August 31, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/31/2007


Practice for the New Millennium by the Dalai LamaThe Practice:

1. Spend 5 minutes at the beginning of each day rememberingwe all want the same things (to be happy and be loved)and we are all connected to one another.

2. Spend 5 minutes breathing in, cherishing yourself; and, breathing outcherishing others. If you think about people you have difficulty cherishing,extend your cherishing to them anyway.

3. During the day extend that attitude to everyone you meet. Practice cherishing the "simplest" person (clerks, attendants, etc)or people you dislike.

4. Continue this practice no matter what happens or what anyone does to you. These thoughts are very simple, inspiring and helpful. The practice of cherishing can be taken very deeply if done wordlessly, allowing yourself to feel the love and appreciation thatalready exists in your heart.


August 30, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/30/2007


Believe nothing merely because you have been told it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings -that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.

~Buddha


August 29, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/29/2007


Fools wait for a lucky day but every day is a luck day for an industrious man.


August 28, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/28/2007


Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. ~Buddha


August 27, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/27/2007


The secret of happiness liesin the mind's release from worldly ties.


August 26, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/26/2007


Pay no attention to the faults of others,things done or left undone by others.Consider only what by oneself is done or left undone.


August 25, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/25/2007


Whether one believes in a religion or not,and whether one believes in rebirth or not,there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.

~Dalai Lama


August 24, 2007


Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/24/2007


Daily Necessities Tips & pointers for building a spiritual life from scratch...

Pray Meditate Be aware/Stay awake Bow Practise yoga Feel Chant and sing Breathe and smile Relax/Enjoy/Laugh/Play Create/Envision Let Go/Forgive/Accept Walk/Exercise/Move Work/Serve/Contribute Listen/Learn/Enquire Consider/Reflect Cultivate oneself/Enhance competencies Cultivate contentment Cultivate flexibility Cultivate friendship and collaboration Lighten up Celebrate and appreciate Dream Give thanks Evolve Love Share/Give/Receive Walk softly/Live gently Expand/Radiate/Dissolve Simplify Surrender/Trust Be born anew.

~from Awakening The Buddha Within by Lama Surya Das


August 23, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/23/2007


The Fragrance of the Rose

The disciples were absorbed in a discussion of Lao-tzu's dictum: "Those who know, do not say; Those who say, do not know."When the master entered, they asked him what the words meant. Said the master, "Which of you knows the fragrance of a rose?" All of them indicated that they knew. Then he said, "Put it into words." All of them were silent.

~from One Minute Wisdom by Anthony DeMello


August 22, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/22/2007




The Four Reliances


First, rely on the spirit and meaning of the teachings, not on the words; Second, rely on the teachings, not on the personality of the teacher; Third, rely on real wisdom, not superficial interpretation; And fourth, rely on the essence of your pure Wisdom Mind, not on judgmental perceptions.


~Traditional Buddhist teaching




August 21, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/21/2007


We are what we think.All that we are arises with our thoughts.With our thoughts, we make our world. ~Buddha


August 20, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/20/2007


The whole purpose of religionis to facilitate love and compassion, patience,tolerance, humility, forgiveness.

~Dalai Lama


August 19, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/19/2007


Be awake

Love yourself and be awake -today, tomorrow, always. First establish yourself in the way,then teach others, and so defeat sorrow. To straighten the crooked you must first do a harder thing -straighten yourself. You are the only master. Who else? Subdue yourself, and discover your master.


August 18, 2007

August 17, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/17/2007


As human beings we all want to be happy and free from misery.We have learned that the key to happiness is inner peace.The greatest obstacles to inner peace are disturbing emotions such asanger and attachment, fear and suspicion,while love and compassion, a sense of universal responsibilityare the sources of peace and happiness. ~Dalai Lama


August 16, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/16/2007


Be a lamp unto Yourself

As the Buddha was dying, Ananda asked who would be their teacher after death. He replied to his disciple ~ "Be lamps unto yourselves. Be refuges unto yourselves. Take yourself no external refuge. Hold fast to the truth as a lamp. Hold fast to the truth as a refuge. Look not for a refuge in anyone besides yourselves. And those, Ananda, who either now or after I am dead, Shall be a lamp unto themselves, Shall betake themselves as no external refuge, But holding fast to the truth as their lamp, Holding fast to the truth as their refuge, Shall not look for refuge to anyone else besides themselves, It is they who shall reach to the very topmost height; But they must be anxious to learn.

"Quoted in Joseph Goldstein, The Experience of Insight

August 15, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/15/2007


If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.If you want to be happy, practice compassion. ~The Dalai Lama

August 14, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/14/2007


Live in JoyLive in Joy, In love, Even among those who hate. Live in joy, In health, Even among the afflicted. Live in joy, In peace, Even among the troubled. Look within. Be still. Free from fear and attachment, Know the sweet joy of living in the way. There is no fire like greed, No crime like hatred, No sorrow like separation, No sickness like hunger of heart, And no joy like the joy of freedom. Health, contentment and trust Are your greatest possessions, And freedom your greatest joy. Look within. Be still. Free from fear and attachment, Know the sweet joy of living in the way.

~from the Dhammapada, Words of the Buddha


August 13, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/13/2007


One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the messiah?" "No", answered Buddha. "Then are you a healer?" "No", Buddha replied. "Then are you a teacher?" the student persisted. "No, I am not a teacher." "Then what are you?" asked the student, exasperated. "I am awake", Buddha replied.


August 12, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/12/2007


Believe nothing on the faith of traditions, even though they have been held in honor for many generations and in diverse places. Do not believe a thing because many people speak of it. Do not believe on the faith of the sages of the past. Do not believe what you yourself have imagined, persuading yourself that a God inspires you. Believe nothing on the sole authority of your masters and priests. After examination, believe what you yourself have tested and found to be reasonable, and conform your conduct thereto. ~Buddha


August 11, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/11/2007


On life's journey Faith is nourishment, Virtuous deeds are a shelter, Wisdom is the light by day and Right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life nothing can destroy him; If he has conquered greed nothing can limit his freedom. ~Buddha


August 10, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/10/2007


True spiritual practice is not founded on attainment or on the miraculous, but on seeing life itself as a true miracle. In the words of a Zen master,
"My magical power and miraculous gift: Drawing water and chopping wood."


August 09, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/9/2007


Consider the trees which allow the birds to perch and fly away without either inviting them to stay or desiring them never to depart. If your heart can be like this, you will be near to the way.


August 08, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/8/2007


Before enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water. After enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water.


August 07, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/7/2007


Learning Zen is a phenomenon of gold and dung. Before you understand it, it's like gold; after you understand it, it's like dung.
~Zen master


August 06, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/6/2007


If you understand, things are just as they are; if you do not understand, things are just as they are.


August 05, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/5/2007


Talking about Zen all the time is like looking for fish tracks in a dry riverbed.
Wu-Tzu

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August 04, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/4/2007


We shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want.
~Lao Tzu


August 03, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/3/2007


Sitting peacefully doing nothing Spring comes and the grass grows all by itself.
~Lao Tzu


August 02, 2007

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 8/2/2007


The quieter you become,the more you are able to hear.
~Lao Tzu


August 01, 2007