The Tree of Love

The tree of love its roots hath spread
Deep in my heart, and rears its head;
Rich are its fruits: they joy dispense;
Transport the heart, and ravish sense.
In love's sweet swoon to thee I cleave,
Bless'd source of love . . .

-Saint Francis of Assisi

What Happens When We Die?

Attitudes towards an afterlife/reincarnation vary a great deal and even science is now beginning take a serious look. In a recent Time Magazine interview, Dr. Sam Parnia of the Weill Cornel Medical Center answers questions about his latest study, called "AWARE" (AWAreness during Resuscitation). The 3-year study will make detailed investigations into this phenomena.

Something I particularly liked was Dr. Parnia's explanation of the need for these kinds of experiments:

...When we look at the world around us, Newtonian physics is perfectly sufficient. It explains most things that we deal with. But then it was discovered that actually when you look at motion at really small levels — beyond the level of the atoms — Newton's laws no longer apply. A new physics was needed, hence, we eventually ended up with quantum physics. It caused a lot of controversy — even Einstein himself didn't believe in it. Now, if you look at the mind, consciousness, and the brain, the assumption that the mind and brain are the same thing is fine for most circumstances, because in 99% of circumstances we can't separate the mind and brain; they work at the exactly the same time. But then there are certain extreme examples, like when the brain shuts down, that we see that this assumption may no longer seem to hold true. So a new science is needed in the same way that we had to have a new quantum physics...

Silence

Drink the wine of mystic knowledge,
but don't then forget to keep your lips closed.

It's never a good time,
to sell the Divine Secret.

Should you face any troubles,
don't babble and gush
like the mountain spring.

If you remain silent,
then you'll become the sea.

-Farid al-Din Attar (عطار فریدالدی)

The Challenge of the Future

A fascinating discussion by Bhikkhu Bodhi is now available on the Abhayagiri Monastery website. The article, entitled "The Challenge of the Future, How Will the Sangha Fare in North American Buddhism", takes a took at the challenges in adapting and even maintaining the monastic Sangha in the West.

The article is quite long but as with all of Bhante's works, definitely worth the read. An excerpt from the start of the article is below:

I will begin with some questions: If Buddhism is to be successfully transplanted in the U.S., does it need a monastic Sangha as its cornerstone? Must there be a monastic Sangha at all, or is Buddhist monasticism an outdated institution? Can the teachings flow entirely through a “lay Sangha,” through lay teachers and communities of lay practitioners? If monastics are necessary, what should their role be? What their duties? What changes in lifestyle and orientation, if any, are required by the new conditions imposed by the Western culture in which Buddhism has taken root?

My personal belief is that for Buddhism to successfully flourish in the West, a monastic Sangha is necessary. At the same time, I think it almost inevitable that as Buddhism evolves here, monasticism will change in many ways, that it will adapt to the peculiar environment impressed upon it by Western culture and modes of understanding, which differ so much from the culture and worldview of traditional Asian Buddhism. As a result, I believe, the role monastics play in Western Buddhism will also differ in important ways from the role they play in Asia. I do not think this is something that we need lament or look upon with dread. In some respects, I believe, such a development is not only inevitable but also wholesome, that it can be seen as a sign of Buddhism’s ability to adapt to different cultural conditions, which is also a sign of spiritual strength. At the same time, I also think we need to exercise caution about making adaptation. It would certainly be counterproductive to be in a hurry to make changes uncritically, without taking the long-standing pillars of our Buddhist heritage as our reference point. If we are too hasty, we might also be careless, and then we might discard fundamental principles of the Dharma along with the adventitious cultural dressing in which it is wrapped...

Evening Liturgy @ Bodhi Monastery, 2006

Afghan Chai

Fuel your meditation practice with this classic chai recipe straight from the land of the first Buddha images, Rumi, and the Blue Mosque of Mazar-e-Sharif

Ingredients:
6 Green cardamom seeds
1, 3-4 inch stick of cinnamon
Ginger powder
1.5 Teaspoons of green tea (Peshawari style)
1.5 Cups of water
(Makes 1 cup)

Preparation:
-Bring 1.5 cups of water to a very light boil. Break the cinnamon stick into smaller pieces and add it to the water immediately followed by the cardamom seeds and a tiny pinch of ginger -too much will overpower the other spices.
-Simmer for a 5-10 minutes or until the water turns slightly yellow and emits a pleasant smell. The cardamom seeds will swell slightly.
-Turn the heat off, add the tea leaves, and stir
-Let steep for 1-3 minutes or to taste.
-Strain and enjoy!

*To prepare larger amounts, multiply ingredients by the number of cups you wish to make and follow the same procedure.

Our Life is Our Practice

Ajahn Chah is considered one of the greatest Dhamma teachers of modern times. My own assessment of him? He's totally awesome! I think the first book of his I read was "Living Dhamma". His clear-sighted and direct, no nonsense presentation of the Dhamma was something I immediately took a liking to. Although coming from the Thai forest tradition, he has a very Ch'an-like style. My all time favorite book from him is "A Still Forest Pool", a collection of Dhamma talks compiled and edited by two of his students; Jack Kornfield and Paul Breiter. The explanation of the title is given by Ajahn Chah himself:

Each person has his own natural pace. Some of you will die at age fifty, some at age sixty-five, and some at age ninety. So, too, your practices will not be identical. Don't think or worry about this. Try to be mindful, and let things take their natural course. Then your mind will become still in any surroundings, like a clear forest pool. All kinds of wonderful, rare animals will come to drink at the pool, and you will clearly see the nature of all things. You will see many strange and wonderful things come and go, but you will be still. This is the happiness of the Buddha.

I came across this book when I was living rather close to the Temple of Enlightenment in The Bronx. The temple is part of the Buddhist Association of the United States, an organization that prints and distributes many of the free Dharma books in circulation. "A Still Forest Pool" deals mostly with the practice of meditation, particularly vipassana, but Ajahn Chah discusses many other topics as well. After finishing the second part of the book, I turned the page to Part III, entitled "Our Life is Our Practice". As soon as I read this, I paused. My reaction went something like this: Our life is our practice? Hmmm. Our life is our practice. Whoa, wait. Our life is our practice! That's it! Our LIFE is our PRACTICE! So simple and yet so profound! I just had a classic Ajahn Chah moment. All of this before even reading any of the actual talks on the topic! The preface to the "Our Life is Our Practice" chapter is below:

Meditation is not separate from the rest of life. All situations provide opportunity to practice, to grow in wisdom and compassion. Achaan Chah teaches that the right effort for us is to be mindful in all circumstances without running away from the world but to learn to act without grasping or attachment.

Furthermore, he insists that the foundation of a spiritual life is virtue. Although virtue is neglected in our modern society, it must be understood and honoured as a fundamental part of meditation. Virtue means taking care so that we do not harm other beings by thought, word, or deed. This respect and caring puts us into a harmonious relationship with all life around us. Only when our words and deeds come from kindness can we quiet the mind and open the heart. The practice of non-harming is the way to begin turning all life situations into practice.

To further establish our lives on the Middle Way, Achaan Chah recommends moderation and self reliance. A life of excess is difficult soil for the growth of wisdom. To take care with the basics-such as moderation in eating, sleeping, and in speech-helps bring the inner life into balance. It also develops the power of self-reliance. Don't imitate the way others practice or compare yourself to them, Achaan Chah cautions; just let them be. It is hard enough to watch your own mind, so why add the burden of judging others. Learn to use your own breath and everyday life as the place of meditation and you will surely grow in wisdom.

The "eureka" moment however, was simply the beginning. Before I knew it, I was grilling myself with a series of heavy questions which ultimately coalesced into just one: why do I practice?

Why do I practice? What point, if any, is there to it all? I wouldn't call my questions a "crisis of faith" or a "dark night of the soul" but I really had to sit down and think about this. Why do I practice? Why do you practice? Why did the Buddha practice? Why did anyone over the past 2500 years practice? Why are people practicing now?

I certainly can't speak for everyone else but I can speak for myself. I don't practice because I find the teachings of the Buddha and meditation interesting even though I'm absolutely fascinated by it all. I don't practice because it makes me feel good, although it certainly does help me cultivate a positive outlook. I don't practice because I'm fascinated by an ancient, exotic religion even though I find the art and aesthetics of many Buddhist traditions very pleasant. I don't practice because I'm looking for inner peace although I do find myself calmer and more relaxed.

After much contemplation, it occurred to me that the reason I practice can be summed up in one word: dukkha i.e. suffering or unsatisfactoriness. The Four Noble Truths are often described as the "elephant's footprint" of the Buddha's teachings. Just as the footprint of an elephant encompasses the footprints of all other animals, so too do the teachings of the Four Noble Truths encompass all the myriad practices on the Path to Awakening.

It is not so much the existence of dukkha that spurs me on. As being stuck in samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth, dukkha is a given. Rather, its the fact that we don't have to experience suffering and that we have the ability to stop it. My fundamental motivation for actually practicing is the Bodhisattva Vow: to wake up along with everyone else. The Four Great Vows, which are themselves a reinterpretation of the Four Noble Truths, is the classic expression of a bodhisattva's practice:

Sentient beings are numberless; I vow to save them.
Desires are inexhaustible; I vow to put an end to them.
Dharmas are boundless; I vow to master them.
The Buddha Way is unattainable; I vow to attain it. (MRO translation)

Looks likes like we've got much work ahead of us...

A Prayer to the Bodhisattva

"Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers
but to be fearless in facing them.

Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain
but for the heart to conquer it.

Let me not look for allies in life's battlefield
but to my own strength.

Let me not crave in anxious fear to be saved
but hope for patience to win my freedom.

Sarvamangalam!
Blessings to all!

-"A Prayer to the Bodhisattva" by Rabindranath Tagore

Master of Zen

A clip from the movie "Master of Zen (1994)" a biopic about Bodhidharma, the legendary monk who brought the Dhyana/Ch'an/Zen teachings to China from India. The film is fun to watch since its a Hong Kong kung-fu take on the story.

Thus Have We Heard

LiveScience just published a very fascinating article about the extent of human memory. It seems that people can remember much more for far longer than was previously thought. The article begins by saying:

If human memory were truly digital, it would have just received an upgrade from something like the capacity of a floppy disk to that of a flash drive. A new study found the brain can remember a lot more than previously believed.

In a recent experiment, people who viewed pictures of thousands of objects over five hours were able to remember astonishing details afterward about most of the objects.

Though previous studies have never measured such astounding feats of memory, it may be simply because no one really tried.

"People had never tested whether people could remember this much detail about this many objects," said researcher Timothy Brady, a cognitive neuroscientist at MIT. "Nobody actually pushed it this far."

When they did push the human brain to its limits, the scientists found that under the right circumstances, it can store minute visual details far beyond what had been imagined.

Seems like Ānanda was on to something...

Talk the Walk and Walk the Talk

There's a famous Sanskrit saying which goes:

यथा चित्तं तथा वाचा
यथा वाचा तथा क्रिया ।
चित्ते वाचि क्रियायां
महतां एक्रूपता ॥

yathaa chittan tathaa vaachaa
yathaa vaachaa tathaa kriyaa
chitte vaachi kriyaayaan
mahataan ekroopataa

"As is their thinking, so is their speech,
As is their speech, so is their action.
In the thinking, speech, and actions,
Of the great ones there is oneness".

Eight Verses on Training the Mind

The Tibetan classic by Langri Tangpa, translated by Alexander Berzin:

(1) May I always cherish all limited beings
By considering how far superior they are
To wish-granting gems
For actualizing the supreme aim.

(2) Whenever I come into anyone’s company,
May I regard myself less than everyone else
And, from the depths of my heart, value others
More highly than I do myself.

(3) Whatever I am doing, may I check the flow of my mind,
And the moment that conceptions or disturbing emotions arise,
Since they debilitate myself and others,
May I confront and avert them with forceful means.

(4) Whenever I see beings instinctively cruel,
Overpowered by negativities and serious problems,
May I cherish them as difficult to find
As discovering a treasure of gems.

(5) When others, out of envy, treat me unfairly
With scolding, insults, and more,
May I accept the loss upon myself
And offer the victory to others.

(6) Even if someone whom I have helped
And from whom I harbor great expectations
Were to harm me completely unfairly,
May I view him or her as a hallowed teacher.

(7) In short, may I offer to all my mothers,
both actually and indirectly,
Whatever will benefit and bring them joy;
And may I hiddenly accept on myself
All my mothers’ troubles and woes.

(8) Through a mind untarnished by stains of conceptions
Concerning eight passing things, throughout all of this,
And that knows all phenomena as an illusion,
May I break free from my bondage, without any clinging.

Poem of the Week: Wildflower

"To see the world in a grain of sand
And heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
and eternity in an hour."

-William Blake in "Auguries of Innocence"

"Ask Not...": A Buddhist Commentary

Introduction.

As the 2008 US Presidential Election draws near, it seems appropriate to take a look at one of the most famous speeches in modern politics: the Inaugural Address of John F. Kennedy. The full text can be found here while an excerpt of the most famous part is shown below.



As a relatively young and idealistic new president, JFK had to focus on addressing the major concerns the country had. We shall take a look at the final, and most well known, portion of his speech.

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility--I welcome it.

In these lines, JFK is making us think about the point in time that we are living in. The earth, geologists tell us, is about 5 billion years old. Humans have been around for the past 150,000 years. Mesopotamia, generally regarded as the oldest civilization, goes back 7000 years. On an astronomical timescale, 7000 years is faster than a blink of the eye.

Among the various religions, Siddhartha Gautama (aka Shakyamuni Buddha) taught something quite interesting. While he was regarded as a Fully Enlightened teacher of the Dharma, the Path that to leads to the end of suffering, he did not claim to have been the only Buddha. In fact, he taught that he was only the latest in a line of Fully Awakened beings. Shakyamuni Buddha himself says:

"I saw an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-Awakened Ones of former times. And what is that ancient path, that ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-Awakened Ones of former times? Just this Noble Eightfold Path."

Because Buddhism teaches that the universe has no beginning or end (i.e. time is cyclical) we can say that there have been an infinite number of Buddhas in the past and that there will be an infinite number of Buddhas in the future. This means that there's always an enlightened teacher around to guide us, right? Not quite.

In the "long view of history" there many be infinite Buddhas but the lengths of time that Buddhas dwell in the world, and more importantly, the length of time that their teachings remain in the world, is not very long. "Very few generations" have the opportunity to practice the Dharma. Because the Buddha Dharma is the way which leads us out of suffering, it is not a stretch to say that the Dharma is freedom itself.

We can understand "defending freedom" as wholeheartedly committing ourselves to practice as best we can. To be able to practice freely and openly, without fear of oppression or punishment, is a precious thing indeed. A popular verse, often recited during evening liturgies in Chinese temples is Samantabhadra's Adomintion:

"The day has passed. Our lives too are closing.
Like fish with little water, joy will not last.
(Oh Great Assembly!)
Let us practice with diligence, as we would were our heads aflame.
Be mindful of impermanence and be careful of idleness!"

In the Ch'an/Zen tradition, it is said that practicing the Dharma is like taking up the family business, i.e. the family of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. As part of the family, we have responsibilities that we must not shirk from.

I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it--and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

Just about every generation of humanity has had to confront some kind of monumental task. Whether it is surviving during an Ice Age, dealing with the turmoil of war, or rebuilding a land devastated by natural disaster, humans have had to find a ways to triumph. Even if their solutions were not perfect, they did well enough to allow their descendants (i.e. all of us) to live on. As humans living in the 21st century, we've got our own unique problems to deal with such as global warming, the energy crisis, nuclear proliferation, and international terrorism. These issues are some of and perhaps the most challenging things that humans have ever had to face. Dealing with them will take all the "energy, faith, and devotion" we can muster.

More than anything, this speech is known as a call to service. Although JFK is speaking in terms of serving one's country (the US in this case) we can easily extend this call to selfless service in general. The Buddha himself told his disciples in the Vinaya (Monastic Code):

"Go forth, o bhikkhus, for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, for the good, for the happiness of gods and men. Let not two go by one way."

Compassionately working for the benefit of others is the very essence of the Bodhisattva Path. In the Avatamsaka Sutra, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva gives an eloquent if mystical praise of the highest Awakened beings. Their virtues can light up the world. Literally.

"The boundless sea of kshetras, with myriad differentiations,
Resembles a bank of clouds drifting in space.
Jeweled wheels cover their ground in wondrous adornment
Under the dazzling light of the Buddhas’ radiance.

Mere discriminations of the mind,
All lands appear in shining light.
Manifesting within the seas of kshetras,
Each and every Buddha displays his spiritual powers."

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

These are the most well known lines of the speech. Instead of having people sit around and let the government magically take care of society's problems, JFK instead asks society to help itself. The theme of this speech is not only service but also the qualities that are needed to undertake a vast endeavor, namely energy and diligence. Unsurprisingly, both of these qualities are also included in the list of the Pāramitās (पारमिता) or Transcendent Perfections that bodhisattvas must cultivate on the Path to Awakening. Energy and diligence are known in the texts as vīrya (वीर्य) and kṣānti (क्षान्ति) respectively.

Much has been spoken of service but what exactly are we to do? Shall we quit our jobs, give away all our possessions to charity, and become lifelong humanitarian aid workers? While there's certainly nothing wrong with that course of action, it just isn't practical for most people. JFK however, is not saying that we should aspire to be super heroes. Whatever we can do is more than enough. Mother Teresa, a true bodhisattva, said "we can do no great acts, only small acts with great love."

As president of the USA, JFK is of course talking to the American people but he's also addressing all citizens of the world. The influential, ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, was once asked where he was from. He replied, "I am neither Athenian, nor Greek. I am a citizen of the world."

To be a "citizen of the world" carries a greater meaning now than it ever has. Never before have all of the countries in the world been so economically, socially, politically, and culturally interconnected. In "The Way of the Bodhisattva" Shantideva says:

"91. The hand and the other limbs are many and distinct,
But all are one - the body to be kept and guarded.
Likewise, different beings, in their jobs and sorrows,
Are, like me, all one in wanting happiness...

94. And therefore I'll dispel the pain of others,
For it is simply pain, just like my own.
And others I will aid and benefit,
For they are living beings, like my body.

95. Since I and other beings both,
In wanting happiness, are equal and alike,
What difference is there to distinguish us,
That I should strive to have my bliss alone?"

The Persian poet Muslih al-Din Sa'di expresses a similar idea. This poem, called "One Body", is found in the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

"All human beings are
the members of
one body -
every person is a glint,
shining from a single gem.

When the world causes pain for one member,
how could the other members
ever rest in peace?

If you lack grief
for another one's sorrow,
why call yourself
a human being?"

Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.

Having raised a call to service, JFK concludes by asking us to reflect on the nature of service. Why should we strive to benefit others with "high standards and sacrifice" when "a good conscience" is "our only sure reward" ?

In the Diamond Sutra, the Buddha speaks to his disciple, the Venerable Subhuti, about the true nature of generosity. He says:

"Subhuti, a bodhisattva who still depends on notions to practice generosity is like someone walking in the dark. He will not see anything. But when a bodhisattva does not depend on notions to practice generosity, he is like someone with good eyesight walking under the bright light of the sun. He can see all shapes and colors."

What the Buddha and JFK are both telling us the same thing: service is its own reward. If we act with selfish thoughts of how the things we do for others will only benefit us then our intentions are misguided. Selfless service that is not motivated by anything is true pinnacle of wisdom.

Rabindranath Tagore says:

"I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy."

The speech closes with an invocation to the divine. Despite this, JFK firmly says that "God's work must truly be our own." Even though Buddhism does not accept the idea of an omnipotent creator god, the take home message is the same for people of all faiths (and non-faiths): do not let idleness get the best of you. In his "Super Tuesday" speech, US Presidental candidate Barack Obama perfectly echoes JFK's call to service:

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."

These lines are also complimentary to Mahatma Gandhi's injunction to "be the change we wish to see in the world."