Atreju
Members-
Content Count
51 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Community Reputation
0 NeutralAbout Atreju
-
Rank
Advanced Member
Contact Methods
-
Website URL
http://
-
ICQ
0
-
Poetry of the Karmapa Coming from the sun of the precious Buddha The smiling rays of luminous Dharma, precious and genuine, Bring to blossom the lotus garden of the sangha, the supreme assembly, May the three realms reveal all their beauty in auspicious glory. In this new year may there be peace and prosperity on this earth May you live long and be free from all form of sickness May you accomplish success in everything that you do. With prayers from Karmapa Orgyen Trinley Dorje, Buddha year of 2049, Western Year of 2005, Tibetan 1st month and 1st day of Wood Bird Year More here and here
-
Numbers of slaughtered animals in Slovenia
Atreju replied to Atreju's topic in General Dharma discussions
Dear Simona, I am very sorry to hear that. I share my heart sympathies with you. With best wishes A. -
Numbers of slaughtered animals in Slovenia
Atreju replied to Atreju's topic in General Dharma discussions
Tashi Delek Ani.la and Simona, I beleive we have a "linguistic situation" on our hands Ani-la and myself must have been brainwashed and conditioned by the Buddhist terminology it seems. I think I know what you are aiming at, Simona. What you write about can be a nice meditation session, but I don't think it can lead to the full realization of Emptiness, I may be completely mistaken, and how would I know?? But still, meditating on Emptiness requires a considerable amount of (preliminary) "labouring" Shine (Mental Quietness) practice to be able to really perceive the subtlety of the Teachings on Emptiness. It's no picnic. Just saying or imagining that there's no way to go might give that exact result. Maybe you have gone through the practice of Shine, but what I have read from the holy Teachers has one underlying tune: work work work. To become Buddha doesn't mean that you realize that you have the potential that you can become All-knowing and All-powerful. It's like the highest mountain that your imagination can fathom rising before you, and then you have to climb it with your own bare hands in the thoughest weather. This is an alegory (used by Lama Shenphen Rinpoche) but to be taken quite seriously (i added the weather and the bare hands ). How can we climb it without hard work? It's impossible! Best regards, A. -
Numbers of slaughtered animals in Slovenia
Atreju replied to Atreju's topic in General Dharma discussions
Do you see where logic has brought us? I would still not eat meat for the reasons I mentioned before (by Pabongka Rinpoche). Otherwise I agree with you. If there were special circumstances and it was a question of survival, I would eat meat, but would seriously have to think about eating flesh of humans, although after watching the movie Alive I said to myself that the survivors did the right thing.:crunch: Best regards, A. -
Numbers of slaughtered animals in Slovenia
Atreju replied to Atreju's topic in General Dharma discussions
Tashi Delek, Simona On the conventional level there definetely is the creator of the state that my aggregates find themselves in. If I were free from karma, there would be no creator and no results. Ultimatelly nothing has any intrinsic reality as you said. But right now, speaking for myself, I, or the activities of my mind, are the creator of the mind's experiences. The moment it stops to create, it can be free, liberated. But until then, I do create my destiny, without doubt, no?? Best regards, A. -
Numbers of slaughtered animals in Slovenia
Atreju replied to Atreju's topic in General Dharma discussions
Tashi Delek, I beleive the Buddhist view is that man is the sole creator of his own destiny, and that there is nothing higher than him, creating his state of being, please correct me, dear fellow Buddhists . We produce causes that give a result according to the law of cause and effect. We have a mind that produces everything that we experience. The will to be free is also the "attitude" of the mind: seeing clearly that it's no fun being chained up :@ by its delusions :twisted: and the wheel of unbareable sufferings =, we want to escape it and be trully free <| and irreversibly happy . That's why we l-) and !:! and try to be as sweet as o:)s Best regards A. -
Numbers of slaughtered animals in Slovenia
Atreju replied to Atreju's topic in General Dharma discussions
Tashi Delek, Two things come to my mind: 1. It is said that since beginningless time every single being has definetely been our own kind and loving mother, who at one point cared for us, providing us with everything we needed. It is their kindness that has brought us where we are today. Since we have had countless re-births, we have had countless mothers, so it is impossible that not every being has been our mother at least once. Is the kindness shown to us 300 or 25.000 years ago less precious than the kindness we have received in this life time? The point is: since beginningless time our survival and well-being have been again and again and again completely dependant on the kindness of our mothers. I am paraphrasing Pabongka Rinpoche in the Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand. Could we even consider eating any meat with that kind of realization? :oops: 2. i'm sure Tibetans know how to handle corpses, my guess is that the consciousness must have left the body by the time they entered burial grounds (some three days after death :< ); the dismembering of the body and feeding it to animals. Best regards, A. -
Numbers of slaughtered animals in Slovenia
Atreju replied to Atreju's topic in General Dharma discussions
Not wanting to be fascist I would just like to ask: would a vegetarian put the above question using those particular words? But, yeah, it depends on the scale of the disaster... Otherwise there might be more meaningful things that we could do for the consciousness' of such animals. It is mentioned as very beneficial: Chenrezig mantra can be recited, visualizing Chenrezig blessing the water that you prepare beforehand, and after the practice you spill the water over the corpses. It helps the process of death and re-birth greatly. After, the corpses are burnt or burried, if I remember correctly. (I think Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche mentioned it in one of His advice) Speaking for myself, I can say that eating meat seems to be completely against respecting animals' lives. And how could we have the slightest bit of compassion for them (wishing them to be free from all their suffering), if we don't even respect them, let alone being gentle with them in every possible way? Thank you all for the debate -
Numbers of slaughtered animals in Slovenia
Atreju replied to Atreju's topic in General Dharma discussions
Dear Frederic and others, Maybe a medically educated person will correct me, please do, but I think this type of blood or that type of blood has no different consequences on your digesting food, and getting enough proteins, fats and sugar if you eat food that contains enough of these. You can eat many meat substitutes such as soya products - tofu, seitan, vegetarian sausages, vegetarian hamburgers, there's soya and rice milk; and all the various vegetables and fruits...etc. Some quotes from VeggieDharma.Org: "Eating of meat extinguishes the seed of great compassion." ~ The Buddha (Mahaparinirvana Sutra) "If a man can control his body and mind and thereby refrains from eating animal flesh and wearing animal products, I say he will really be liberated." ~ The Buddha (Surangama Sutra) Sayings of the Buddha from the Lankavatara Sutra: ~ "For innumerable reasons, Mahamati, the Bodhisattva, whose nature is compassion, is not to eat any meat." ~ "For fear of causing terror to living beings, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva who is disciplining himself to attain compassion, refrain from eating flesh." ~ "Meat is not agreeable to the wise: it has a nauseating odor, it causes a bad reputation, it is food for the carnivorous; I say this, Mahamati, it is not to be eaten." ~ "From eating meat arrogance is born, from arrogance erroneous imaginations issue, and from imagination is born greed; and for this reason refrain from eating meat." ~ "The meat-eater is ill-smelling, contemptuous, and born deprived of intelligence; he will be born again and again among the families of the Candala, the Pukkasa, and the Domba [classes of outcastes]." ~ "Meat-eating is condemned by the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Sravakas; if one devours meat out of shamelessness he will always be devoid of sense." ~ "Therefore, do not eat meat which will cause terror among people, because it hinders the truth of emancipation; not to eat meat— this is the mark of the wise." "As a Buddhist, we practice so as to benefit self and others hence we do the six-syllable mantra practice. However, when we eat meat be it chicken, pork, fish or eggs in our daily lives, we are creating immense negative karma. If on the one hand, we chant the mantra and on the other hand, we eat the meat of mother sentient beings, then our words and actions do not tally with one another. We are not doing as we preach. Can this be considered as loving kindness and compassion towards sentient beings? Is this doing good and abstaining from evil? We take refuge in the Buddha because his teachings could benefit all sentient beings. As a Buddhist, we should understand the essence of the Buddha's wisdom and teachings, which is to do good and abstain from committing evil deeds. Abstaining from evil means that we have to keep our precepts. Hence we should not take meat. When we are sick, old or near death, we would go to the doctor, we would practice and do anything possible to extend our life span. However, when we take meat, we are killing sentient beings that are healthy. How great is our compassion and loving kindness if we treat sentient beings in such a manner ? We should abstain from killing because it generates immense negative karma. Instead, we should develop loving kindness and compassion towards all sentient beings. "In countless rebirths, all sentient beings have been our parents. When we took rebirth in the human realm, we had human parents; when we took rebirth in the animal realm, we had animal parents and so forth. Samsara is such. We need to generate a sense of gratitude towards our parents in this lifetime and those of our past lives. Hence, we should be vegetarians and abstain from taking meat. In such a way, we would do good and give meaning to our practice. By doing so, our practice of the six-syllable mantra would be able to benefit ourselves and others, and also aid in the flourishing of the Dharma. There are some people who say that their doctor has advised them against becoming vegetarians, as they would suffer from malnutrition. This is a sign that the determination of these people is not strong enough. For if one has strong determination, one would avoid doing evil deeds at all cost and under any circumstances. Hence in our daily lives, we should stop committing the negative deed of eating meat. On this basis, the merits generated from our refuge and practice of the six-syllable mantra would be inconceivable. We should try to change our lifestyle towards vegetarianism. We would certainly face difficulties in becoming full vegetarians. However, when such obstacles arise, we should remember how every sentient being had at one point or another been our parents. When we remember this, then we would not take meat just as we would not eat the meat of our parents of this lifetime." ~ His Eminence Druwang Konchok Norbu Rinpoche; 100 Million Six-Syllable Mantra Retreat With best wishes, A. -
Numbers of slaughtered animals in Slovenia
Atreju replied to Atreju's topic in General Dharma discussions
Tashi Delek, I think that any individual being can go far without killing animals, eating meat and avoiding similar unwholesome actions From Lord Buddha's Sutra of Causes and Effects of Actions: "One who kills and cuts up living beings falls into the hell of the mountain of knives and the trees of swords. The person who is the hunter of game and both shoots with the bow and trains a falcon and dog, falls into the hell of the iron tree. (It is a great sin to be a hunter.) One who has illicit desires falls into the hell of brazen columns, and falls into the hell of iron beds. He who has many wives falls into the hell of iron millstones; she who has many husbands falls into the hell of ferocious snakes. One who cooks chickens falls into the hell of burning ash. One who with boiling water skins living beings falls into the hell of boiling cauldrons. One who castrates living beings falls into the hell of stone spikes. One who is a drinker of beer falls into the hell of brass. One who is an eater of meat falls into the hell of excrement. One who eats raw fish falls into the hell of the forest of knives and the tree of swords..." http://www.lamayeshe.com/otherteachers/bud...se_effect.shtml Scary, but there it is... With best wishes, A. -
That's good to hear Could it be your karma? Best regards
-
Dear all, For your information: According to Animal Liberation and Animal Rights Association there are 20 million animals killed in Slovenia each year, a big majority on animal farms, slaughter-houses; some 100.000 in the woods. Laboratory test are made on 15.000 animals each year. :cry: The Association invites to the second big vegetarian picknic this Saturday, 3rd of September in Mostec, Ljubljana. More at: http://www.osvoboditev-zivali.org/
-
Meditate in the unborn nature of the mind: Like space, no center, no limit; Like the sun and moon, bright and clear; Like a mountain, unmoving, unshakeable; Like the ocean, deep, unfathomable. Milarepa
-
Dear lacu, There are many good books that can guide your practice of meditation that you can study; I would particularly recommend those by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Indeed, the purpose of meditation is to understand the mind, how it works, the ways it responds. The idea is to tame it and eventually to set the mind free. The goal (for lack of a better word) is to create a lot of space in the mind, to eradicate all self-grasping and consequent self-cherishing thought patterns or emotional habits. As Arya Shantideva says: "All the happiness in this world arises from cherishing others and all suffering arises from self-cherishing." And as Khyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche says: "Real happiness in life begins when you start cherishing others." So, if thoughts like "Why are you harming me?" come and don't let you be, I think you should ask, analyze where the thought is coming from. And does it have any value for you or is it making you uneasy, stressed. The idea of meditation is to be relaxed, to find some peace, release. You can try to "breathe it out" once you see that such thoughts do not really help you. You can try to replace them by contemplating on some prayer such as the Four Immeasurables and concentrate on one or two verses like: "May all beings have happiness and its causes. May all beings be free from suffering and its causes." You can do the whole meditation on these two sentences. Or you can read some poetry from saints like Milarepa, memorize a verse and keep it in the mind throughout the whole meditation. Thoughts that are directed towards helping others should make the mind lighter. I hope this is of some help to you. Be well.
-
All meditation must begin with arousing deep compassion. Whatever one does must emerge from an attitude of love and benefiting others. Know emptiness, Be compassionate. Jetsun Milarepa