A Simple Plan Distribute Online - Earn Money Instantly
He goes through the Pali Canon and separates what was new to the Buddha and what was also held in Indian philosophy before the Buddha. He can then pinpoint what's unique to Buddhism. So he doubts rebirth and different realms of existence. He pinpoints as distinctively Buddhist: dependent origination; the practice of mindful awareness, being focused on the totality of what is happening in our moment to moment experience; the Four Noble Truths & the Eight Fold Path; the principle of self-reliance, not to be dependent on some authority figure.
BN: That radiant awareness is also suffering, changing and without a self. That's the meaning of emptiness. It may be easier to identify "yourself" with awareness than with the objects. Awareness is also anatta, no self.
theravada The Clear Water Zen group is developing a strategy for greatly increasing the number of Zen groups in the area. A pamphlet entitled "How to start a Catholic Zen group" is being distributed to Catholic churches in the area. It includes quotes from such Catholic leaders as Father Robert Kennedy, among others, and provides practical advice on how to get a group started. Future pamphlets will be modified to address other faiths but the practical advice on how to start a Zen group will be common to all faiths.
BN: Yes, but that awareness that is aware of objects shares the same qualities of its objects. It too is impermanent and without a self, subject to suffering. Some may consider that awareness, that luminescent presence, to be unconditional, but that is not the teaching of the Buddha, and that's not my experience.
There are many Thai amulets sold each day online. A very high percentage of these amulets are non-genuine amulets and generally worthless. I have found bronze and copper amulets for 4 cents each in bags of 500 pieces in Chinese stores in Thailand that I have later seen sell for $19.95 at Ebay. Are you buying four cent amulets for 500 times their worth too?
BN: The word Buddha can mean knowing, knowing something. The five skandas may be the object of meditation (and we come to see their impermanent and dependent characteristics) and there is the awareness of them. Yet still the awareness is part of the characteristics of phenomena. I agree. I don't think that awareness can be truly separated from the characteristics of phenomena. Of course awareness is fundamental and essential to mindfulness.
When a thought arises, label it "Thinking." When a sensation arises, label it "Feeling." When a sound arises, label it "Hearing." Notice how the act of labeling something decreases its power to distract you. Do this and gently, relentlessly bring your awareness back to your breath. There is nowhere to go, nothing to do. Just sit, watching your breath. The key to greater inner freedom is your unwavering commitment to return to awareness, again and again.
In the 13th century, Sukhothai was a part of Khmer empire. It was recognized as a Thai ruled kingdom when two Thai chieftans, Pho Khun Pha Muang and Pho Khun Bang Klang Hao, declared their individual independent kingdom in Thailand. The first king of Sukhothai was Pho Khun Bang Klang Hao who also called himself Pho Khun Si Indrathit or Intradit.
