I was walking into Heaton, my backpack heavy on my shoulders, when my mobile rang. I knew it was Danny without looking and braced myself for the onslaught. Reality had penetrated the fug in his head and he wasn’t happy. ‘I’m not abandoning you, Dan. You’re not a child.’ I hung up feeling guilty. Then… Continue reading Addled Chapter 5: Maya
Bare-chested, barefooted, he comes into the marketplace. Muddied and dust-covered, how broadly he grins! Without recourse to mystic powers, withered trees he swiftly brings to bloom. The full title of this picture is sometimes Entering the Marketplace with Helping Hands and it represents the stage of the path where you’re ready to share your wisdom… Continue reading Ox Herding Pictures: Entering the Marketplace
Whip, rope, Ox and man alike belong to Emptiness. So vast and infinite the azure sky that no concept of any sort can reach it, over a blazing fire a snowflake cannot survive. When this state of mind is realised comes at last comprehension of the spirit of the ancient Patriarchs. In earlier Ox Herding Pictures this was… Continue reading Ox Herding Pictures: Both Ox and Self Forgotten
Nirvana is Sanskrit and means to be extinguished or to blow out (as in blowing out a candle). It’s often interpreted to mean blowing out the flame of illusion, or the self. In Pali nirvana is spelt nibbana. Hinduism and Jainism also talk of nirvana as the state of moksha. Nirvana means freedom from suffering.… Continue reading Spiritual Glossary: Nirvana
Satori is the Japanese term used in Zen Buddhism to refer to awakening and the realisation of the true nature of the self, or Buddha nature. It is sometimes also called Kensho, where ken means ‘seeing’ and sho means ‘nature’ or ‘essence’. Kensho is generally understood to be your first experience of realisation and is often a tiny glimpse of Buddha… Continue reading Spiritual Glossary: Satori
Buddha nature is your true nature. This may be hard to believe at times, but even a tiny glimpse of reality during awakening will reveal the truth of it. Enlightenment reveals the true nature of all beings as Buddha nature. It’s also called Buddha-dhātu, which means ‘Buddha Element’ or ‘Buddha Principle.’ This is the seed… Continue reading Spiritual Glossary: Buddha Nature
“To make hell into paradise, we need only change the mind on which it is based…” Classic and essential, The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching provides everything you need to study the dharma. The subtitle reads: “Transforming suffering into peace, joy and liberation.” In the book, Thich Nhat Hanh explains the basic teachings in a clear and… Continue reading The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching: Book Review
The Three Jewels of Buddhism are also known as the Three Refuges because when you commit to a spiritual practice you can take what’s called the Refuge Vow. This is where you take refuge in the Three Jewels to support and guide you on the path of liberation from suffering. The Three Jewels are: The… Continue reading Spiritual Glossary: Three Jewels
The word dharma has various meanings in different cultures, but in Buddhism it has two. As dharma it refers to cosmic law and the natural order of life, and as Dharma it refers to the teachings of the Buddha. But as we’ll see, these two things are not so far apart. The Sanskrit root is… Continue reading Spiritual Glossary: Dharma
Jessica Davidson 