Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all of you! Everyday and each moment is a new beginning and a new chance for us to do what we need to do. No need to look back, hold no regrets or disappointment... Appreciate and be grateful and enjoy the present moment now! Love and peace to all...

Om Shanti,

Meng Foong

Swami Sivananda's words of wisdom - Essence of Vedanta

A person who has got an active temperament, takes to the Yoga of Action. It is meditation on the spiritual reality through action (Karma Yoga). Yoga may also be meditation through love of God (Bhakti Yoga), or it may be meditation through will (Raja Yoga), or it may be meditation through wisdom (Jnana Yoga). But all Yogas are processes of meditation, meditation on the ultimate spiritual reality which is everywhere without which we cannot exist, without which we cannot think. Nothing is possible without its existence.

Essence of Vedanta - Swami Sivananda

Swami Sivananda's words of wisdom - Essence of Vedanta

If you want God and God alone, kick off the world ruthlessly. Enough of tea and coffee; enough of novels and cinemas; enough of father, mother, brothers, children, friends and relatives! You come alone and you will go alone!

Essence of Vedanta, Swami Sivananda

Swami Sivananda's words of wisdom - Essence of Vedanta

No grief should be felt at any time, because the moment you are disturbed, upset or grieved, you must understand that you have not properly grasped the technique of Yoga. For, if you have properly understand the technique of Yoga, you'll know how to transcend every situation into Yoga. Ignorance is the cause of pain. We cannot be in a state of pain or sorrow if we have a proper conception of Yoga.

Essence of Vedanta - Swami Sivananda

Swami Sivananda's words of wisdom - Essence of Vedanta

You do not know anything about self-analysis, mind control, self-restraint, concentration and introspection. You have lived in vain! You have wasted this precious life! Hotels, restaurants, cinema houses, are your abode of Immortality. Really you are leading a miserable life. If you can talk something on dry politics, you think you are a hero!

Essence of Vedanta, Swami Sivananda

The fourfold of Sadhana - viveka, vairagya, mumukshutva, shat-sampad

In the great teaching of both yoga and Buddhism, dispassion or non-attachment or detachment is the very important practice for us to advance in yoga and meditation to know the truth of selflessness and impermanence in all kinds of names and forms, or to attain self-realization towards what is 'I'.

The fourfold of Sadhana - The qualities of a Sadhaka (people who are in search for the truth and self-realization)

1.) Viveka (right discrimination) - to know what is real and unreal.

Anything that is selfless and impermanent, constantly changing selflessly under the influence of cause and effect, that doesn't have a permanent self existence to be in control of the changes, are not real. Unreal doesn't mean non-existence. The ignorant minds might misinterpret and misuse "everything is unreal" to be performing any actions irresponsibly regardless of whether it hurts all and everything, thinking that there are no consequences of actions at all, just like in dreams.

2.) Vairagya (dispassion or non-attachment) - letting go what is unreal of what is impermanent and selfless (not 'I'), great contentment being free from dissatisfaction and greed, no egoistic desire, no craving, no aversion.

3.) Mumukshutva (intense yearning for liberation) - the one and only desire that will lead towards true freedom, being free from ignorance and egoism and the suffering deriving from ignorance and egoism.

4.) Shat-sampad (the six virtues) -

a.) Sama - tranquility of the mind
b.) Dama - self-restraint or control of the senses
c.) Uparati - cessation from worldly activities
d.) Titiksha - forbearance or power of endurance
e.) Sraddha - faith in God*, Scripture** and Self***
f.) Samadhana - concentration or one-pointedness of mind

*The truth of selflessness and impermanence is beyond the belief or disbelief in God existence. Upon self-realization towards selflessness, upon the annihilation of ignorance and egoism, upon transcending the selfless modification of the mind, there's no difference between the belief or disbelief in God existence. The truth of selflessness and impermanence or the nature law of cause and effect doesn't change into something else regardless of whether the mind believes or disbelieves in God existence. It makes no difference. Just as suffering is present under the presence of ignorance and egoism, and suffering is absent upon the absence of ignorance and egoism. 'Faith in God' is for those who believe in God existence as they need that to deal with impermanent changes that are not necessarily the way that they desire, as well as to be grateful and thankful for all kind of supports for living and the presence of goodness in life. Meanwhile, for those who disbelieve in God existence is about respecting the law of nature, of selfless impermanent changes governed by cause and effect.

 

**Faith in the Scripture doesn't mean that one should be blind-believing, blind-following, blind-practicing, blind-agreeing or blind-propagating all the teachings from the Scripture. None should be blind-believing, blind-following, blind-practicing, blind-agreeing/disagreeing or blind-propagating towards anything, but under an opened mind, without blind-believing, blind-following, blind-practicing, blind-agreeing/disagreeing or blind-propagating, one should perform all kinds of discipline to purify and quiet the modification of the restless impure mind which will enable the mind to perform self-investigation or self-inquiry towards the truth of everything, including the teachings from the Scripture, or any kind of teachings from anywhere and anyone, to attain direct realization towards the truth of all kind of teachings.

***The Self is not about a super extraordinary powerful individual being/soul/mystical existence of highest purity or quality. It's referring to the nature of selflessness, namelessness, formlessness, attributelessness, and hence, it's beyond purity and impurity, beyond high or low quality, beyond existence and non-existence. It's the selfless, nameless, formless, attributeless nature in all and everything that is unaffected by the selfless impermanent modification of the mind perceiving all kind of selfless impermanent changes of forming, decaying and disintegrating in all kind of selfless names and forms, of ceaseless selfless thoughts/sensations/feelings (births and deaths of countless states of the mind) arising, changing and passing away under the law of cause and effect.

For those who are in search for liberation or emancipation or self-realization, and is disgusted with the fleeting names and forms that are subject to impermanence and is tired of the bondage of ignorance and impurities, cause and effect, birth and death, then the practice of dispassion or non-attachment is a must.

Without dispassion or non-attachment, liberation is impossible.

A "Buddhist" without the practice of dispassion or non-attachment is not really a Buddhist even though he or she is going to the temple everyday and performs a lot of rituals and offerings.

A "yogi" without the practice of dispassion or non-attachment is not really a yogi even though he or she is doing a lot of asana, pranayama, and meditation practice. It's because he or she will be attaching onto the actions and the fruit of actions of the asana, pranayama and meditation practice, attaching onto and craving for the effects/benefits that come from the different yoga practices, being influenced by the egoistic likes and dislikes, desire of craving and aversion, want and don't want, having expectation, judgment, comparison and competition, being determined/affected by the impermanent states of the mind and conditions of the physical body...

For anyone who is not interested in self-realization, and is satisfied and happy with the life condition now of having a limited and conditioned body and mind, then the practice of dispassion or non-attachment or detachment is not an important practice for them. Just live life, eat, drink, sleep, work, play, laugh and cry, indulging in the desire of craving and aversion until this life ends... There's nothing wrong with that... It is everyone's freedom to do what they want to do with their own lives. Enjoy and be happy.

Om shanti.

无私和无我 - 慈悲与智慧 - 超越痛苦的道路

慈悲让我们能够执行无我的行为或无私的行动，以造福利益所有众生，包括我们自己也是众生之一，没有歧视，没有分别。 智慧使我们不执着于所有慈悲无私的行为或行动，没有目的，没有条件，没有要求，没有期待或期望。 因无所住而生其心。 因为慈悲与智慧的存在，我们将完全没有喜爱或渴望，没有厌恶或排斥，没有失望，没有不满，没有愤怒，没有仇恨，没有嫉妒，没有贪欲，没有自私的欲望，没有恐惧，没有烦恼，没有悲伤，没有忧郁或其他任何的杂质。 这是无形像，无名和无色的境界 - 不二法门，没有品质，无因果，无生死，无好坏，无分别，无条件，无限制。 无眼睛，无耳朵，无鼻子，无舌头，无身体，无意识。 这是真正的自由。 这是解放和超越痛苦的道路 - 慈悲与智慧 - 无私和无我。 领悟到这一点 - 当下去觉悟我们真正的自性，获取真正的自由。  

Selflessness - The path of real freedom, liberation

Compassion allows us to perform selfless actions to benefit all beings including our own self is also one of the beings, without discrimination.

Wisdom allows us to stay detached from the compassionate actions and the fruit of actions, without attachment, without expectation.

All selfless actions are intention-less.

Under the presence of compassion and wisdom, there is no craving, no aversion, no likes, no dislikes, no disappointment, no dissatisfaction, no anger, no hatred, no jealousy, no greed, no selfish desire, no fear, no worry, no sadness, no depression, no hurt, or any other impurities.

This is the state of namelessness and formlessness – non-duality, without qualities, causeless, birth-less, death-less, beyond good and bad, unconditioned, unlimited.

No eyes (sight), no ears (sound), no nose (smell), no tongue (taste), no body (touch), no mind (thoughts current).

This is real freedom.

This is the path of liberation – the path of compassion and wisdom – the path of selflessness.

Realize this – the nature of impermanent names and forms of living or non-living objects, and be free. 

A little note about "luck" or "karma"...

What is "luck"? (Most Chinese or Asian people believe in "luck")

 
For the minds that are still under the influence of ignorance and egoism, "bad luck" can be related to something bad, difficult, undesirable and unpleasant, while "good luck" can be related to something good, easy, desirable and pleasant.

In terms of Buddhism and yoga, we can relate this "luck" with karma, or cause and effect. "Good luck" equal to good karma/cause. "Bad luck" equal to bad karma/cause. However, there's neither good nor bad upon the absence of ignorance, where either "good" or "bad" luck/karma/cause that give rise to easy or difficult, pleasant or unpleasant, desirable or undesirable experiences/conditions/situations, are all selfless and impermanent.

We might be aware of we and other people whom we know in our life, are going through different experiences in life. Some agreeable experiences might bring us joy and happiness, and some disagreeable experiences might bring us painful sorrow and unhappiness.

When we experience painful sorrow and unhappiness in life, naturally we will think, "Why do we have such bad experiences even though (we think and believe that) we didn't do anything bad or wrong in life, and have tried to live a righteous life of good thoughts, actions and speech?"

While looking at some other people who didn't do much good deeds and have been doing lots of (what we think and believe as) wrong and evil actions and speech, but then, they are having all the "good, desirable and enjoyable things/experiences/conditions/situations" in life, and that makes us think, "This is so unfair!"

We might think that it must be something to do with "luck" or "karma".

Indeed, it is the law of cause and effect, or karma. Nothing is not karma, or everything is arising and passing away influenced by cause and effect.

If our mind is pure and bright (loving, forgiving, goodwill, generous and cheerful), everything will turn out to be good karma or "good luck" for us. Things, happenings, conditions or situations that seem to be obstacle, difficult, failure, undeserving, unpleasant, undesirable or not good for most people, it is actually good karma or "good luck" for us, and are igniting and helping us to grow and advance in certain way and somehow.

We are the one who creates our own luck (karma). No one can give us or take away our "good luck" or "bad luck" (good karma or bad karma), the seeds or cause that we have planted by ourselves, out of desires, through thoughts, actions and speech.

When we frown at ourselves and frown at other people (being bitter, angry and hating towards  ourselves and other people, for some reasons), we are creating "bad luck" for ourselves. If our mind is being in the state of "unpleasantness", full of bitterness, anger and hatred, we are inviting "bad luck" or "unpleasant experiences/conditions/situations" to come into our life. The more we complain about many things, the more "bad luck" will be accumulating in our life.

When we smile at ourselves and other people (being joyful, loving and kind towards ourselves and other people, with or without any specific reason), we are creating "good luck" for ourselves. If our mind is full of joy, love and kindness, unconditionally, our "good luck" will be over flowing and those who come in contact with us will also be sharing our generosity, which is endless and unlimited, or will never be exhausted. Although, it doesn't remove the ignorance and the consequences of ignorance in other people. It cannot change the karma, or cause and effect that is ceaselessly being created by all the others in the world.

The more we give and share without asking anything in return, the more the "good luck" (virtue and merit) will be accumulating in our life, even if we are not craving for any "good luck", or have no attachment or intention to be generating and accumulating any good karma.

If we have been doing lots of good deeds through actions and speech, but our mind is still full of impure thoughts and is over-powered by corrupted thinking and belief, bitterness, anger, hatred, jealousy, greed and lustful desire, then it will be like we are building a beautiful wooden house with "good deeds", but at the same time, we are also inviting lots of termites and pests into the house with "impure thoughts". Just by doing good is not enough, but we also need to stop creating bad karma (all kinds of unpleasantness/ill-will/impurities in the mind), and not just at the physical actions and speech level, but also cultivate openness, generosity, light and purity in the mind.

Be grateful and thankful, stop complaining upon experiencing something that is difficult, unpleasant, undesirable and disagreeable. At the same time, freeing our mind from the desire of craving and aversion, or expectation. Without any intention, we will see the change of "luck" in our life very soon.

Endure or withstand all the bad karma ("bad luck") that are ripen and are happening to us in our life now without aversion or complaint. Let go of the past unhappy happenings, don't let them continuously to haunt us, hurt us, determine us, disturb us, or affect us. We have to take full responsibility for our own past karma that we had created for ourselves through our ignorant impure thoughts, action and speech, whether consciously or unconsciously, whether we remember or don't remember, whether we are aware or unaware.

At the same time, be loving, compassionate and forgiving towards our own self and towards all other beings. Be patient, generous, cheerful, thoughtful, motivational, supportive and uplifting towards ourselves and towards other people either through our thoughts, actions and speech, or any of them, without asking or expecting anything in return, without craving for good karma or "good luck" in return.

And be very patient. A tree needs time and nurturing to grow into a mature state to have flowers and fruit.

Our life will change by itself, by generating good karma and stop creating bad karma, without attaching towards our good deeds, without craving for good karma or aversion towards bad karma.

If we continuously creating bad karma either wittingly or unwittingly, along side with creating good karma, it is like, planting a tree on a piece of dry land with no access to water or nutrients. Or, it is like planting a tree on a piece of land that is polluted by chemicals or there are lots of insects and animals are eating the leaves, or the flowers, or the fruit, even before we manage to harvest the fruit and taste the fruit.

If we are still being unhappy or dissatisfied with our life experiences now, after we have been doing lots of good deeds, then ask ourselves, "Are we really selfless and pure in all our thoughts, actions and speech? As if our mind is selfless and pure, there won't be any unhappiness or dissatisfaction about something arising in our mind."

If our mind is truly selfless and pure, then there shall be no complaints at all, because we will be happy, grateful and thankful for everything as we are (such as being able to sleep, can breath freely, can move the fingers and toes, or can go to the toilet to pee and shit, as there are many people are suffering because they cannot sleep, cannot breath freely, cannot move their fingers and toes, or cannot go to the toilet to pee or shit), and we will appreciate life as it is, not being determined by the undesirable, unpleasant and disagreeable life experiences, and not complaining about the things that we wanted to have, but we couldn't have or didn't have.

We are so much lucky than many people in the world, if we still have the attention and energy to be unhappy and dissatisfied about something. Even if we don't have anything that we want, and have all the things that we don't want, we still have our own Self.

In the end, there is nothing "good" or "bad" when we know the truth of everything, that everything is the manifestation of cause and effect, and everything is just being what it is.

"Illness", "old age", "injury", "accident", "conflict", "separation from the loved ones", "coming in contact with the disagreeable ones", "difficulty", "hardship", "failure", "unhappy experiences", "undesirable experiences", "failure", "obstacle", "non-accomplishment", "ignorance", "death", and etc, they all are not "bad luck" or bad karma. They are not something "bad". They are the manifestations from our past accumulated karma, consciously or unconsciously, out of ignorance and desires. They are just being what it is. They all are subject to selflessness and impermanence, and eventually they all will be passing away. We are the one who had created all these pleasant/unpleasant karma for ourselves (out of ignorance, desires and attachment), and by ourselves, we harvest the fruit of our past deeds. Good or bad, desirable or undesirable, pleasant or unpleasant, painful or enjoyable, it is our own products produced by ourselves.

 

It seems like a restless loop of continuous selfless cause and effect that doesn't have an end, however, the teachings of buddhism and yoga has the same teaching that "All these can be stopped or ended through the elimination of ignorance and the annihilation of the selfless modification of the mind, or SILENCE."

Be happy.

Thoughts sharing about the wheel of birth and death... (part 2)

"I agree, again. Ultimately, there is no difference between the path of the Arhat or the Bodhisattva. One is the stepping stone for the other to develop and manifest. I believe that you have to be an Arhat first to become a Bodhisattva next.

My own Blog should be viewed strictly in the context of an Expedient Means, just like your Blog serves the purpose of pointing people towards the exist in your own understanding of this vital issue… nothing else matters in the end, since we can not show them what this Reality is really all about.

But I also believe that we truly have to show them the exit – no comeback! That would be the Bodhisattvas job, right? To tell them that leading a Happy go Lucky Life today is only going to prep them for yet another Happy go Lucky Life tomorrow. However, that would in my understanding be a deception, since it is obviously too easy to achieve a happy transition through the Intermediate State of Reality and Rebirth by perpetuating a happy life in this reality? That is straight forward Cause & Effect going absolutely nowhere.

There is no future in this reality; happy or otherwise! We must defeat fundamental Ignorance! One mishap, downfall, misconception, accidental evil deed and we are doomed for a million life times – happy or not. The Tibetan Book of the Dead – Tibetan Buddhism, Chinese and Japanese ZEN in general – are quit clear about the basic function of the Causes & Effects we generate in this life and as represented by our Karma.

I understand that there are Buddhist teachings/ directions/ schools of thought that proclaim that the Six Classes of Beings combined with the Intermediate States exist in the same place and time, perfectly visible to all of us right here, right now. It is possible and probably even likely, as in my understanding, all of these State of Minds are driven by specific Modes of Perception and we can see from just a human point of view how vastly different these Modes of Perception can be.

Sorry, I hope I am not being a bother but my favourite teachers are ZEN Masters Huang Po, Ma Tsu, Hui Hai or Lin Chi…whose approach towards the Teaching of Mind in the context of this Reality is a bit like… a Sledgehammer?

Love & Peace!" - Elk Arne Clausen

"Yes, happy feelings have got nothing to do with whether we will exit the wheel of birth and death or not. A being can be doing a lot of selfish and evil actions and can still be very happy with himself. But that “happy” state of mind doesn’t stop the cause and effect to be effective. “Today” we cause pain for others (whether we are happy about it or not), “tomorrow” we will get the pain upon ourselves. It doesn’t matter if we are being “happy” committing lots of evil doings, we will still have to reap the karma that we had created for ourselves through our thoughts, actions and speech. It doesn’t mean that as long as we are “happy” at the moment of “death”, all our bad karma doesn’t count and we will be reborn into a new happy life without unhappiness and be happy forever… I think that is a great misunderstanding about escaping our karma by being “happy” at the moment of death… Whether being happy or not at the moment of death, we will still have to come back again to reap the karma that comes from our past thoughts, actions and speech.

There must be a reason why Buddha taught us about “don’t do bad” and “do good”, and the law of cause and effect. If we planted a mango seed, a mango tree it will become. If we planted an apple seed, an apple tree it will become. If we don’t want any trees, we don’t plant any seeds…

To annihilate ignorance is the meaning of our practice or the end of suffering. Ignorance is the root of suffering.

The point is, once ignorance is annihilated, or when wisdom is present, “suffering”, “the cause of suffering”, “the path of removing suffering” and “the end of suffering” disappear. What is there to exit? This body is still going to experience old age, illness, pain and death, the mind is still perceiving pleasant and unpleasant experiences, but the witness that is untainted by ignorance or egoism witnessing all these experiences is free from disturbance or suffering.

It is not about running away from suffering, but it is to know the truth of suffering and to observe and to accept the truth as it is, without craving or aversion. Even this perception of the existence of “suffering” is also part of the perception in the selfless mind. At this present moment now, observing this body and the modification of the mind as it is. It is neither something “suffering” nor “not suffering”. It is just being what it is.

If at this present moment now, this is what this body and mind is going through due to its past karma, then respect this present moment now as it is, no craving towards the “good” and “pleasant” experiences, no aversion towards the “bad” and “unpleasant” experiences. All are impermanent. Pleasantness or unpleasantness are all impermanent.

When names and forms disappears, what is “beautiful”? What is “ugliness”? What is “happiness”? What Is “unhappiness”? What is "heaven"? What is "hell"?

There is nothing wrong with people trying to retain good health and youthfulness or to maintain a good quality of life as long as we know the truth about all these things are subject to impermanence and they are not who we really are. When all these things change and are not being the way that we would like it to be, there is no disappointment, frustration or unhappiness. It is the craving and aversion that causes the mind perceiving suffering. The objects of names and forms don’t have the intention or attribute for being “the cause of suffering” or “the cause of happiness”, or to make us happy or unhappy. It is all coming from the mind under the influence of ignorance and egoism, when this mind attached onto names and forms, and recognizing or labeling them with the qualities of good and bad, and generates reaction of craving and aversion.

If the mind doesn’t know the truth of all these impermanent/transitory names and forms (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch/sensations, thoughts), and are being over-powered by the desire of craving and aversion in the mind, being over-powered by the likes and dislikes, wants and don’t wants that come from the idea of 'I', and attached strongly onto this life existence and all the experiences of “goodness” and “badness” in life, in the body and in the world due to the law of cause and effect, then the mind will be experiencing suffering either when it gets the things that it desires or when it gets the things that it doesn't desire.

The mind will be troubled by discontentment, fear and worry all the time, no matter if we have “something” or don’t have “anything”. The perceptive thinking mind is constantly being disturbed by the impurities in the mind (anger, hatred, greed, jealousy, lustful desire, expectation, judgment, comparison, disappointment, dissatisfaction, doubt, anxiety, confusion, depression, aggression, agitation, irritation, frustration and etc…). “I am suffering” is because of the attachment/clinging towards all the “good” and “bad” qualities of names and forms. And this is due to being ignorant (in the absence of wisdom) towards the truth of "the mind"/"who I am"/"names and forms".

The world (whether being peaceful or not peaceful) doesn’t make us suffer or make us not suffer.

This body (whether being strong and healthy or weak and ill) doesn’t give us suffering or take away the existing suffering.

This mind (whether being pure or impure, happy or unhappy) doesn’t change the truth of selflessness and impermanence.

It is when the perceptive thinking mind attached onto all the perceived names and forms and identifying with all the experiences that the body and mind is experiencing, and thus, “suffering” manifests as part of the modification of the mind.

When there is no attachment, “suffering” disappears. It doesn’t matter if the body is still experiencing extreme pain, illness and death. Or when the mind is being disturbed by “this” and “that”.

Even though this body and this mind will still be experiencing pain and agony, but the selfless consciousness beyond the impermanent existence and function of the body and mind never increase or decrease, never gain or loss, never become purer or less pure, never become more peaceful or less peaceful.

Realizing the truth of selflessness and impermanence, and be free, not just by hearing or reading about it, not by understanding or knowing about it intellectually, but attaining oneness/non-separateness with the universal consciousness (selflessness) upon the annihilation of the idea of 'I', or the ego.

Yes, to be truly liberated from birth and death (the selfless impermanent modification of the mind), and be free from the endless restlessness (due to dissatisfaction and endless craving that come from the worldly conditioned ignorant mind along with the selfish ego and the limited intellect), is the ultimate goal of all our practice, but it is not because we want to escape the cycles of birth and death or to run away from “suffering” because we are dissatisfied and unhappy with what we are now, but it is by realizing who we think we are/what is this 'I', and realize all “suffering” are nothing but the attachment and identification towards all the transitory names and forms that are subject to impermanence, including this body, this mind, and the life existence, as well as the never ending craving that generates the chain reactions of cause and effect (endless cycles of birth and death in the form of ceaseless thought current). The more that we “don’t want” to have “birth and death”, the stronger the aversion towards "birth and death", is actually reflecting on how strong is the ignorant attachment and identification towards “birth and death”.

“Suffering” exists in our mind, and will dissolve in the mind as well when wisdom arise. Wisdom is always there, never disappeared nor does it become more or less. It is the veil of ignorance that hinders us/the mind from realizing the wisdom in us. The ego creates the wrong identification of “I” am “this” or “I” am “that”. When we/the mind realize the wisdom in us (when ignorance disappears), this “I-ness” disappears, there is no “I”. Then who is “suffering”?

“Suffering” has a beginning, it will definitely has an end. “Happiness” has a beginning, it will definitely has an end. “Good and evil” has a beginning, it will definitely has an end. This body has a beginning, it will definitely has an end. This life has a beginning, it will definitely has an end. Everything that has a beginning will definitely has an end. But the knower that is knowing everything has a beginning and has an end (even before “the beginning” and after “the end”), who is observing and witnessing all the births and deaths taking place, “that” is causeless, attributeless, beginningless and endless. “That” is Satchidananda – pure existence, pure knowledge, pure bliss, eternal, untainted by cause and effect, good and evil, positive and negative, unaffected by impermanence, names and forms, and elements…

This world exists because the mind exists. When there is no mind, there is no world. Without the mind, we don’t perceive all these names and forms. Happiness and unhappiness come from the mind, and will end in the mind. Good and evil come from the mind, and will end in the mind. Fear and worry come from the mind, and will also end in the mind. Everything springs from the mind, will also dissolve in the mind. Suffering comes from the mind, and will also end in the mind.

Om.

When our mind is full of hatred and aversion towards "suffering" and "the cause of suffering", how could we be possible to transcend suffering? When our heart is full of love and peace, free from hatred and aversion, then that itself is already transcending suffering...

Thank you for sharing great wisdom with us here. Truly appreciate it." - Meng Foong

Thoughts sharing about the wheel of birth and death...

This is a response from the previous blog Cry for the dead? Cheer for the new born?

"Our True Self Nature and oneness with Ultimate Reality is all that matters in the end. Whatever this body of compounded aggregates does in this mind created world and reality is insubstantial after all, and only perpetuates the cycle of Life, Death and Rebirth. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really matter if you are doing this in a “happy mode” or not. The end result: old age, disease and death is always the same for all of us and regardless of our State of Mind in this world during our current life. I would therefore promote to read and practice the Tibetan Book of the Dead every day and in order to exit this reality altogether… “Love and Peace to all” alone is not going to save us but perpetuates “Love and Peace to all” in just another cycle of Life, Death and Rebirth… and another… and another… forever!" -Elk Arne Clausen

"Yes, to exit from this tiring and meaningless cycle of birth and death is the ultimate path.

But while we are sincerely “trying” to get out of this cycle of birth and death, we can choose to live our life in a negative way or positive way, in depression or cheerfulness, remain inaction or we can make good use of this “suffering body” to perform some actions selflessly that can bring some love and peace to other “suffering beings” and to evolve together in the path of transcending the wheel of birth and death.

Lots of enlightened beings chose to continue the cycle of birth and death to be here to help other “suffering beings” to be saved from the cycle of birth and death.

The suffering of this mortal body means nothing to these compassionate beings (Bodhisattva)." - Meng Foong

"it definitely is important to maintain a positive outlook and emanate compassion throughout our mortal lives because when this is practised diligently, it also becomes our second nature and preps us for the moment of death. yes, no doubt no one (neither murderer nor holy man) can escape the wreaths of old age, disease and death, but what matters is the mind state we are in when approaching these different stages of life. how we experience the process of dying itself will determine and shape our next life. if we had lived a life full of regret and negativity the mind will create terrifying demons that escort us through the bardo state and eventually lead us into an unfavourable rebirth. if we had lived a life full of pure heart and pure intentions, the journey to our next life will be a pleasant and illuminating one." - Yoga Hui


"I completely agree with the ideal of leading a happy and positive life as long as we are not quiet sure we are able to exist this time around. Reading, the Tibetan Book of the Dead almost every day, I am almost certain I am not quiet ready for the Intermediate State of Reality… or Rebirth. But I do also think that to prep myself for “the next life” should not be my priority in this life. The priority should be to exist altogether and there are basically two paths we can follow, the one of the Arhat or the Bodhisattva… difficult choice since the later almost certainly leads to more of this reality…" - Elk Arne Clausen

"Yes, live at the present moment now, not being disturbed by the past, not worrying for the future, not anticipating anything, taking care of the present moment now, the future will take care by itself.

To know our past, just look at ourselves now. To know our future, also look at ourselves now.

This is what Buddha taught us, to live at the present moment. The only reality is “now”, the past and the future doesn’t exist. Observe the reality as it is, accept the reality as it is, transcending the duality of good and bad that comes from all the names and forms. Not generate craving nor aversion, remain equanimous not being disturbed nor affected by whatever the mind perceives through the senses… (nameless and formless meditation – not attach to the mind and observe the mind as it is)

Stop doing bad.
Do good.
Purify the mind.
(without expectation for the result)

Transcending the craving or aversion towards birth or death, happiness or suffering. Some people are craving for birth and averse towards death. Some people are craving for death and averse towards birth. Some people are craving for neither birth nor death. And all are still forms of craving (both wants and don’t wants). The craving is still there. It is this craving that had started all these endless cycles of birth and death. To stop this cycle of birth and death, is to annihilate this craving of “wants” and “don’t wants”…

No craving towards pleasant sensations and good feelings, no aversion towards unpleasant sensations and bad feelings, remain equanimous undisturbed and unaffected by whatever the mind and the body is experiencing at the present moment now. Treat all the duality of names and forms equally.

Knowing that all these sensations and feelings are not us, they don’t belong to us, and they are impermanent. They arise, they stay, they change and they will pass away eventually. If we just observe and are aware of all these sensations and feelings and not generate reaction of craving and aversion, remain equanimous, all the existing good and bad karma will be depleted as well as all the accumulated past good and bad karma also will come up to the surface to be purified, until there is no cause for birth, and thus there will be no growth, no old age, no illness, no decaying and no death. It doesn’t matter if it takes many life times to deplete/purify all the accumulated karma.

These are the practice that we are practicing unceasingly whether we are awake, asleep, lying down, standing, walking or sitting, without any expectation for the result. Being mindful of our thoughts, actions and speech without attachment.

Out of compassion, we perform all these practices selflessly.

Stop generate “bad” karma by stop doing bad.

Stop generate “good” karma by not identify as the doer of good actions (intention-less, compassionate and selfless actions) and not craving for good karma in return (renounce from the fruit of actions). All good actions for ourselves and for other beings are being performed out of compassion.

Keep purifying the past accumulated karma which will be continuously manifesting in the body and the mind and will also dissolve in the body and the mind, and not generate anymore reactions of craving and aversion that will create the chain reaction of cause and effect.

If there is attachment (being affected by good or bad karma and generate reaction of craving and aversion), we are not practicing dhamma nor are meditating. When we are free from attachment (not being affected by good or bad karma and not generate reaction of craving and aversion), we are practicing dhamma or are meditating whether in action or in inaction (with form or formless).

Not longing to have birth, and not longing to have no birth either. Accepting the reality as it is from moment to moment…

The world is just being what it is. It is not something good nor bad.

If we attach to all the transitory names and forms that keep arising and passing away, then the world that we perceive is being projected as good or bad. If we do not attach to any names and forms, then the world is just being what it is. It is neither good nor bad…

Heaven and hell is right here, at this present moment now, in our own heart… Either we are detached from names and forms, and are free from craving (heaven). Or we are attached to names and forms, and are full of craving (hell)…

If we want to have a good life in the future, we perform good actions and stop performing bad actions. If we want to have a bad life in the future, we perform bad actions and stop performing good actions. If we don’t want to have any future lives (good or bad), we transcend all the duality of names and forms without attachment to neither good nor bad…

This is what I learned from Buddha’s teaching of how to transcend birth and death, and to transcend the suffering that arise due to the cycle of birth and death, and the existence of the mortal body with the functions of the senses which has a thinking mind with the function of the selfish ego that is full of craving and aversion.

At the end, when one has transcended all names and forms, there is no difference between the path of Arhat or Bodhisattva.

I’m open to learn more from all wise beings (with form and formless) who had fully transcended this body and mind, and the suffering that arise from the body and the mind." - Meng Foong

Thank you for the sharing...

Link to the original comments on Yoga News, http://yogamalaysia.wordpress.com/2010/11/26/cry-for-the-dead-cheer-for-the-new-born/#comment-139

Humility manifests in those who are truly self-confident... Pride & arrogance manifests in those who are not sure what is true confidence...

The greatest obstacle for us to obtain the highest knowledge (realizing the wisdom in us) is pride and arrogance.

A truly confident person will not have any pride and arrogance but is being humble, and yet being very confident about himself or herself and is not looking down on any other beings nor is admiring any other beings. He or she doesn’t depend on any of the qualities that come from all the names and forms to feel confident about himself or herself. This true confidence manifests in him or her when he or she knows Thyself, or knowing the truth of himself or herself about the false identification of a limited life existence that we think and believe is who we are, or what is this perceptive cognitive assertive intellectual thinking mind that enjoys and suffers, or who/what am 'I', and knows the truth of what is real and unreal.

A truly confident person doesn't need to justify or to prove to himself or herself or to anybody else about anything.

There is no superiority. There is no inferiority. There is no good beings. There is no bad beings. There is no fear, no worry. When attachment or dependency towards all the qualities of names and forms disappears from those who have true confidence, then all kind of judgments, comparisons, competitions and expectations towards other people and towards our own self will also disappear naturally.

All are equal under the presence of wisdom and compassion. All are selfless and impermanent, regardless of good or bad, positive or negative, right or wrong, meaningfulness or meaninglessness, kind or unkind, pleasant or unpleasant, desirable or undesirable, agreeable or disagreeable, healthy or unhealthy, knowledgeable or non-knowledgeable, success or failure, living beings or non-living objects, and so on.

Success and failure have no meanings at all for those who are truly confident. Success and failure only exist in those who are lack of self-confidence and are being determined by success or failure to give them "confidence" or to take away their "confidence".

True confidence is always here in us. We will realize it when we know who we really are or who/what am 'I'. That it's not something that can be determined by "this" or "that". It is not about what we can do or cannot do. It is not about what we can achieve and cannot achieve...

Trying to gain recognition, or acknowledgment, or approval, or agreement from other people or from our own self is a sign that we are lack of true confidence. Longing for appreciation, praise and compliments, dislike and reject non-appreciation, criticism and condemnation is another sign of lack of true confidence. When we get recognition, acknowledgment, approval or agreement from other people and are getting appreciation, praise and compliments, we will feel good and "confident" about ourselves, and feel superior or proud and arrogant, but when we don't get any recognition, acknowledgment, approval or agreement from other people and are not getting any appreciation, praise and compliments, we will feel bad and "not confident" about ourselves, and feel inferior or low self-esteem. This conditional "confidence" is not the real confidence.

Learn to let go of craving towards appreciation, praise and compliments. Learn to let go of aversion towards non-appreciation, criticism and condemnations. This will develop equanimity in us.

Equanimity brings out true confidence and humility, which allows us to continue to evolve and improve without feeling bad, or low, or guilty about our own self for being imperfect, or are not perfected in our practice yet.

Om shanti.