy is the idea of compassion. The Buddha taught that we must cultivate our lives as a vehicle to be of benefit to all sentient beings.  It’s good that you’re a good mother, and it’s good that you’re a good friend, but we can’t limit ourselves to a small, familiar circle. We have to go on and on increasing our compassionate activity, our influence and our determination until we attain a level of kindness or compassion that supersedes what we believe is reasonable. We can’t stop even with our nation. We can’t think that we only want to help Americans. Nor can we stop with our world. We can’t think that we only want to help humans and animals, which are the ones that we can see. We have to think, according to the Buddha, that we wish to be of benefit to all sentient beings.

A sentient being is one who has sensory feeling or the development of that kind of discriminating consciousness. According to the Buddha’s teachings, there are six realms of cyclic existence, and there are sentient beings in all of these realms. The human realm and the animal realm are visible to us. This is living proof that at least some of the Buddha’s teaching is right. We see human beings and we see animals; therefore, we know that they exist. But according to the Buddha’s teaching, there are also non-physical beings and different kinds of beings that must be considered if we are to truly develop the mind of compassion.

Limiting ourselves to an identity such as,”I am a woman,” or “I am a man,” or “I am an American,” or “I am a Russian,” or even “I am a citizen of planet earth,” is not the way of the Buddha. Instead, we should think that on every particle we can see, and all those that we cannot see, and in every inch of space, there are millions and millions of sentient beings. And space goes on forever. If we intend to develop the mind of kindness, it must extend to all sentient beings equal to the limits of space.  Space has no limits and there are limitless beings, seen and unseen.  Therefore, we must extend the mind of compassion to beings far beyond those we can conceive of with our brains. That is an awesome thought. How can we really do that? We think that must be impossible. How can we be directly concerned with somebody we can’t see? How can we really care about something that might be infinitesimally small, like bacteria? Or a sentient being that may be as large as a galaxy? How can we seriously consider we must be kind to all sentient beings in that way?

When you develop the mind of compassion, you have to be careful how you develop that mind. If you examine yourself profoundly and honestly – and you have to be willing to be very honest with yourself – you may find that your goal is not really to benefit all sentient beings, but to be a kind person. There are worlds and universes of difference between these two goals. One is selfless: you truly wish to be of benefit to all sentient beings. The other is heading in the right direction, but ultimately it is not selfless because you wish that you could be a kind person. I hope that you can hear the difference between these two ideas. There are worlds of difference between them.

© Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo

The Power Of Speech

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From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

What is “Right Speech” in Buddha Dharma? Mostly as with the Eight Fold Path, we must do no harm. To understand right speech one must first understand what non virtuous speech is. That is where one speaks in a way as to be hurtful, offensive to another. Like name- calling and bullying others. Hate speech, in other words. Any speech that elevates oneself at the expense of others. Mean speech, speech without foundation, especially, which is gossip. Divisive speech. Speech that is not factual – lying. Telling tales to hurt a person’s livelihood. Lying speech causing one to prosper while others cannot as a result. Some think brutal honesty is right speech. Not so. Take the brutality out. Some think they are always right so brutality is necessary. Never the case!

We can always use right speech if we try. And to try we must be warm hearted and caring. Willing to take a back seat and applaud another’s efforts. At that point we can develop right speech, that is helpful. We can nurture, build confidence, benefit others with right speech. It is teaching, helpful and loving. When right speech is accomplished, in a future life one’s voice will be gifted and empowered. One will bring happiness and good result from teaching. One will be born with a beautiful voice, that is well loved and can transmit many blessings. That is the power of right speech, and one can see if they have spoken kindly in a previous life. The voice will be a beautiful thing, like a golden magical flute. All will benefit and Dharma will be spoken.

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. All rights reserved

Astrology for 05/28/2018

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05/28/2018 Monday by Wangmo & Jampal

Theme: Intense communication

Your feelings and thoughts maybe at odds today and being stubborn is a theme. On the plus side you may have productive conversations with others about the meaning of the life and heart-felt concerns. For the next week there is a harmonious flow between the two planets of good fortune – Venus and Jupiter. This means there are opportunities especially through relationships that bring benefit. You feel more optimistic during this period. Always look on the bright side of life.~Eric Idle

Today the Moon is Void of Course from 1.26 pm EST USA until 6.30 pm. If you’re in another country check what that means for you time-wise. It’s best to avoid making major decisions or signing contracts during this time.

Astrology for 05/27/2018

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05/27/2018 Sunday by Jampal & Wangmo

Theme: Turning towards the spiritual

It is a good day to contemplate the deeper aspects of life. Look to your heart rather than your mind. Generosity is in the air and generally people are kinder towards one another. On another level energy can play out in fantasizing and dreaming, or in empathy towards others. With heightened sensitivity to others the negative moods can effect you more deeply. Continue to take advantage of the positive energy to accomplish your goals. It will be helpful in understanding that the kind of practice that results in supreme enlightenment is a continuous, natural, graceful effort.~Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo

 

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