#buddhist practice

Upali (Ref) – Buddhsit practice in mountain forests 

When Upali, one of Buddha's ten great disciples, asked Buddha's permission to enter the mountain forests to practise,  

Buddha said, “Upali, there was an elephant bathing in a large pond. The elephant was washing his body, washing his back, washing his ears, and he was very happy. Seeing this, the rabbit also entered the pond, but his small body became afraid of the water and he jumped out. You are not fit for mountain forest training, O Upali. You should practise among the people." He advised him to do so. - (Samyutta Nikaya 99) 

Upali was a barber of Buddha’s birthplace before he was ordained. Thus, he probably had a gregarious personality. It is an incredible pain for such a personality to live a solitary life deep in a mountain forest. Therefore, the Buddha advised Upali to be among the people and to practise. 

The Buddha encourages those who are fit to practise in the mountain forests to do so. The Buddha gives guidance appropriate to each person according to his or her personality. That was the Buddha’s way.

ブッダから弟子たちへ、ミニシリーズ (9)

優波離(ｳﾊﾟｰﾘ 参照) 〜 山林での修行

ブッダの十大弟子の一人、優波離が山林に入って修行したいとブッダに許可を求めたとき、

ブッダは「優波離よ、大きな池で象が水浴びをしていた。身体を洗い、背を洗い、耳を洗い、まことに楽しげであった。それを見て、兎もまた池に入ったが、小さな身体で水が怖くなり、飛び出してしまった。優波離よ、そなたには山林の修行は適していない。そなたは衆生の中で修行するがよい。」と、そのように助言された。― (相応部経典 99)

優波離は出家する以前、ブッダの生国の理髪師だった。したがって、彼はたぶん人懐い性格だったと思われる。そんな性格の人間が、山林で孤独な生活をするのはすごい苦痛だ。だから、ブッダは優波離には、人々のあいだにあって修行することを勧めた。

• By removing busyness and agitation, there is natural peace.

• By removing endless desires, there is natural satisfaction.

• By removing self-centredness, there emerges a natural awareness of others and care for them.

• By removing illusions, there is natural lucidity about things.

• By removing fear of loss and stinginess, there is natural generosity.

It doesn't matter if it originates from a different school of the Dharma or if it is something you have come up with yourself, because the Dharma does not have a boundary.

Gnostic Commentary on a Buddhist Text:

On a certain day when the Buddha dwelt at Jetavana, a celestial deva (angel, master) came to him in the shape of a Brahman (priest), whose countenance was bright and whose (inner) garments (solar bodies) were white as snow (due to his perfect chastity).

The deva asked the Buddha, "What is the sharpest sword? What is the deadliest poison? What is the fiercest fire? What is the darkest night?"

The Buddha replied, "A word spoken in wrath is the sharpest sword (because it cuts both speaker and hearer); covetousness is the deadliest poison (because poison kills the entire body, not just the mouth that ingests it); hatred is the fiercest fire (the agony of hatred burns without rest); ignorance is the darkest night (lack of gnosis is the deepest suffering)."

The deva asked, "What is the greatest gain? What is the greatest loss? What armor is invulnerable? What is the best weapon?"

The Buddha replied, "The greatest gain is to give to others (this is the law of the Christ); the greatest loss is to receive (Kabbalah) without gratitude (those who receive wisdom and horde it, or who corrupt it, suffer the greatest loss, because the Christ will never incarnate in them). Patience is an invulnerable armor (patience is the secret key to initiation, and with it, one can never be harmed by any ordeal); wisdom (Chokmah, Christ) is the best weapon."

The deva asked, "Who is the most dangerous thief? What is the most precious treasure?"

The Buddha replied, "Unwholesome thought is the most dangerous thief (the mind is our worst enemy); virtue (vir- comes from virility: sexual potency) is the most precious treasure."

The deva asked, "What is attractive? What is unpleasant? What is the most horrible pain? What is the greatest enjoyment?"

The Buddha replied, "Wholesomeness (that which is in accordance with the Law; that is, it is whole in Christ) is attractive; unwholesomeness (that which is contrary to the Law) is unpleasant. A bad conscience is the most tormenting pain (that is, a consciousness trapped in evil deeds); awakening the height of bliss (ecstasy, samadhi, the clear perception of the awakened bodhicitta)."

The deva asked, "What causes ruin in the world? What breaks off friendships? What is the most violent fever? Who is the best physician?"

The Buddha replied, "Ignorance (lack of gnosis / da'ath) causes ruin in the world; envy and selfishness break off friendships; hatred is the most violent fever; the (inner) Buddha is the best physician." (These are the three poisons which are the axle of the wheel of suffering.)

The deva then continued, "Now I have only one doubt to be cleared away: What is it fire cannot burn, nor moisture corrode, nor wind crush down, but is able to benefit the whole world?"

The Buddha replied, "Blessing! Neither fire, nor moisture, nor wind can destroy the blessing of a good deed (right action); and blessings benefit the whole world." (Therefore, learn how to embody right action: the will of the Inner Buddha as performed by his human soul: Tiphereth.)

Hearing these answers, the deva was filled with joy. Bowing down in respect, he dissapeared suddenly from the presence of the Buddha. —The Sharpest Sword

It’s Mindful Monday! If you haven’t been mindful today, here’s your reminder to breathe deeply and be in deep presence with self.

Hello there!

Yes, there are right ways to use a mala, however the “right way” does depend on what tradition you follow, because there are many traditions within Buddhism. Therefore it’s hard to give you a definite answer. In my tradition, we hold it in the left hand (other traditions say you must hold it in the right hand). We also never count over the guru bead, as you said, we flip the mala and count the other way. We pull the beads towards us with our thumb, so that we are pulling in the siddhis (benefits) towards us.

Different materials are associated with different benefits, but always made from natural, durable materials which are evenly shaped and sized. You can have whatever kind you like, and as many as you like. You can dedicate them to different practices and deities, or use one mala for all of them. The number of mala beads is usually 108 but you can get them as small as 54 or 27 beads, though we always chant 108 recitations at a time. One mala = 108 recitations. In my tradition it’s fine to count on the index finger, and different fingers are also associated with different activities: pacifying, increasing, destroying obstacles, etc.

That said, there are very different expectations for laypeople compared to initiates and clergies/priests. So I think (assuming you are a layperson) you do not need to worry too much about the specifics, just practice with respect and sincerity until you find a teacher (you can do so online, there are many gurus/lamas who have an online presence). And once you find a teacher that speaks to you, you follow the traditions as laid out by them. This applies to most aspects of Asian traditions, everything is done according to your teacher/lineage.

As for how to practice respectfully, the essential thing is to always keep your mala clean: never place it on the floor, your feet, or anywhere dirty. Hide it (such as in a cloth bag) when you enter the restroom or when travelling so that it doesn’t get dirty. It’s best to avoid letting other people touch your mala as well, unless they are of the clergy (in which case they can bless your mala). There are people who just wear mala as jewellery, but if you’re dedicating yours to religious/spiritual/magical practice it should be treated as a sacred object. Also make sure your hands and mouth are clean prior to practice, including after sexual activity or touching/consuming meat. If your mala gets dirty, you can cleanse it by rinsing it with water and wiping with a clean cloth and/or passing it through incense.

It’s great to get your mala blessed by the clergy, but the mantras themselves also cleanse and bless. It’s also great to meditate before and after reciting, and make or visualise offerings to the deity. But really, the most important part – the part that truly matters – is just to recite the mantra.

The mantras are the deity in sonic form; they are a direct invocation of the deity and their power (which is why many mantras are initiation-locked, and practicing a closed mantra without initiation is a bad idea). You can chant as many malas in one session as you like and dedicate the merits all at the end. Don’t worry so much about messing up, just recite the open mantras and pray for what you need, the gods are there to help you!

Master: 

“All Buddhas of past, present and future do not know that there is. Yet the raccoons and the white oxen know that there is.”

Response: 

Today I am going to write about the next stage in our new active Buddhist PRACTICE. The first stage was initiating a simple meditation practice using our 108 bead counter, a mala, a candle and a mantra lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu.   

Once we have meditated in this way for at least four weeks we will feel a welling up of goodwill and inner peace. Now is the time to channel this energy into our new spiritual homes, the four abodes.

🌟 Loving-kindness (metta)

🌟 Compassion (karuna)

🌟 Empathetic joy (mudita)

🌟 Equanimity (upekkha)

You don’t learn these like steps. They are emotional states that we cultivate. They are unselfish. They are direct our attention away from self. Though these as not “steps” equanimity is state we associate with an awakened being. Calm acceptance of what is. fairness in all our dealings with others. This is the way of the masters.

You cultivate them first by memorizing them in both English and Pali. Practice equanimity for a week. Be calm. Be accepting. Be fair. Be honest.