The Mind
“All that we are is a result of what we have thought.” —Buddha
Ever had a bad day and felt the world was feeling down with you? Or experienced joy so great that good fortune greeted you around each corner? This section takes a closer look at the workings of the mind, through lenses like Yogacara (“Consciousness Only”) Buddhism, Western and Eastern philosophies, psychology, and our own personal reflections.
If one accepts the postulate that popular “love songs” reflect the attitudes of target audience toward relationship, then we can learn much in this area from Bruno Mars’ “Marry You”. Mars, in mid-20’s himself, is a Grammy-winning song-writer and performer who has written hit singles for Cee Lo Green (“Forget You!”), K’naan (“Waving Flag”), Flo [...]
Forty-eight days after my stepfather passed away, I had a dream. In the dream I am in the house I grew up in, the house where my mother still lives. My mother and two of my uncles are there, and also several people from the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. People are standing around the [...]
I thought that, because of the focus on meditation and introspection, Buddhists aspired toward a relatively passive, detached way of experiencing the world. When I knew very little about Buddhism, I misunderstood it in a way that is not uncommon in the West. I thought that, because of the focus on meditation and introspection, Buddhists [...]
In a lecture on the Sixth Patriarch Sutra awhile back, there was a line that described perfection as limitless. Marty told a story about his days cultivating at Gold Mountain Monastery, and how this line about limitless perfection reminded him of a 9-year-old monk who asked Master Hua, “What if you’re already enlightened?” Master Hua [...]
[Admin’s note: This post is out of sequence due to Admin error. Much apologies!] Today marks the beginning of my second week as a volunteer and student at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. I’m just starting to feel settled in, having found some work to do so that I can make a contribution to [...]
A huge smile (spread across oceans of time) breaks free from solitary ho-hum meander of the day. Sing like birds soar silent, still. A wandering song echoes through the caves of your mind [...]
The symbols, structures and beliefs we use to organize and sedate this endless river of impressions and habits are provisional and temporary illusions of stability. Emotions, thoughts and perceptions are moving through our awareness in constant flux. The symbols, structures and beliefs we use to organize and sedate this endless river of impressions and habits [...]
While reading some of Master Hua’s reflections, I came across this story: There is a story about when the students from mainland China first came to Taiwan. Because they were fleeing for their lives, none of the students, except maybe one or two, remembered to bring their diplomas. When they applied for college in Taiwan, [...]