From Sadness to Hope – the Power of Compassion

May the supreme and precious awakening mind
Arise where it has not yet arisen.
And where it has declined or does not exist,
May it flourish and keep growing.

“It is clear that the greater your sense of altruism, the more you work
for the welfare of others, the greater will be your own satisfaction.
And when you come to die you’ll be able to go with confidence. As you
dedicate yourself to working for others, your own interests will
incidentally be fulfilled. Selfishness and self-centredness, on the
other hand, lead to anxiety and suspicion, poor health and a decline in
well-being.” ~His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Although the Buddha had spoken about suffering when he taught the Four
Noble Truths, that is no grounds for feeling depressed. Rather we should
examine what gives rise to suffering and take on the challenge of
overcoming it. He said that helping others who suffer to cope and
overcome their grief described is a great gift of kindness.

His Holiness clarified that we experience two levels of pain, physical and mental, and that while physical pain tends to have a physical cause, mental suffering usually derives from our own way of thinking. For this the 8th century Indian master, Shantideva, offers practical advice:

Why be unhappy about something
If it can be remedied?
And what is the use of being unhappy about something
If it cannot be remedied?

Source: dalailama.com
Link to this article

The kindness you give isn’t always the same thing you get in return… sometimes it’s more, sometimes it’s less, worst, sometimes you get none at all… but remember , GOD said: the one who willingly gives is always more blessed than the one who receives. ~Ritu Ghatourey

Love is available to all
Love is steady, unshakable, and does not fall.
Love is unconditional and is easy to obtain
Love covers and eschew all sickness and pain.
Love abides deep within the heart
Love is a substance and it never should depart.
Love is caring for others and taking them as your own
Love is taking time to call old friends on the telephone.
Love carries and brings peace, humility and joy
Love spreads through the soul of every girl and boy.
Love never lies and keeps secrets inside
Love helps your conscience and soul collide.
Get some love and keep it forever
You will need it when going through the stormy weather.
Love is your weapon for all evil and hate
Love is like a two-edged sword; to help or to hurt
Love is silent and never screams nor blurt.

© Carl McKever

Why We take Refuge in the Buddha

Buddhists do not take refuge in the Buddha with the belief that He is a god or son of god. The Buddha never claimed any divinity. He was the Enlightened One, the most Compassionate, Wise, and Holy One who ever lived in this world. Therefore, people take refuge in the Buddha as a Teacher or Master who has shown the real path of emancipation. They pay homage to Him to show their gratitude and respect, but they do not ask for material favors. Buddhists do not pray to the Buddha thinking that He is a god who will reward them or punish or curse them. They recite verses or some sutras not in the sense of supplication but as a means of recalling His great virtues and good qualities to get more inspiration and guidance for themselves and to develop the confidence to follow His Teachings. There are critics who condemn this attitude of taking refuge in the Buddha. They do not know the true meaning of the concept of taking refuge in and paying homage to a great religious Teacher. They have learned only about praying which is the only thing that some people do in the name of religion. When Buddhists seek refuge it means they accept the Buddha, Dhamma and the Sangha as the means by which they can eradicate all the causes of their fear and other mental disturbances. Many people, especially those with animistic beliefs, seek protection in certain objects around them which they believe are inhabited by spirits.

~By Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda

The Sun challenges us to Shine, the Clouds remind us to Move,
the Birds tell us we too can Fly and the Sky tells us that there
is no limit to our Dreams and Goals. ~RVM, India

Prayer is only another name for good, clean, direct thinking. When you pray, think well what you are saying, and make your thoughts into things that are solid. In that manner, your prayer will have strength, and that strength shall become part of you, mind, body, and spirit. ~Richard Llewellyn

The Areng Valley in Koh Kong province. Environmental impact assessments on a dam project there are pushing ahead. International Rivers

River had never lost his cool, not since I’d known him. That was the thing about River. He was calm. Calm as a summer’s day. Calm as a gentle nap in the sun. Even when girls were fainting and men were slitting their throats in front of you. ~April Genevieve Tucholke

Don’t fill your time with worry – fix what you can and let the rest take care of itself.
~Unknown

What Buddhism Teaches About Anger

By Barbara O’Brien, About.com Guide

Anger. Rage. Fury. Wrath. Whatever you call it, it happens to all of us, including Buddhists. However much we value loving kindness, we Buddhists are still human beings, and sometimes we get angry. What does Buddhism teach about anger?

Anger is one of the three poisons – the other two are greed and ignorance – that are the primary causes of the cycle of samsara and rebirth. Purifying ourselves of anger is essential to Buddhist practice. Further, in Buddhism there is no such thing as “righteous” or “justifiable” anger. All anger is a fetter to realization.

Yet even highly realized masters admit they sometimes get angry. This means that for most of us, not getting angry is not a realistic option. We will get angry. What then do we do with our anger?

First, Admit You Are Angry

This may sound silly, but how many times have you met someone who clearly was angry, but who insisted he was not? For some reason, some people resist admitting to themselves that they are angry. This is not skillful. You can’t very well deal with something that you won’t admit is there.

Buddhism teaches mindfulness. Being mindful of ourselves is part of that. When an unpleasant emotion or thought arises, do not suppress it, run away from it, or deny it. Instead, observe it and fully acknowledge it. Being deeply honest with yourself about yourself is essential to Buddhism.

What Makes You Angry?

It’s important to understand that anger is something created by yourself. It didn’t come swooping out of the ether to infect you. We tend to think that anger is caused by something outside ourselves, such as other people or frustrating events. But my first Zen teacher used to say, “No one makes you angry. You make yourself angry.”

Buddhism teaches us that anger is created by mind. However, when you are dealing with your own anger, you should be more specific. Anger challenges us to look deeply into ourselves. Most of the time, anger is self-defensive. It arises from unresolved fears or when our ego-buttons are pushed.

As Buddhists we recognize that ego, fear and anger are insubstantial and ephemeral, not “real.” They’re ghosts, in a sense. Allowing anger to control our actions amounts to being bossed around by ghosts.

Anger Is Self-Indulgent

Anger is unpleasant but seductive. In this interview with Bill Moyer, Pema Chodron says that anger has a hook. “There’s something delicious about finding fault with something,” she said. Especially when our egos are involved (which is nearly always the case), we may protect our anger. We justify it and even feed it.

Buddhism teaches that anger is never justified, however. Our practice is to cultivate metta, a loving kindness toward all beings that is free of selfish attachment. “All beings” includes the guy who just cut you off at the exit ramp, the co-worker who takes credit for your ideas, and even someone close and trusted who betrays you. Continue reading →

True love never dies…

My little sister Alanthara passed a way unexpectedly two years ago, today  — November 3rd, 2013. My wonderful father joined her 13 months later. They both were buried next to each other. ~Jendhamuni

My little sister Alanthara and my dad.