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Beautiful Photos from the Ajanta Caves
The Ajanta Caves in Aurangabad, India, are rock-cut cave monuments that were crafted in between the second century BCE and the eighth century CE containing paintings and sculptures that are true masterpieces of Buddhist art. More » -
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Natural Creativity
Today’s Daily Dharma: When we speak about natural creativity and its expression, we are not talking about something separate from our own mind and experience. All that we call “existent phenomena” is experienced by mind. This awareness is primordial and omnipresent—is there ever a time when we don’t experience? Experience can be dull, we may be asleep, we may be ignorant or distracted, but we are always “awake” in one way or another—experiencing our thoughts, our emotions, our state of mind, experiencing our dullness, our distractedness or joy. There has never been a time when we have been inanimate, like a rock. This creative energy never leaves us, whether we turn toward ignorance or enlightenment; whether our intelligence is obstructed or not; whether we operate from the ego or from a bigger state of mind. More » -
A Visit to the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya
Last week I took a trip to Colorado and while I was there I was able to visit the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya at Shambhala Mountain Center, the largest stupa in North America. Below are some pictures I took during my visit. To learn more about the the Great Stupa, click here. More » -
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To Be Born Human
Today’s Daily Dharma: To be born as a human being is a glorious privilege. Man’s dignity consists in his capability to reason and think and to live up to the highest ideal of pure life, of calm thought, of wisdom without extraneous intervention. In the “Saimanna phala Sutta” Buddha says that man can enjoy in this life a glorious existence, a life of individual freedom, of fearlessness and compassionateness. This dignified ideal of manhood may be attained by the humblest, and this consummation raises him above wealth and royalty. Anagarika Dharmapala (Spring 1995) Read the complete article here. More » -
Church bans yoga
Reading the tabloids is a bad habit I've developed this summer. I've weaned myself off most of them, though, but I can't quite quit the British tabloid the Sun ("Got a story? We pay £££"). Today's edition reports that a Methodist church near Manchester has banished an over-50s yoga group, leaving elderly yogis throwing up their hands. The church's new minister fears the yogis could be preaching "rival religions"—more specifically, Hinduism and Buddhism. Iris Turner, a 64-year-old yogini, isn't happy with the church's new minister, Rev. Amanda Roper: "Her views are extreme," she tells the Sun. "We are hurt, disappointed and offended." Mrs. Turner invited Rev. More » -
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The Aim of Attention
Today’s Daily Dharma: The goal of attention, or shamatha, practice is to become aware of awareness. Awareness is the basis, or what you might call the “support,” of the mind. It is steady and unchanging, like the pole to which the flag of ordinary consciousness is attached. When we recognize and become grounded in awareness of awareness, the “wind” of emotion may still blow. But instead of being carried away by the wind, we turn our attention inward, watching the shifts and changes with the intention of becoming familiar with that aspect of consciousness that recognizes Oh, this is what I’m feeling, this is what I’m thinking. As we do so, a bit of space opens up within us. With practice, that space—which is the mind’s natural clarity—begins to expand and settle. More »
