BUDDHIST CONTEMPLATION: Thai Dhutanga verses Tibetan Mahayana teachings

Why Thai Dhutanga teachings are easier to practice than Mahayana Buddhism for me

It is far simpler for me to eradicate kilesas and grow my compassion from living amongst birds and bugs than is it to use the modern Western-orientated Mahayana teachings. However, I recognize the Bodhisattva as superior to the Arahant. I have also been making progress in generating compassion and have got to the point where I believe that someday it might work for me to aim at the Bodhisattva option. Yet the lessons taught by those aimed at Arahantcy are much more at my level and can be practiced with better result. For this reason is is hard to stick to either pathway completely. It is currently as if I wish to graduate as a Bodhisattva, whilst using teachings made for Arahants.

It is difficult for me in that I seem to have started my education at high school level. Half the lessons I am taught are directed at kindergarten students and half at university graduates - I find it difficult to find teachings that are suited to my 'mixed' level.

For an example:

If understanding emptiness is to eliminate self-grasping, then why not simply eliminate self-grasping? Would it not be simpler to view every living being as a lump of Buddha nature covered in the clothing (think & emote-mind/body) of karmic shit, and concentrate on helping people to become nudists, whilst climbing out of one's own karmic residue? If I already know where my self-grasping originates and can work on canceling it, it is far quicker than using the emptiness method. It is not that I am opposed to emptiness, merely that my personal understanding and experience of it lead me to believe that it would be a far slower path to use it than alternate methods.

BUDDHIST EVENTS & ESTABLISHMENTS: Tibet & Tibetan prayers & practices

<sup>My second CFT event made me think about the candle, and how Tibet and a candle are very similar...
For example, the flame of a candle is like the sunshine above Tibet.
Tibet's snow-clad mountains are like the candle wax underneath, surrounding the wick of life.
& the glass candleholder is akin to the diamond jewel of Tibetan Buddhism...

The next event is the 12 hour fasting and prayer event scheduled for August the 30th. I plan to participate, even if this will mean fasting for two days in a row. On Friday, I will have a liquid fast - or a liquid fast with a chunk of cheese or Indian snack pack. On Saturday, from 7am-7pm, I shall have NOTHING BUT WATER! (I expect I shall eat a snack-like meal at 7-30pm, but if I am feeling OK, I may just have a ginger tea or glass of wine and skip the food til Sunday.)</sup>

^{For the prayer part, I have four Tibetan Buddhist prayers from my printouts for ACI classes. I have memorized two, almost three. I aim to combine these with tonglen/lojong practice - which I have been practicing over the past few weeks. I am no expert, but if intention and sincerity count for anything, it will be of some use perhaps, despite my lack of experience. I am, after all, much better with spiritual matters than practical/etiquette.}

^{I aim to repeat the 4 prayers and 4 lojong/tonglen practices every 1.5 hours of the 12 - ie 8 times, seeing as 8 seems to be a recognized number within Buddhism. I shall have to fit my chores, laundry, gardening, etc in the spare patches between these practices, along with my Yoga session and Buddhist reading/study. Provided I manage to maintain a constant meditative mind during the chores, I should succeed in being of some spiritual use for the entire 12 hours.}

^{For anyone wishing to get involved, www.tibet.net has all the details. I have also posted a few misc bulletins with details/links, and there are numerous mentions of the event in the Care2 Buddhist/Tibet groups, as well as the Vajrayana Institute at Sydney if you want to find others to share these moments with.}

BUDDHIST CONTEMPLATION: levels of citta & emptiness

Why it is hard for me to use conventional theories on emptiness.

If good/bad, nice/nasty etc are issued from our KNOW rather than THINK level of citta, it is harder to follow the emptiness meditation offered in the book that I am currently reading. They tend to be directed at people who live in their thought-mind level and have no awareness of a know-level.

In the example of the magician - also found in my classes recently -

1. CROWD: hears a spell and SEES illusion

2. MAGICIAN: says spell and KNOWS it is illusion, yet sees the illusion

3. LATECOMER: hears no spell and SEES what really is

if you are at stage 3, it is hard to learn how to reach stage 2 from stage 1.

Being at stage 1, but knowing what is happening, I share the MAGICIAN status and need to learn how to obtain the 'LATE COMER” status from there. I would regard it as successful if someone in the 'crowd' had the same result as the 'latecomer' whilst having heard the spell...

I can see that most people regard good/bad etc as a choice from their thought/emotion mind level, but as I use a deeper level from which to start, it makes it difficult for me to learn these lessons. It is easier for me to 'know' truth than to go backwards to live in a wrong way just to know what is empty in the illustrations.

BUDDHIST PRACTICE: Street Practices

When walking down the street, there are a few practices I may use. I do not use them every time I go out, but I would estimate that 50% of my excursions have some form of Buddhist practice in situ.

One of the things I sometimes do is to concentrate on each person I walk past, thinking to myself - THAT PERSON is a lump of Buddha-mind covered in karmic residue inside their body. Doing this enables me to focus on the equality of sentient beings, and ignore any first impressions that might arise from my think-mind. It also reminds me that whether they appear as pretty or ugly, intelligent or dumb, polite or scum, cute or sloppy, tired, old, dirty, plain, happy, dizzy, drunk, or whatever - they are have something of great value hidden deep down inside of them.

If I have had a difficult day and am then going to the shop or library, I may instruct myself to take the first ten or twenty people that I pass and to offer them a vibe of peace or compassion. It is much the same as smiling or saying good morning to someone, but I seem to do better when keeping to spiritual practice than practical practice. This helps me to remember that everybody I pass on the street would be suffering in some form. It is not only me that is being troubled by life, society, or govt dictations. I have learned how to survive difficulties and am learning how to live underneath their pains and remain calm and stable in the places that matter - but maybe these people are still panicking up top and could do with someone caring just a tiny bit in passing.

Another thing I might do when taking a short local excursion is to remind myself that whatever the people I pass are wearing, my personal attitude to their image and clothing is not relevant. I do this by trying to find something good and something unpleasant about the appearance of everyone I pass. This proves to me that looks do not really matter, as everybody has something good or bad about their image.

A fourth practice I might indulge in is that of walking very slowly, calmly, and steadily. Focusing on my actual walking, whilst taking in things neutrally. What I mean is that whereas normally I might go 'ooh, what a lovely scent that bush has - ugh, I could never wear what that woman is wearing - that car just did an illegal move! - oh what a pretty song that bird is singing - how can that girl walk in those shoes! - that man's underwear is showing - am I ever gonna get across this busy street?' I would instead be focused on my body movement and the 'fact' rather than 'thought-emotion' of each situation I encountered.

BUDDHIST PRACTICE:Investigation of the teachings

'Do not accept any of my words on faith,
Believing them just because I said them.
Be like an analyst buying gold, who cuts, burns,
And critically examines his product for authenticity.
Only accept what passes the test
By proving useful and beneficial in your life.'
The Buddha

This is one of my favorite teachings from The Buddha. It is something I have believed throughout my entire life to date, whomever and whatever I was learning from.

During my schooldays, I disagreed with some of the things I was being told at school, at home, and at church. I was not then old enough to examine them properly, and then offer my findings and explain why I did not agree to accept the teachings. Sometimes I flatly said 'no way!', and sometimes I supposed it must be right, but did not really feel it to be so inside.

Growing older, I tried my best to fit into the Christian faith and the modern lifestyle. However, neither fit with me deep inside. I began to challenge what I was taught, to question, and was soon old enough to be able to explain why I disagreed and to offer my unique viewpoint.

One of the great things about Buddhism is that I am naturally compatible with most of its teachings. Some things do make me wonder, pause, question, analyze, and investigate doubtfully. Other things fit the 'ah yes!' instantly-acceptable category, often having been partially discovered solo before the full story comes into focus through the Buddhist teachings.

A few matters have puzzled me. Some things did not seem to be right. Looking back over the year and a half in which I have seriously studied Buddhism, most things that I felt this way about at the start have now slotted into place. It is as if I had a veil forbidding me to believe until I had worked them out for myself. I still have a few uncertainties, but 9 times out of 10 I have either investigated my way into understanding or accepted the teachings.

As well as being able to grow at my own pace, believing as things unfold if not at first, I have been able to learn at a greater depth and subtleness within the teachings by my investigation of them. It is as if anything I was uncertain of has been checked out thoroughly and then falls into a better place of acceptance than that which I did originally accept, recognizing it as true. Therefore the analyzing assisted to ingrain and expand the understanding, not just to ensure a fact is a fact.

BUDDHIST THEORY: Karma 4

I could not think of what words I should have said and there was no time to plan them. I therefore chose the wrong option, walking past, as if I had not seen the situation. Hiding in the excuse of it being a cold day, and that I might not even have noticed the situation - nobody else had.

I knew I should have assisted in some manner, but had let my thoughts prevent me from actually doing so. Whereas the lady did not have a serious problem, merely being delayed by finding the branch in her path by her stick-guide, I should have assisted to make her journey easier. Not doing so, I allowed an inconvenience and delay to occur. This may sound as if I am overreacting, as if it is nothing serious to walk past such a situation. However, that natural arising of the thought to assist should not have been pushed aside or ignored.

Karmicly, not assisting to prevent a delay or inconvenience to someone's journey backfired into my own life. Within the next two weeks, I began to experience delays, inconveniences, and suchlike in my own life. I could see where they were coming from. I had not assisted when I should have, and although I had caused no serious harm, I had caused no goodness either. Not helping solve a problem when I knew I should have, whatever excuses I made, had led to problems arising for me.

I then began to analyze the situation. What should I have done? Something, yes; but what? Would it have been best to simply have removed the stick, only speaking if need arose to explain my presence in front of her? Should I have battled within my mind to have found the right words to say, removing the stick as or after I explained my presence?

As no words naturally arose in my head to be said, I assume I should simply have trusted my naturally arising thought and moved the branch, trusting that the right words would come to me if needed. Now, I have to be aware of the mistake I made and concentrate on banishing unnecessary thought if such situation occurs again. Next time, I must act on my natural thought and shut my think-mind up.

As I live through the karmic residue of inconveniences and delays that I allowed to arise by my omission, I need to learn to trust my inner wisdom and act upon it, and to banish excess thought. If I had acted on my natural thought, my karma would now be helping me in like manner - preventing inconveniences and delays, rather than creating them for me. I put the wrong vibe into my life and it offers the fruit of the seed sown.

BUDDHIST THEORY: Karma 3

Recently, I have found troubles arising from the karmic residue caused by an omission. Taking this as an example, I can show you how karma works for me.

It was a bitterly cold winter morning and I was neither rushed not at leisure. I had a lot to do, but enough time to do it in. I was walking from the mall to the store, having collecting my tax forms from the news agency when I saw a blind lady walking along the side of the pathway with the aid of a stick. My initial reaction was to ensure I did not get in her way, but then I saw there was a fallen piece of tree in her path, a little ahead, that she would soon encounter via her white stick.

My mind filled naturally with the urge to remove the storm-fall, so as not to inconvenience the woman. However, my mind also filled with thoughts such as:

* suppose she tripped over me, trying to help, instead of the stick on the ground

* she was too close to it already for me to help in time, perhaps

* she might get confused by my presence, if something rushed in front of her

Because of these thoughts, I knew I had two choices - to speak first, and then to remove the small branch from her path, or to walk on past and ignore the situation. I chose the wrong option and paid for it karmicly. I will explain the results of my choice in my next post.

BUDDHIST PRACTICE: Karma 2

Once I had learned that some, if not all, of what I felt was other people's injustice might actually be my own fault, I was able to start to work out whether or not this actually was the case. For a while, as I read the theory and spoke to a friend who was convinced karma was for real, I was somewhat reluctant to accept it - even if it was my fault that these bad things happened, it was not me doing them, the other party was still seen to be at fault, doing something wrong, even if it was because of something I had done. On contemplation, there did seem to be a relative reason behind the bad things that happened to me - whomever's fault they were.

The next stage was for me to witness karma in action. Before I could step into viewing the bad as karma resultant, I saw the positive side of karma. I spent twenty weeks without income during 2007. These months were tough and for my son's sake I had to result in seeking assistance with food and bills from charity. Meanwhile, I fed the pigeons. Somehow, I managed to see this in the context of 'as I fed the birds in the yard, charity fed me'.

I might have reacted with shame in taking charity assistance, but I used Buddhism to help me here. If Thai Dhutanga monks wandered through villages seeking alms for their dietary input, would it be so wrong of me to seek hand-outs with a son and flock of tame birds expectant upon me - if I put extra effort into learning and studying Buddhism? It was much the same thing - free food in exchange for studying the Dharma…

As I studied, I read about karma. It seemed that because I was providing what I could to a few feathered creatures in the yard, I was being rewarded with provisions for my son and self, whilst unable to provide them. My action was creating the grounds for goodness to be returned in like manner. Realizing this, I began to accept karma and then investigate the negative side. I can see it work from both sides now and have developed a trust and belief in it. It truly appears to me that I do create good or bad in my future by what I currently do. I can see this happening as I live and have begun to think as and before I act, what the karma from the action might be.

EVENTS & ESTABLISHMENTS: MY CFT

On the local-Aussie 7^th August, I retired shortly after CA's midnight and placing a picture in my front-room window. I wished to show my support for CFT, though sleeping unusual hours did not expect to be awake at the local 9pm. I then went to bed and fell asleep, whilst contemplating the situation in Tibet and other trouble-spots on our planet.

On the Californian 7^th, at 9pm, I lit 3 small candles in my bedroom and sat on the floor in my 'comfort corner' to spend time contemplating Tibet. What Tibet meant to me, to the world, to Buddhism, to most people, to the Tibetans themselves...

In order to connect to the situation spiritually, I imaged myself as a candle, my head as a flame that was burning with peace and compassion. I viewed my feet standing on a map of Tibet and whilst holding this imagery, began to think of my connection and respect for this nation. I then began to tune-in to peace and try to push it in the right direction.

MAY I SEND OUT PEACE TO THAT LAND

THAT GAVE IT TO ME

I VIBE OUT MY PRAYER

THAT SOON TIBET SHALL BE AT PEACE AND FREE

MOUNTAIN TOWER WITH PEOPLE POWER

WE FIGHT WITH LIGHT FOR THE TIBETAN RIGHT

I also attempted a Buddhist practice that I had been reading about in a book written by a Tibetan. The object is to take on the suffering of others, visualizing it turning into a black smoke in the heart. When practicing this, it felt wrong to leave at that point - I did not feel right until I did something with the smoke. So, instead of acting like a vacuum cleaner, I became a washing machine. As it swirled about, I envisioned it turning white and fluffy like a cloud of mist. I then returned the white stuff in the form of peace.

Tibet is a beautiful land and its Buddhism has had a huge positive impact on my life. I sincerely hope that the CFT events will lead to peace and freedom for the Tibetan people.

I had been an exceedingly miserable, angry, hateful being until reading a couple of the Dalai Lama's books - which led me into an interest in Buddhism. Once my initial interest had widened, I began to read many Buddhist books. I started to practice Buddhism and although not yet perfected, have definitely improved. (99/100, I am anger and hate free. 75/100, I am patient.) One of the two teachings I specifically follow is that of Tibetan Vajrayana.

BUDDHIST THEORY: Karma 2

In order to create less suffering in our future, both in the current and further lives, we need to learn how karma works on the actions we make. If we can learn to see that our wrongdoings lead to similar outcomes in our future, we will learn to stop doing wrong. If we can learn to see that our good deeds lead to similar outcomes in our future, we will learn to continue to act well. If the seeds we currently sow grow slowly and are set to flower until a future life, we may think that they will not grow at all. Sometimes the results come about quickly, making it easier to understand the workings of the karmic law.

Karma can affect just ourselves, or the world as a whole. If we ignore the workings of karma, act selfishly, and mistreat other beings, our actions spread away from us and interrelate with others. Likewise, if we act positively, with compassion and love, these actions also spread across the universe. In this manner, taking responsibility for our own deeds can affect the entire planet.

Sometimes we can see karma working in other people. Those who do good deeds may have good or bad situations to live through, but will generally live with a greater peace and happiness within themselves, whatever their external condition. People who commit wrong deeds may have good or bad life situations likewise; however, these people tend to have inner confusion and misery instead of contentment.

Our karma can be created from our thoughts and speech as well as our actions. If we fill our mind with anger, hatred, greed, and other negative thoughts, we tend to speak and act based on these emotions. We may snap crossly at a child we love simply because we have allowed our mind to fill with fury. We might snatch the last cake from the plate at a party, knowing someone else has their eye on it too, because we have allowed greed to persuade us we have a right to that treat. The after-effects of the deeds done are clouded by the emotions and thoughts running within us. It is harder to see why we are suffering.

On the positive side, if we fill our mind with natural thought, compassion, and love, then our speech and actions generally stem from these emotions. We might smile at a stranger or say 'good morning' as we pass on the street, because inside we are thinking that they look a little worn or forlorn. We may notice the look in the eye of the bird sitting on our fence, and recognize his starving need for a few crumbs, which we could then offer. Doing these good deeds then creates positive after-effects for us. We do not just feel good because we have done good, we experience goodness coming into our future life.

BUDDHIST THEORY: Karma 1

The word karma translates into action, deed, a doing. Within both Buddhism and Hinduism, karma is recognized and respected. Many other cultures also recognize the possibility of karma, if not acting or thinking upon it as much. The idea of karma can sometimes be mistaken in the Western world as we have been used to new age pepperings of the word without a thorough understanding. In Eastern cultures, karma is recognized with more clarity.

Karma refers to an action we take, the natural law of cause and effect, and the result of experiencing happenings of like manner. The latter stage is sometimes referred to as an after-effect and can occur anywhen in the future, hours, weeks, years, even in a different lifetime.

If a wrongful action - such as one based on cruelty, anger, hatred, or laziness - is performed, then the resultant after-effect will be negative and akin to the original action. If a rightful action - such as one based on compassion, love, peace, or assistance - is performed, then the resultant after-effect will be positive and akin the original action.

Karma produced in a former life resulting in after-effects within the current life is oftentimes wrongfully seen as bad luck, unfortunate circumstances, injustice, etc. If we do not recognize the existence of karma, we will naturally question where the bad things of life came from and why we are suffering them. Recognizing that we must have done something wrong in a former life, we can take steps to ensure we do not create such an action again, whilst finding the peace of knowing why we are suffering for no apparent reason.