Buddhism-Buddhism

Take Not Evil Lightly

Comment March 12, 2015

Think lightly not of evil,
‘It will not come to me’,
for by the falling of water drops
a water jar is filled.
The fool with evil fills himself,
he soaks up little by little.
~Dhammapada

Explanation: Some tend to believe that evil can be taken lightly. There attitude to wrong-doing is that they can get away with anything whatsoever. They say in effect: “I will behave in the way I want. Evil results will never come my way.” But evil accumulates little by little – very much like a water-pot being filled drop by drop. Little by little the evil accumulates, until he is filled with it. Link source
Merit Grows Little By Little

Comment March 12, 2015

Think lightly not of goodness,
‘It will not come to me’,
for by the falling of water drops
a water jar is filled.
The sage with goodness fills himself,
he soaks up little by little.
~Dhammapada

Explanation: Some tend to think that virtue can be taken lightly, and that virtue practiced is not likely to bring about any spectacular good results. This view is not quite correct. The good done by an individual accumulates little by little. The process is very much like the filling of a water-pot, drop by drop. As time goes on, the little acts of virtue accumulate, until the doer of good is totally filled with it. Link source

Photo source: The Maha Thera Dr. Hok Savann
Funeral service for the father of Bunrith Sath

Comment March 8, 2015

Funeral service for the father of Bunrith Sath [Producer of Khmer Sentimental Show in Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S.A] at Linwood Cemetery in Haverhill, Massachusetts on Saturday March 7, 2015.
Your destiny

Comment March 6, 2015

Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.

~Mahatma Gandhi

Photo source: The Maha Thera Dr. Hok Savann
Within oneself

Comment March 6, 2015

Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it. ~Ajahn Chah

Photo source: The Maha Thera Dr. Hok Savann
Snow scene right by the canal

Comment March 4, 2015
The Last Message of the Buddha

Comment March 2, 2015

By Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera

‘When I am gone, my Teaching shall be your Master and Guide.’

Three months before His passing away the Buddha addressed His disciples and said: ‘I have delivered sermons to you during these forty-five years. You must learn them well and treasure them. You must practise them and teach them to others. This will be of great use for the welfare of the living and for the welfare of those who come after you’.

‘My years are now full ripe; the life span left is short. I will soon have to leave you. You must be earnest. O monks, be mindful and of pure virtue! Whoever untiringly pursues the Teaching, will go beyond the cycle of birth and death and will man an end of Suffering.’

When Ananda asked the Buddha what would become of the Order after He pass away, the Buddha replied, ‘What does the Order expect of me, Ananda? I have preached the Truth without any distinction; for in regard to the Truth, there is no clenched hand in the Teachings of the Buddha‚. It may be, Ananda, that to some among you, the thought will come ‘The Master’s words will soon end; soon we will no longer have a master.’ But do not think like this, Ananda. When I am gone, my Teaching and the disciplinary code shall be your Master.’

The Buddha further explained: ‘If there is anyone who thinks, ‘It is I who will lead the brotherhood’, or ‘The Order is dependent on me, it is I who should give instructions’, the Buddha does not think that He should lead the order or that the Order is dependent on Him. I have reached the end of my days. Just as a worn-out cart can only be made to move with much additional care, so my body can be kept going only with much additional care. Therefore, Ananda, be a lamp and refuge unto yourselves. Look for no other refuge. Let the Truth be your lamp and your refuge. Seek no refuge elsewhere.’

At the age of eighty, on His birthday, He passed away without showing any worldly supernatural powers. He showed the real nature of component things even in His own life.

When the Buddha passed away into Nibbana, one of His disciples remarked, ‘All must depart—all beings that have life must shed their compounded forms. Yes, even a Master such as He, a peerless being, powerful in Wisdom and Enlightenment, even He must pass away.’

The parting words of the Buddha:

‘Appamadena Sampadetha Vaya Dhamma Sankhara’.

‘Work diligently. Component things are impermanent.’
Mother Earth

Comment March 1, 2015

You carry Mother Earth within you,
She is not just outside of you.
Mother Earth is not just your environment.

~Thich Nhat Hanh
What is love?

Comment March 1, 2015

Love is also defined in the Oxford Dictionary. According to it, love means warm affection, attachment, affectionate devotion, etc. These are synonymous terms for love and they all refer to sentimental worldly love. So, Metta has no full English equivalent. For this Metta is much more than ordinary affection or warm feelings. The Pali word Metta literally means “friendliness”, but also means love without a desire to possess but with desire to help, to sacrifice self-interest for the welfare and well being of humanity. Metta is with out any selection or exclusion. If you select a few good friends and exclude a bad person, then you have not got a perfect grasp of Metta. Indeed Metta is not only benevolent thought, but also performing charitable deeds, an active ministry for the good of one and all.

In the “Metta Sutta” the Buddha has chosen the love of a mother for her child as an example. Imagine a mother’s love when her child is hungry; she watches carefully to feed her child even be fore it asks her for food. When the child is in danger, she will risk her own life. So the Buddha taught us to love all beings as a mother loves her only child. If we can do this even to a small extent, the world will become happier and more peaceful place. In the Dighanikaya, it is said by the Buddha that almost every virtue such as unselfishness, loving sympathy and loving kindness is included in this “Metta”.

(Discourse on Loving-kindness)
Written by U Nandiya

Link source
Metta – Loving kindness

Comment March 1, 2015

Scene in Montpellier province, France

Metta is the highest need of the world today, indeed it is more needed than ever before. Because in this new world, there are sufficient materials, money and brilliant wise men and scientists. In spite of these, there is no peace and happiness. It shows that something is lacking, That is Metta.

What is the Buddhist idea of Metta? The Pali word “Metta” means “loving kindness”, not the ordinary, sensual, emotional, sentimental kind of love. Metta has been translated by modem translators into English as generous, mindful loving, loving kindness, sending out thoughts of love towards others” but according to the words of Buddha, Metta has a far wider significance, and a much more extensive implication than this. It means a great deal more than loving kindness harmlessness, sympathy.

(Discourse on Loving-kindness)
Written by U Nandiya

Link source

«70 71 72 73 74 »