This talk will explore how skilful methods (upāya) are utilized in the path. We would also look at some of the skilful methods from the path to see how they help in bridging the divide between our ordinary experience and the wisdom of enlightenment.
Description of Meditation
During the second part of this Saturday's session, we will meditate together on certain ways of developing calm abiding.
After a long search i finally found a few Zen Centers in India. Turns out Zen is extremely rare in India, I don't understand why that is the case. I think Some International Schools must take initiatives to set up centers here.
1.Bodhi Zendo, is located in South India. (please visit their website for knowing more) http://www.bodhizendo.org/ Bodhi Zendo is situated in Tamil Nadu, South India, in the upper Palani Hills at an altitude of about 1700 m, about 100km north-west of Madurai (National Airport). The nearest village is Perumalmalai and the nearest town, the hill resort of Kodaikanal. The closest International Airports are Chennai/Madras, Bangalore or Trivandrum.
2.Open Dharma Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India Contact: Jaya Ashmore Email: towardsliberation@yahoo.com Web site: http://www.opendharma.org Tradition: Buddhist vipassana (insight), Zen and metta meditation traditions. Teachers: Jaya Ashmore and Ajay Singh
Today I came across a video on YouTube that i want to share with you. The video speaks for it self , the intensity in the environment is intense, yet there was a person trying to be peace. yes that's what i said ‘trying to be peace’. Lets see what that means.
‘What is the purpose of Life?’ that's a great question… Osho(i know not many agree or like him, but at times he has something valuable to say) , Rajneesh (Osho) says that ‘you’ never ask that question, your mind asks that… and no matter what answer you provide, its not enough, in fact its never enough. and that's because that is the function of your mind .. ‘to ask’ … to be in the state of ‘needing to know’.
Bô Yin Râ (Joseph Anton Schneiderfranken), a German Philosopher and author says something very profound. He says instead of asking ‘What is the purpose of Life?’ ,we must ask ‘What is Our Purpose to Life?’. To paraphrase it, instead of asking ‘of what use is life to us?’ we must ask ‘What use are we to Life?'’
Eckhart Tolle further ,adds to this and ,says in a talk he gave at a retreat, It is more useful to raise the question “what is my purpose to life?” , and your purpose in any Life situation is to bring peace into that situation. You are here ,as a portal to bring ‘presence’ into this world. (Of course to fully follow what this simple line means ,you may have to be familiar with Tolle’s works)
It may seem The Buddha would often never answer this question. But his silence is the very message of Eckhart in action.
If you are walking to get a cup of water, then your purpose is to walk and walk alone. to walk fully , and not absently, to be there fully. when you pick up your glass of water that is your purpose in life, be there totally and notice what you are doing,and do it fully. when you drinking it, drinking is your purpose in life. when you are sitting , sitting is your purpose in life… to do it fully to bring presence into this world by bringing presence into your Life.
In any (so-called) life situation your purpose is tobe peace, by bringing presence into it.
Lets have a look at the video that brought out this post through me. I want you to know that some times a form of teaching which you might consider is not very clear or advanced does help bring peace into life. and therefore we must genuinely appreciate and have respect for all teachings
P.S: Looks like my writing stream is becoming active, may be its because i changed rooms :D , be ready to see more posts this January
do leave a comment and let me know what you feel about this post and the theme i tried to address here.
Well Feynman was my childhood hero. This guy was absolutely great. For any Science Student, Getting that Feynman spirit in their studies is the best way to enjoy it. I recently came across a set of images of his blackboards in his office at the time of his death. I noticed one particular note he made on his blackboard, which if i remember well was the Epigraph i wrote on my copy of CLRS . Every bit of Feynman still influences me and the way i approach any subject. even though i no longer study anything related to physics, but his enthusiasm and curiosity are still very valuable .
So here is the note i am talking about, the second one on the Left side of the photo (in fact both of them are interesting).
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