the Buddha 2

the Buddha

Homing in on the Truth.

The mindful ones exert themselves.
They are not attached to any home;
likes swans that abandon the lake,
they leave home after home behind.

Not just because I've said it.

The man who is without blind faith,

who has realized the Unconditioned ,

who has severed all links

of the round of rebirths,

destroyed all causes

of good and evil karma,

and thrown out all desires,

is indeed the noblest of all men.

Follow this Path.

Having discovered
how to pull out the thorn of lust,
I make known the path.

Walking upon this path
you will make an end of suffering.

You yourselves must strive;
I only point the way.

Those meditative ones who tread the path
are released from the bonds of Mara.

Do Not Self-Harm!

Like fine dust thrown against the wind,

evil falls back upon that fool

who offends an inoffensive,

pure and guiltless man.

Let Your Light Shine Through!

The sun shines by day,
the moon shines by night.

The warrior shines in armour,
the holy man shines in meditation.

But the Buddha shines
resplendent all day and all night.

Lights off, please.

Once the external light was extinguished,
the inner light was able to come into existence.

Once dependence on others is gone,
then only can one's potential be realized.

Toward the Light.

Abandoning the dark way,

let the wise man cultivate the bright path.

Having gone from home to homelessness,

let him yearn for that delight in detachment,

so difficult to enjoy.

Giving up sensual pleasures,

with no attachment,

let the wise man cleanse himself

of defilements of the mind.

Practice What You Preach.

One should first establish oneself

in what is proper;

then only should one instruct others.

Thus the wise man

will not be reproached.

One should do

what one teaches others to do;

if one should train others,

one should be well controlled oneself.

Difficult, indeed, is self-control.

One will do.

Better than

a thousand useless words

is one useful word,

hearing which

one attains peace.

Better than

a thousand useless verses

is one useful verse,

hearing which

one attains peace.

Better than

reciting a hundred meaningless verses

is the reciting

of one verse of Dhamma,

hearing which one attain peace.

Please don't be angry.

Overcome the angry by non-anger;
overcome the wicked by goodness;
overcome the miser by generosity;
overcome the liar by truth.

Speak the truth;
yield not to anger;
when asked, give even if you only have a little.
By these three means,
one can reach the presence of the gods.

[Dhammapada, verses 223 & 224]

Track Desires.

Watch the tracks of desire.

Be still and know.

Then you will see how things are.

be Mindful of Craving

There is no satisfying sensual desires,
even with a rain of gold coins.

For sensual pleasures
give little satisfaction and much pain.

Having understood this,
the wise man finds no delight
even in heavenly pleasures.

The disciple of the Supreme Buddha
delights in the destruction of craving.
[Dhammapada, verses 186 and 187]

Powerful Thoughts!

What we are today
comes from our thoughts of yesterday.
And our present thoughts
build our life of tomorrow.
Our life is the creation of our mind.

If a man speaks or acts with an impure mind,
suffering follows him
as the wheel of the cart follows
the beast that draws the cart.

If a man speaks or acts with a pure mind,
joy follows him as his own shadow.
[Dhammapada, verses 1 and 2]

Discrimination!

All concepts of good and bad, having and not having, benefit and harm, me and others are products of the mind that discriminates.

Turning Away from...

The body, perceptions, feelings, mind, discriminating consciousness are not the self or soul.

Turn away from them, one becomes free from craving.

the Path.

Middle Path:
Avoid the two extremes --- that joined with luxury and passion, and that joined with torture.

Noble Eightfold Path:
Correct Understanding, Correct Intention, Correct Speech, Correct Action, Correct Livelihood, Correct Attention, Correct Concentration, Correct Meditation.

Still your Mind.

Meditate in order to purify the mind of:

• lusts,
• the wish to injure,
• ill temper,
• sloth,
• worry,
• irritability,
• wavering and doubt.

Hindrances to meditation:

• thoughts of sense pleasure
• and ill-will,
• together with attacks of lethargy and drowsiness,
• agitation and worry,
• and sometimes sceptical doubt.
  

Ask Me Not !

Buddha told his disciples not to enquire into the origin of the world, into the existence and nature of God. He said such investigations were practically useless and likely to distract their minds.