Will The Real You Please Stand Up

18 Jun 2014 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , ,

Will The Real You Please Stand UpEver wondered who the real you actually is? As someone who has undergone a pretty radical personality transformation, as a result of embracing Buddhism, I love this explanation …

Buddhism teaches the concept of “manifesting one’s true nature.” This means to reveal your genuine self, your true inherent potential and bring it to shine, illuminating all around you.

It refers to your most refined individuality and uniqueness. When you hold fast to your beliefs and live true to yourself, your true value as a human being shines through.

It’ll Be All Wight On The Night

02 Jun 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , ,

IOW Day Trip - Click for detailsFollowing further success and another personal best distance on Saturday, my cycling ambitions are ramping up in line with the increased confidence. So I started to plan a 200km day trip to The Isle of Wight.

Starting off in sunny Poole, the first leg of this odyssey will take me (or us, if I can find another victim) east along the coast to Lymington in order to take the ferry over to Yarmouth.

Although I have lived within spitting distance of the Isle, metaphorically, for well over four years, I have never set foot upon it, so I am looking forward to the experience. Although it is part of the UK, I hear that there is a time difference between the island and the mainland, some say as much as 50 years !!!

The cycling tour of the island is quite well documented, being an annual event around September, October time. Rather than bore you all witless with the itinery, here is a link to the map given out during the official event.

Now although I have been joshing with some of my cycling buddies on Facebook, this really is a personal quest. Whether I finish the challenge alone, or in a peloton of 100s, the satisfaction will be the same. As with all the challenges we face in life, whether self imposed or just part of living, conquering them brings about its own reward.

Now all I need is to recruit a willing volunteer to drive the support vehicle, whose sole task is follow at a respectful distance, picking up the bits of broken ego as the miles take their toll on my poor old body. A full report will follow.

Rough Or Smooth, It’s Covered

01 Jun 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , ,

Rough & SmoothYou know the saying about taking the rough with the smooth? Well life generally consists of a mixture of good times and bad times, happiness and sadness, health as well as sickness. In general, it is the ratio of these opposites that makes us feel that life is going well, or going badly.

Buddhism teaches us that human life is endowed simultaneously with both good and evil. The human mind is interpreted as partaking of ten different conditions, or states, the Ten Worlds, including, at one end of the scale, hell, which is filled with suffering; hunger, dominated by greed; and animality, characterized by fear of the strong and contempt for the weak.

At the other end are the worlds of Bodhisattva and Buddhahood – states of mind in which people strive to help others by eliminating suffering and imparting happiness. Buddhism further teaches us that it is the nature of life for good and evil to be essentially inseparable.

As we have seen previously, all ten worlds contain, and are contained within the other worlds. This explains how we can be flying high one second and down in the dumps the next, generally at the whim of some external cause.

By realising that the worlds are so interconnected, we can learn to exercise more control over our changing life-states, or mood swings as they are commonly known. The result of greater self-awareness, brought about by the self-improvement that our practice brings, is that we can maintain a more stable, happier state of mind, and isn’t that the whole point?

The Nature Of Buddhahood

18 May 2014 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

The Nature Of BuddhahoodThe Sanskrit word Buddha means “One who is awakened [to the truth].”

While the term was widely employed by various schools of the time, it eventually came to be used exclusively in reference to Shakyamuni.

At the same time, the word Buddha implies “to bloom.”

A person who causes flowers of lofty character to brilliantly bloom and who bears the fruits of good fortune and benefit in abundance is a Buddha.

Such a person manifests the benefit of the Law and shines with character overflowing with blessings.

~ Daisaku Ikeda

Buddha’s Birthday

10 May 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , , ,

Shakyamuni BuddhaMay 6th was celebrated as always, the world over, as the birthday of Shakyamuni Buddha. The Sanskrit word Buddha means “One who is awakened [to the truth].” While the term was widely employed by various schools of the time, it eventually came to be used exclusively in reference to Shakyamuni. At the same time, the word Buddha implies “to bloom.”

A person who causes flowers of lofty character to brilliantly bloom and who bears the fruits of good fortune and benefit in abundance is a Buddha.

Such a person manifests the benefit of the Law and shines with character overflowing with blessings.

~ Daisaku Ikeda

Vegan Enlightenment

23 Apr 2014 5 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , ,

Vegan EnlightenmentMy friend and fellow vegan Juliet defines the vegan practice thus: Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.

Enlightenment is a state in which we are aware of the ultimate truth and meaning of everything. As a Buddhist, I strive for enlightenment and also try to avoid, as far as possible, bringing harm or suffering to any other living creature.

When we are aware that each moment of each day, each gesture and step we take, is truly mystical and full of wonder, we will live our lives with greater thought and care. We will also have greater respect and appreciation for the lives of others.

The two overlap in many ways, and although you don’t have to be Buddhist to be vegan, or vegan to be Buddhist, they fit together like a hand in a glove.

Breaking Down The Challenge

21 Apr 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Old Harry Rocks From The South West Coastal PathThe alarm went off at 7:00am, the same as it would on any Monday morning, but this morning was all about making the most of the Bank holiday. My challenge was to complete my Purbecks Figure O’ Eight ride, a round trip of close to 70km, before the roads filled up with visitors and holidaymakers.

Ok, so it’s no Tour de France stage, but neither is it a trip to the corner shop either. Rather than looking at the ride as a whole, I set myself a series of small challenges, getting to the ferry, rounding the corner at Old Harry Rocks, reaching Swanage etc.

Breaking a task into little steps makes it more achievable and cycling is no different. When the going gets tough the tasks get shorter, the climb up Creech Hill for example, gets broken into the individual slopes that make up the whole hill. The 20% incline is only about 15 to 20 metres, but it’s a challenge all of its own.

Similarly, in Nichiren Buddhism, attaining enlightenment is not about embarking on some inconceivably long journey to become a resplendent, godlike Buddha, it is about accomplishing a transformation in the depths of one’s being.

In other words, it is not a matter of practicing in order to scale the highest summit of enlightenment at some point in the distant future. Rather it is a constant, moment to moment, inner struggle between revealing our innate Dharma nature or allowing ourselves to be ruled by our fundamental darkness and delusion.

Embrace The Lotus Sutra

05 Apr 2014 3 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , ,

The Lotus SutraBe resolved to summon forth the great power of faith, and chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo with the prayer that your faith will be steadfast and correct at the moment of death.

Never seek any other way to inherit the Ultimate Law of life and death, and manifest it in your life.

Only then will you realise that earthly desires are enlightenment, and that the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana.

Even embracing the Lotus Sutra would be useless without the heritage of faith.

~ Nichiren

A More Enlightened Future

08 Mar 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Sadness On The Path To HappinessI know that my Buddhist practice has changed the way I interact with everything and everyone in my own personal Universe.

The change is difficult to explain, and even more difficult to prove, over the relatively short term, to others within that Universe.

Those difficulties are still further compounded by the fact that no matter how radical the changes, nothing can change the past.

Like karma, my past was formed from the past causes I made. What I can do, is to try to make better causes now, and in the future. What I can not do, is influence the past.

That limitation is, I have to say, a very real sadness on this journey towards a happier and more enlightened future. However, the changes I am making now, appear to be creating a better and brighter future for everyone.

Heartfelt

16 Feb 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , , ,

HeartfeltIn his writings regarding Buddhist practice, Nichiren repeatedly emphasized the importance of the heart.

While teaching that faith and courage are the powers and functions of the heart that enable us to open the world of Buddhahood in our lives, he also cautioned us against the heart’s negative functions, such as disbelief and cowardice, which close us off to our potential for Buddhahood.

So when we say that we chant with all our heart, we must ensure that we are indeed doing just that. Our fundamental darkness lives deep in our hearts and minds and will, if left unchecked, promote disbelief and cowardice, under the disguise of self protection in some instances.

Confront your fears, examine the thoughts that your Dark Passenger will bring. Be determined to resolve the issues and with a focused mind and a strong heart, chant to increase your faith and courage, ever onward towards enlightenment.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

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