Saturday 25 February 2017

Liberation & Enlightenment.

Liberation.

'Release from the cycle of existence (Skt. Samsara);

The state of mind in which all suffering and the causes of suffering are completely overcome.

It happens through dissolving the false idea of a presumed "I."

On this level, all disturbing emotions fall away.

When the last stiff concepts are let go as well, then one becomes enlightened.'

-- Quoted from 'Buddha & Love' book by Lama Ole Nydahl.


Theravada.

'Southern Buddhism, also called the Basic Way, the Words of the Eldest of the Order, Theravada, or the Foundational Vehicle, is mainly taught in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and most of Indochina, excluding Vietnam.

The Goal of this path is liberation - the dissolution of one's habitual identification with the illusion of a self.

If one truly realizes that any imagined "I" is without any lasting properties, and therefore only exists as an incorrect concept, then this sets one free.

Because one is neither the body, which will eventually die, nor the passing thoughts and feelings, there is no "one" or "me" who can suffer.

On this path the emphasis is on one's own happiness and security - one's own liberation.'

-- Quoted from 'Buddha & Love' book by Lama Ole Nydahl.


Enlightenment.

'The full development of mind, the state of a Buddha.'

-- Quoted from 'Buddha & Love' book by Lama Ole Nydahl.


Tuesday 14 February 2017

Mental Remedy.

About.

recently i've suffered from mental illness symptoms.

then i got an advice of how to handle difficult mental states from a Buddhist friend, Maria from Russia:

'Advice from Tibetan Buddhism: if you feel problem with mental discomfort, mental disease visualise white syllable VAM in the middle of your heart and think that nectar is going out from it and full your heart

(...)

I read this in Russian , I don t have in English. But it is the information.'.

Thanks Maria.





Blog author's comments.

it's not first syllable visualized by me, i got also different one from Lama Ole Nydahl as well.

i know these methods are working powerfully, at least in my case.

i shared this method for my future reference, and for benefit of all beings as well.

i hope Maria & her Sangha won't mind; i am grateful for this 'till end of my life & i wish to keep repaying the karmic debt for this, without delays.

i'll still attend to psychotherapy, i'll still take medicines as well; i advise those in need for these methods to do likewise.


Wishes.

May all beings have happines and causes of happiness,

May they be free from suffering and the cause of suffering,

May they always experience true happiness, which is totally free from suffering,

May they remain in the great equanimity, which is beyond attachment and aversion.

Monday 13 February 2017

Dharma.

About.

'Dharma (Tib. Chö): Buddha's teachings.

Translates literally to 'the way things are.'

It encompasses the three levels of teachings - the Basic Way, Great Way, and Diamond Way - and is part of the Buddhist refuge.'

-- Quoted from 'Buddha & Love' book by Lama Ole Nydahl.


Blog author's comments.

It's said that Dharma is a word for 'Buddha's Unsurpassable Teachings'.

There are other Dharmic Religions as well - it's found in Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism.

When in relation with Buddhism, it's often spoken as: 'Buddha-Dharma'.

Sunday 12 February 2017

Self-Honesty, Morality & Belief.

Introduction.

This blog's author thinks that first step in developing beneficial conscience is self-honesty.

Without healthy conscience true spiritual growth cannot occur, disturbing feelings, thoughts, beliefs & actions emerge.


About self-honesty & conscience.

Truth is what brings together instead of separating, but honesty is also important.

This blog's author believes that most important part of one's honesty is self-honesty, integral & coherent self-critic of one's own ideas & morals.

When someone prays or wishes to believe in something immoral or untrue, his or her conscience is full of lies, sinful & harmful.

This blog's author believes that we should think, that we should wish or pray for self-honesty regularly, be positively critical toward oneself & one's conscience as well.

This blog's author tries to not lie, occasionally fails in lesser worldly matters due to pressure and/or weakness - but then tries to improve for future.

This blog's author thinks that failing at honesty is not an excuse for not trying to improve.

This blog's author succeeds always to be honest in buddhist spiritual matters however, including all articles on this blog - worst fault is omitting some details in quotes or articles, and it's about details not fully understood or about details that could be wrongly understood & misinterpreted by others.


Consequences of a sinful conscience built on lies.

This blog's author thinks that our thoughts & feelings become words & actions, that our beliefs dictate our decisions.

This blog's author believes that petty pride in itself might not be worst sin in itself, but when someone tries to believe in one's own superiority over others despite truth - it's a cause of belittling others to protect one's ego, and in result this might cause desperation & suicide; Words can either heal or hurt, we should be Mindful of our Speech as well.


Anger, 'divine' or not.

This blog's author thinks that wishing or praying for anger so it can be released on suffering is harmful, leads to violence & conflicts, to the 'greater' sins and to the really bad karma.


Wishes.

i wish to improve myself in truth & honesty, including self-honesty; i wish others to do the same.

i wish to never wish or pray for self-dishonesty; i wish others to do the same.

i wish to never yield to a petty pride that protects one's false belief in superiority, that protects one's ego; i wish others to do the same.

i wish to be a very modest human being, to never belittle others - especially if they are desperate or in a miserable condition; i wish others to do the same.

i wish to never wish or pray for anger, i wish to defeat anger instead - with the HUNG mantra or with other means; i wish others to do the same.

i wish to develop myself in open-mindedness, respect & tolerance; i wish others to do the same.


Mantras.

HUNG
MAHAKALA
FIVE WISDOM BUDDHAS
OM MANI PEME HUNG
HUNG

KARMAPA CHENNO

Namaste, blessed be.


Protecting Activity of Mahakala.

Introduction.

i think it's important to understand Protecting Activity of Mahakala, that it is about protecting inner values & dharma teachings, and not about violence toward living beings.

i've tried to translate & paraphrase Buddha Karmapa 17th Trinley Thaye Dorje's words written in Polish language, to my best ability - for any faults, i apologize.


... see also if You wish, neeed, or ... : What is: 'Understanding Fear' ?


Who are protectors?

In the West, according to our tendency to perceive phenomena in a dualistic manner, we see them as something outside. Are protectors a kind of beings?

Protectors are our wisdom's nature. It's not about that we are here, and protectors 'somewhere', where they 'do something for us'. Awakening of our wisdom's nature is protection in itself.

(...)

There are two types of protectors: worldly living beings, and Dharma protectors, being absolute wisdom.

Enlightened protectors are Buddha's wisdom aspects, as for example: Mahakala.


How protector's activity works?

Generally, activity of a worldly protector is protecting area, nation or place from troubles or harmful influences.

Most important activity of Dharma protectors is protecting teachings. Their main activity is not about external threas. Dharma protectors save us from 'inner enemies' - disturbing emotions as attachment, confusion, desire, anger and pride. Protectors help us to control these weaknesses. This way they wrap protection around those who practice.

Through Dharma protectors, as through other Buddha aspects, enlightenment expresses in it's three qualities: wisdom, power and compassion.

We all have Buddha nature, but to recognize it, we need proper conditions.

Protectors' tasks are creating these conditions for us - they protect us from situations hindering our development and help us to find best conditions for recognizing our inborn Buddha nature. In other words, these energies remove hindrances from our way to enlightenment.


How a buddhist can physically protect others or fight for his or her own nation?

When we talk about protecting nation or even planet, it's usually that we mean killing and wounding others. If we are wounding other being, especially when there's ego or anger, it's not Dharma activity or even a buddhist activity at all.

(...)

If someone was attacked and you witness this, of course - protect, it's a completely normal reaction, everyone would do this. But try to not wound, to not kill attacker. Even in very difficult situations it's possible to avoid killing. Taking life is something extreme.

(...)


Wishes.

May all beings have happines and causes of happiness,

May they be free from suffering and the cause of suffering,

May they always experience true happiness, which is totally free from suffering,

May they remain in the great equanimity, which is beyond attachment and aversion.


Mantras.

MAHAKALA
FIVE WISDOM BUDDHAS
OM MANI PEME HUNG

KARMAPA CHENNO

Namaste, as well.

Saturday 11 February 2017

Important Buddhist Teachers & my experiences from the Refuge & from the other Buddhist Courses.

Blog author's experiences.

The most important days of my Buddhist Way were when i took Refuge in Lama Ole Nydahl, when i took Bodhisattva Promise as well.

Before this happened, i did prepare by practicing proper meditations, by speaking proper mantras; i bought a small book in 'Stupa House' Buddhist Center, in which these were explained.

The course was memorable, beautiful, positive & intense.

i had hallucinations - Lama Ole seemed strange when i looked, later i had insight that Lama Ole appeared to me in the 'Protector Form' - i don't know if this insight is true, however. i had also seen moments when 'White Light' filled my vision, i don't know why or for what purpose. My thoughts seemed open to Lama Ole, he answered my questions as they appeared in mind - i do not know nature of this phenomenon as well.

There were other Teachers with their own Lectures as well, Tomasz Lehnert was one of them. He also looked similar to Lama Ole in the 'Protector Form' at times.

With Refuge taken, i became officially a Buddhist.

It was a 'Great Victory' these days, quoting words of Lama Ole Nydahl's spoken at the end of the course.


The Most Important Teachers for this blog's author.

i think that the most important Buddhist Teachers, from my perspective at least, are:
- Lama Ole Nydahl - the Teacher i took Refuge in,
- Hannah Nydahl - she assisted Lama Ole Nydahl in the Refuge Ceremony,
- Tomasz Lehnert - participated in our Refuge's Course, and during another Lecture answered my question about difference between Beings & Phenomena,
- Karol Ślęczek - Buddhist Teacher & Philosopher, had Lecture about the 'Heart Sutra' that i did participate in,
- Leszek 'Misiek' Nadolski - Buddhist Teacher who helps in Kuchary Retreat Center - where Enlightenment Stupa & Miracle Stupa are located,
- Mira Boboli - Buddhist Teacher & Occultist (perhaps not anymore), important & involved in Buddhist activities & politics in Poland,
- Marcin Barański - Buddhist Teacher & a Computer Scientist who had a Lecture about Ngöndro that i did participate in,
- Klaudia Żerebiec - Buddhist Teacher who had a Lecture about Enlightened Love that i did participate in,
- Rafał Olech - important Buddhist Teacher & Artist.

All of the mentioned teachers are actively working for the benefit of all beings, actively involving themselves in Buddhist activities as well.

There are other important Buddhist Teachers for me as well, either i did meet them in person or did not.


Mantras.

MAHAKALA
FIVE WISDOM BUDDHAS
OM MANI PEME HUNG

KARMAPA CHENNO

Namaste, as well.

Wednesday 1 February 2017

Aspirations & Dedication.

Introduction.

The Kagyu Monlam Chenmo.

'In Tibetan aspiration is known as ‘monlam’ and dedication is known as ‘sngo ba.’

These two go hand in hand.

Aspiration is the one that initiates our accumulation, and dedication is the one that completes our accumulation of merit and wisdom as well.'

See also, if You wish: The King of Aspiration Prayers of Noble, Excellent Activity.


Efficiency.



'Aspiration and dedication: these two are such skilful means, such unsurpassable phenomena or qualities of the mind that, where it would normally take an eon to accumulate a certain amount of merit, with aspiration and dedication we are able to reduce that eon of hard work to just one lifetime.

Karmapa'.


Blog's author comments & wishes.

i read that in the Karma Kagyu Buddhism, aspirations are very important part of the Way.

i wish to enter Aspirations Way, learning from HH Buddha Karmapa 17th Trinley Thaye Dorje & HH Shamar Rinpoche as well;

i wish to develop in as many Meaningful Aspirations as i can, with Wisdom & Compassion at that.

i wish to dedicate to these aspirations & not detract.

i wish for Enlightened Love with a Buddhist woman i Love realized as well, as a way for Enlightenment; i wish to help others with her, to show compassion that way.


Mantras.

MAHAKALA
FIVE WISDOM BUDDHAS
OM MANI PEME HUNG

SHAMARPA CHENNO
KARMAPA CHENNO

Namaste, as well.