Gentle Voice December 2012
Subject: Gentle Voice December 2012 Date: 03/12/12 15:09
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December 2012 In This Issue
Editor's welcome
Lama Zopa: Living with Bodhicitta
Hello everyone, This is the last edition of Gentle Voice this year as we will be taking a break at the end of December. I hope you are all taking a break as well! I can already feel the rise of Christmas fever beginning to grip the nation. It can be quite a lot of fun With thanks to Random Acts of Kindness and I hope you Foundation enjoy it in the true spirit of generosity that this festival has come to represent rather than the frenetic consumer bonanza it so often degenerates into. Even though Geshe Tashi is away in India at the moment there is still quite a lot on at Jamyang, and hopefully it will remain a haven of peace over this time. If it all gets too much for you then sign up for the Nyung Nay practice!
This month at Jamyang Geshe Tashi's column The Director's Column Dying Well Meeting Peace in the City Andy Weber Art Weekend Geshe Graham: Debate Intensive MBSR The Jamyang Shop Film Show HHDL in Switzerland 2013 Dharma Bites - Two Parables Book Review Poetry Corner The Bodhisanta Claus Tashilungpo on the BBC About FPMT Your Thoughts for Gentle Voice
Quick Links Jamyang Website Current Programme
Peace and Love, John
Talking Buddhism The Foundation Study Course The Lamrim Chenmo Study Course FPMT
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Virtue and Reality by Lama Zopa Rinpoche Extract from Chapter 2: Living with Bodhicitta Again, take a break from reading and meditate on the meaning of life, the purpose of being alive. Think, "The purpose of my life is not simply to get happiness for myself, not just to solve my own problems. The meaning of my life is to free all sentient beings from suffering and lead them to all happiness because it is from the numberless, precious sentient beings that I receive all my past, present and future happiness, temporary and ultimate, from each everyday comfort and pleasure up to the highest enlightenment." Feel this in your heart. When you meditate on all sentient beings, start with the precious sentient beings around you right now. Start with the ones you encounter in everyday life - those in the same room, in the same building, your family, your work mates - and slowly extend your awareness beyond them to gradually encompass all sentient beings throughout infinite space. Generate the wish to free them from all suffering and its cause and bring them all happiness, without discrimination or exception. With all this in mind, think, "This is the meaning of my life; this is the reason I'm alive." Feel it. Now think, "I, myself alone, am responsible for bringing happiness to all sentient beings and freeing them from all suffering and its cause. I am personally responsible for the happiness of each and every sentient being." Dwell with your mind in this state of universal responsibility. Remember, too, that this responsibility extends far beyond only human beings. There are many different kinds of living beings. There are numberless animals that are suffering; numberless hell beings that are suffering; numberless hungry ghosts that are suffering. There are numberless suras and asuras, those worldly gods, that are suffering. There are numberless intermediate state beings that are suffering, experiencing much fear between death and rebirth because of the terrifying appearances their karma creates. Rest your mind in the awareness that, "I am responsible to bring happiness to these numberless, precious sentient beings, the source of all my past, present and future happiness." Now think, "The happiness of all these sentient beings - temporary, ultimate and the peerless happiness of full enlightenment - depends on whether or not I have compassion, loving kindness, the good heart. Therefore, I need to develop the method of compassion, the good heart, within me. I also need to develop wisdom. Therefore, I am going to purify my mind, accumulate merit and plant the seeds of enlightenment by meditating on the path to enlightenment - not just for my own sake but for the sole purpose of bringing happiness to the most precious, numberless sentient beings, whose value far exceeds that of countless wish-fulfilling jewels." You can use this mediation to set your motivation before any virtuous activity reading Dharma books, practicing meditation, listening to teachings - taking the above paragraph as an example. ----
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Now bring your attention to the reality of your life, which is impermanence in nature and rapidly approaching death. Then think about the nature of phenomena, which although appearing to exist from their own side are, in fact, completely empty of existence from their own side. Not even a single atom exists from its own side. Everything is empty - your self, actions, objects nothing exists from its own side. They do exist, but not from their own side. Whatever exists is merely labelled by the mind. Whatever functions does so merely in name. Focus your attention on this empty nature of phenomena. If you can practice mindfulness of the facts of life - impermanence, impending death, emptiness and so forth - in your daily life, if you can maintain constant awareness of the basic nature of phenomena, you will be able to stop disturbing, emotional thoughts from arising. Normally these disturbing thoughts control our lives, torture us daily, always give us trouble and prevent our minds from experiencing any peace. Instead of peace, happiness and satisfaction, all we get from them is dissatisfaction, unhappiness and problems - not only in this life but, though the karma they force us to create, in many future lives to come. Thus practicing mindfulness of impermanence, death and emptiness - the fundamental nature of phenomena, which cuts the root of suffering, ignorance, the unknowing mind - everything we do in our lives becomes the cause of our liberation from all suffering and its cause. In this way we can help others at a deeper level by also liberating them from the cycle of death and rebirth and its cause, the disturbing thoughts and actions they motivate, karma. THIS MONTH AND NEXT AT JAMYANG CLASSES AND EVENTS IN NOVEMBER and December AT JAMYANG CLASSES and RETREATS with GESHE TASHI Weekend 12 &13 January Weekend 9 & 10 February Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 10am - 1pm FBT Module 2: The Two Truths Registered Students Only Weekend 26 & 27 January and 2 &3 March and 23 & 24 March Introduction to Tantra Tuesdays 8, 15, 22, 29 January, 5 February 7.30pm Mind Only Wednesdays 9, 16, 23, 30 January 7.30pm True Kinship of Faiths
WEEK DAY EVENINGS Mondays weekly until 17 December 7:30pm Buddhist Meditation: Shamata (Calm Abiding) Tuesdays weekly to 18 December and then weekly from 15 January 6:15pm Medicine Buddha Puja Thursdays weekly until 13 December and then weekly from 17 January 6.15 - 7.15pm Silent Meditation Thursday 6 December and 7th February 7:30 with David Ford Meditation for Beginners Tuesday 4 December 7:30 Verses from the Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life Wednesday 5 December 7:30 The Bodhisattva Attitude Tuesday 11, Wednesday 12, Tuesday 18 and
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Wednesdays 6, 13, 20, 27 February 7.30pm Secular Ethics Tuesdays 12, 19, 26 February 7.30pm Self Evident Middle Way
Sunday 10 February 2- 6pm Community Dharma Includes children's activities (family Day) RETREATS and WEEKEND TEACHINGS and PRACTICE Thursday 20 Dec 7pm to Sunday 23 Dec 10am with Steff Hill Nyung Nay Includes one full day of silence and food and drink fasting and two days of taking the Eight Mahayana vows. Introductory talk 15 December 2pm Thursday 3 - Sunday 6 January 10am - 5pm Tibetan Debate Intensive With Ven Geshe Graham Monday 7 - Friday 11 January 8am - 5pm Vajrayogini Retreat With the meditators of the Vajrayogini Practice Group Weekend 19 & 20 January 10am - 5pm Samsara &Nirvana Discovering Buddhism Module With Steff Hill
Wednesday 19 December 7.30pm with Mike Murray Four Ways to a Better World Wednesday 19 December 7.30pm with Venerable Amy Miller The Importance of Pilgrimage Monday 14 January 7.30pm With Roy Sutherwood Introduction to Meditation Mondays 21, 28 January, 4, 11, 18 February, 4, 11, 18, 25 March With Roy Sutherwood 7.30pm Buddhist Meditation: Positive emotions Thursdays 17, 24, 31 January, 7, 14, 21, 28 February, 7 March With Steff Hill 7.30pm Transforming Negative Emotions Saturday 8 December 7 - 8.30pm Lama Tsongkhapa Celebration Lama Choepa Please bring vegetarian food offerings for the tsog puja and/ or flowers to offer in the temple 7, 21 January, 5, 20 February 6 - 7pm Lama Choepa Puja WEEK DAY DAYTIME Tuesdays weekly to 18 December and weekly from 15 January 4pm set up for puja at 4.30pm Tara Puja COMMUNITY Saturday 1 December 10 am to 4pm with Sue Aldam and Robin Bath Dying Well MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) Spring - Thursday, 17 Jan - Thurs 14 March (full practice day Sun, 9 March) Summer - Thursday, 23 May - Thurs 18 July (full practice day, Sun 29 June) Spring term starts 17th January, am & pm 8 week courses. You must book for these courses. Contact jane@jamyang.co.uk or vinod@jamyang.co,uk Monday evenings Chi Kung and Tai Chi Taught by William Walker. For more information and to book call William (follow
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the link above) weekend 23 & 24 February 10am to 5pm A little drop of Reasoning with Jeremy Manheim Student seminar series
Tuesday and Wednesday evenings Yoga Taught by Judy Watchman For more information and to book call Judy (follow the link above)
PRACTICE GROUPS Insight Meditation Practice Group 1, 8 December, 19 January, 23 February 10.30-12.30pm open to all
Hridaya (Heart Centre) Yoga Wednesday 16 January - 24 April 7.30 - 9.00 PM thaught by Naz For more information and to book call Naz (follow the link above) SPECIAL EVENTS
Kalachakra Group meets 1 December, 16 February 2 -5:30pm for initiates only Guhyasamaja Group meets 9 December, 17 February 10am for initiates only Vajrayogini group meets 9 December 17 February 2:30pm for initiates only
Please book for all weekend classes other than practice groups by calling the office on 02078208787 or emailadmin@jamyang.co.uk You can drop in to all evening classes unless we state otherwise.
Peace in the City 12 noon - 4pm Free entrance. Various complematary therapy tasters at reduced rates with children's activities. 7 -9 December Andy Weber Art weekend: Offerings and Offering Goddesses Art Lecture: Friday 7.30 - 9.30pm Weekend Art workshop: 9am - 6pm each day 1st - 3rd February Andy Weber Art Weekend: Buddhist Art in Meditation Art Lecture: Friday 7.30 - 9.30pm Weekend Art workshop: 9am - 6pm each day Film show - launch of a film by Osel Hita and Matteo Passigatto 8th of December 6pm - 7pm Day of Miracles/ Great Prayer Day With Geshe Tashi Tsering and members of the Jamyang Community Monday 25 February 8am - 5pm
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Geshe Tashi's column Geshe Tashi is in South India attending the teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Before he left he asked us to pass on the following message: First of all I would really like to thank Mike Murray for the tremendous amount of work that he did to organise the visit of Jangtse Choje Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tenzin. It was so well organised that I don't think anyone realised just how much work Mike had to do to make it all happen. The visit was such a success that we all owe Mike a great deal and I hope you will all join me in thanking Mike for his unceasing hard work for the last few months that made it possible. I really enjoy these visits and I think it does bring out the very best in Jamyang and its staff and all the students. We must be very grateful for this and of course a very big thank you to everyone else who helped to make the visit a success. Now I have this wonderful opportunity to attend the special teachings of His Holiness on Lamrim. It is turning out to be a very special time, and I also hope that you all have a special time during the coming Christmas festivals. Do share your joy with others and be inclusive - but also practice a bit of restraint!
Director's Column Autumn has passed with the daylight getting noticeably shorter and after the deluge, temperatures begin to drop further in tandem with the deepening darkness as we approach mid- winter. It is the season of Festivals of Light for many traditional cultures and we draw ever closer to the end of the Sino-Tibetan astrological year. There is perhaps no better time for gathering in, introspection, self-reflection and contemplation, looking to better understand what is actually going on at present in ourselves and the wider community of which we are a part before turning our minds to shaping our shared futures into the New Year. As the seasons have changed, so have the faces here at Jamyang have changed. Jane Flowers and Millie have departed the hospitality team for precious teachings from His Holiness in India and house painting in Germany respectively. Violetta from Romania, Linda from Canada and Catherina from Italy are now the mainstays of the hospitality team through the turn of the year. Millie will be back to visit us in early December. Sue- Ann from the States continues as principal kitchen yogini and Ilaria is very soon to leave the
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hospitality team officially and take up her new post as Assistant Cafe Manager. We also welcome Carol Parker and Kate Robertson as new and very valuable appointments to the Board of Trustees. The teachings of the Jangtse Choje went very well indeed and a big and very special thank you to all those who responded to our call for volunteers over that period when the staff and depleted hospitality team here suddenly found themselves under considerable pressure. Without the speed of your responses and the sustained, high quality of your hard work and kindness in support, these teachings would not have gone so smoothly and been of as much benefit to those attending as they were. It was very good to see many of you at the Dharma Dinner, organised by Ali and Erika - who has just successfully completed her probationary period and confirmed in her post as Venue Manager and Deputy Director - in part to offer direct and material thanks to all those volunteers who had rallied round to help us out. The teachings of His Holiness, attended by Geshe-la and quite a fortunate few from among the Jamyang community, start tomorrow, November 30 and run through to December 13. Fourteen days of teachings on 18 Great Stages of the Path (Lam Rim) Commentaries, including Atisha's Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment (jangchup lamdron), Tsongkhapa's Great, Middling, and Concise Treatises on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (lamrim chenmo, lamrim dringpo and lamrim dudon), and 14 other classic Lam Rim texts at Gaden Monastery and Drepung Monastery at the request of H.E. Ling Choktrul Rinpoche and Gaden Shartse Monastery. Tomorrow also sees the Jamyang Trustees' Strategy Group, reflecting, taking stock and looking towards the future as they review the 2012 - 2016 5 year strategic plans, the theme of which is "Strengthening education and supporting our community". Geshe-la's longer term vision for Jamyang is to offer Dharma and benefit to beings. In the short to medium term his wish is for us to serve as many local people as possible and make Jamyang more visible from a Dharma perspective. At our core, we are most known for our Buddhist expertise, drawing from a living tradition of Buddhism with much respected teachers from a much respected and very precious source; our unique and kind qualities, ever aspiring to exemplify and manifest integrity, wisdom, compassion, friendliness and good heart. The Old Courthouse building and Courtyard Cafe also make us well known both locally and further afield as the London connection for the FPMT family. Roy Dying Well meeting this Saturday 1st December The role of carer is one that any of us could be asked to fill at some point in our lives. In the morning of our next Dying Well meeting, on 1st December, we will look at that role and consider what we might experience and what we might need. In the afternoon please feel free to bring a contribution - anything related to death - a book you'd like to recommend, a question or subject for discussion, a poem... We hope to see you then.
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Peace in the City - 2nd December PEACE IN THE CITY - SUNDAY, 2ND DECEMBER (12-4 pm) Brighten up this dark time of year with a new selection of warming and energising therapies. On offer this time: laughing, ku nye massage, gong therapy, Indian head massage, reflexology, shiatsu, reiki and lots of cake therapy. FREE children's activities. Do come along and help Jamyang cover its winter fuel bills. All proceeds go to the Centre.
Andy Weber Art Weekend 7 - 9 December Don't miss Andy Weber's Offering Goddess Art Weekend from 7- 9 December 2013 A reminder that the world famous Tibetan thangka artist Andy Weber has kindly agreed to make time in his busy worldwide schedule to share with us his vast knowledge of Tibetan art techniques and symbolism. Friday 7 December 7:30pm Andy lectures on the Offering Goddesses in Tibetan Buddhism their purpose and meaning while illustrating his points with slides of wonderful Tibetan Art. Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 December Andy gives an art workshop. Learn how to draw the offerings and how to draw the goddesses, let the creative part of you explore beauty in a spiritual setting. Book your place by emailing or calling the office at Jamyang
Tibetan Debate Intensive with Geshe Graham Woodhouse Thursday 3 - Sunday 6 January 10am - 5pm Geshe Graham hosts another workshop on Buddhist debate in the Tibetan style. Very useful for clarifying thought and action. On his recent visit here the Jangtse Choje was very pleased that the reasoning and debate approaches to Buddhist practice were being offered to students.
MBSR Dates for Next Year
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There are still a few places available on the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction classes starting in January. There will be both a morning class and and evening class running on the same day Mindfulness based stress reduction, or MBSR, is a structured course that teaches participants how to practice mindfulness through simple meditation and yoga practices. Developed over the past 30 years, courses teaching mindfulness have been extensively researched and found to have helped many people deal with a wide range of difficulties from chronic pain to mental distress. It also offers a way of developing positive mental qualities and mental well-being. Mindfulness has been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to help prevent relapse in depression. It is taught in a non-religious format and does not require belief in any spiritual tradition. The programme consists of one orientation session followed by eight two hour sessions in consecutive weeks. There is also one full day of practice over a weekend towards the end of the course. You will learn the skills of mindfulness using experiential exercises and gentle yoga movements alongside a variety of mindful meditations. This will be supported through teaching and group discussion. Participants will be encouraged to develop their own daily mindfulness practice and will be given a practice to do at home 6 out of 7 days, for approximately 45 minutes per day. You will be provided with audio CDs and a workbook. In joining the course you will be making a commitment, as best you can, to attend all sessions and to do the daily home practice. Making time for this can, at times, feel stressful but we encourage you to work with these difficulties, they are an important part of your journey. Venue: Tara Room, Jamyang Buddhist Centre, 43 Renfrew Road, London SE11 4NA Course Cost: ÂŁ200: This includes: Introductory evening talk, 8 week course, one full practice day (lunch included), plus guided meditation CDs and a workbook Dates are: Spring - Thursday, 17 Jan - Thurs 14 March (full practice day Sun, 9 March) Summer - Thursday, 23 May - Thurs 18 July (full practice day, Sun 29 June) Spring term starts 17th January, am & pm 8 week courses. Contact Jane@jamyang.co.uk or vinod@jamyang.co.uk There is also more information on our website here
The Jamyang shop A message from the face of Jamyang - Erika "...On behalf of the Jamyang hospitality team I would like to say thank you to all the wonderful people who offered their free time to support this amazing Centre over the year. Without their kind help we could not offer this place as such a welcoming and relaxing
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environment. Thank you so much to all the volunteers and the staff here!" Well we couldn't but help get caught up in Christmas shopping. The shop at Jamyang has a fine selection of books, cards and gifts. Here we highlight some of the items that are available.
White Tara Thangka print by Andy Weber £70
1000 arm Chenrezig Thangka print by Andy Weber £70
· One melodious singing bowl for £20.
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Only ten scarves left, very good value and only for ÂŁ4.50
A big selection of practice texts are also available as well as good mix of Dharma books and a range of cards.
And not forgetting the ever popular calendar ÂŁ10
Visit the shop when you are next at Jamyang or contact Erika at admin@jamyang.co.uk
Being Your True Nature - launch of a film by Osel Hita and Matteo Passigatto Title: Being Your True Nature - launch of a film by Osel Hita and Matteo Passigatto Date: 8th of December 6pm - 7pm, Library, Jamyang Buddhist Centre
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Description: Join us at the free launch of the film 'Being Your True Nature' and get inspired by a new form of education that helps children, young people and adults to develop their natural compassion and wisdom and contribute to peace in the world. 8th December 2012, Lama Tsong Khapa day, marks the international launch of a new film about universal education for compassion and wisdom, the late Lama Yeshe's initiative to create a happier and more peaceful world by helping children, young people and adults to develop their natural compassion and wisdom. The 20-minute film was commissioned by the Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom, an FPMT International Project which develops educational programmes in universal education under the guidance of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. It was shot on location at Institut Vajrayogini in France, is narrated by Osel, and includes interviews with Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa. Osel's aim is "to find new ways in which to discover the true nature of our being" with a particular emphasis on helping young people find happiness and satisfaction. "We have to start with the young children, the young generation...if those people can come into contact with Buddhist philosophy, with spirituality, with empathy, with being more conscious, then that can have a huge impact on the world in the future" he told the FPMT Europe meeting in June 2012. "I'm trying to find a different way for this future generation. One of the ways is through music, movies and audio-visual techniques." The screening will include a taste of universal education activities such as a Loving Kindness Peaceful Youth meditation. From December onwards, you can visit the website www.beingyourtruenature.org where you will find: a link to the movie; information about the directors and producers and additional interviews with some of the cast. If you miss the movie this time around, it will also be screened during Jamyang's community day in May 2013, with an opportunity to discuss it more extensively.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Fribourg, Switzerland 2013 After the success of his visit to Lausanne in 2009, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is coming again to meet the Swiss public on April 13th and 14th 2013 at Forum Fribourg. During this extraordinary event, open to everyone, the Dalai Lama will give teachings, an empowerment and a public conference on the topic of ÂŤ Ethics beyond Religion Âť. Tickets will be available from October 31st on the website www.dalailama2013.ch. His Holiness is invited by the Swiss Rigdzin association, the FPC-Tibet Foundation and the
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FPMT centers in Switzerland. During his visit to Switzerland in 2009, when the Dalai Lama gave teachings and a public talk at the Malley stadium in Lausanne, he had expressed the wish to come back to Switzerland. Today, the above mentioned Buddhist organizations are working together to organize the Dalai Lama's visit to Fribourg, according to the following programme: Saturday 13th April, the Dalai Lama will give a commentary on «The Lamp on the Path to Enlightenment», a text written by the Buddhist master Atisha which is a source of daily inspiration that helps to deepen the understanding of one's own mind in order to obtain genuine happiness. Sunday 14th April, the Dalai Lama will give an empowerment of the deity White Tara. This will help the followers develop the wisdom qualities and the compassion of the Buddha within their minds and hearts. In the afternoon, a Public conference on «Ethics beyond Religion» will be given by the Dalai Lama. He will treat the different aspects of this topic with the global vision, the common sense and communicative joy that characterizes him. Monday 15th April, the Dalai Lama will participate in a meeting with scientists at the University of Lausanne on «Living and Ageing in peace, Visions on old age». This event is by invitation only but will be streamed live at the address: www.unil.ch. Tuesday 16th April, the Dalai Lama will speak to students at Bern University. The organizers of this event wish to share Buddhism and it's philosophy with the greatest possible number of participants in a spirit of mutual respect and openness. It is for us a great joy and an immense honour to welcome the Dalai Lama to Switzerland on this occasion. Tickets will be available from October 31st via Ticketcorner and on our website : www.dalailama2013.ch
Dharma Bites: Two Parables FORGIVE AND FORGET (AVALOKITESVARA BODHISATTVA) "During the Ch'ing Dynasty in China, in Yang Chou, there was a person named Ch'eng Pai Lin. One day he had a dream in which Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva told him, 'Tomorrow the Ch'ing army will arrive. Out of the seventeen people in your household, sixteen will survive. But you Buddha statue in Sukhothai, Thailand cannot escape your fate. Tomorrow Wang Ma Tze will kill you, because in a past life you stabbed him twenty-six times and killed him.' Then Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva added, 'There is still an expedient method that may work. Prepare a fine feast tomorrow, and when he comes, invite him to eat with you. Afterwards, allow him to kill you. Perhaps that will change things.' The dream was vivid and when Ch'eng Pai Lin awoke the following morning, he went out and bought wine and vegetables, brought them back, and had a feast prepared. Then noontime came, someone knocked at the door. He opened the door and said, 'Are you Wang Ma Tze?' 'How strange,' said the man at the door, 'I'm from the north, how did you know my name?' His host invited him in and said, '... You're welcome; I've prepared a feast for you. Won't you join me?' Then
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he related the dream he'd had the night before. 'Last life I killed you with twenty-six stabs of a knife, and so this life you have come to kill me. After we've finished this meal, you can do it.' Wang Ma Tze pondered over this and said, 'But if you killed me last life, and I kill you this life, won't you kill me again next life? It will just go on and on. No, I won't kill you.' Then he took his knife and scratched twenty-six marks on his host's back to represent that the debt had been repaid. Not only did Wang Ma Tze not kill his host, but afterwards they became very good friends. Wang said to his host, 'The Ch'ing army is following en masse. They are not reasonable, so the best would be for you and your family to go to Su Chou. It's safe there.' So that is what Ch'eng Pai Lin did. This is a case of turning grievance into friendship and reversing the retribution that is due one. From this you can see that it's possible to alter one's fate." (Master Hui Seng) "'He beat me, he robbed me. Look at how he abused and injured me.' Live with those thoughts and you will never stop hating...Abandon such thoughts and your hatred and suffering will cease." (Dhammapada, Anne Bancroft, tr.) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------THE BIRD IS MINE (COMPASSION) "It is recorded in the Mahabhinishkramana that Devadatta, the cousin of Prince Siddhartha, took a bow and arrow and shot down a swan. The creature was grounded but not killed. The future Buddha took the bird upon his knees and comforted it. Devadatta was sent to claim his prize, no doubt intending to kill it, but the Buddha refused to hand over the swan, saying that the bird was his: 'Then our Lord Laid the swan's neck beside his own smooth cheek And gravely spake, "Say no! the bird is mine, The first of myriad things that shall be mine By right of mercy and love's lordliness...'" (The Light of Asia by Sir Edwin Arnold) Note: "In the psycho-ethical social philosophy of Buddhism, the concept of compassion has two main aspects. First, as a desirable quality in human character, it is meant to regulate our attitude to other people. Secondly, it has its transcendental aspect known as Great Compassion (maha-karuna) found only in sages like Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Arhats. It is the higher kind and is super-individual in scope and covers all beings in their entirety. It 'seeketh not its own' and hence is the result of coming into contact with spiritual reality. Cleansed of individualised exclusiveness, it becomes unlimited ... If compassion is the desire to relieve the suffering of others, the best way to do so is to lead them to the freedom of Buddhahood and hence it is this kind of compassion that makes the concept truly meaningful." (Encyclopedia of Religions. Malalasekera: Vol. 4, p. 201) With thanks to YMBA ** If you would like to contribute to this series please write to John care of Erika at admin@jamyang.co.uk
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Book Review Mahavastu volume 2 published by The Pali Text Society London. This ancient text reads like a Jataka tale and covers the previous lives of the Buddha. In it we read of the trials of the wife of Sakyamuni when he had renounced the ways of the world and began the search for an answer to the problems of samsara. Generally we read that Devadatta was the jealous cousin of the Buddha who eventually caused a split in the Sangha over vegetarianism and there is a legend that he went to Tibet. Here I address his name as it appears in debate in Tibetan monasteries; where it is used a negative proposition in the debating yard by monks. The word Devadatta means gift of god and in the Bhagavad Gita this word is mentioned in connection to the bow that Arjuna won from Shiva and was used in the Battle of Kurukshetra. There is quite a vast collection of beautiful verses in an early Mahayana text called "Mahavastu Volume 2" published by The Pali Text Society London. I first came across this topic in an article in UKABS journal {Buddhist Studies Review volume 15 no 1} in an article by Joel Tateman of Toronto which is about a Nepali work Bhadrakalpavadana that bears similarities with the Hindu Ramayana where Sita is judged by her own people to have been unfaithful to Rama. In the Mahavastu there is an in depth view of how Devadatta reacted when the Buddha had left his wife and son at home and left for his quest for enlightenment. Eventually when the Buddha didn't return home Devadatta decides to seduce the Buddha's wife Yasodhara and usurp the Buddha. Devadatta tries to encourage her to join him as a partner. But she refuses and remains faithful; at times one is reminded of Homer and the Odyssey with the faithfulness of Penelope weaving as the remaining princes try to temp the queen. Volume 2 of the Mahavastu is made up at the start of a wonderful old poem that goes back into previous incarnations of the Buddha from the time he began his quest to be a Bodhisattva. Yasodhara in a previous incarnation had decided to help him to present an offering to the Buddha Dipamkara; the scheduled Buddha for that age. She was with the Buddha Sakyamuni in all of his lives until he gained enlightenment. This dovetails with words in the Lotus Sutra where it is mentioned that Devadatta had been the teacher of the Buddha in his previous life and though he had committed grievous acts against the Buddha when he had tried to squash him beneath a boulder, he would eventually work out the negative karma. Lama Zopa, as he was throwing grains of rice near the Bodhi Tree at Bodhgaya, narrated a lot of this though some of it came from my own research. So even though Devadatta can be seen as a Jungian shadow symbol he will eventually find redemption and work out his karma with reaching Nirvana. The conclusion is a quote from the Diamond Sutra which echoes in the breeze.
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"When the Tathagata was with Dipamkara Buddha, he had attained the annuttara-samyak-sambodhi, no?" "No, World Honored One. As I have understood the Buddha's express meaning, the Buddha, when with Dipamkara Buddha, did not have any attainment of the annuttara-samyak-sambodhi." The Buddha replied: "Yes, yes. Subhuti, really there is no existent dharma that the Tathagata has attained in the annuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Subhuti, suppose there is a dharma that the Tathagata has attained in the annuttarasamyak-sambodhi. Dipamkara Buddha, then, would not have given me the prediction 'You, in a life to come, shall appear as a Buddha named Shakyamuni'. That is because in reality there is no existent dharma in the attainment of annuttara-samyak-sambodhi. For this reason Dipamkara Buddha bestowed onto me prediction, composing the words: 'You in a life to come shall appear as a Buddha named Shakyamuni.' What is the reason? For one who is a Tathagata, then, the dharmas are of like meaning. Dave Benn
Poetry Corner We are very fortunate at Jamyang to have so many volunteers who are willing to come and live at the centre for a few months giving service to others. At the moment we are very lucky to have, among others, Violeta Dima giving of her time here. Not only are we lucky to have such a great volunteer but she is also a budding poet! We are very pleased to reproduce a few of her poems here. ---------------------Autumn I take you, Leaf, In my Heart. I take your Wisdom Lack of days Transformation and Quietness I take your surrender and your Grace I take your Path. ------------------Surrender the need to control the need to let go the need of space
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how much to let go how much to defend how much to offend (?!) how much to push and strive for She said, whatever makes your heart calm and quiet. i don't know there is a flood that will make the crops grow i don't know between right and wrong there is a flood i learn thank you --------------------Towards emptiness It is really painful to think. To think a stressful thought It is anger. It is really heart full to accompany the sensations And offer patience and kindness. ---------------Emotional trembling emotions underneath layers rearranging of conceptions that is fear of the unknown the mind searching for certainty the heart singing trusting the compassion rising.
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The Bodhisanta Claus For my whole life I have been investigating the reports of a great bodhisattva appearing in the Northern continent. I first heard of this great being many years ago in whispered conversations about the wonderful gifts that he bestows. I questioned those around me, especially my mother and father, and discovered that this being appears regularly every year. I was intrigued and wrote letters to him that had to be transmuted into subtle messages through the agency of the fire god. I felt deep gratitude towards him for his amazing generosity and offered food and drinks and even carrots for his flying mounts. One day a street-wise kid came up to me and told me it was all just a dream; that my parents were lying to me. I was shocked and felt the whole world spinning under my feet. This could not be! The great bodhisanta had to be real and so a lifelong quest was born to track down the truth about the bodhisanta. There were frequent sightings but they all proved to be imposters, often smelling of strong drink or tobacco, surely the bodhisanta could not be like these people? As I grew older I became more and more resigned to not finding the bodhisanta, until the whole quest seemed like a distant memory. Then one day, when I had young children of my own, at midnight on the 24th December, I found myself carrying a sack of gifts, dressed in a red dressing gown and tiptoeing into their bedroom to leave the gifts at the foot of their beds. I stopped at the window and looked out over the sleeping city and listened to the nectar-like silence that enveloped the room. A deep happiness descended over me; a real joy at the happiness of all children everywhere; a great compassion that filled my body and seemed to enable me to encircle the entire globe in my loving embrace. I put down my various parcels and drank the glass of sherry that had been left for me and took the carrot and kept it to give to the the pet rabbit that lived in the hutch outside. I imagined how this scene was being repeated in countless houses across the world and came to see how the power of magical emanation had gently claimed me for its own.
ed: Thanks to our reporter Q who was in one of his more poetic moods when he wrote this.
Tashilungpo on the BBC Did you catch the Tashi Lhunpo Monks on the BBC One's "Imagine" documentary series, broadcast on 27th November? It was a programme entitled "How music makes us feel" and featured performance footage of the monks. You can catch up with the programme on the BBC iplayer, well worth a viewing. Their Wisdom & Insight album, Ringtones & special USB stick are still available from the Monks' Bandcamp page
FPMT
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Jamyang is affiliated with FPMT (Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition) and is one of more than 150 centers and projects worldwide. FPMT is based on the Gelugpa tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa of Tibet as taught by our founder, Lama Thubten Yeshe and spiritual director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche. If you would like to receive FPMT's monthly newsletters please subscribe here.
Your Thoughts What do you want to see in Gentle Voice? We would love to hear your ideas and comments about Gentle Voice, please contact John at: admin@jamyang.co.uk
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Jamyang Buddhist Centre | The Old Courthouse | 43 Renfrew Road | London | SE11 4NA | null
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