August 2015 — Page 2 of 24 — Jendhamuni-Buddhism

The Lonely Path

Comment August 31, 2015

Whatever there is in the mind: If our reasons aren’t yet good enough, we can’t let it go. In other words, there are two sides: this side here and that side there. People tend to walk along this side or along that side. There’s hardly anybody who walks along the middle. It’s a lonely path. When there’s love, we walk along the path of love. When there’s hatred, we walk along the path of hatred. If we try to walk by letting go of love and hatred, it’s a lonely path. We aren’t willing to follow it. ~Ajahn Chah
With love in my heart

Comment August 31, 2015

I will greet this day with love in my heart. And how will I do this? Henceforth will I look on all things with love and I will be born again. I will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit. I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars. I will welcome happiness for it enlarges my heart; yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul. I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due; yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge. ~Og Mandino
Taking care of the environment

Comment August 30, 2015

We as Buddhists believe that benefiting others is an act of kindness, and the first thing that comes to our mind, as act of kindness, is giving alms to the poor. That’s not the only way, there are many ways to be kind. Taking care of the environment and nature is also a very important act of kindness that can benefit many humans and animals alike in the future. ~17th Karmapa
Grandmother’s heart

Comment August 30, 2015

“A garden of Love grows in a Grandmother’s heart”

Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day
and now the day was complete. ~Marcy DeMaree
Happiness never decreases by being shared

Comment August 30, 2015

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. ~Buddha
Hydrangeas – Grandmother’s old-time flower

Comment August 30, 2015

Hydrangeas are one of the most beautiful flowers. Inflorescence in the genus Hydrangea comes in groups. Hydrangea has long been a popular flowering shrub. The flowers are considered by many as Grandmother’s old-time flower. Hydrangea Day is celebrated on the 5th of January every year.

There are 3 types of flower blooms in Hydrangea
Mophead – Globe shaped flower cluster, the most commonly recognized form of Hydrangea bloom.
Panicle – Long, somewhat cone-shaped flower cluster (particularly in Oakleaf Hydrangeas).
Lacecap – Flattened cluster of what appear to be tiny, immature buds surrounded at the edges by typical 4 to 5 petal flowers.

Source: The Flower Expert

Smooth Hydrangea
Wonderful mythical law of nature

Comment August 30, 2015

There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life: happiness, freedom, and peace of mind are always attained by giving them to someone else. ~Unknown
Rules of Happiness

Comment August 30, 2015

1. Don’t hate
2. Don’t worry
3. Give more
4. Expect less
5. Live simply
~Unknown
Lightening the Heart

Comment August 30, 2015

I have noticed from experience that taking things too seriously can be debilitating. It can paralyze us.

It is usually more effective to approach problems with a light heart – a willingness to laugh at them and at ourselves. Otherwise, if we are too somber, we could be stricken with a heart attack before we even have the chance to do anything to improve the situation! Instead, we can be playful. A sense of humor can be very helpful in preventing us from feeling stuck or overwhelmed by a difficult situation.

Especially if a situation is critical, you have to be able to approach it with some openness, just in order to see the possible solutions clearly. For example, sometimes there are serious issues that you feel you need to address, but that you cannot resolve. What do you end up doing? Worrying. There can also be serious issues that you actually can do something about. In those cases, too, if you are not careful, you may also find yourself worrying. Once you are overwhelmed by anxiety and other unhelpful emotions, it will be very difficult to plan or make clearheaded decisions. You will not be able to look beyond the obstacles to notice the opportunities. ~ 17th Karmapa
The Mirror of the Mind

Comment August 30, 2015

There is a story that reminds us how crucial it is that we take responsibility for what we ourselves contribute to the problem, rather than laying all the blame for our harmful food systems on others – or waiting for someone else to fix the problem.

This story tells of a king of a small, remote kingdom in ancient Tibet. In this kingdom, mirrors were extremely rare – practically unheard of. Yet somehow the king managed to acquire a hand mirror, and picked it up one day as he was talking to his faithful old servant. The king took a good look at himself in that mirror, and was not pleased by what he saw. It seems this king was a singularly unattractive man. He felt thoroughly disgusted by the face staring at him from his mirror. He tossed the mirror aside and exclaimed, “Who is that ugly man? I don’t ever want to see him again! Banish this mirror from my kingdom!”

The servant could not keep silent at this. After all the years he had spent gazing on the king’s unattractive face, he seized this opportunity to say: “My Lord, I have had to look at you all these years. I do not have the option of just banishing the mirror!”

Like the king in this story, we seem to have a tendency to look at others, but not want to see ourselves. There is a saying in Tibetan: “To see others, you need a pair of eyes. To see yourself, you need the mirror of your own mind. ~ 17th Karmapa