January 2010
9 posts
2 tags
On monasteries
Another complication brought by modern way of life is monasteries. Still being a very respective institute, the differences between monastery life and worldly life are way bigger now than, let’s say, 1000 years ago. For that time, going to the monastery was not uncommon, good and respectable move. For our time, going to the monastery is something in between crazy and heroic.
Ages ago,...
2 tags
“Wait, wait,” a follower once cried after the Buddha as he disappeared into the...”
– Buddhist tale
1 tag
“Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, practicing deep prajna paramita
Clearly saw that...”
– The Heart Sutra
Om Mani Pedmé Hung
“Om” is sound of the universe. “Mani” means jewel, “Pedmé” means lotus, so together its jewel in the lotus.
And the funny part - “Hung” has no specific meaning here, its not for its meaning, but for the completeness of the vibrational tone. “Hung” is the consort of “Om.”
2 tags
On honesty
Its very important to be honest to yourself. Being honest means paying attention to your own thoughts, feelings and beliefs. Awareness of self and honesty to self are interlinked, there’s no one thing without another. Being honest to self, you’re moving closer to the enlightenment.
2 tags
On concentration
Concentration (attention, focus, whatever) is tricky. Its hard to practice properly.
When meditation, I’m often falling into “possessing” kind of concentration. You can compare it with watching movie, when your mind moves with object of concentration.
Proper way to concentrate is “observing”. Let everything go. No regrets, no worries. Do not care of anything at all....
2 tags
On cold showers
My studies on Buddhism are like small pictures, clicking in their places. Its not like discovering something new, or proving theorems. Its more like gathering small pieces, making the whole picture.
In Nov 09 I’ve stumbled upon cold showers. I’m practicing contrast shower in the morning (waking up at 0500) for, and despite being very helpful to wake up, for some reason it’s also...
2 tags
On contexts
Attending at Vipassana retreat (in S.N.Goenka tradition), I saw a lot of ironic smiles when translator was speaking about “non-sectarian” nature of S.N. Goenka teachings. In Western monotheistic cultures, “sect” usually have a negative meaning - small group of people with their own religion, brainwashed and dangerous. At the East, though, “sect” means just a...
2 tags
Some bookmarks for myself
Anapanasati Sutta (MN 118), Mindfulness of the breath
Kayagata-sati Sutta (MN 119), Mindfulness of the Body
Satipatthana Sutta (MN 10), the Four Paths of Mindfulness
Maha-satipatthana Sutta (DN 22), the Larger Discourse on the Four Paths of Mindfulness