The entire cosmos is a cooperative. The sun, the moon, and the stars live together as a cooperative. The same is true for humans and animals, trees, and the Earth. When we realize that the world is a mutual, interdependent, cooperative enterprise — then we can build a noble environment. If our lives are not based on this truth, then we shall perish. ~Buddhadasa
Loving-kindness means showing kindness to others so that they will be well and happy. Another word for loving-kindness is Metta.
We show loving-kindness to others by wishing them to be well and happy. One way to show loving-kindness is to help other people so that they will be able to do things by themselves.
We wish ourselves to be well and happy so that we can do good and help others – and because we all want to be happy.
We should try to make our parents and teachers well and happy because they teach us so many interesting things that we do not know about.
We should try to make animals well and happy. Animals are just like human beings because they also suffer pain and sadness.
Before going to bed, we should generate loving-kindness for all beings. If we always do this, we will be happy and peaceful.
Source: Buddhanet
“Each day we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” – Buddha
In order to blossom, the lotus flower must grow through mud, dirty pond water, and generally rough conditions—but it blooms anyway. Like the lotus, we too can grow through dark times and difficulties, and we can rise again and again to shine from a pure place within.
The lotus is a reminder that in a word riddled with fear, we can stay loving inside and, one by one, open our petals to spread that peace into the world.
When the lotus flower first begins to sprout, it does so underwater. Though conditions are tough, the lotus heeds the call of the sun each morning, breaks the surface of the water and blooms untouched by the mud; each petal remains clean and pure. Closing at night, it sinks below the water’s surface, only to resurface again in the morning.
Fully grounded in earth, yet aspiring toward the divine, the lotus flower lives unsoiled by its surroundings, ever blooming from within toward the light. It’s a growth of pure beauty from the mud of its origins, a testament to the potential that lies within and which is revealed through persistence.
May these lotus flower quotes inspire you to free yourself from harsh conditions by trusting the ancient power within you. No matter how muddy your surroundings, remember that you’re budding with potential.
Verse 79: He who drinks in the Dhamma lives happily with a serene mind; the wise man always takes delight in the Dhamma (Bodhipakkhiya Dhamma) expounded by the Noble Ones (ariyas).
The Story of Thera Mahakappina
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (79) of this book, with reference to Thera Mahakappina.
Mahakappina was king of Kukkutavati. He had a queen named Anoja; he also had one thousand ministers to help him rule the country. One day, the king accompanied by those one thousand ministers, was out in the park. There, they met some merchants from Savatthi. On learning about the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Samgha from these merchants the king and his ministers immediately set out for Savatthi.
On that day, when the Buddha surveyed the world with his supernormal power, he saw in his vision, Mahakappina and his ministers coming towards Savatthi. He also knew that they were due for arahatship. The Buddha went to a place one hundred and twenty yojanas away from Savatthi to meet them. There, he waited for them under a banyan tree on the bank of the river Candabhaga. King Mahakappina and his ministers came to the place where the Buddha was waiting for them. When they saw the Buddha, with six-coloured rays radiating from his body, they approached the Buddha and paid homage to him. The Buddha then delivered a discourse to them. After listening to the discourse the king and all his ministers attained Sotapatti Fruition, and they asked the Buddha to permit them to join the Order. The Buddha, reflecting on their past and finding that they had made offerings of yellow robes in a past existence, said to them, “Ehi bhikkhu”, and they all became bhikkhus.
Meanwhile, Queen Anoja, learning about the king’s departure for Savatthi, sent for the wives of the one thousand ministers, and together with them followed the king’s trail. They too came to the place where the Buddha was and seeing the Buddha with a halo of six colours, paid homage to him. All this time, the Buddha by exercising his supernormal power had made the king and his ministers invisible so that their wives did not see them. The queen therefore enquired where the king and his ministers were. The Buddha told the queen and her party to wait for a while and that the king would soon come with his ministers. The Buddha then delivered another discourse; at the end of this discourse the king and his ministers attained arahatship; the queen and the wives of the ministers attained Sotapatti Fruition. At that instant, the queen and her party saw the newly admitted bhikkhus and recognized them as their former husbands.
The ladies also asked permission from the Buddha to enter the Order of Bhikkhunis; so they were directed to go ahead to Savatthi. There they entered the Order and very soon they also attained arahatship. The Buddha then returned to the Jetavana monastery accompanied by one thousand bhikkhus.
At the Jetavana monastery, Thera Mahakappina while resting during the night or during the day would often say, “Oh, what happiness!” (Aho Sukham). The bhikkhus, hearing him saying this so many times a day told the Buddha about it. To them the Buddha replied, “My son Kappina having had the taste of the Dhamma lives happily with a serene mind; he is saying these words of exultation repeatedly with reference to Nibbana.”
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 79: He who drinks in the Dhamma lives happily with a serene mind; the wise man always takes delight in the Dhamma (Bodhipakkhiya Dhamma) expounded by the Noble Ones (ariyas).
Dhammapada Verse 79
Mahakappinatthera Vatthu
Dhammapiti sukham seti
vippasannena cetasa
ariyappavedite dhamme
sada ramati pandito.
Source: Tipitaka
The whole purpose of the dharma is to dismantle the protective system we have created for ourselves that we call “ego.” The purpose behind each syllable of the dharma and every one of its methods is to contradict, disrupt and rip that ego apart until the goal of complete liberation from it has finally been achieved. ~ Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
If someone has compassion, he is a Buddha;
Without compassion, he is a Lord of Death.
With compassion, the root of Dharma is planted,
Without compassion, the root of Dharma is rotten.
One with compassion is kind even when angry,
One without compassion will kill even as he smiles.
For one with compassion, even his enemies will turn into friends,
Without compassion, even his friends turn into enemies.
With compassion, one has all Dharmas,
Without compassion, one has no Dharma at all.
With compassion, one is a Buddhist,
Without compassion, one is worse than a heretic.
Even if meditating on voidness, one needs compassion as its essence.
A Dharma practitioner must have a compassionate nature.
Compassion is the distinctive characteristic of Buddhism.
Compassion is the very essence of all Dharma.
Great compassion is like a wish-fulfilling gem.
Great compassion will fulfill the hopes of self and others.
Therefore, all of you, practitioners and laypeople,
Cultivate compassion and you will achieve Buddhahood.
May all men and women who hear this song,
With great compassion, benefit all beings!
~ Shabkar
A great teacher of meditation once said, “Meditating is trying to look at your own eyes without using a mirror.” That’s a very mysterious statement. How can we look at our own eyes without a mirror? The idea stops us in our tracks. But maybe we can explore that in our practice. The only way to solve this riddle is just to be there. ~ Chögyam Trungpa
Just as a grammarian first has students
Read a model of the alphabet,
Buddha taught students
The doctrine that they could bear.
To some he taught doctrines
To turn them away from ill-deeds.
To some, for the sake of achieving merit.
To some, doctrines based on duality.
To some, doctrines based on non-duality.
To some, what is profound and frightening to the fearful –
Having an essence of emptiness and compassion –
The means of achieving unsurpassed enlightenment.
~ Nagarjuna
Know from the rivers in clefts and in crevices: those in small channels flow noisily, the great flow silent. Whatever’s not full makes noise. Whatever is full is quiet. ~ The Buddha
I will not look at another’s bowl intent on finding fault: a training to be observed. ~Buddha
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.
វចនានុក្រមសម្តេចសង្ឃ ជួន ណាត
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Listen to Khmer literature and Dhamma talk by His Holiness Jotannano Chuon Nath, Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia Buddhism.
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
