It is my prayer that nations will no longer send their young people to fight each other, not even in the name of peace. I do not accept the concept of war for peace, nor of a ‘just war,’ in the same way that I cannot accept the concepts of ‘just slavery,’ or ‘just racism’. During the wars in Vietnam (French and American), my friends and I declared ourselves neutral; we took no sides and we had no enemies, North of South, French, American, or Vietnamese. - Thich Nhat Hanh
Those who have renounced violence towards all living beings, weak or strong, who neither kill nor cause others to kill, they I do call holy. —Buddha
There are many times when you will encounter a family member, friend, neighbor, work colleague or even a stranger and discover they are extremely discouraged. Sometimes the issue is so acute, the person feels hopeless. That’s when you can play an important and even life changing role by awakening hope within them. When a person is deeply disappointed and disheartened, he or she needs someone who can provide encouragement and stimulate hope for the future. This is surprisingly easy to do. Sometimes a mere smile triggers positive energy. Simply listening can lift a person. Or, a few well chosen words of encouragement can transform a negative emotional environment.
At the root of generosity is the perception that there is always something to share. In fact, you don’t need a lot in order to give. - Ajahn Pasanno
Buddhism does not place undue emphasis on asceticism, because demanding a plain and simple life for oneself is moral, but to demand it of others is too harsh.
- Hsing Yun Though Buddhism isn’t out to convert people from their religion to the Buddhist path, it does stress the importance of self conversion. The Buddha reminds us that we can transition from a lower self into a Higher Self. That is based on the fact that every being has basic goodness called Buddha nature.
Self-conversion takes place as we become aware of our weaknesses - greed, anger, anxiety, self-centeredness, suspicion, transforming them into higher traits – generosity, patience, peacefulness, compassion and trust. The Buddha taught that our bewilderment and confusion can blossom into confidence and clarity but only if we are willing for that to happen. You must not allow yourselves to grow old before your time. Please live with a youthful spirit. That is what Buddhism teaches us to do and it is how life ought to be lived. If you make a commitment to work for the sake of others, you will be rejuvenated. If you devote your life to helping others, you’ll stay young. - Daisaku Ikeda
To succeed in any walk of life you’re going to need grit, drive and determination. And you’re going to need a way to overcome the obstacles that will, without any doubt, be put in your way.
- Michael Caine “One who does not recognize his strength and talents is even worse off than one who does not know his flaws, because he is totally unaware of the tools with which he can achieve spiritual growth,” noted Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz (1874-1936).
Commenting on that wisdom, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin offers this example. “If we often and unfairly lose our temper, but have a strong sense of reason, we can draw on that reason to see that our temper is irrational and disproportionate to the provocation. But if we don’t appreciate our ability to reason, we will deprive ourselves of a powerful weapon in learning to control our anger.” Bad things happen to all of us at some point in our lives. We lose our jobs, or our parents, or our health. We are disappointed at work, or in love, or in front of the mirror. You can choose to dwell on the knockbacks. Or you can choose to embrace the opportunities that are still available to you.
- Michael Caine |
Victor M. Parachin ...is aVedic educator, yoga instructor, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of a dozen books. Buy his books at amazon or your local bookstore. Archives
May 2024
Categories |