I want to share a dharma about how we can help others
Most people want things for themselves
it's human nature to desire things
The Buddha said the cause of suffering is desire
Even our prayers are full of me me me and the things we desire
Heath wealth and happiness
A great man once said
If you want to be happy for an hour
Have a massage
If you want to be happy for a day
Go for a picnic
If you want to be happy for a week
Go to Bali
If you want to be happy for a month
Get married
If you want to be happy for a year
Win the lottery
But if you want to be happy for a lifetime
Help others
It is so much better to give than to receive
The Reverend Joel Osteen tells the following
A child from a poor family comes into Jacks grocer shop and looks at the fruit and veggies
Jack asks him what he wants but the child tells him he is only looking
Jack notices that the boy is holding some marbles
and tells the boy he will swap a bag of fruit for the marbles
The marbles are the boys pride and joy but his family was hungry so he offered them to Jack for the large bag of fruit
Jack told the boy that he only wanted red marbles and didn't like the blue ones the boy had
He told the boy to come back next week and bring red ones
The following week Jack handed the boy a large bag of vegetables and told the boy he wanted blue marbles not the red ones the boy had
This went on for months with Jack never accepting the boys marbles
Some fifteen years later Jack passed away and at his funeral there were three well dressed young men standing by the open casket
Each one in turn held Jacks hand
After the funeral the minister asked Jacks wife about the three red marbles he found in Jacks hand
She told him that jack had fed three families with fruit and vegetables for years in return for red marbles that he never took
It is so much better to give than to receive
A young man about fifteen years old was going door to door selling plastic containers that he had recycled
He explained that he did this after school to feed himself as he had no family
Some people felt sorry for him and gave him a dollar most just slammed the door in his face
At one house a girl answered the door and he stood speechless
She was so beautiful
The girl saw he was so thin and obviously starving and she offered him a glass of milk
He drank it down in one go so cold so delicious
It actually saved his life
Some twenty five years later the same girl had a life threatening growth in her brain
Unfortunately she could not afford the operation and there was only one doctor who specialized in the delicate area of her disease
The doctor stopped in to see her and the moment he saw her he said he would operate
The operation was successful and she was worried about the cost and how she could pay
On the bottom of the bill she received was a hand written note from the doctor
"paid in full with a glass of milk"
It is so much better to give than to receive
I heard about a poor family with five children
It was a struggle just for the food each week
The eldest boy wanted to go to Lunar Park for his birthday and the father had saved a dollar each week for a year just for this treat
They were so excited as they stood in line to get in
When it was the fathers time to pay he got such a shock at the price just to get in and he didn't have enough for the entrance fee
The man behind him tapped him on the shoulder and said in a quiet voice
"excuse me but $40 just dropped out of your pocket"
The father looked at him with tears in his eyes and said
"thank you so much
you are a saint
God will shine on you"
It is so much better to give than to receive
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Monday, 29 April 2013
Monday, 15 April 2013
I love Osho
set of quotes and photos of this great man.
Thanks John
Osho is one of my heroes
He is so out spoken about everything, love, laughter and all the things a spiritual person wants to hear.
All things that are missing from our lives, Osho reminds us how to cure our ills by letting go with laughter and love.
In a book about Zen Osho talks about how archery and swordplay can be as meditative as sitting.
A great king who became a master archer searched his kingdom for a better archery teacher as sometimes he missed the target.
As he entered a village he saw many trees with circles and arrows in the exact middle of the circles.
He said "only the best archer can be this accurate, so perfect,
I must meet this man."
So he called the people and asked where is this great archer.
They all laughed.
"You must forget this man, he is the village idiot." They told the king.
The king told them that his archery was perfect and that he must see him.
The villages said;
"You don't understand his archery.
First he shoots the arrow and then he draws a circle around it.
Of course it is perfect.
Always perfect.
We told him this is not right, but he said his way is simple,you never miss.
Thank you John
Thank you Osho
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Wednesday, 10 April 2013
To my dear friend Carlo;
To my dear friend Carlo;
You asked me to report on my recent trip to Vietnam, with a thought of maybe going there next year.
From the moment I got there, I found a cacophony in total madness of movement and sound, as if this is the last moment of life.
It is, as if there is so much to do and so little time to do whatever has to be done.
The Buddha said to treat every moment as our last, but this is extreme.
All in such a hurry to get somewhere.
It seems that everyone in the city,
the entire population,
is on the move at once,
all a blur of people,
color and noise.
In the city of Ho chi Min there are eight million people and there are some six million motor scooters and its a fight just to get across the street.
I had to half close my eyes and just walk.
The scooters go around,
sometimes.
Vietnam has other benefits apart from the crush.
There are the smiles from the loverly people,
the food, the shopping, bargaining.
The friendliest will try to get an extra cent or two from you.
It's endemic, it's the culture and we would not have it any other way.
The Buddha advised not to be attached to anything.
The Buddha hadn't seen Ratchavadee resort.
Still we shouldn't be attached.
So my advice is to go to Thailand in March not February next year and we will not be attached to the month.
Vietnam is great for a visit but for me, not for a stay.
Love you and look forward to seeing both in Thailand next year.
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
You asked me to report on my recent trip to Vietnam, with a thought of maybe going there next year.
From the moment I got there, I found a cacophony in total madness of movement and sound, as if this is the last moment of life.
It is, as if there is so much to do and so little time to do whatever has to be done.
The Buddha said to treat every moment as our last, but this is extreme.
All in such a hurry to get somewhere.
It seems that everyone in the city,
the entire population,
is on the move at once,
all a blur of people,
color and noise.
In the city of Ho chi Min there are eight million people and there are some six million motor scooters and its a fight just to get across the street.
I had to half close my eyes and just walk.
The scooters go around,
sometimes.
Vietnam has other benefits apart from the crush.
There are the smiles from the loverly people,
the food, the shopping, bargaining.
The friendliest will try to get an extra cent or two from you.
It's endemic, it's the culture and we would not have it any other way.
The Buddha advised not to be attached to anything.
The Buddha hadn't seen Ratchavadee resort.
Still we shouldn't be attached.
So my advice is to go to Thailand in March not February next year and we will not be attached to the month.
Vietnam is great for a visit but for me, not for a stay.
Love you and look forward to seeing both in Thailand next year.
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Friday, 8 March 2013
Kuan Yin miracle
Ratchavadee Resort 2013
I go on holiday to rest and write.
Holidays are one thing and sitting here in paradise waiting for inspiration is another.
The two just don't seem to mix as there are too many distractions.
The beach, the pool,
the food, from one to the other.
Then people want to talk and ask questions
Where are you from?
What are you writing?
Why are you so quiet?
Go away and leave me alone!
I read and reread, but my words seemed empty.
Too many distractions.
On my last day on the beach I had given up and was looking at some
photos of Kuan Yin and attached to one picture was the following story;
You may have heard it before but it needs to be read again as sometimes to be reassured that miracles can happen.
My thanks goes to the beautiful Kuan Yin Facebook page:
"Tess was only eight years old but she understood her mom and dad were talking about her brother's illness.
She knew he was very sick and there was no money to pay for an expensive operation.
They were moving to a small apartment as dad couldn't afford the house doctors or hospital bills anymore.
Tess heard them say that he wouldn't live without the surgery and no one would loan dad the money and he would die if he didn't have get a miracle.
Mom and dad were both crying.
Tess went to her bedroom and got the special glass jam jar from its hiding place in her cupboard.
She tipped the contents on to the bed and very carefully counted the contents.
She counted them three times as she had to be right and make no mistakes.
Tess put the coins back in the jar and tightened up the lid and placed the jar carefully in her school bag and slipped out the back door.
She walked the few blocks to the corner pharmacy.
Tess waited in line for the man to serve her.
When her turn came the man was really rude
"What do you want" he said sharply
She told him about her brother Andrew and how he had something bad growing in his head and how they had no money for the operation and only a miracle could save him
She asked the man how much does a miracle cost
and she has money and if it is not enough she can get more.
"We don't sell miracles here and I am so sorry I can't help you."
Tess was about to leave with tears welling up in her eyes when a well dressed man bent down and said,
"What sort of operation does your brother need?"
Tess said that she did not know but she had $1:11 and if that was not enough she could get more.
The man was Dr Carlton Armstrong a specialist in neuro-surgery and the pharmacists brother.
He asked Tess to take him to meet her mom and dad and said that $1:11 was the exact amount needed for a miracle.
The operation was a total success
Her mom and dad asked the surgeon how much was the cost and could they pay it in small installments?
He told them to ask Tess and that he had charged her for the operation.
When they asked Tess how she had paid she just smiled
Tess knew miracles cost $1:11
Tess is saving up just in case she is needed again to pay for a miracle"
Thank you to Kuan Yin for this and many other miracles
Metta
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
"The power of I am"
"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
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
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
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