Buddhism

Drinking Lotus Tea From the Petals

vietnam-beauty-via-lotus-flower-lakes-in-the-whole-country-part-1-1

 

By Thich Nhat Hanh

In the old times people liked to drink tea, lotus tea, right among the lotus flowers. The lotus ponds were very big, and thousands of lotus flowers would bloom every day. If you wanted to have the best kind of lotus tea, this is what you would do: in the morning, or at noon, you would take a small boat into the middle of the pond where the lotus flowers were blooming, and you would take out your tea and entrust it to the heart of the lotus flower. And then in the afternoon, the lotus flowers would begin to close, and the lotus flower would keep the tea all night. Meantime, the perfume of the lotus flower would penetrate into the tea. Read more…

Magnificent Consent

From The Rebel by Albert Camus
028At a Vispassana Retreat, teachers Eric Kolvig and Brian Lesage illustrated the equanimity practice with a passage from Camus.
One must accept the unacceptable and hold to the untenable. This magnificent consent, born of abundance and fullness of spirit, is the unreserved affirmation of human imperfection and suffering, of evil and murder, of all that is problematic and strange in our existence. It is born of an arrested wish to be what one is in a world that is what it is.
Thus from absolute despair will spring infinite joy, from blind servitude, unbounded freedom. To be free is, precisely, to abolish ends. The innocence of the ceaseless change of things, as soon as one consents to it, represents the maximum liberty. The free mind willingly accepts what is necessary.
Painting by Orlando Leibovitz

Born and Enlightened on the Full Moon

Vesak – the full moon festival honoring the signal events in the Buddha’s life, is celebrated by millions around the world on the full moon in May, taking place this year on May 24.

The outstanding events in the life of the Buddha took place on full moon days. The Buddha was born on a full moon day. His renunciation took place on a full moon day. His Enlightenment, the delivery of his first sermon, his passing away into Nirvana and other crucial events occurred on full moon days.

For Buddhists, it is an opportunity to reflect on our personal spiritual development and to make others happy. Statues of the Buddha are bathed, an act symbolizing purification. In addition to reflecting on the teaching of universal compassion, many Buddhists to take vegetarian meals on this special day.

 

Metta and the Benefits of Metta

Lise Meitner and Nuclear FissionThe Pali word metta means loving-kindness, friendliness, goodwill, benevolence, fellowship,  and non-violence. Pali commentators define metta as the strong wish for the welfare and happiness of others. Through metta one refuses to be offensive and renounces bitterness, resentment and animosity of every kind, developing instead a mind of friendliness, accommodation and benevolence which seeks the well-being and happiness of others. True metta is devoid of self-interest. Read more…

Ten Practices of a Zen Peacemaker

Zen Peacemakers is an organization of socially engaged Buddhists. It was founded by Roshi Bernie Glassman and his wife Sandra Jishu Holmes in 1996 and its work has been continued by Roshi Joan Halifax of Upaya.

Peacemakers throughout all space and time recognize that they are not separate from all that is. Read more…

Breathe!

 

Breathe! You are online. Right here. Right now.

Thich Nhat  Hanh

Becoming Bodhisattvas

 

We are all

little buddhas

Falling!

Image by Katenfelix

The bad news is you’re falling through the air, nothing to hang on to, no parachute. The good news is there’s no ground.

Chogyam Trungpa

 

 

from The Heart of Understanding

by Thich Nhat Hanh

This is one of the most beautiful teachings ever.

If you are a poet, you will see clearly that there is a cloud floating in this sheet of paper. Without a cloud, there will be no rain; without rain the trees cannot grow; and without trees, we cannot make paper. Read more…

Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva Way

Chanting the verses from Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life can transform our  limiting attitude that it is all about us and open us to a more spacious understanding of life.

I shall give away fully with no sense of loss

My body, enjoyments and all merits of the three times 
(past, present and future)

To accomplish the work for ALL sentient beings.

Read more…