The Buddha’s Second Noble Truth is that craving—desire, attachment, clinging—is the cause of suffering, unsatisfactoriness, stress. Anyone who has looked into the cause of suffering can affirm this great truth for oneself. From this insight, one might conclude that the way to end suffering and find lasting happiness is to kill all desires. From that […]
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Tag Archives: joy
Kahlil Gibran-A Tear and a Smile
2010/10/19 
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A Tear and a Smile By Khalil Gibran I would not exchange the sorrows of my heart For the joys of the multitude. And I would not have the tears that sadness makes To flow from my every part turn into laughter. I would that my life remain a tear and a smile. A tear […]
Continue readingA Blessing-Beyond the Face of Fear-Poem and Music
2010/06/23 1 Comment
blessing the boats (at St. Mary’s) may the tide that is entering even now the lip of our understanding carry you out beyond the face of fear may you kiss the wind then turn from it certain that it will love your back may you open your eyes to water water waving forever […]
Continue reading Dissatisfaction with Life-the Start of Discovery
2010/06/10 2 Comments
The Buddha is often quoted as saying he taught one thing: “I teach suffering and the end of suffering.” Sounds kind of limiting and simplistic, no? Where’s the joy and liberation in that? Since the First Noble Truth is the truth of suffering, and since this insight is so often misunderstood by non-Buddhists, and even […]
Continue reading “I Thank You” – e.e. cummings – Poem and Music
2010/06/09 7 Comments
This my favorite e.e. cummings poem. Though it’s been a friend for over 40 years now, it still makes my heart soar, “which is natural which is infinite which is yes!” (If you are curious as to why a “Buddhst” blog would have posts with references to God in them, you might want to take […]
Continue reading Inviting the Bell to Sound-Invitation to Mindfulness
2010/06/03 3 Comments
One of the wonderful skills I have learned from Thich Nhat Hanh is how to use a bell, or ringing bowl, as an aid to coming back to myself and achieving mindfulness. I almost always start and end my meditations by “inviting” the bell to sound. Here is a very beautiful teaching by Thây on […]
Continue readingZen Master Thich Nhat Hanh on Nourishing Happiness
2010/05/14 4 Comments
This excerpt is from Thich Nhat Hanh’s wonderful book “Teachings on Love.” In it, Thây gives three exercises that are a kind of metta meditation—aspiration for our own happiness and the happiness of others. As is usual in metta, the first verse aspiration is for our own happiness. The second verse is for a friend, […]
Continue reading Ajahn Brahmavamso teaches Loving-kindness Meditation
2010/01/08 21 Comments
Ajahn Brahmavamso is a wonderful Theravadan monk whose wit and humor help bring the dharma alive. Because of his courageous stand on the ordination of women as Buddhist nuns, I thought it would be good to give people who are not familiar with him a feel for Ajahn Brahm’s skill as a teacher. I think […]
Continue readingMetta music-Oceans of Light
2010/01/06 0 Comments
This is another in the series of “dharma songs” I’ve been posting from time to time. These are songs that have comforted, inspired, helped, and healed me over the years. I invite you to look up the song and have a listen (the lyrics tell only part the story; the beautiful music and voice complete […]
Continue reading The Ten Ox-herding Images of Zen
2009/12/20 3 Comments
I thought I’d do something different and fun in this post, and take a look at probably the most beloved images in Zen Buddhism. Known as The Ten Ox-herding Pictures, they have been the source of endless commentary and inspiration in Zen since at least the 12th century. From the first time I saw them, […]
Continue readingThe Virtue of Friendliness
2009/12/11 7 Comments
The Virtue of Friendliness “A monk is expected to be mindful of the feelings of friendliness towards all living things. He is expected to cultivate assiduously this all embracing virtue of friendliness for the whole world, starting in the morning and continuing throughout the day. “Staying, walking or sitting, or lying down, till he falls […]
Continue readingMay All Beings Be Happy
- Looking at the Ninth Zen Precept-I Do Not Indulge In Anger
- True God, True Buddha
- The Difference Between Compassion and “Idiot Compassion”
- Ajahn Brahmavamso teaches Loving-kindness Meditation
- Now-and-Zen-Are you still carrying her?
- A Buddhist Mantra based on the Prayer of St. Francis
- Mindfulness of Breathing-The Anapanasati Sutta
- Buddhist Forgiveness-When We Have Hurt Another-Part 3
- Practicing the Middle Way-not too much, not too little
- Healing the Body with Mindfulness of Breathing
- Look at the Three Characteristics in Terms of Actions
- Thich Nhat Hanh – Healing Through Resting in the Breath
- How Metta Can Help You When Meditation is Hindered by Overwhelming Feelings
- The Importance of Taking the “Should” out of Spiritual Practice
- Can We “Choose” to Be Happy? No—and Yes!
- Ken Mcleod on how to use Thich Nhat Hanh’s Five-Step Method of Emotional Releasing
- Non-resistance and the Art of Resisting without Resisting!
- Don’t be fooled! There is a Way and We Can Walk It!
- The Importance of Compassion in Assessing Our Dharma Progress
- Jesus and the Buddha on Good Friday
Metta Refuge 