As vase
contains,
Dhamma
retain.
In Peaceful Harmony
Clouds Behind
Illuminance dear Thence where Clouds clear. At times obscure Though forever there. Though forever there At times obscure. Clouds clear Thence where Illuminance dear.
Selflessness Reflection
To which self grasp? Of yesterday? Yesteryear or more? Thee steadfast or thee who lapses? How much peripheral, of what core? To which self grasp? And what for?
Infinite Dark In Light
At all time,
recall as you go about,
That in finite time,
soon even the stars
shall all go out.
To bee…
‘Neath autumnal shade, Hibernal solstice portend, Last feast before fast.
All that arise in turn have demise
That conditioned presently, Shall be unconditioned inherently, What not subject to origination, What not subject to cessation? Thereof suffering persistent From attachment incessant.
Gaṇeśa
Guardian of the Threshold, Who watches over the door To Paravati and Mahadeva, behold The offerings I place before. The all encompassing sound, Syllable of bliss without bound, And expression of true intention.
Thoughts on Raindrops
Stream of thoughts fall Like drops of rain. Ripples recall And reflect again. Quite them all, Let the mind reign.
Foundation and Framework
The Four Noble Truths, in twelve points, as foundation and framework of refuge (and practice):
1) This is suffering (to be understood)
- Of suffering there are three kinds: direct suffering (pain, hardship and the like); suffering of change (the transient nature of pleasurable sensations); pervasive suffering of conditioning
- That which is conditioned is that which is dependently arisen
- Thus, all conditioned things are impermanent, all conditioned things are cause for suffering (subject to origination, subject to cessation)
2) This is the origin to suffering (to be abandoned)
- Ignorance of the twelve links of dependent origination
- This leads to grasping to that conditioned, sourced from disillusionment, aversion, and attachment
- From which emerge the five mental factors that hinder progress in meditation: sensuous desire; ill will; sloth and torpor; restlessness and scruples; skeptical doubt
3) This is the end to suffering (to be fully realized)
- Wisdom from arousing an awakening mind in renunciation
- The realization that self and phenomena are of dependent origination and thus empty of intrinsic existence.
- That is awareness of emptiness, true nature of reality, Peaceful Nirvana.
4) This is the way to the end of suffering (to be fully developed)
- Method or means (practice in Mindful Compassion)
- That is, the way of the Eightfold Path (accumulation of morality, concentration and wisdom)
- With aspects of renunciation (non-attachment), compassionate awaking mind, and awareness in calm abiding.