The Buddhist teachings suggest we have a mind that is luminous and precious (like a diamond) and that our happiness depends on us cultivating this jewel within. Drawing on the Buddha’s sutras, I show how finding this jewel of our mind requires effort, patience and a willingness to go against the flow of what society calls happiness.
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Life can be stormy; full of emotional ups and downs. But that doesn’t mean it needs to be bad. Even rainfall can bring new growth, freshness in the air, and a feeling of relaxation when we listen to the rain from the comfort of inside. Just because life can be turbulent outside, with its trials and tribulations, with its suffering of sickness and disappointments in relationships – it doesn’t mean we need to bring the hail and rain into the abode of our mind – the weather could be very pleasant inside instead.
Monks and volunteers assisting with the rescue efforts after the earthquake in Nepal
When people think about Buddhist monks and nuns they usually think of them sitting high up in the mountains somewhere, meditating for countless hours and rarely making any contact with modern civilization. For some isolated communities this might be true but for the majority of the ordained Buddhists, their lives are a mixture of traditional monastery life as well as modern day living. They may spend several hours a day meditating, chanting and studying, but many monks and nuns are well-versed in how to use Facebook, have mobile phones and in Buddhist traditions where the uniform code is a bit more relaxed, some of them may even wear Nike shoes.
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My heart goes out to everyone suffering from the earthquake in Nepal.
Please keep Nepal and all beings who are suffering in your prayers.
If you can offer even a little bit of assistance, a small offering will go a long way. Donations can be made via www.globalgiving.org.
“Initially, the fund will help first responders meet survivors’ immediate needs for food, fuel, clean water, hygiene products, and shelter. Once initial relief work is complete, this fund will transition to support longer-term recovery efforts run by vetted, local organizations.”
When it comes to buying a Buddha statue, although it’s tempting to buy a statue based on its appearance, there are a couple of things we should know prior to our purchase. There are many Buddha statues to choose from: from fat to skinny Buddhas or just the head to his whole body. So which statue is best for developing our practice? Aside from knowing which statue to buy and where to buy them from, there are other things we need to consider. In this video, I explain everything we need to know and keep in mind, before and after our purchase.
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A photo I took while sitting under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya
You bring your body into a meditation posture and feel a rush of anticipation as you reflect on the promise of what your meditation may bring. Many wondrous things have happened in this special place. Who’s to say that something wonderful couldn’t happen to you as well?
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