"The power of I am"
I saw these words the other day and a light turned on in my head.
I thought about how strong our words are and how our words effect us.
"I am sick, I am tired, I didn't sleep a wink last night, I hate you, I hate my job,I can't stand banks, government, weather, dogs, cats, relatives."
The list is endless.
The effect is instant and not only do we carry these thoughts with us,
we pass them on.
We can cause a ripple effect that can touch dozens of people effecting how they feel and all of those they mix with.
The effect can be disastrous.
Hundreds of people having a bad day because you decided to vent a negative "I am."
How about
"I am strong,
I am beautiful,
I am full of vigor.
Full of love,
I am perfect."
With Metta
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
Monday, 7 January 2013
Eihei Dogen said...
Eihei Dogen said...
"If you cannot find the truth right where you are,
where else do you expect to find it"
We have had the most wonderful time visiting Japan over Xmas and New Year.
The snow was exceptional with over three metres covering the lodge. We had to dig ourselves out to go skiing, although on my case it was falling down not skiing.
The highlights of this trip have been many including staying at an authentic Onsen hotel where the hot water is pumped directly from the springs deep underground and we took to the hot and then snow baths with gusto.
Exhilarating.
We also stayed at the most expensive hotel in Tokyo
The fabulous Shangri-La.
Of course meeting up with the Reverend Noguchi at Kikoji
Temple was for me amazing.
There was no coincidence that I was writing about Eihei Dogen the very morning we met with a teacher of this great man's philosophy.
In my searching of the Internet I have come across the following explanation of this extraordinary way of life and thinking;
"The foundations of Zen Buddhism are generally attributed to the Indian monk Bodhidarma who sometime in the early 5th century journeyed to China to teach a new kind of Buddhism focused on experiential wisdom as opposed to theoretical knowledge.
By the 7th century, Bodhidarma's ideas had been integrated with many elements of China's indigenous Taoist (Daoist) philosophy and become a fully developed branch of Chinese Mahayana Buddhism known as Chan (Zen in Japanese).
The daily life of Zen monks was very different from those in other Buddhist traditions. Zen monks meditated but they also extended their practice to every day activities such as food production, building, cleaning, gardening, medicine, and administrative duties.
From China, Zen Buddhism was transmitted to Vietnam, Korea and Japan.
Japan's three Zen sects are the Rinzai school, the Soto and the Obaku school. Of the three, the Soto school is by far the largest.
Historically, the Rinzai school is the oldest followed by the Soto school and the Obaku school.
The Soto school was established by Dogen in the early 13th century based on his studies with the Chinese Caodong sect.
The Obaku school was introduced to Japan in the 17th century by Ingen, the Chinese head of the same school.
Ingen was forced to flee China due to increased persecution of his sect by the Ming Dynasty.
This school shares many similarities with the Rinzai school but is more Chinese in its practices and aesthetics.
The Rinzai school combines aspects of Japanese esoteric Buddhism with the idea of gaining enlightenment through a student-master relationship and meditation.
In the Soto school, achieving enlightenment is based primarily on intense and frequent meditation sessions.
In the quest for enlightenment, both the Rinzai school and the Soto school also make use of Koans, which are stories, questions, or statements in which the meaning eludes rational thinking.
These ''riddles'' can only be solved by bypassing the thinking mind and relying on intuitive processes.
( my own favorite Koan:
"What is your original face
Snowman?)
In Japan, Zen had a major influence on the samurai warrior class and the arts. From the 12th century onwards, Zen was widely adopted as the religion of Japan's increasingly influential samurai warrior class.
The moral code of the samurai warrior (bushido) shares many aspects with Zen philosophy. Both stress the importance of discipline, courage, persistence, and simplicity.
Zen meditation was a key part of samurai life as a way of calming the mind in preparation for battle."
My thanks to the Kyoto visitors guide website for the above article.
Bodhidharma wrote some of the most enlightening words and I share the following;
" People of sharp abilities know that the mind is the path.
People of dull abities seek everywhere for the path,
but don't know it's location.
They are not aware that the mind from the outset
is perfect enlightenment"
"Damo" 470-543
Bodhidharma, "Damo",
is also the
Patron Saint of the Shaolin Monks and KungFu
He is one of my heroes
Another of my heroes said;
" An individual that knows Dharma can be compared to a lamp that lights up the darkness.
One who is close will see clearly, while those further away will see less clearly.
After a period of time the lamp's light may go out or be extinguished, but then, from time to time, the lamp will be relit, again providing illumination."
Why do we allow the light to grow dim or even to extinguish?
Why do we seek a path other than within ourselves?
Maybe we hang on to old programs, hang on to what we believe is our birthright.
Hang on to our teaching from past experience.
Stale lessons that are no longer relevant.
The secret is to let go.
Don't recall;
Let go of
what has passed
Don't imagine;
Let go of
what may come
Don't think;
Let go of what is happening now
Don't examine;
Don't try to
figure anything out
Don't control;
Don't try to make
anything happen
Rest;
Relax,
right now and rest.
Japan, for me,
is a great teacher.
The great reminder.
The great undoer.
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
"If you cannot find the truth right where you are,
where else do you expect to find it"
We have had the most wonderful time visiting Japan over Xmas and New Year.
The snow was exceptional with over three metres covering the lodge. We had to dig ourselves out to go skiing, although on my case it was falling down not skiing.
The highlights of this trip have been many including staying at an authentic Onsen hotel where the hot water is pumped directly from the springs deep underground and we took to the hot and then snow baths with gusto.
Exhilarating.
We also stayed at the most expensive hotel in Tokyo
The fabulous Shangri-La.
Of course meeting up with the Reverend Noguchi at Kikoji
Temple was for me amazing.
There was no coincidence that I was writing about Eihei Dogen the very morning we met with a teacher of this great man's philosophy.
In my searching of the Internet I have come across the following explanation of this extraordinary way of life and thinking;
"The foundations of Zen Buddhism are generally attributed to the Indian monk Bodhidarma who sometime in the early 5th century journeyed to China to teach a new kind of Buddhism focused on experiential wisdom as opposed to theoretical knowledge.
By the 7th century, Bodhidarma's ideas had been integrated with many elements of China's indigenous Taoist (Daoist) philosophy and become a fully developed branch of Chinese Mahayana Buddhism known as Chan (Zen in Japanese).
The daily life of Zen monks was very different from those in other Buddhist traditions. Zen monks meditated but they also extended their practice to every day activities such as food production, building, cleaning, gardening, medicine, and administrative duties.
From China, Zen Buddhism was transmitted to Vietnam, Korea and Japan.
Japan's three Zen sects are the Rinzai school, the Soto and the Obaku school. Of the three, the Soto school is by far the largest.
Historically, the Rinzai school is the oldest followed by the Soto school and the Obaku school.
The Soto school was established by Dogen in the early 13th century based on his studies with the Chinese Caodong sect.
The Obaku school was introduced to Japan in the 17th century by Ingen, the Chinese head of the same school.
Ingen was forced to flee China due to increased persecution of his sect by the Ming Dynasty.
This school shares many similarities with the Rinzai school but is more Chinese in its practices and aesthetics.
The Rinzai school combines aspects of Japanese esoteric Buddhism with the idea of gaining enlightenment through a student-master relationship and meditation.
In the Soto school, achieving enlightenment is based primarily on intense and frequent meditation sessions.
In the quest for enlightenment, both the Rinzai school and the Soto school also make use of Koans, which are stories, questions, or statements in which the meaning eludes rational thinking.
These ''riddles'' can only be solved by bypassing the thinking mind and relying on intuitive processes.
( my own favorite Koan:
"What is your original face
Snowman?)
In Japan, Zen had a major influence on the samurai warrior class and the arts. From the 12th century onwards, Zen was widely adopted as the religion of Japan's increasingly influential samurai warrior class.
The moral code of the samurai warrior (bushido) shares many aspects with Zen philosophy. Both stress the importance of discipline, courage, persistence, and simplicity.
Zen meditation was a key part of samurai life as a way of calming the mind in preparation for battle."
My thanks to the Kyoto visitors guide website for the above article.
Bodhidharma wrote some of the most enlightening words and I share the following;
" People of sharp abilities know that the mind is the path.
People of dull abities seek everywhere for the path,
but don't know it's location.
They are not aware that the mind from the outset
is perfect enlightenment"
"Damo" 470-543
Bodhidharma, "Damo",
is also the
Patron Saint of the Shaolin Monks and KungFu
He is one of my heroes
Another of my heroes said;
" An individual that knows Dharma can be compared to a lamp that lights up the darkness.
One who is close will see clearly, while those further away will see less clearly.
After a period of time the lamp's light may go out or be extinguished, but then, from time to time, the lamp will be relit, again providing illumination."
Why do we allow the light to grow dim or even to extinguish?
Why do we seek a path other than within ourselves?
Maybe we hang on to old programs, hang on to what we believe is our birthright.
Hang on to our teaching from past experience.
Stale lessons that are no longer relevant.
The secret is to let go.
Don't recall;
Let go of
what has passed
Don't imagine;
Let go of
what may come
Don't think;
Let go of what is happening now
Don't examine;
Don't try to
figure anything out
Don't control;
Don't try to make
anything happen
Rest;
Relax,
right now and rest.
Japan, for me,
is a great teacher.
The great reminder.
The great undoer.
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Thursday, 3 January 2013
" The more laws and restrictions there are the poorer people become.
" The more laws and restrictions there are the poorer people become.
The sharper the weapons,
the more trouble in the land.
The more clever and ingenious people are,
the stranger things happen.
The more rules and regulations,
the more thieves and robbers."
"Lao Tzu" (604-517BC)
His commentary is as clear and precise then as it is today
Everything changes
but humanities behavior
stays the same
Let us try this year to have less
restrictions in our thinking and our actions
Our sharper weapons are causing death and destruction all around us and the present misuse of weaponry is a prime example
Our cleverness is causing strange behavior and even though in medicine and communication our society is advancing, our humanity is not
Our rulers are putting so many regulations on the populous there is mass starvation around our world causing an increase in theft and violent robbery
Lao Tzu got it right
We still have not got it right after two thousand five hundred years and we are still
shooting and robbing each other for no apparent gain other than greed
Maybe just maybe we can find the middle way and live in peace and harmony through right thought and right action
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
The sharper the weapons,
the more trouble in the land.
The more clever and ingenious people are,
the stranger things happen.
The more rules and regulations,
the more thieves and robbers."
"Lao Tzu" (604-517BC)
His commentary is as clear and precise then as it is today
Everything changes
but humanities behavior
stays the same
Let us try this year to have less
restrictions in our thinking and our actions
Our sharper weapons are causing death and destruction all around us and the present misuse of weaponry is a prime example
Our cleverness is causing strange behavior and even though in medicine and communication our society is advancing, our humanity is not
Our rulers are putting so many regulations on the populous there is mass starvation around our world causing an increase in theft and violent robbery
Lao Tzu got it right
We still have not got it right after two thousand five hundred years and we are still
shooting and robbing each other for no apparent gain other than greed
Maybe just maybe we can find the middle way and live in peace and harmony through right thought and right action
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Sunday, 30 December 2012
It may seem strange that at New Year, a time of celebration, this dharma is about death.
It may seem strange that at New Year, a time of celebration, this dharma is about death.
Actually this dharma is about life and death and the delusion that surrounds both life and death
We are celebrating New Year's Eve in Japan at the ski lodge in Ishiuchi just north of the birthplace of Eihei Dogen the founder of Soto school of Zen Buddhism.
We decided to visit a very old temple, that was a school for the children of samurai.
We took a wrong turn and found Kikoji Temple.
We were made most welcome by Hidenobu Noguchi the Soto Priest in charge.
The first thing I discussed with this loverly man was
Eihei Dogen the founder of his order who lived eight hundred years ago.
He then told me the great man travelled in this area to teach.
This dharma pays respect to this great man's writings.
Dogen argued that we possess everything we need in life when we are born including being enlightened.
Dogen said
"As I study both the exoteric and the esoteric schools of Buddhism, they maintain that human beings are endowed with Dharma-nature by birth.
If this is the case, why did the Buddhas of all ages — undoubtedly in possession of enlightenment — find it necessary to seek enlightenment and engage in spiritual practice?"
When he studied in China under Rujing, Dōgen realized liberation of body and mind upon hearing the master say, "Cast off body and mind"
This phrase would continue to have great importance to Dōgen throughout his life, and can be found scattered throughout his writings, as—for example—in a famous section of his "GenjoKoan"
"To study the Way is to study the self.
To study the self is to forget the self.
To forget the self is to be enlightened by all things of the universe.
To be enlightened by all things of the universe is to cast off the body and mind of the self as well as those of others. Even the traces of enlightenment are wiped out, and life with traceless enlightenment goes on forever and ever."
The following section of his GenjoKoen shows us Dogen's profound thinking regarding life and death;
"Firewood turns into ash and does not turn into firewood again.
Do not suppose that ash is after and firewood before.
We must realize that firewood is in a state of being firewood and it has its before and its after...
Just as firewood does not become firewood again after it is ash, so after one's death one does not become alive again.
So life does not become death in an unqualified fact of the Buddha dharma....
Life is a period of itself.
Death is a period of itself.
They are like winter and spring.
We do not think winter becomes spring or that spring becomes winter. Nor do we say that spring becomes summer."
"The Genjo Koan"
This Dogen Koan is most profound as it deals with one of the most emotional sufferings of humanity.
What happens after death?
How is life formed, and is it reincarnated life?
In other words;
Do we come back!
Please comment......
May you all be guarded and guided this new year and,
May the Buddha bless you.
With Metta
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Actually this dharma is about life and death and the delusion that surrounds both life and death
We are celebrating New Year's Eve in Japan at the ski lodge in Ishiuchi just north of the birthplace of Eihei Dogen the founder of Soto school of Zen Buddhism.
We decided to visit a very old temple, that was a school for the children of samurai.
We took a wrong turn and found Kikoji Temple.
We were made most welcome by Hidenobu Noguchi the Soto Priest in charge.
The first thing I discussed with this loverly man was
Eihei Dogen the founder of his order who lived eight hundred years ago.
He then told me the great man travelled in this area to teach.
This dharma pays respect to this great man's writings.
Dogen argued that we possess everything we need in life when we are born including being enlightened.
Dogen said
"As I study both the exoteric and the esoteric schools of Buddhism, they maintain that human beings are endowed with Dharma-nature by birth.
If this is the case, why did the Buddhas of all ages — undoubtedly in possession of enlightenment — find it necessary to seek enlightenment and engage in spiritual practice?"
When he studied in China under Rujing, Dōgen realized liberation of body and mind upon hearing the master say, "Cast off body and mind"
This phrase would continue to have great importance to Dōgen throughout his life, and can be found scattered throughout his writings, as—for example—in a famous section of his "GenjoKoan"
"To study the Way is to study the self.
To study the self is to forget the self.
To forget the self is to be enlightened by all things of the universe.
To be enlightened by all things of the universe is to cast off the body and mind of the self as well as those of others. Even the traces of enlightenment are wiped out, and life with traceless enlightenment goes on forever and ever."
The following section of his GenjoKoen shows us Dogen's profound thinking regarding life and death;
"Firewood turns into ash and does not turn into firewood again.
Do not suppose that ash is after and firewood before.
We must realize that firewood is in a state of being firewood and it has its before and its after...
Just as firewood does not become firewood again after it is ash, so after one's death one does not become alive again.
So life does not become death in an unqualified fact of the Buddha dharma....
Life is a period of itself.
Death is a period of itself.
They are like winter and spring.
We do not think winter becomes spring or that spring becomes winter. Nor do we say that spring becomes summer."
"The Genjo Koan"
This Dogen Koan is most profound as it deals with one of the most emotional sufferings of humanity.
What happens after death?
How is life formed, and is it reincarnated life?
In other words;
Do we come back!
Please comment......
May you all be guarded and guided this new year and,
May the Buddha bless you.
With Metta
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Eihei Dogen
Eihei Dogen is the subject of my New Years Dharma
Look out for it!!!
Friday, 21 December 2012
New year
New year
Dharma
We have a chance to make a difference in our own and others lives at the start of this coming new year.
Our new years resolutions usually reflect these wishes.
Most make promises regarding finances and family.
For some, it is a religious matter and so promises are made to increase devotion.
Most don't understand that it is not the religion, or the liturgy or the statues that are important, but the spirituality of the person that earns merit.
Only a spiritual person can earn merit and make themselves available to the divine spark within themselves.
Only a spiritual person acts moment to moment and day to day as a human being,
making right life decisions thereby gaining merit.
All the promises and wishes will not change a thing.
And now it is new year that is almost upon us.
Do we do the same as we did last year?
Rather do we have a plan to revitalize and make ourselves and our lives new for the coming year?
Many people look forward to the new year for a new start with their old habits.
Old habits that won't go away.
This new year, are we able to do something different and spend a few moments in contemplation and reflection.
Ask the questions;
Am I doing enough?
Am I compassionate ?
Is my love unconditional ?
When I go to bed tonight can I truly say,
Today I did the best that I could.
With Divine Grace,
tomorrow, I shall do better.
This past year has been my personal year for spiritual renewal.
I took Samanera Theravedan Monks vows in a Wat in far northern Thailand.
For two weeks at this Wat I remained mostly silent and the one meal a day was supplied by alms given by the local people.
We walked for kilometers daily with our bowls and the mostly poor people unconditionally shared their food as we passed each day on our rounds.
I decided to lose my ego.
I decided to seek refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.
This does not diminish my love for you, nor my love for my partner, for friends, family or business, but strengthens
my unconditional commitment to the community with compassion.
This is my seventieth year and I am at peace with myself and the world.
This peace strengthens my love for you.
Let us all make this coming year one of renewal and may you all be guarded and guided.
With Metta
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Dharma
We have a chance to make a difference in our own and others lives at the start of this coming new year.
Our new years resolutions usually reflect these wishes.
Most make promises regarding finances and family.
For some, it is a religious matter and so promises are made to increase devotion.
Most don't understand that it is not the religion, or the liturgy or the statues that are important, but the spirituality of the person that earns merit.
Only a spiritual person can earn merit and make themselves available to the divine spark within themselves.
Only a spiritual person acts moment to moment and day to day as a human being,
making right life decisions thereby gaining merit.
All the promises and wishes will not change a thing.
And now it is new year that is almost upon us.
Do we do the same as we did last year?
Rather do we have a plan to revitalize and make ourselves and our lives new for the coming year?
Many people look forward to the new year for a new start with their old habits.
Old habits that won't go away.
This new year, are we able to do something different and spend a few moments in contemplation and reflection.
Ask the questions;
Am I doing enough?
Am I compassionate ?
Is my love unconditional ?
When I go to bed tonight can I truly say,
Today I did the best that I could.
With Divine Grace,
tomorrow, I shall do better.
This past year has been my personal year for spiritual renewal.
I took Samanera Theravedan Monks vows in a Wat in far northern Thailand.
For two weeks at this Wat I remained mostly silent and the one meal a day was supplied by alms given by the local people.
We walked for kilometers daily with our bowls and the mostly poor people unconditionally shared their food as we passed each day on our rounds.
I decided to lose my ego.
I decided to seek refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.
This does not diminish my love for you, nor my love for my partner, for friends, family or business, but strengthens
my unconditional commitment to the community with compassion.
This is my seventieth year and I am at peace with myself and the world.
This peace strengthens my love for you.
Let us all make this coming year one of renewal and may you all be guarded and guided.
With Metta
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Monday, 10 December 2012
Do we listen?
Do we listen?
Did you know that shingles were roof tiles?
Did you also know that shingles is a viral, very painful blistering skin and nerve rash?
A man went to the doctor.
The nurse asked him what he had.
Shingles, he said.
She asked him to sit and wait for the doctor.
After twenty minutes another nurse put him in the examination room, took his blood pressure and a sample of blood.
After another twenty minutes another nurse told him to take his clothes off, put on a gown and wait for the doctor.
Shingles is serious, she said.
After a short wait the doctor came in, lifted the mans gown and asked where are the shingles?
In the truck outside and where do you want them, he said.
Maybe we just don't listen!
Maybe we don't care!
Of course it's the way we express ourselves that others understand, or not, what we meant or want.
When it comes to our family, our children, our friends,
we mostly don't listen.
We are only interested in what we are going to say next.
We don't hear the suffering,
the real cause of the suffering.
The Buddha was very specific when he wanted to be heard and understood.
The Buddha said "what comes from the mouth is what it is."
The Buddha's teaching was about suffering and how to get rid of suffering.
We know we cause our own suffering and pass this on to all in our circle.
This Xmas let us give our family, our children, our friends a special present.
The present of listening.
Listening to their suffering and maybe, just maybe, we can help them to choose not to suffer.
With Metta
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Did you know that shingles were roof tiles?
Did you also know that shingles is a viral, very painful blistering skin and nerve rash?
A man went to the doctor.
The nurse asked him what he had.
Shingles, he said.
She asked him to sit and wait for the doctor.
After twenty minutes another nurse put him in the examination room, took his blood pressure and a sample of blood.
After another twenty minutes another nurse told him to take his clothes off, put on a gown and wait for the doctor.
Shingles is serious, she said.
After a short wait the doctor came in, lifted the mans gown and asked where are the shingles?
In the truck outside and where do you want them, he said.
Maybe we just don't listen!
Maybe we don't care!
Of course it's the way we express ourselves that others understand, or not, what we meant or want.
When it comes to our family, our children, our friends,
we mostly don't listen.
We are only interested in what we are going to say next.
We don't hear the suffering,
the real cause of the suffering.
The Buddha was very specific when he wanted to be heard and understood.
The Buddha said "what comes from the mouth is what it is."
The Buddha's teaching was about suffering and how to get rid of suffering.
We know we cause our own suffering and pass this on to all in our circle.
This Xmas let us give our family, our children, our friends a special present.
The present of listening.
Listening to their suffering and maybe, just maybe, we can help them to choose not to suffer.
With Metta
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
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