This group of slogans is connected with the perfection of meditation. We are beginning to develop great awareness and mindfulness. 19. All Of The Teachings Are Really One All of the teachings are rooted in taming the mind and managing the ego. That is the point of this slogan. We tame our wandering minds with mental discipline and we cultivate awareness to cut through our egoic minds. Then we start cultivating bodhicitta. But really these are tied together. We think... Read more
This group of slogans is connected with the perfection of diligence. Diligence means that we aren’t lazy in our practice, we are motivated and determined. When we talk about laziness we’re talking about lack of joy on the path. We can think of diligence as developing an appreciation for what we’re doing. The path shouldn’t be a chore. Uncovering our true nature should be something we are delighted to do. It’s been said that the path can’t be walked without... Read more
This group of slogans is connected with the perfection of patience. This represents our forbearance, our ability to face the difficulties of life without letting them carry us away. The opposite of this is the poison of aversion. This is the capacity to experience difficult with strength and endurance. This section contains six slogans. 11. Transform All Mishaps Into The Path Whatever occurs in our lives can be transformed into the path to Enlightenment. Whether we have relationship problems, difficulties... Read more
This is where things really start. The way of the Bodhisattva is the way of compassion and wisdom, of realizing your own boundless potential. It comes from realizing that Enlightenment is our true nature, that we have a basic goodness and wakefulness that is fundamental to our being. Bodhicitta is what the diligence of the Bodhisattva is based on. Bodhicitta means the mind of awakening. It’s what helps us overcome the delusions that keep us from seeing our true nature.... Read more
POINT ONE: Train in the Preliminaries 1)Resolve to Begin This involves everything that has led us to the path of the Bodhisattva. It’s hard to view our past as part of the path, especially when our past may have been particularly difficult. But the truth is everything that’s happened to us before now has led us to this training. In training in the preliminaries we take a good hard look at ourselves and the things that have led us to... Read more
Lojong is a set of techiniques for training the mind. These techniques are designed to open our hearts and awaken our minds. There are fifty nine slogans and they offer us a lot of help in transcending our egotism and putting down the baggage we are carrying. The fifty nine slogans have been used by Tibetan Buddhists for centuries in order to help Buddhist practitioners focus on what’s important in our efforts to train and tame our minds. Sometimes on... Read more
“The only Zen you can find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there.” – Robert M. Pirsig This is about Enlightenment. To come to Enlightenment we have to see our true nature. Our true nature is Enlightenment. Enlightenment isn’t something far away that we’re chasing. We have innate wakefulness and we just have to realize that. We are all Buddhas. We are all free. In their song Already Gone the Eagles said: “So often times... Read more
Contemplating emptiness can be a meditative experience, if we can get into a goalless mindset, that is if we can come to a point of view that awareness and realization aren’t important. It’s hard for us to think that way because cultivating awareness is exactly what we’re trying to do on the path, but we don’t want to make the path into just another thing to cling to. I suppose it’s not really that awareness and realization aren’t important, but... Read more
It’s so hard to become quiet and still in a busy world. Some people come to meditation to find that stillness. People have a hard time sometimes. It’s a busy world and sometimes people don’t want to think about adding another thing to their to do list. But that’s because they aren’t thinking about the benefits. Meditation isn’t an effort. It isn’t a chore, it’s a simple form of self care. It’s not a mental exercise. It’s an effort at... Read more
Following the Breath This technique has been around for a long time. It is almost certainly the oldest and most widespread form of meditation practice. It has been used to bring people to see their true natures. And it still works. Our true nature is very simple, but it’s easy for us to miss. It’s always with us, but we get so distracted all the time. Our true nature is the foundation of everything that we are. Basic goodness, oneness... Read more
Bodhisattva Road
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