until we make peace with ourselves"
H H The Dalai Lama
How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were to abide in equanimity, free of bias, attachment and anger. May they abide in this. I shall cause them to abide in this way. Guru-Buddha, please inspire me to be able to do so.
How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings had happiness and its causes. May they have these. I shall cause them to have these. Guru-Buddha please inspire me to be able to do so.
How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were free from suffering and its causes. May they be free. I shall cause them to be free. Guru-Buddha, please inspire me to be able to do so.
How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were never parted from upper rebirth and liberations's excellent bliss. May they never be parted. I shall cause them never to be parted. Guru-Buddha, please inspire me to be able to do so.
Recently a group spent days visiting with H.H. Dalai Lama focusing upon what they believe the five most important questions to be considered moving into the new millennium.
The five questions were:
1. How do we address the widening gap between rich and poor?
2. How do we protect the earth?
3. How do we educate our children?
4. How do we help Tibet and other oppressed countries and peoples of the world?
5. How do we bring spirituality (deep caring for one another)
through all disciplines of life?
The Dalai Lama said all five questions fall under the last one. If we have true compassion in our hearts, our children will be educated wisely, we will care for the earth, those who "have not" will be cared for.
The group asked the Dalai Lama, "Do you think loving on the planet is increasing or staying the same?" His response: "My experience leads me to believe that love IS increasing."
He shared a simple practice that will increase loving and compassion in the
world. He asked everyone in the group to share it with as many people as they can.
The Practice:
1. Spend 5 minutes at the beginning of each day remembering we all want the same things (to be happy and be loved) and we are all connected to one another.
2. Spend 5 minutes -- breathing in - cherishing yourself; and, breathing out - cherishing others. If you think about people you have difficulty cherishing, extend your cherishing to them anyway.
3. During the day extend that attitude to everyone you meet.Practice cherishing the simplest person (clerks, attendants,
etc., as well as the "important" people in your life; cherish the people you love and the people you dislike).
4. Continue this practice no matter what happens or what anyone does to you.
These thoughts are very simple, inspiring and helpful. The practice of cherishing can be taken very deep if done wordlessly; allowing yourself to feel the love and appreciation that already exists in your heart. love! and you will be loved
If you are kind, People may accuse you
of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true "enemies"; Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;Build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway."
Written By Mother Teresa
is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or our family, we blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will grow well, like lettuce. Blaming has no positive effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and arguments. That is my experience. No blame, no reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change"
~Thich Nhat Hanh~
