A Cloud In a Sheet of Paper

from BEING PEACE, by THICH NHAT HANH, p. 45:

Just as a piece of paper is the fruit, the combination of many elements that can be called non-paper elements, the individual is made of non-individual elements. If you are a poet, you will see clearly that there is a cloud floating in a sheet of paper. Without a cloud there will be no water; without water, the trees cannot grow; and without trees, you cannot make paper. So the cloud is in here. The existence of this page is dependent on the existence of a cloud. Paper and cloud are so close. Let us think of other things, like sunshine. Sunshine is very important because the forest cannot grow without sunshine, and we humans cannot grow without sunshine. So the logger needs sunshine in order to cut the tree, and the tree needs sunshine in order to be a tree. Therefore you can see sunshine in this sheet of paper. And if you look more deeply, with the eyes of a bodhisattva, with the eyes of those who are awake, you can see not only the cloud and sunshine in it, but that everything is here: the wheat that became the bread for the logger to eat, the logger's father--everything is in a sheet of paper.

Wild, Wild Horses

You are your own master,
you make your future.
Therefore discipline yourself
as a horse-dealer trains a thoroughbred.

I smiled tonight as I read these lines in my email inbox. My girlfriend and I have recently decided to move our bedroom into the once was study, our living room into the once was bedroom, and our work-space into the once was living room. I was left to clean much of it, and waking up this morning to the task was a task in and of itself. But awoke I did, and the house is clean. Discipline. Also like the little boy I tutor, who I tell to study, work hard, and good luck!

The Usefulness of Peace

Out of town for the weekend, thinking of these words while moving. More soon, Sunday soon!

> Better than a thousand useless words
> is one useful word,
> hearing which one attains peace.

Daily Words of the Buddha for April 03, 2011

 Asāre sāramatino
sāre cāsāradassino,
te sāraṃ nādhigacchanti,
micchāsaṅkappagocarā.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/dhammapada_1_11.mp3

Those who mistake the unessential to be essential
and the essential to be unessential,
dwelling in wrong thoughts,
never arrive at the essential.

Dhammapada 1.11

Movement and Meditation

To avoid stress and suffering from depression, we have a technique to share with you. Sit in a chair and begin by placing both hands on your knees. Now turn your right hand, open it so your palm faces inward. Raise this hand up into the air, so that it is at the same level as your head. Pause briefly, and bring the hand down to your stomach. Repeat with your left hand. Before your hands meet, move the right hand up so that your right hand is closer to your chest. Both hands are now resting on your body. Move your right hand back up into the air, back down so the side of your hand is again on your knee, and finally rest your palm again on your knee. Move your left hand up, closer to your chest, then back up into the air, back down so the side of your hand is again on your knee, and finally rest your palm again on your knee. Repeat this for as long as your meditation session lasts.

Our lives are full of ups and downs. This simple movement is a way to focus the mind on something neutral. A physical movement that helps us to exercise the mind. Our goal is not to focus on any connection between mind and body, but to provide a simple movement to focus on in order to stop more concrete thoughts from entering the mind. This is about mindfulness. When you turn your hand, you know you are turning your hand. When you raise your hand, you know you are raising your hand. You are aware.

Daily Words of the Buddha for March, 27, 2011

daily Words of the Buddha for March 27, 2011
 
Attā hi attano nātho,
attā hi attano gati.
Tasmā saṃyamamattānaṃ
assaṃ bhadraṃva vāṇijo.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/dhammapada_25_380.mp3
 
One is one's own protector,
one is one's own refuge.
Therefore, one should control oneself,
even as a trader controls a noble steed.
 
Dhammapada 25.380

Daily Words of the Buddha for February 24, 2011

Diso disaṃ yaṃ taṃ kayirā,
verī vā pana verinaṃ;
micchāpaṇihitaṃ cittaṃ
pāpiyo naṃ tato kare.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/udana_4_33.mp3
 
Whatever an enemy might do to an enemy,
or a foe to a foe,
the ill-directed mind
can do to you even worse.
 
Udāna 4.33

Daily Words of the Buddha for February 26, 2011

Yesaṃ dhammā asammuṭṭhā
paravādesu na nīyare;
te sambuddhā sammadaññā,
caranti visame samaṃ.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/samyutta_nikaya_1_7.mp3
 
Those to whom the Dhamma is clear
are not led into other doctrines;
perfectly enlightened with perfect knowledge,
they walk evenly over the uneven.
 
Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.7

Daily Words of the Buddha for February 27, 2011

Vacīpakopaṃ rakkheyya;
vācāya saṃvuto siyā.
Vacīduccaritaṃ hitvā,
vācāya sucaritaṃ care.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/dhammapada_17_232.mp3
 
Let one guard oneself against irritability in speech;
let one be controlled in speech.
Abandoning verbal misconduct,
let one practice good conduct in speech.
 
Dhammapada 17.232

Daily Words of the Buddha for February 28, 2011

Manopakopaṃ rakkheyya;
manasā saṃvuto siyā.
Manoduccaritaṃ hitvā,
manasā sucaritaṃ care.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/dhammapada_17_233.mp3
 
Let one guard oneself against irritability in thought;
let one be controlled in mind.
Abandoning mental misconduct,
let one practice good conduct in thought.
 
Dhammapada 17.233

Daily Words of the Buddha for March 01, 2011

Kāyamuniṃ vācāmuniṃ,
manomunimanāsavaṃ,
muniṃ moneyyasampannaṃ.
Āhu ninhātapāpakaṃ.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/itivuttaka_3_67.mp3
 
Silent in body, silent in speech,
silent in mind, without defilement,
blessed with silence is the sage.
One is truly washed of evil.
 
Itivuttaka 3.67

Daily Words of the Buddha for March 02, 2011

Kāyena saṃvutā dhīrā,
atho vācāya saṃvutā manasā saṃvutā dhīrā.
Te ve suparisaṃvutā.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/dhammapada_17_234.mp3
 
The wise are controlled in bodily action,
controlled in speech and controlled in thought.
They are truly well-controlled.
 
Dhammapada 17.234

Daily Words of the Buddha for March 03, 2011

Yo mātaraṃ pitaraṃ vā,
jiṇṇakaṃ gatayobbanaṃ --
pahu santo na bharati
taṃ parābhavato mukhaṃ.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/sutta_nipata_1_98.mp3
 
Though being well-to-do,
not to support father and mother
who are old and past their youth --
this is a cause of one's downfall.
 
Sutta Nipāta 1.98

Daily Words of the Buddha for March 04, 2011

Uttiṭṭhe! Nappamajjeyya!
Dhammaṃ sucaritaṃ care.
Dhammacārī sukhaṃ seti
asmiṃ loke paramhi ca.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/dhammapada_13_168.mp3
 
Arise! Do not be heedless!
Lead a righteous life.
The righteous live happily
both in this world and the next.
 
Dhammapada 13.168

Daily Words of the Buddha for March 14, 2011

Apādakehi me mettaṃ,
mettaṃ dvipādakehi me;
catuppadehi me mettaṃ,
mettaṃ bahuppadehi me.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/anguttara_nikaya_4_67_a.mp3
 
I have love for the footless,
for the bipeds too I have love;
I have love for those with four feet,
for the many-footed I have love.
 
Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.67

Daily Words of the Buddha for March 15, 2011

Yo ca vassasataṃ jīve
dussīlo asamāhito
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo
sīlavantassa jhāyino.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/dhammapada_10_110.mp3
 
Better it is to live
one day virtuous and meditative
than to live a hundred years
immoral and uncontrolled.
 
Dhammapada 10.110

Daily Words of the Buddha for March 16, 2011

Yo ca vassasataṃ jīve
apassaṃ udayabbayaṃ
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo
passato udayabbayaṃ.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/dhammapada_10_113.mp3
 
Better it is to live one day
seeing the rise and fall of things
than to live a hundred years
without ever seeing the rise and fall of things.
 
Dhammapada 10.113

Daily Words of the Buddha for March 24, 2011

Sace labhetha nipakaṃ sahāyaṃ
saddhiṃ caraṃ sādhuvihāridhīraṃ,
abhibhuyya sabbāni parissayāni,
careyya tenattamano satīmā.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/dhammapada_23_328.mp3
 
If for company you find a wise and prudent friend
who leads a good life,
you should, overcoming all impediments,
keep their company joyously and mindfully.
 
Dhammapada 23.328

Daily Words of the Buddha for March 23, 2011

Yo ca dhammamabhiññāya
dhammamaññāya paṇḍito,
rahadova nivāte ca
anejo vūpasammati.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/itivuttaka_3_92.mp3
 
Thoroughly understanding the Dhamma
and freed from longing through insight,
the wise one rid of all desire
is calm as a pool unstirred by wind.
 
Itivuttaka 3.92

Daily Words of the Buddha for March 22, 2011

Appamādaratā hotha!
Sacittamanurakkhatha!
Duggā uddharathattānaṃ,
paṅke sannova kuñjaro.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/dhammapada_23_327.mp3
 
Delight in heedfulness!
Guard well your thoughts!
Draw yourself out of this bog of evil,
even as an elephant draws itself out of the mud.
 
Dhammapada 23.327