Category: Spiritualibus

Confident, steady, and resolute
talk and think wholesome
wanting little if anything
content and secluded
aloof from society
arousing energy
wisdom delivering
concentration, virtue
renunciation – good will
kindhearted compassion.

So much is flooding in
that is going out
giving freely
not taking
together
a crowd
indulges
eventually
wholesome
talk and thought
turns toward action
better sooner than later!

“Neither nor it is” — neither minor nor major

Confident, steady, and resolute

[One’s heart-]mind enters into that signless concentration of mind and acquires confidence, steadiness, and resolution. [One] understands thus: ‘This signless concentration of mind is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ When [one] knows and sees thus, [one’s] mind is liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of being, and from the taint of ignorance. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It is liberated.’ [One] understands: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.’

There is present only this non-voidness, namely, that connected with the six [sense-]bases that are dependent on this body and conditioned by life. Thus [one] regards it as void of what is not there, but as to what remains there [one] understands that which is present thus: ‘This is present.’ … This is [one’s] genuine, undisturbed, pure descent into voidness, supreme and unsurpassed.

— Majjhima Nikāya – the middle length discourses of the Buddha, translated from Pali by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi – Cūḷasuññata Sutta, 121.11 and 12, pp. 969 and 970

Going to the forest, abiding by the root of a tree . . .

May you and I, may we all abide in wholesome states!

Happy about impermanence
why suffer instead letting go
this is not mine, this I am not
this is not my self, dispassion
liberated, know, understand
no more coming to any state
of being whatever it may be
material, feeling, perception
formation or consciousness
abandon all gratification
escape desire and lust
then what — go figure
sit at the root of a tree
facing South, North
East and also West
what does it say
can you hear
breath in
and out
here
now
get up
move on
in happiness
no matter what
comes and goes
in the harmony of life.

“Happy about impermanence” — it can be!

Untrue cannot know untrue nor true —
but true may know both, true and untrue

It is hardly possible, it cannot be, that one who is untrue should know of a person who is untrue: ‘This person is untrue.’ — It is hardly possible, it cannot be, that one who is untrue should know of a person who is true: ‘This person is true.’ — It is possible that one who is true would know of a person who is true: ‘This person is true.’ — It is possible that one who is true would know of a person who is untrue: ‘This person is untrue.’

One lauds himself and disparages others… This is the character of a person who is untrue. — Putting non-identification first, one neither lauds himself nor disparages others… This is the character of a person who is true.

— free after Majjhima Nikāya – the middle length discourses of the Buddha, translated from Pali by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi – Cūḷapuṇṇama Sutta, 110.3 & 14, pp. 892-894 and Sappurisa Sutta, 113, pp. 909-912

Happy about impermanence starts small and grows fast

May you and I, may we all directly know true and untrue!

Directly knowing
seeing and hearing
out of compassion
pass on to others
train in concord
appreciation
Dharma
discipline
emerging free
from unwholesome
become established
in the wholesome
neither exalt self
nor disparage
any others
in accordance
with harmony
life and love.

— inspired by the Kinti Sutta
(#103, Majjhima Nikaya)

“Mettā cetovimutti” — liberation of the heart through love

Knowing love directly

“I know!” said Harry impatiently. “I can love!” …

“Yes, Harry, you can love… Which, given everything that has happened to you, is a great and remarkable thing.” …
“Have you any idea how much tyrants fear the people they oppress? All of them realize that, one day, amongst their many victims, there is sure to be one who rises against them and strikes back!” …
“It is essential that you understand this!” …
“You are protected, in short, by your ability to love! … In spite of all the temptation you have endured, all the suffering, you remain pure of heart.” …
“You are free to choose your way!” …

He understood at last what Dumbledore had been trying to tell him. It was, he thought, the difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high. Some people, perhaps, would say that there was little to choose between the two ways, but [he now] knew … that there was all the difference in the world.

— Harry Potter and the half-blood prince — J. K. Rowling — pp. 509-512

Know directly, you’re “turtley” awesome!

May we all come to know love directly!

Once upon a time
thus I have heard
on one occasion
I was busy living
right here and now
it occurred to me
that all is passing
in impermanence
taken as a cause
by most humans
for lamentation
gives suffering
why not turn it
round upside up
take it as a cause
for good rejoicing
because suffering
is impermanent
it too will pass
making room
for ever more
may be happy
sooner or later
it will also end
this suffering
as cause goes
both directions
impermanence
at the very crux
of human views
be sad or happy
or neither nor
about passing
letting it all go
open up space
for what is here
comes and goes
never a vacuum
neither sad
nor happy
in silence
equanim
a real view
concentrate
see for yourself
directly know
diligent, ardent
and resolute
all fulfilled
here now.

“Heartfelt tears of joy” — can you feel them?

Once a wise man relinquished his views

A wise man … considers thus: ‘If I obstinately adhere to my view “Something is acceptable to me, something is not acceptable to me” and declare: “Only this is true, anything else is wrong,” then I may clash with the two others: with [one] who holds the doctrine and view “Everything is acceptable to me” and with [one] who holds the doctrine and view “Nothing is acceptable to me.” I may clash with these two, and when there is a clash, there are disputes; when there are disputes, there are quarrels; when there are quarrels, there is vexation.’ Thus, foreseeing for himself clashes, disputes, quarrels, and vexation, he abandons that view and does not take up some other view. This is how there comes to be the abandoning of these views; this is how there comes to be the relinquishing of these views.

— Majjhima Nikāya – the middle length discourses of the Buddha, translated from Pali by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi – Dighanakha Sutta, 74.8, p. 605

Once upon a time in early spring

May you and I, may we all relinquish clashing views!

A burning platform
this world in flames
handling the fire well
an ultimate challenge
withdraw the attention
from all dire things
to the beneficial
to nurture
healing
the potential
in every existence
accepting circles of life
have no start nor end
but start and end all
in the flow of love
in compassion
benevolence
sharing joy
equanimous
tending the fire
harness the heat
for life and not death
as cycles start and close
right now in this moment
the eternal here and now
answering a call for help!

“Saṃbhogakāya संभोगकाय / 報身” — body of enjoyment

Happy lunar new year — Bīng Wū 丙午年

When, above the flames, ten thousand horses tear through the land, the sage, Shengren 聖人, stands upright and understands:

“Interrupt knowledge, stop discriminating… discard skills, give up advantages… culture is not enough… see the simple things, take the piece of raw wood in your arms…”

May this challenging year sincerely propel us further into the new world!

— Chinese New Year card, Elena Camesi Janke, inspied by the Daodejing #19 by Laozi

A sprouting world — a burning platform?