Samadhi Cushions and Store: Meditation cushions and benches made here in Vermont. A nonprofit carrying incense, gongs, books, cds, and other meditation supplies.
Buddha |
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December 8: Celebration of the Buddha's Enlightenment
What to do to celebrate the day that marks the Buddha's enlightenment, or "the Buddha's Big E," as Wild Fox Zen's Dosho Port has it? Here's what Dosho writes before he offers us a ceremony for our home practice: In our tradition, we commemorate the Buddha's Enlightenment Day on December 8th. Zen lore has it that after sitting under the bodhi tree for seven days, the Buddha looked up, saw the morning star and roared his lion's roar, "I together with the great earth and all living beings, attain the Way." You can take part in the do-it-yourself ceremony here. More » -
Can the Buddha save the economy?
Somewhere between John Maynard Keynes and Milton Friedman sits the Buddha. Here's how Stefan Padfield, assistant law professor at the University of Akron, puts it over at Akron Law Cafe: [W]hat I’m really interested in is this idea that one can in fact neatly separate centralized government and the private sector. And this is where the Buddha comes in. More » -
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There's No Comparison
I have often cautioned... against comparing your practice with that of others or your own self at different times. Such comparisons are only subjective. Today someone burst out crying in the meditation hall. One person may have thought, "Oh, she's not doing so well." Another, "I think she's becoming enlightened!" Or else, "Maybe she's going crazy." None of these thoughts may represent the true situation. Whether she felt pain or sorrow, became enlightened, or went crazy, it's her business. It has nothing to do with anyone else. More » -
The Test of Truth
What is the test of truth? The Buddha offers a simple formula: Test things in terms of cause and effect. Whatever is unskillful, leading to harm and ill, should be abandoned; whatever is skillful, leading to happiness and peace, should be pursued. Apply the test of skillfulness to all teachings in all your actions. Where is this teaching taking you? Is it moving you in a direction that is wise and kind? One quick test isn’t enough, you know. You have to keep at it, so that your sensitivity to the results of your actions grows more and more refined with practice. When you’ve done the hard work of asking these questions, then you can decide for yourself whether a teaching, or a teacher, is worth following. More » -
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Come and See
Perhaps because of our Judeo-Christian background, we have a tendency to regard doubt as something shameful, almost as an enemy. We feel that if we have doubts, it means that we are denying the teachings and that we should really have unquestioning faith. Now in certain religions, unquestioning faith is considered a desirable quality. But in the Buddha-dharma, this is not necessarily so. Referring to the dharma, the Buddha said, “ehi passiko,” which means “come and see,” or “come and investigate,” not “come and believe.” An open, questioning mind is not regarded as a drawback to followers of the Buddha-dharma. However, a mind that says, “This is not part of my mental framework, therefore I don't believe it,” is a closed mind, and such an attitude is a great disadvantage for those who aspire to follow any spiritual path. More » -
Revealing a World of Bliss
Norman FIscher re-tells the famous story about Mahakashyapa on Vulture's Peak: When Buddha was on Vulture Peak he twirled a flower before the assembly. Everyone was silent. Only Mahakashyapa smiled. Buddha said: "I have the eye treasury of the true teaching, the heart of nirvana, the true form of non-form, and the ineffable gate of dharma. It is a special transmission outside the teaching. I now entrust it to Mahakashyapa." Read, "Revealing a World of Bliss," from the pages of Tricycle. More »
