Learning Humility---Learn the Dharma through respect

A person who is able to attain perfect Enlightenment is called the Buddha. His perfect realization of the Dharma is not merely an understanding, but also a way of action. He must allow himself to become one with the Truth. The Buddha is the Buddha because of the Dharma. And due to this, we can say that through the Buddha, the Dharma is manifested. This means that mind, speech and physical actions of the Buddha are one with the Dharma (or Truth). These deeds of the Buddha and the Truth are identical without discrepancy or contradictions. Therefore, he is called an enlightened Buddha.

What is a sentient being or common being? A sentient being is one whose mind, speech, and physical deeds are in disharmony with the Dharma. His/her physical actions are not in accordance with the Dharma; his/her mental thoughts are also not in unity with the Dharma. Therefore, he/she has mental afflictions or defilements. Only through cultivation, that is adjusting or purifying our mind, speech and physical actions, will one’s deeds harmonize with the Truth. In this way, we are also able to attain Buddhahood. Not only Sakyamuni can become a Buddha, but all of us can also become Buddha. And this may be only achieved when our mind, speech and physical deed become pure and in accord with the Dharma.

Therefore, when we face the Dharma, we need to learn humbleness. Facing the Truth of life, we must learn to bow our heads. For sentient beings bound in Samsara, this may be the most difficult lesson because all beings bound in the endless cycle of rebirth have self-conceit or pride. When facing reality, a sentient being does not bow his/her head and thinks: “I am right! I am correct! Everyone in the world may be wrong, but I am right!” Adhering to a thought like this, it becomes a great obstacle for his/her learning. It is an obstruction for obtaining an insight of what is the Truth.

Self-conceit being the first obstacle of enlightenment, we must overcome it with humility. We must seek and learn the Dharma with respect. This is our first lesson in cultivation. Though humility, there will be self-reflections or introspections. When we lower our heads, we can see ourselves. Seeing that we are imperfect, need purification and transcend those shortcomings. Like the rainwater that does not stay on the tall mountaintop and will flow to the lower places, the Dharma water will not flow into a person with high conceited mind.

I have a dream

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "For Whites Only". We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

By Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. August 28, 1963,

How to read the spirit of the Buddha from a statue?

KEY TO ABOVE DIAGRAM:

1. Ròujì 肉髻 in Chinese (Skt. = Uṣṇīṣa), it is the oval swelling of flesh or the top-knot of hair on a Buddha's head, the bump of wisdom. It symbolizes the perfection of spiritual omniscient wisdom (Skt. = sarvajñatā) and the knowledge of cultivation paths (Skt. = mārgajñatā) of an Enlightened being. The Uṣṇīṣa is often covered by spiral shaped curls of hair, like snail-shells, known as luófă 螺髪. The luófă symbolizes enlightenment through the perfection of meditation. Another Chinese term for Ròujì is Ròujìxiàng 肉髻相 (Skt. = Uṣṇīṣa-śiraskatā), one of the 32 marks (Skt. = lakșaṇa) of a Buddha.

2. Jìzhū 髻珠. The jewel of Ròujì that is found within the hair on top of Buddha’s head is located at the front base of the Ròujì. It symbolizes the unsurpassed Enlightenment of the Buddha and radiates the light of wisdom. In Buddhist statuary, a small circle is typically carved here, or a circular crystal placed here. The Jìzhū is sometimes painted red. In the World of Lotus Treasury (Lián huá zàng shì jiè 蓮華藏世界), a pure land described in the Flower Garland Sutra 華嚴經 and Brahma Net Sutra 梵網經, an infinite number of huàfó 化佛 (lit. transformed Buddha) emanate from the Jìzhū. The emanated Buddhas represent the infinite transformations (manifestations, forms, different bodies) in which the Buddha may appear to liberate sentient beings.

3. Luófă 螺髪 in Chinese means the hair with small right turning spiral curls. They represent Buddha’s perfection of meditation. In the Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom 大智度論, Nagarjuna, a great Indian Mahayana Master, described in Buddha’s previous lives, he has cultivated diligently in the practice of meditation. Once in his past life, he practiced as a yogi in meditation. He entered a deep and tranquil Samadhi or meditative state of mind. When he rises again from this meditation, a bird has built a nest on top of his head and laid some eggs in it. He noticed this and knew if he stands up at that moment, the mother bird will never comes back and the eggs will not hatch and die. Therefore, with the mind of compassion, he continued to practice meditation until the eggs hatched; the young chicks have grown up and flew away. Due to the merits his compassion and cultivation in meditation in the past, his hairs all have right curls. This is a specific characteristic of the Buddha.

4. Báiháo 白毫 in Chinese (Skt. = Ūrṇa). Lit. white hair, the curl between Buddha's eyebrows is a spiral or circular hair. It is an auspicious mark that symbolizes the divine third eye (spiritual eye) with the ability to have insights to the mundane world of suffering. In the Mahayana Sutras, Buddha sends out rays of light that reveals all worlds. This mark appears on all statues of the Buddha. The Ūrṇa is usually represented with a crystal or other valuable gems. Before the Buddha give a important teaching, it is common the Buddha will allow light shines from his Ūrṇa towards the whole universe which illuminate the different realms of existence. The Urna is a traditional marking still worn by Indian women today (gem set in middle of forehead); some traditions call it the sixth chakra (center of energy, wheel of light).

5. Gànpú chéngjiù 紺蒲成就 in Chinese (Skt. = kamboja). kamboja is described as a round, reddish Indian fruit with 3 distinctive lines, the Buddha having something resembling it on his neck. This is one of his 32 characteristic marks also. It represents a highly cultivated spiritual being who possesses the inner beauty of compassion.

6. Jiāshā 袈裟 (Skt. = kaṣāya). This word means decayed, impure (in color), dyed, not of primary color, so as to distinguish monk's robe from the normal bright or white dress of the common secular people. Monastic robes are stitched together from rag patches, in manner prescribed in the Vinaya laws of the Sangha. They are usually dyed in a range of colors from red, maroon, brown to yellow. The robe represents monastic vows of renunciation. Therefore, lay Buddhist householders are not allowed to wear this robe before observing the monastic oath.

7. Shŏuyìn 手印 (Skt. = Mudra). The gestures performed by the hands of a Buddha image have specific meanings that refer to some event in the life of the Buddha or denote a special characteristic. There are five basic hand positions, each corresponding to five defining episodes in the life of the Historical Buddha.

8. Aureola. Stylized representation of the magnificent light radiating from the Buddha. The word for halo in Chinese is guāngbèi 光背. On a Buddhist statue or picture, there are 2 types of aureola that may be depicted. One just over and surrounds the head, the other surrounds the whole body. They are commonly depicted as a circle or flame of light. They represent Buddha’s wisdom to burn off all defilements and bring light to sentient beings who are living in the darkness of suffering with compassion.
9. Leg Posture. Here we see the cross-legged meditation pose called the Lotus Position, one of three basic poses. The three basic sitting postures are full-lotus, half-lotus and cross-legged. Like the lotus, which grows out of the mud at the bottom of a pond, the Buddha is an enlightened being who "grew" out of the "mud" of the samsara. Although Buddha’s mind and body are is pure and liberated from samsara, He remains in the world compassionately guiding all sentient beings out of suffer. Like the lotus does not need leave the turbid water in order to gain purity. In Chinese meditation sitting is called zuòchán 坐禪 (Jap: zazen). During this sitting meditation, practitioners usually assume a position such as the lotus position and discipline the mind with awareness or mindfulness directed towards counting or watching the breath.

Emptiness

Shunyata is a key concept in Buddhist philosophy, more specifically in the ontology of Mahayana Buddhism: ''Form is emptiness, and emptiness is form.'' This is the paradox of the concept .

Emptiness is not to be confused with nothingness. Emptiness is non-existence but not nothingness. Also, it is not non-reality. Emptiness means that an object, animate or inanimate, does not have its own existence independently. It has its meaning and existence only when all the elements or components it is made of come into play and we can understand and impute its existence clearly.

By way of explanation, we are asked to observe a cup or any other container. Is the cup empty when it does not contain any liquid or solid in it? We say yes, it's empty. But is it really empty? No, it's not. It is full of air. Even when the glass is in a state of vacuum, it is not empty. It still contains space, radiation and maybe light.

Therefore the Buddhist point of view differs from convention. The cup is always full of something or the other. To describe it philosophically, the cup is devoid of its inherent existence. It has come into existence because of many other conditions coming into play.

It is because of these intricacies that the Buddhist concept of emptiness is often taken as nihilism. Scholars opine that western philosophy probably had a role in creating this misconception. Nihilism as a concept means that reality is unknown and unknowable, and that nothing exists. Whereas the Buddhist concept of emptiness says that ultimate reality is knowable, and that in no case should the concept of emptiness be taken to mean nothingness.

Plato held the view that there is an ideal essence in everything that we have around us, whether animate or inanimate. After all, ''the essence of the cup ultimately exists in the realm of the mind.'' The Dalai Lama says that Shunyata is the absence of an absolute essence or independent existence. If a thing exists, it is because of several other factors.

One might as well ask: Is it possible to have a partless phenomenon? According to the Madhyamika

The Dalai Lama's book, Art of Living , makes our understanding of the perception of reality clearer. He says, ''as your insight into the ultimate nature is deepened and enhanced, you will develop a perception of reality from which you will perceive phenomena and events as sort of illusory. And that mode of perceiving reality will permeate all your interactions with reality.

Even emptiness itself, which is seen as the ultimate nature of reality, is not absolute, nor does it exist independently. We cannot conceive of emptiness as independent of a basis of phenomenon, because when we examine the nature of reality, we find that emptiness itself is an object. Look for its essence and we will find that it is empty of inherent existence. Therefore, the Buddha taught of the emptiness of emptiness.''

Anyway

People are sometimes unreasonable, illogical,
stubborn and self-centered. Love them anyway

If you do good to people sometimes they will accuse
you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

If you are successful you will win false friends
and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

The good deeds you do today will be
forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

Honesty and Frankness make you
vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

People favor the underdogs but follow only
the top dogs. Fight for some underdogs anyway.

What you spent years building may
be destroy overnight. Build anyway.

What ever you memorize today you may not retain
in your mind all the time. Memorize good points anyway.

People love to be always with the rich people. Spend some time
with poor people to know the richness of their minds anyway.

When you tell the truth sometimes people will not
think that you are honest. Tell the truth anyway.

People really need help but they may attack
if you help them. Help people anyway.

THE WISDOM OF LIFE

One day, after not seeing each other for so many years, several Buddhists friends got together and wish to pay a visit to their Master, with whom they have took the Three Refuge. Being very glad to see them too, Master then asks everyone how are they doing in their lives?

Unexpectedly, this question has ticked everyone to expel all of their complaints that are in their minds. One after another begins to tell his/her troubles: working pressure is great, not doing well in business, promotion to a higher position got obstructed, and having difficulties with friend and relatives…

In silence, the Master smiles. He then takes out many cups from the kitchen and put them on the table. These cups come in various kinds and shapes. There are porcelain, glass, and plastic ones. Some cups seem luxurious and elegant; some seem ordinary, simple and crude.

The Master says: “You are all my disciples, I do not treat you as guests. If you are thirsty, pour yourself a cup of water.”

Since everyone has just talked so much, they are very thirsty. Therefore, each person pickup a cup that he/she likes and pours himself/herself a drink. After everybody has a cup of water in their hand, the Master speaks again.

He points to the cups that are left on the table and said: “Have you noticed, that the cups you’ve took are the best looking and unique cups, and those plastic cups, no one picked them?”

Certainly, this is not strange, because everyone wish to hold a good looking cup in their hands.

The Master says: “This is the origin of our defilements! What everybody needs is water, and not the cup. But we will go and choose a beautiful cup consciously or unconsciously. Our life is also similar to this —life is like the water, then, family, money, work, and position are just like the cups. They are only tools that we use to hold the water of life. In fact, the quality of the cup does not influence the essence of the water. But if we pay too much attention to the cup, while tasting the water, we could not taste the light sweetness that is in the pure water. Isn’t this seeking troubles for oneself needlessly?”

Gold is empty, silver is empty too,

what is in ones hands after death?

Wife is empty, children are empty too,

does not accompany each other on the road to the netherworld.

Property is empty, land is empty too,

how many owners have they changed?

Fame is empty, profit is empty too,

just a pile of soil in the wilderness in an instant.

Importance of Motivation

What is motivation? How do we create good motivation?

1. Motivation, in essence, is a thought in our mind with an intention to carry out a certain task. There are three types of motivation when we listen, teach, or practice the Dharma: Good, Bad, and Neutral.

Good Motivation - This kind of motivation arises from the depth of our heart to benefit all sentient beings with a thorough understanding that all phenomena is interdependent and that the manifestation as a sentient being is the condition for one to realize the ultimate truth..

Neutral Motivation - This kind of motivation is a mere flow of an intended action with no insightful knowledge of the benefits from listening to the Dharma teaching and practice.

Bad Motivation - This kind of motivation is usually associated with solely thinking about one self’s benefits such as for wealth, name, fame, and publicity. This kind of motivation is considered impure.

Motivation is the foundation of our practice. As such, if our motivation is good we may be able to practice and overcome different defilements. An analogy is when building a structure, the foundation is very important. If the foundation is strong enough, then the higher the structure can be built. Conversely, a structure with a poor foundation is likely to fall apart easily. Much as the same as our practice, a solid foundation is necessary not only for today or tomorrow but all the way until the ultimate truth is realized. In general, if our foundation is not stable, it will be very difficult to smoothly attain our end desired goal. Knowing that a good foundation is imperative for practicing, we must put forth a diligent effort in trying to make it as strong as possible.

2. While we are listening to the Dharma, we have to avoid the four kinds of falsehoods as described below using a jug as the metaphorical symbol of our mind. The four types of mistakes are often committed and should be avoided in order to effectively follow the Dharma teaching.

1. Inverted Jug 2. Leaking Jug 3. Impure Jug 4. Full Jug

1.Inverted Jug - A jug being upside down cannot hold any water no matter how much effort one puts into it. This is symbolic of our mind not being fully receptive even if a great master was providing the teachings as a result of our mind being closed. Regardless of how much teaching is received, it will not be absorbed nor retained. Having an open mind with respect, devotion, and humility is necessary to readily receive the genuine teachings of the Dharma.

2. Leaking Jug - A clean jug in the upright position is useless if it contains a hole at the bottom. No matter how much pure water is placed into that jug, it will not remain in the container. This is likened to listening to the Dharma when the message passes through one ear and exits out the other ear. As such, the teaching of the Dharma will not be grasped because the message is not retained in our mind. The human mind possesses incredible power and capability. This is evident in the level of science and technology in today’s modern world. An airplane will allow us to travel anywhere in this world within a matter of hours. The internet will allow one to assess a wealth of information in the convenience of being at a desk at the touch of a fingertip. Cell phones can allow you to talk to anybody while you move about. These are just a few products derived from the human mind. From a spiritual standpoint, the mind also possesses the ability to attain the ultimate happiness and truth. A mind listening with attentiveness will be able to reap the benefits of the Dharma.

3. Impure Jug - This is a jug with no holes and is not upside down but contains filthy water. Even if the amount is small, adding pure water to a jug filled partially with dirty water will result in the entire pool being dirty. This analogy can be akin to avoiding having wrong views about the Dharma and other bad thoughts about the teachings. While listening to the Dharma with such a mind, the genuine Dharma will also become impure and will prevent one from progressing farther in their practice. While we are listening to the Dharma, we have to listen with a pure mind. In the Buddha’s teaching, the Buddha is like a guide, the Dharma is the path, and the Sangha is the company dedicated to helping all sentient beings reach liberation. Listening to the Dharma with a pure mind means that we must have devotion, respect, and kindness for the Triple Gems in order to have the right condition to receive the Buddha’s teachings.

4. Full Jug - This is a jug that is already full. If someone wants to put some more water into it, even if it is pure water, the water will just spill over since it cannot accommodate anymore. Like a full jug, a mind full of arrogance does have the will to learn from others with the pretentious belief that he/she already knows everything. When we listen to the Dharma, even if it is a subject that we are already familiar with, we should still listen very carefully without arrogance because listening to the teachings over and over again will allow one to gain further additional insight and to attain a deeper meaning behind the teaching.