Archive for category Buddhism
Buddhist Thoughts: Dust!
This quote comes as I have been looking through stuff to pack our house and move. At a time when eBay becomes my best friend, and when I think which things I should trash, give to the charity shop or keep.
Just as material things are made of dust, so too are our perceptions and thoughts mere dust. Just as it takes only a moment to wipe the dust from the surface of a mirror, so it takes only a moment to become enlightened, the moment all defiled intentions are cleared from our consciousness, we will see ourselves in the mirror of perfect truth.
- Master Hsing Yun, “Describing the Indescribable”
But all things I keep are essentially made out of dust. They die or are already dead. They burn or go away. Old pictures, old birthday cards, and other sentimental things that might trigger some good or bad memories.
The memories are, similar to our perceptions and thoughts, mere dust. It only takes a moment to wipe this memory away.
With no thoughts it might only take a moment to become enlightened. Free of everything. A state free from ignorance, desire and suffering.
All intentions are coming from our conciousness. All our thoughts are really.
Rid yourself of all thoughts, become enlightened and find yourself the perfect truth. About life and yourself!
Enjoy the journey.
Buddha Bless,
Volker
Buddhist Thought: Awareness
One of my Twitter feeds showed this quote:
Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness. ~ James Thurber
Again, this is very clear, at least to me: we should not worry about anything in life really. Of course we cannot avoid worrying, but in general, it is important to not getting wound up on things.
What ever happens happens. You cannot change certain things. So don’t be angry looking back. And, on the same note, don’t be too afraid looking forward. Some fear and anticipation is surely good but not that you are scared.
However, what you should always do is look around with awareness. For me that means to live in the moment. The very moment is what counts. The here and now that makes the difference.
What passed has passed. What comes will be. But by showing awareness in the moment we make our life a bit more worthwhile and worry free.
Try it today.
Love and Kindness,
Volker
Buddhist Thought: Sutra
A monk asked, All of the buddhas and all of the buddadharmas come forth from this sutra. What is this sutra? Qinshan said, Forever turning.
- Zens Chinese Heritage
The Sutra, not the Kama Sutra 
, are oral teachings recorded from Buddha and old Buddhist folk.
So this little quote says that Sutra is “forever turning”. Constantly changing, evaluating, improving.
You recognise that? To succeed in life or work, to be the best you can say, you need to constantly change, evaluate, improve. That is why Buddhist teachings are helpful for you to improve yourself, to use the theory for personal development.
I use it more and more in coaching.
Have a great week!
Love and Happiness,
Volker
Buddhist Thought: Mantra
A mantra is not like a prayer to a divine being. Rather, the mantra is the deity, is enlightenment, immediately manifest.
- Lorne Ladner, “Wheel of Great Compassion”
A mantra, like the one on the side of my blog, is not a prayer. It is a way of life, a thought. It is something you choose in order improve your life, to help you making decisions. It leads you to your enlightenment, it helps you to manifest in the here and now.
Buddhist Thoughts – Incoming
A man was rowing his boat upstream on a very misty morning. Suddenly, he saw another boat coming downstream, not trying to avoid him. It was coming straight at him. He shouted, “Be careful! Be careful!” but the boat came right into him, and his boat was almost sunk. The man became very angry, and began to shout at the other person, to give him a piece of his mind. But when he looked closely, he saw that there was no one in the other boat. It turned out that the boat just got loose and went downstream. All his angel vanished, and he laughed and he laughed.
- Thich Nhat Nanh, “Being Peace”
Isn’t that a funny story? I think it is fantastic.
How often, if you take a few minutes to think about it, are you just waiting for someone to come towards you. And you let them hit you, so you can be angry at them.
Think about it.
I often happen to think that if someone squeezes in the seat next to me on the train and sits half on my lap. Or someone pushing you aside in the tube. Aren’t we all waiting for these moments to get rid of our anger?
This has nothing to do with the situation or the person. It has only to do with you.
Find those moments and change your thinking. Change the way you react. Avoid the boat instead or use its energy to your advantage. Help the boat to get by without damaging your boat or path. Change the situation by changing your attitude and the way you react to it.
You will see, you become a happier, more satisfied person.
Buddha bless.
Volker
Buddhist Thoughts – Partner’s Communication
Living with your partner, or being close with anyone – yes, this could be a work colleague, as we all know that we spend more time at work than at home – causes conflicts. That is normal.
Now today’s quote suggests the following:
It is very important that you do not compare your actions to your partner’s or judge your partner’s behavior as unskillful. Rather, focus on your own actions and take responsibility for them. Recall those times when you looked into your partner’s eyes and saw the pain you caused this person you love to suffer. If you can admit your own faults, if you can see how hurtful your actions were and tap into a sense of concern for your partner’s well-being, then compassion and loving-friendliness will flow.
- Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, “Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness”
Bhante says that instead of fuelling the conversation and make it hostile, you should stop in your tracks and think. Take responsibility! Focus on your own action!
By doing so you are less or not at all hurtful. You focus on your own mistakes instead. Be understanding, reach out to your partner and sow the love.
In return you will receive love, happiness and less conflicts.
Have a great day.
Volker
Buddhist Thoughts about attachment
You might have noticed that I write less about Buddhism lately. No other reason but that I have less time, and that I run a bit out of some really good quotes. That will change again, I am sure.
I love to write a longer article about Attachment, however I currently review the Diamond Cutter book again. Said that, I still need to finish another MBA book I am reading. Only got two eyes for reading
To be attached to one’s own happiness is a barrier to the true and perfect path. To cherish others is the source of every admirable quality.
- Tsongkhapa, “The Splendor of an Autumn Moon”
If you are attached to anything, your mind is not open for something new. If it is happiness you are attached to, you stand in your own way to find the right path.
Only if you are willing to give up any attachment and free your brain from any limiting thoughts, then you are free to find your path.
So, by cherishing others, you aren’t attached to your own happiness. And, you don’t create a new attachment, just share the love with other people and make them happy.
Could you wish for anything else?
Have a great day,
Volker
Buddhist Thoughts – Avoiding Thoughts
Another quote I really like:
It is crucial to know when it is appropriate to withdraw our attention from things that disturb our mind. However, if the only way we know how to deal with certain objects is to avoid them, there will be a severe limit as to how far our spiritual practice can take us.
- Lama Thubten Yeshe, “Introduction to Tantra”
Sometimes one continues thinking about things that are going on in one’s head. One cannot sleep or give any thought to something else. Maybe something in the future, a thought of what happens if etc.
It is important to know when to withdraw from those thoughts. Yes, we could just avoid them all but then we are limited in our believes.
Does that make sense? Yes, you should be dealing with all thoughts and some will be best avoided but most will teach you something. And resolving them will give you an advantage for your next big problem.
Never forget that you are the one in charge, deciding whether to deal with a situation and learn from it, seeing it as a challenge or rather to withdraw and avoid it. Latter won’t see you learning anything new.
Best wishes,
Volker
Buddhist Thoughts: Discomfort
Still fresh in the new year I want to continue citing some Buddhist quotes:
When you see a truck bearing down on you, by all means jump out of the way. But spend some time in meditation, too. Learning to deal with discomfort is the only way you’ll be ready to handle the truck you didn’t see.
- Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, “Mindfulness in Plain English”
What does that mean?
It means that you should be prepared at all times to avoid discomfort if you can. But, for some seldom for others often, you cannot avoid discomfort. The loss of a loved one, an accident, pain, a job loss or anything that life might throw at you.
So be prepared. Spend some time in meditation and calm your mind to be ready when the unexpected happens. Be ready to weather life’s storm.
Love and Kindness,
Volker
Buddhist Thoughts: Learning from difficult people
Just before Christmas, think of the following. It states my most practised and my most admired principle of Buddhism:
Eventually we will find (mostly in retrospect, of course) that we can be very grateful to those people who have made life most difficult for us.
- Ayya Khema, “When the Iron Eagle Flies”
I love that! I have been using this approach for many years. Whether it is a boss or whether it is a challenge at work, or at home. All those challenges you come across in life need to be solved in order for us to move on. If we master the challenge we get to the next one. If we die before we master the challenge, we will be confronted with a challenge that resolves a similar issue in our next life.
Hence, whenever you think you can escape life (suicide) or a situation (change jobs, avoid certain individuals), rest assured you come across the same situation again until it is resolved. The suffering, the ongoing samsara, will be part of this and future lives. The suffering will ease by solving one challenge, but the next one is around the corner.
Until we resolved them all. Until we become enlightened.
Buddha bless, have a great Christmas.
Volker
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