Daily Buddhist Verses
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The more you looked into how an ignorant consciousness conceives phenomena to exist, the more you find that phenomena do not exist that way. However, the more yo look into what a wise conscioueness understands, the more you gain affirmation in the absence of inherent existence. Lust and hatred are ruled by ignorance and so cannot be generated limitlesly.
~ Dalai Lama -
"Going with the flow [sui yuan]" does not mean sloppiness or pessimism but moving according to causes and conditions - to advance when it is time to do so and to stop when it is more beneficial to stop. To be able to take things on and let them go is a sign of ease and effortlessness.
~ Ven. Shi Fazhao -
Hogen, a chinese Zen teacher lived alone in a small temple in the city. One day four travelling monks appeared and asked if they might make a fire to warm themselves.
While they were building the fire, Hogen heard them arguing about subjectivity and obectivity. He joined them and said: "There is a big stone. Do you consider it to be inside or outside your mind?"
One of the monks replied, "From the Buddhist viewpoint everything is an objectification of the mind, so I would say that the stone is inside my mind."
"Your head must feel very heavy," observed Hogen, "if you are carrying around such a stone like that in your mind."
~ Zen teacher Muju, Shaseki shu -
Both subject (i.e mind) and object are voidOriginally posted by cycle:Hogen, a chinese Zen teacher lived alone in a small temple in the city. One day four travelling monks appeared and asked if they might make a fire to warm themselves.
While they were building the fire, Hogen heard them arguing about subjectivity and obectivity. He joined them and said: "There is a big stone. Do you consider it to be inside or outside your mind?"
One of the monks replied, "From the Buddhist viewpoint everything is an objectification of the mind, so I would say that the stone is inside my mind."
"Your head must feel very heavy," observed Hogen, "if you are carrying around such a stone like that in your mind."
~ Zen teacher Muju, Shaseki shu
One who sees object in subject, and then subject in object, knows non-duality. -
Do not attach to changing form,
Maintain the mind of stillness,
Do not be moved.
~ Buddha -
If we are always dwelling on thoughts that we have heavy karmic obstacles and fear that this will keep us from achieving attainment, then we definitely will not achieve. Why? If we do not believe that we can achieve, then even the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas cannot help us.
~ Ven Chin Kung -
It's man's own mind,
Not his enemy or foe,
That lures him to evil ways.
~ Buddha -
A zen student came to Bankei and complained: "Master, I have an ungovernable temper. How can I cure it?"
"You have something very strange," replied Bankei. "let me see what you have."
"Just now I cannot show it to you." replied the other.
"When can you show it to me?" asked Bankei.
"It rises unexpectedly." replied the student.
"Then," concluded Bankei, "it must not be your own nature. If it were, you could show it to me at anytime. When you were born you did not have it, and your parents did not give it to you. Think it over."
~Zen teacher Muju -
My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.
~ Dalai Lama -
We should investigate the body within the body. Whatever's in the body, go ahead and look at it. If we just see the ourtside, it's not clear. We see hair, nails, and so on and they are just pretty things which entice us. So the Buddha taught us to look inside the body. What is in the body? Look closely and see! We will see many things inside that would surprise us, We've never seen them. Wherever we go we carry them with us, but we still don't know them at all.
~ Ajahn Chah -
Are life and death scary?
We, who are pure spritual consciousness,
become human when wearing the clothes of a human;
become a dog when wearing the clothes of a dog;
become a fish when wearing the clothes of a fish;
become a insect when wearing the clothes of a insect;
become bacteria when wearing the clothes of bacteria.
So, we, who are pure spiritual consciousness,
may not be a human being, or some flying creature,
or a four-legged beast.
Now, which one are we?
None of them!
~ Master Hsin Tao -
This world is full of suffering. Being a person is also suffering, but it is the only way to become a saint and a Buddha.
~ Master Cheng Yan -
Just know what is happening in your mind not happy or sad about it, not attached. If you suffer, see it, know it, and be empty. It's like a letter - you have to open it before you can know what's in it.
~ Ajahn Chah -
Mokusen Hiki was living in a temple in the province of Tamba. One of his adherent complained of the stinginess of his wife. Mokusen visited the adherent's wife and showed her his clenched fist before her face.
"What do you mean by that?" asked the surprised woman.
"Suppose my fist were always like that, what would you call it?" he asked.
"Deformed." replied the woman.
Then he opened his hand flat in her face and asked, "Suppose it were always like that, what then?"
"Another kind of deformity," said the wife.
"If you understand that much," finished Mokusen, " you are a good wife."
Then he left.
After his visit, this wife helped her husdand to distribute as well as to save.
~Muju, Shaseki - shu -
Giving is the most important requirement for practicing the Bodhisattva way. If we could sum up all the methods in Buddhism, we would find that all methods accord with the Six Paramitas. When we condense the Six Paramitas, we find that their essence is giving.
~ Ven Master Chin Kung -
The giving of wealth results in obtaining wealth, the giving of teaching results in attaining wisdom and the giving of fearlessness results in obtaining health and long life. Therefore, if we wish to have wealth, wisdom and long and healthy lives in our future, we need to nurture and establish these causes in this lifetime.
Only a small number of people obtain the results from causes they developed in their early years. Regardless of the time frame, we must develope the cause to receive the result. This is the Law of Cause and Effect. And this Law never changes.
~ Ven Master Chin Kung, Buddhism:The Wisdom of Compassion and Awakening -
The person who lies,
who transgress in this one thing,
transcending concern for the world beyond:
there's no evil
he might not do.
_ Iti 25
~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu , Noble Conversation -
How blissful it is, for one who has nothing
who has mastered the Dharma,
is learned.
See how they suffer, those who have something,
people bound in body
with people.
_ Ud II.5 -
~Non Duality~
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How do we let go? To let go you must willing to "give". You give a little, you receive a little; you give alot, you receive alot; you don't give at all, you receive nothing.
What is the ultimate perfect giving that Buddha teaches us? Everybody, do you have vexations? Yes! Then why don't you give them away?
Do you have any worries? Do you have fears? Do you have Birth and Death? Cycle of rebirth? Give away all these and you attain great perfection and freedom.
~ Ven master Chin Kung -
The True Path
Just before Ninakawa passed away, the Zen master Ikkyu visited him. "Shall I lead you on? " Ikkyu asked.
Ninakawa replied: "I came here alone and I go alone. What help could you be to me? "
Ikkyu answered: "If you think you really come and go, that is your delusion. Let me show you the path on which there is no coming and no going."
With his words Ikkyu had revealed the path so clearly that NInakawa smiled and passed away.
~ Muju, Shaseki-shu -
Better than a hundred years
lived without virtue, uncentered, is
one day
lived by a virtuous person
absorded in jhana.
~ Dhp110 -
" 'This Dhamma is for one who is modest, not for one who is self-aggrandizing.' Thus was it said. With reference to what was it said? There is the case where a monk, being modest, doesn't want it to be known that 'He is modest." Being content, he doesn't want it to be known that 'He is content.' Being reclusive, he doesn't want it to be known that 'He is reclusive.' His persistence being aroused, he doesn't want it to be known that 'His perssistence is aroused.' His mindfulness being established, he doesn't want it to be known that "His mindfulness is established.' His mind being centered, he doesn't want it to be known that 'His mind is centered.' Being endowed with discernment, he doesn't want it to be known that 'He is endowed with discernment.' Enjoying non-complication, he doesn't want it to be known that 'He is enjoying non-complication.' "
~ AN VIII.30 -
Luminous is this mind,
Brightly shining, but it is
Colored by the attachments
That visit it.
This unlearned people do not
Really understand,
And so do not cultivate the
Mind.
Luminous is this mind,
Brightly shining,
And it is free of the
Attachments that visit it.
This the noble follower
Of the way really understands;
So for them there is
Cultivation of the mind.
- Anguttara Nikaya -
When you run after your thoughts you are like a dog chasing a stick; every time a stick is thrown, you run after it. But if, instead, you look at where your thoughts are coming from, you will see that each thought arises and dissolves within the space of that awareness, without engendering other thoughts. Be like a lion, who, rather than chasing after the stick, turns to face the thrower. You only throw a stick at a lion once.
~ Milarepa, quoted by the late Dilgo Khyentse in Like a Mirror, Like a Rainbow, Like the Heart of the Sun