1. The meaning of life is just to be alive

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    The meaning of life is just to be alive. It is so plain and so obvious and so simple. And yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves. — Alan Watts

     

    When one drives away the negligent through vigilance, he climbs the heights of wisdom, and can see the suffering masses. Serene, you look upon the lost like one that stands on a mountain sees those that stand upon the plain. Gautama Buddha

     

    Jendhamuni at the summit of Wachusett Mountain in Massachusetts on November 15, 2020. It took us a little over an hour to reach the top of this mountain.

     

  2. Wakefulness is the way to life

    Comment

     

    Wakefulness is the way to life.
    The fool sleeps
    As if he were already dead,
    But the master is awake
    And he lives forever.

    He watches.
    He is clear.

    How happy he is!
    For he sees that wakefulness is life.
    How happy he is,
    Following the path of the awakened.

    With great perseverance
    He meditates, seeking
    Freedom and happiness.

    So awake, reflect, watch.
    Work with care and attention.
    Live in the way, and the light will grow in you.

    The fool is careless.
    But the master guards his watching.
    It is his most precious treasure. Continue reading

  3. The Story of Bilalapadaka

    Comment

     

    Verse 122: One should not think lightly of doing good, imagining ‘A little will not affect me’; just as a water-jar is filled up by falling drops of rain, so also, the wise one is filled up with merit, by accumulating it little by little.

    The Story of Bilalapadaka

    While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (122) of this book, with reference to Bilalapadaka, a rich man.

    Once, a man from Savatthi, having heard a discourse given by the Buddha, was very much impressed, and decided to practise what was taught by the Buddha. The exhortation was to give in charity not only by oneself but also to get others to do so and that by so doing one would gain much merit and have a large number of followers in the next existence. So, that man invited the Buddha and all the resident bhikkhus in the Jetavana monastery for alms-food the next day. Then he went round to each one of the houses and informed the residents that alms-food would he offered the next day to the Buddha and other bhikkhus and so to contribute according to their wishes. The rich man Bilalapadaka seeing the man goings round from house to house disapproved of his behaviour and felt a strong dislike for him and murmured to himself, “O this wretched man! Why did he not invite as many bhikkhus as he could himself offer alms, instead of going round coaxing people?” So he asked the man to bring his bowl and into this bowl, he put only a little rice, only a little butter, only a little molass. These were taken away separately and not mixed with what others had given. The rich men could not understand why his things were kept separately, and he thought perhaps that man wanted others to know that a rich man like him had contributed very little and so put him to shame. Therefore, he sent a servant to find out.

    The promoter of charity put a little of everything that was given by the rich man into various pots of rice and curry and sweetmeats so that the rich man may gain much merit. His servant reported what he had seen; but Bilalapadaka did not get the meaning and was not sure of the intention of the promoter of charity. However, the next day he went to the place where alms-food was being offered. At the same time, he took a knife with him, intending to kill the chief promoter of charity, if he were to reveal in public just how little a rich man like him had contributed. Continue reading

  4. The ability to embrace

    Comment

    Love is the ability to embrace the imperfections of another, of ourselves and of life. ~Ajahn Brahm

     

  5. Part of spiritual and emotional maturity

    Comment

    Part of spiritual and emotional maturity is recognizing that it’s not like you’re going to try to fix yourself and become a different person. You remain the same person, but you become awakened. – Jack Kornfield

  6. When it is lived in the midst of the pains and joys

    Comment

    The spiritual life is not a life before, after, or beyond our everyday existence. No, the spiritual life can only be real when it is lived in the midst of the pains and joys of the here and now.  – Henri Nouwen

  7. Spiritual quotes for inner peace and wisdom

    Comment

     

    You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul. — Swami Vivekananda

     

    One of the most spiritual things you can do is embrace your humanity. Connect with those around you today. Say, “I love you”, “I’m sorry”, “I appreciate you”, “I’m proud of you”…whatever you’re feeling. Send random texts, write a cute note, embrace your truth and share it…cause a smile today for someone else…and give plenty of hugs. — Steve Maraboli

     

    Maturity is the ability to think, speak and act your feelings within the bounds of dignity. The measure of your maturity is how spiritual you become during the midst of your frustrations. – Samuel Ullman

     

    The spiritual life is not a life before, after, or beyond our everyday existence. No, the spiritual life can only be real when it is lived in the midst of the pains and joys of the here and now.  – Henri Nouwen Continue reading

  8. Speak or act with an impure mind and trouble will follow you

    Comment

    We are what we think.
    All that we are arises with our thoughts.
    With our thoughts we make the world.
    Speak or act with an impure mind
    And trouble will follow you
    As the wheel follows the ox that draws the cart.

    We are what we think.
    All that we are arises with our thoughts.
    With our thoughts we make the world.
    Speak or act with a pure mind
    And happiness will follow you
    As your shadow, unshakable.

    “Look how he abused me and beat me,
    How he threw me down and robbed me.”
    Live with such thoughts and you live in hate.

    “Look how he abused me and beat me,
    How he threw me down and robbed me.”
    Abandon such thoughts and live in love. Continue reading

  9. Uplifting quotes for difficult times

    Comment

    Choose to be optimistic, it feels better. — Dalai Lama

     

    It doesn’t matter how slow you go, as long as you don’t stop. — Confucius

     

    A big part of being a well-adjusted person is acceptinChoose to be optimistic, it feels better. — Dalai Lama

     

    It doesn’t matter how slow you go, as long as you don’t stop. — Confucius

     

    A big part of being a well-adjusted person is accepting that you can’t be good at everything. — Kelly Williams Brown

     

    Luck is what you have left over after you give 100 percent. — Langston Coleman

     

    Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. — Thomas Edison Continue reading


Live & Die for Buddhism

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Khmer Tipitaka 1 – 110

 ព្រះត្រៃបិដក

ព្រះត្រៃបិដក ប្រែថា កញ្រ្ចែង ឬ ល្អី​ ៣ សម្រាប់ដាក់ផ្ទុកពាក្យពេចន៍នៃព្រះសម្មាសម្ពុទ្ធ

The Tipitaka or Pali canon, is the collection of primary Pali language texts which form the doctrinal foundation of Theravada Buddhism. The three divisions of the Tipitaka are: Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka, Abhidhamma Pitaka.

Maha Ghosananda

Maha Ghosananda

Supreme Patriarch of Cambodian Buddhism (5/23/1913 - 3/12/07). Forever in my heart...

Samdech Chuon Nath

My reflection

វចនានុក្រមសម្តេចសង្ឃ ជួន ណាត
Desktop version

Listen to Khmer literature and Dhamma talk by His Holiness Jotannano Chuon Nath, Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia Buddhism.

Shantidevas’ Bodhisattva vows

My reflection

Should anyone wish to ridicule me and make me an object of jest and scorn why should I possibly care if I have dedicated myself to others?

Let them do as they wish with me so long as it does not harm them. May no one who encounters me ever have an insignificant contact.

Regardless whether those whom I meet respond towards me with anger or faith, may the mere fact of our meeting contribute to the fulfilment of their wishes.

May the slander, harm and all forms of abuse that anyone should direct towards me act as a cause of their enlightenment.

As a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, so the wise are not shaken by blame and praise. As a deep lake is clear and calm, so the wise become tranquil after they listened to the truth…

Good people walk on regardless of what happens to them. Good people do not babble on about their desires. Whether touched by happiness or by sorrow, the wise never appear elated or depressed. ~The Dhammapada

Hermit of Tbeng Mountain

Sachjang Phnom Tbeng សច្ចំ​​ ភ្នំត្បែង is a very long and interesting story written by Mr. Chhea Sokoan, read by Jendhamuni Sos. You can click on the links below to listen. Part 1 | Part 2

Beauty in nature

A beautiful object has no intrinsic quality that is good for the mind, nor an ugly object any intrinsic power to harm it. Beautiful and ugly are just projections of the mind. The ability to cause happiness or suffering is not a property of the outer object itself. For example, the sight of a particular individual can cause happiness to one person and suffering to another. It is the mind that attributes such qualities to the perceived object. — Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Nature is loved by what is best in us. The sky, the mountain, the tree, the animal, give us a delight in and for themselves. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Our journey for peace
begins today and every day.
Each step is a prayer,
Each step is a meditation,
Each step will build a bridge.

—​​​ Maha Ghosananda