Prashamana Project

Turning the Wheel (Old Path White Clouds, TNH, pp 146-149)

The Buddha began serenely, “My brothers, there are two extremes that a person on the path should avoid. One is to plunge oneself into sensual pleasures, and the other is to deprive the body of its needs. Both of these extremes lead to failure. The path I have discovered is The Middle Way, which avoids both extremes and has the capacity to lead one to understanding, liberation and peace. It is the Noble Eightfold Path of right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. I have followed this Noble Eightfold Path and have realized understanding, liberation and peace.

“Brothers, why do I call it the Noble Eightfold Path? I call it the Right Path because it does not avoid or deny suffering, but allows for a direct confrontation with suffering as the means to overcome it. The Noble Eightfold Path is the Path of living in awareness. Mindfulness is the foundation. By practicing Mindfulness, you can develop concentration which enables you to attain Understanding. Thanks to right concentration, you realize right awareness, thoughts, speech, action, livelihood, and effort. The Understanding which develops can liberate you from every shackle of suffering and give birth to true peace and joy. 

“Brothers, there are four truths: the existence of suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path which leads to the cessation of suffering. I call these the Four Noble Truths. The first is the existence of suffering. Birth, old age, sickness and death are suffering. Sadness, anger, jealousy, worry, anxiety, fear and despair are suffering. Separation from loved ones is suffering. Association with those you hate is suffering. Desire, attachment, and clinging to the five aggregates are suffering.

“Brothers, the second truth is the cause of suffering. Because of ignorance, people cannot see the truth about life, and they become caught in the flames of desire, anger, jealousy, grief, worry, fear, and despair.

“Brothers, the third truth is the cessation of suffering. Understanding the truth of life brings about the cessation of every grief and sorrow and gives rise to peace and joy.

“Brothers, the fourth truth is the path which leads to the cessation of suffering. It is the Noble Eightfold Path, which I have just explained. The Noble Eightfold Path is nourished by living mindfully. Mindfulness leads to concentration and understanding which liberates you from every pain and sorrow and leads to peace and joy. I will guid you along this path of realization.”

…….as you just said, living each day mindfully is the basis of the spiritual practice.”

“The Buddha smiled at them, “Please, brothers, practice with an open and intelligent spirit, and in three months you will have attained the fruit of liberation.”

…..

The Buddha taught them about the impermanent and non-self nature of all things. He taught them to look at the five aggregates as five constantly flowing rivers which contained nothing that could be called separate or permanent. The five aggregates were the body, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness. By meditating on the five aggregates within themselves, they came to see the intimate and wondrous connection between themselves and all in the universe.

It’s just this.

Right Here.

There is no better.

There is no worse.

It’s only bad because it’s good,

and vice versa.

The future is this as well.

Already felt in the past.

Always, dark; always light.

Can you accept the totality?

Can you embrace your fears?

The thoughts you think are your reality.

They are as transient and concrete as the seat you’re in,

or the shifting sands beneath your feet.

Allow the waves to roll over you.

The ocean wishes to dance.

It will not be stopped.

Be real.

Be true.

Most importantly,

Be Happy.

& Accept.

All.

This blog expresses the empirical perspective of one subject, and in no way is meant to be taken as Dogma or fact. It is a tiny corner of the cosmos for one man to express his views with the aspiration they may in some way inspire the hearts and minds of another. Understanding it is not for everyone, we wait patiently for those with ears to hear and hearts to feel.

Compassion is not solely about soft-hearted awareness, though it is one expression. Only through an expansion of Compassion can a true expansion of consciousness be realized. 

The seed of Super-Consciousness is born the moment the seer perceives the conscious experience of another sentient’s point of view. This relationship is the energy of compassion. When the object’s suffering or happiness is perceived clearly by the subject, it becomes the suffering or happiness of the subject.

Compassion unites the cosmos.

Mindfulness is the Key, Love is the Answer.

Anātman, अनात्मन्, the illusion of self pervades all existence. The volition or consciousness I take on as myself is also the will of Cosmic Karma acting as a blazing, extended arm, beaming out of the field of emptiness. All formations continue in this way, come from and eventually lead to the true source, Shunyata. The Will of any phenomenon expresses itself joyfully,  as soon as conditions are set. Music is one such phenomenon  Therefore, the will of Music is me, becomes me, there is no separation.

Apollo flows through the veins of my spiritual and physical self manifesting as the expression of sound. He permits my aggregate to be the vehicle which, upon insight, allows this volition to be pure and wills a direction within this polar existence towards a place of light, until the user is finally catapulted to emancipation.