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Our actions, speech, state of consciousness and attitudes toward life are all strongly influenced by our companions, just as they are by the food we eat. Therefore, it is important to surround oneself with good, religious, higher-consciousness people. - Bodhinatha Veylanswami
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A Buddhist monk has been killed by a leopard while meditating in a protected forest for the big cats, the fifth such attack in the area this month, Indian police said Thursday.Rahul Walke Bodhi was seated beneath a tree in Ramdegi forest in western India for morning prayers on Tuesday when the leopard pounced.
The 35-year-old monk was fatally injured, police in Maharashtra state said.
Two other devotees meditating with him at the time escaped unscathed to alert police, who started a search for his body.
"His badly mauled body was found further into the forest, indicating the animal tried to drag it along," Krisna Tiwari, a senior police officer in the region, told news sources.
The forest, roughly 825 kilometres (510 miles) west from the state capital Mumbai, falls within a protected reserve for big cats where four other fatal attacks have occurred in recent weeks.
The monks, in the area for an annual prayer conference, had ignored warnings from local officials about venturing too far into the forest, police said.
(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/meditating-buddhist-monk-killed-india-leopard-attack-081010827.html )
The 35-year-old monk was fatally injured, police in Maharashtra state said.
Two other devotees meditating with him at the time escaped unscathed to alert police, who started a search for his body.
"His badly mauled body was found further into the forest, indicating the animal tried to drag it along," Krisna Tiwari, a senior police officer in the region, told news sources.
The forest, roughly 825 kilometres (510 miles) west from the state capital Mumbai, falls within a protected reserve for big cats where four other fatal attacks have occurred in recent weeks.
The monks, in the area for an annual prayer conference, had ignored warnings from local officials about venturing too far into the forest, police said.
(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/meditating-buddhist-monk-killed-india-leopard-attack-081010827.html )
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You have the power
to create the
best results from
the worst conditions.
So, just do it!
- Victor M. Parachin
to create the
best results from
the worst conditions.
So, just do it!
- Victor M. Parachin
- Published on
In an essay titled How To Grow Old, written when philosopher Bertrand Russell was 81 and sixteen years before he eventually passed away, at age 97, he offers this “proper recipe for remaining young.” Though Russell was a devout and public atheist, his reflection on aging is very, very Buddhist.
The best way to overcome it [the fear of death]—so at least it seems to me—is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life. An individual human existence should be like a river: small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past rocks and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being. The man who, in old age, can see his life in this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things he cares for will continue. And if, with the decay of vitality, weariness increases, the thought of rest will not be unwelcome. I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do and content in the thought that what was possible has been done.
The best way to overcome it [the fear of death]—so at least it seems to me—is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life. An individual human existence should be like a river: small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past rocks and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being. The man who, in old age, can see his life in this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things he cares for will continue. And if, with the decay of vitality, weariness increases, the thought of rest will not be unwelcome. I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do and content in the thought that what was possible has been done.
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I have a friend who is a veterinarian. Because people abandon pets outside her clinic door leaving them inside cages or tied to the door knob with a leash, her clinic has had to post a sign warning a) not to abandon a pet b) that it is unlawful to do so.
Sadly, every veterinarian has experienced the disappointing and unpleasant sight of coming to work and finding an animal left behind by it's "owner."
With that in mind, I came across an article by Raymond Lam who takes a sharp Buddhist approach to animal "ownership." Some of the issues he raises are provocative but correct and necessary:
1) Humans need to view the world through the animal's eyes not just theirs. Buddhist focus on ahimsa or not doing harm to any being "should be broadened to include our non human others when “owning” a companion being. Radical empathy, to see the world through the animal’s eyes, is needed: how would I want a family to treat me should its members suddenly have to move to a new town? How would I want a family to treat me should I fall ill with a difficult illness? Most importantly, could I ever imagine a scenario in which I was benefited by being abandoned? The answer, of course, is emphatically not."
2) Humans should never adopt an animal just because they're bored. Speaking personally, he writes: "I resolved to not keep another companion being until I’m in a position someday to give it most of my time, effort, and attention. Even the idea of bonding it with a second companion being, to stave off boredom and unhappiness, is not enough, at least to me."
3) Humans need to consider deeply and fully the responsibility of pet ownership. "The main reasons given for abandonment are: moving elsewhere in the city or to another country; the apartment or housing complex does not allow companion beings; a lack of time; or behavioral problems. In essence, the reasons consist of priorities that did not take the companion being’s full and healthy life span into account—a healthy dog, for example, can be expected to live about 10 to 12 years."
Read more here: https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/the-dignity-of-companion-sentient-beings
Sadly, every veterinarian has experienced the disappointing and unpleasant sight of coming to work and finding an animal left behind by it's "owner."
With that in mind, I came across an article by Raymond Lam who takes a sharp Buddhist approach to animal "ownership." Some of the issues he raises are provocative but correct and necessary:
1) Humans need to view the world through the animal's eyes not just theirs. Buddhist focus on ahimsa or not doing harm to any being "should be broadened to include our non human others when “owning” a companion being. Radical empathy, to see the world through the animal’s eyes, is needed: how would I want a family to treat me should its members suddenly have to move to a new town? How would I want a family to treat me should I fall ill with a difficult illness? Most importantly, could I ever imagine a scenario in which I was benefited by being abandoned? The answer, of course, is emphatically not."
2) Humans should never adopt an animal just because they're bored. Speaking personally, he writes: "I resolved to not keep another companion being until I’m in a position someday to give it most of my time, effort, and attention. Even the idea of bonding it with a second companion being, to stave off boredom and unhappiness, is not enough, at least to me."
3) Humans need to consider deeply and fully the responsibility of pet ownership. "The main reasons given for abandonment are: moving elsewhere in the city or to another country; the apartment or housing complex does not allow companion beings; a lack of time; or behavioral problems. In essence, the reasons consist of priorities that did not take the companion being’s full and healthy life span into account—a healthy dog, for example, can be expected to live about 10 to 12 years."
Read more here: https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/the-dignity-of-companion-sentient-beings
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Mindfulness is something we can all benefit from. Since we have a mind, we can train our mind. - Bhante Sathi
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It's been decades since I took driver education. I believe mindfulness is important in all aspects of daily life and perhaps, nowhere is mindfulness more important than when driving a powerful vehicle.
So, I signed up, paid for and completed a driver education safety course. (certificate above) It was well worth the modest fee and the time. I want to be a safe driver for others, for my family and myself.
If you're interested, the entire course is avaliable online at www.eossafedriver.com
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The growth of the lotus flower is perhaps the best metaphor for the soul as it unfolds in consciousness. It begins in the mud, like a soul caught up in the instinctive nature; then it emerges into the water as a stem, like the soul immersed in the intellect and emotions; and ultimately it appears above the water as a bud, just as the soul awakens to its spiritual nature. For the soul, this stage of the bud beginning to open as a beautiful flower marks the onset of inner striving, seeking to know oneself and fathom the mysteries of life through the introspective process of meditation. Meditation is an art, a definite art, and well worth working for to become accomplished. It is not easy, and yet it is not difficult. It only takes persistence, working day after day to learn to control and train the outer as well as the subtle, inner forces. - Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
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The secret to dealing with disappointment is to not let it grow into stronger emotions like discouragement and depression. - Monte Drenner
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On the Scientific American blog site, Tam Hunt has written an excellent article titled, The Hippies Were Right: It’s All About Vibrations, Man!". Here's what leapt out at me:
"All things in our universe are constantly in motion, vibrating. Even objects that appear to be stationary are in fact vibrating, oscillating, resonating, at various frequencies. . . . An interesting phenomenon occurs when different vibrating things/processes come into proximity: they will often start, after a little time, to vibrate together at the same frequency. They “sync up,” sometimes in ways that can seem mysterious. This is described today as the phenomenon of spontaneous self-organization.”
This is the reason most people find it easier to meditate with a group than individually. In fact, I've had many tell me "there is no way I could sit for an hour at home by myself but in a group setting, the hour goes by quickly." That's because of vibration, frequency and proximity to other beings who are present for the same purpose. Together group meditation becomes "spontaneous self-organization."
(If you're local I facilitate group meditation every Wednesday 7 - 8 pm. Please join us.)
"All things in our universe are constantly in motion, vibrating. Even objects that appear to be stationary are in fact vibrating, oscillating, resonating, at various frequencies. . . . An interesting phenomenon occurs when different vibrating things/processes come into proximity: they will often start, after a little time, to vibrate together at the same frequency. They “sync up,” sometimes in ways that can seem mysterious. This is described today as the phenomenon of spontaneous self-organization.”
This is the reason most people find it easier to meditate with a group than individually. In fact, I've had many tell me "there is no way I could sit for an hour at home by myself but in a group setting, the hour goes by quickly." That's because of vibration, frequency and proximity to other beings who are present for the same purpose. Together group meditation becomes "spontaneous self-organization."
(If you're local I facilitate group meditation every Wednesday 7 - 8 pm. Please join us.)