“Being happy doesn’t mean everything is perfect, it means you have have decided to look beyond imperfections.”
If you let go a little you will have a little happiness. If you let go a lot you will have a lot of happiness. If you let go completely you will be free. ~Ajahn Chah
Nothing is permanent…
Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt
In the beginning we learn what still water is like and what flowing water is like. After practicing for a while we will see how these two support each other. We have to make the mind calm, like still water. Then it flows. Both being still and flowing: this is not easy to contemplate.
We can understand that still water doesn’t flow. We can understand that flowing water isn’t still. But when we practice we take hold of both of these. The mind of a true practitioner is like still water that flows, or flowing water that’s still. Whatever takes place in the mind of a Dhamma practitioner is like flowing water that is still. To say that it is only flowing is not correct. Only still is not correct. But ordinarily, still water is still and flowing water flows. But when we have experience of practice, our minds will be in this condition of flowing water that is still.
This is something we’ve never seen. When we see flowing water it is just flowing along. When we see still water, it doesn’t flow. But within our minds, it will really be like this; like flowing water that is still. In our Dhamma practice we have samādhi, or tranquility, and wisdom mixed together. We have morality, meditation and wisdom. Then wherever we sit the mind is still and it flows. Still, flowing water. With meditative stability and wisdom, tranquility and insight, it’s like this. The Dhamma is like this. If you have reached the Dhamma, then at all times you will have this experience. Being tranquil and having wisdom: flowing, yet still. Still, yet flowing. ~Ajahn Chah
Be someone else’s sunshine. Be the reason someone smiles today. Smile at everyone, you never know who’s an angel. ~CoolNsmart
Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.
Be Yourself. Life is precious as it is. All the elements for your happiness are already here. There is no need to run, strive, search, or struggle. Just Be. ~Thich Nhat Hanh
All beings-human or beast –
Love life and hate to die.
They fear most the butcher’s knife
Which slices and chops them piece-by-piece.
Instead of being cruel and mean,
Why not stop killing and cherish life? (Cherishing Life, I, 83)
Hope some of you will take a little extra time to practice giving thanks [the right way] during this Thanksgiving day. Please extend your love to all sentient beings, not just towards your loved ones or your human friends, but all beings, especially the turkeys. Like PETA said, Thanksgiving can be the scariest time of year if you’re a turkey. More than 45 million of these fascinating birds are killed to disgrace Thanksgiving tables each year. There are many peaceful ways to practice giving thanks. Why can we choose one of those peaceful ways. Why seek happiness by hurting those who seek happiness just like us. One should never practice giving thanks by hurting or harming anyone, be it a human or a turkey… ~Jendhamuni
“All beings tremble before violence.
All fear death.
All love life.
See yourself in others.
Then whom can you hurt?
What harm can you do?
He who seeks happiness
By hurting those who seek happiness
Will never find happiness.”
~Buddha –Dhammapada
I want to thank all my wonderful friends, brothers, and sisters so much for your kind and caring messages. My health have been back to normal –100 percent recovered. Because I got sick for nearly one week, I have so many projects to complete before returning to a normal schedule on gplus. I miss all of you. Love and respect all my dear friends just like my brothers and sisters. Due to my very hectic schedule, I hardly have time to respond to any friend on gplus. Only come by to post several items each day. ~Jendhamuni
These words ‘the Middle Way’ do not refer to our body and speech, they refer to the mind. When a mental impression which we don’t like arises, it affects the mind and there is confusion. When the mind is confused, when it’s ‘shaken up’, this is not the right way. When a mental impression arises which we like, the mind goes to indulgence in pleasure – that’s not the way either.
We people don’t want suffering, we want happiness. But in fact happiness is just a refined form of suffering. Suffering itself is the coarse form. You can compare them to a snake. The head of the snake is unhappiness, the tail of the snake is happiness. The head of the snake is really dangerous, it has the poisonous fangs. If you touch it, the snake will bite straight away. But never mind the head, even if you go and hold onto the tail, it will turn around and bite you just the same, because both the head and the tail belong to the one snake.
In the same way, both happiness and unhappiness, or pleasure and sadness, arise from the same parent – wanting. So when you’re happy the mind isn’t peaceful. It really isn’t! For instance, when we get the things we like, such as wealth, prestige, praise or happiness, we become pleased as a result. But the mind still harbours some uneasiness because we’re afraid of losing it. That very fear isn’t a peaceful state. Later on we may actually lose that thing and then we really suffer. ~Ajahn Chah
The greatest gifts in life are a loving spirit, kind spirit and a forgiving spirit. ~Gladys Bejani
Anger and hate dig holes. Love and kindness move mountains. Choose your motivation wisely. ~Zero Dean
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
