“In the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And an outstanding reason for choosing some sort of God or spiritual-type thing to worship — be it J.C. or Allah,… Continue reading Everybody Worships
“You are the sky. Everything else, it’s just the weather.”
This is my favourite quote from Pema Chodron. No matter what I’m going through, remembering this simple truth can clear my mind and bring me back to my centre faster than almost anything else. Even during the worst storms, the sky is clear behind the clouds…
This is a beautiful passage from Divine Beauty: The Invisible Embrace by Irish poet John O’Donohue on the importance of taking the time to slow down and smell the roses. Life can’t be swallowed in one big gulp… you must sip and savour… “Often we approach things with greed and urgency. We do not like to… Continue reading On the Journey of Life Be Everywhere You Are
I need to be a little less hospitable towards my thoughts… and this is such a beautiful, gentle way to do it 🙂
A Buddhist monk approached his teacher and asked the Zen Master, “If I meditate very diligently, how long will it take for me to become enlightened?” The Master thought for a moment, and then replied, “Ten years.” The student then said, “But what if I work very, very hard and really apply myself to learn… Continue reading How long does it take to become enlightened?
Here’s some of my favourite quotes from the totally insane but brilliant TV show Monkey. Silly jokes and Buddhist philosophy – you can’t go wrong… “Just because you’re a Dragon it doesn’t make you better than me.” – Monkey “There is one, it is infinite. Yet what is called Buddha fills it. The one takes… Continue reading Favourite Monkey Quotes
There’s a well-known Zen koan that begins with this question. Reams of words and scholastic papers have been written about Joshu’s Dog. The koan sounds like the start of a bad Buddhist joke: A monk asked Joshu, a Chinese Zen master: ‘Has a dog Buddha nature or not?’ Joshu answered: ‘Mu!’ ‘Mu’ means No-thing, but… Continue reading Does a Dog have Buddha Nature?
How does a part of the world leave the world? How does wetness leave water? Don’t try to put out fire by throwing on more fire! Don’t wash a wound with blood. No matter how fast you run, your shadow keeps up. Sometimes it’s in front! Only full overhead sun diminishes your shadow. But that… Continue reading Shadow and Light Source Both
“I keep remembering this strange little story I heard in Sunday school when I was about the size of a fire hydrant. It takes place in China or Korea or someplace like that. It seems there was this old farmer outside a village in the hill country who worked his farm with only his son… Continue reading David Foster Wallace on Writing & an old Chinese Tale
“Oh boy! Oh boy!” cried the monk-on-probation who had just cracked the Zen Master’s favourite (and valuable) drinking cup.
The frightened youngster went to the Zen Master and asked, “Why must there be death?”
The Master answered, “Death is natural. It comes to all persons and things. We should not greet it with fear or meet death with anger. Why do you ask?”
“Because, Master, death has come upon your cup.”
– Zen Fables For Today
The Dalai Lama describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk. Today he turns 80 and to celebrate, here’s some great quotes to inspire you on a Monday morning… Happy Birthday Tenzin Gyatso! Image: Dalai Lama (Click images to make them larger if you can’t read them 😉 )
The Sun of Wisdom is a commentary on one of the classics of Buddhist literature by one of the great Tibetan masters, Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso. Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way was written by Nagarjuna in the 2nd century and is a commentary on the Buddha’s teachings on the nature of appearance and emptiness. The… Continue reading The Sun of Wisdom: Teachings of the Noble Nagarjuna – Review
Jessica Davidson 