True and Proper Buddhist teaching

[rockyysdt]

34 minutes ago, VincentRJ said:

And possibly no existence? ????

 

I'm currently in my fifth day of fasting, eating no food of any type, just drinking water. I feel very relaxed and calm. I'm doing it for the claimed health benefits, not to lose weight, because I'm not overweight according to the BMI calculation.

 

However, I will resume eating soon, in order to have the energy to do some physical work which requires striving and exertion. ????

Well done Vincent.

 

I currently do daily fasting (13 hours) 3.30am until 4.30pm.

 

If you're already slim, in your general diet you need to up the friendly fats.

 

Ketosis (energy from fat burning rather than sugar) and Intermittent Fasting are the way.

 

You'll need to reduce sugar, and carbs and increase friendly fats (avocado, olives, sardines, eggs, deep sea fish, mushrooms, and others)

[VincentRJ]

1 hour ago, rockyysdt said:

Well done Vincent.

I currently do daily fasting (13 hours) 3.30am until 4.30pm.

 

Wow! Sounds as though you have dinner at 3 am in the morning, before going to sleep and/or meditating, and breakfast at 4.30 pm in the afternoon. Is this correct? ????

 

If you're already slim, in your general diet you need to up the friendly fats.

Ketosis (energy from fat burning rather than sugar) and Intermittent Fasting are the way.
You'll need to reduce sugar, and carbs and increase friendly fats (avocado, olives, sardines, eggs, deep sea fish, mushrooms, and others)

 

I agree, but you missed out coconut oil, Rocky, which is a very significant 'friendly' fat. I use that often in place of full cream butter, on my bread. It's also better than Olive Oil for frying because it's more resistant to damage from heat.

 

I eat all the foods you've mentioned, and others such as Broccoli, Kale, Garlic. Ginger, Turmeric, and so on. but I do occasionally have a bowl of delicious ice cream or creamy, sweet cake, and even a glass or two of wine, usually when I'm eating with others. 

 

As the Buddha said, 'Everything in moderation', although I'm not sure if that includes wine. ????

[rockyysdt]

14 minutes ago, VincentRJ said:

Wow! Sounds as though you have dinner at 3 am in the morning, before going to sleep and/or meditating, and breakfast at 4.30 pm in the afternoon. Is this correct? ????

 

 

 

 

I agree, but you missed out coconut oil, Rocky, which is a very significant 'friendly' fat. I use that often in place of full cream butter, on my bread. It's also better than Olive Oil for frying because it's more resistant to damage from heat.

 

I eat all the foods you've mentioned, and others such as Broccoli, Kale, Garlic. Ginger, Turmeric, and so on. but I do occasionally have a bowl of delicious ice cream or creamy, sweet cake, and even a glass or two of wine, usually when I'm eating with others. 

 

As the Buddha said, 'Everything in moderation', although I'm not sure if that includes wine. ????

Perfect, but ditch wheat products unless non GMO, and keep away from Soy, & GMO Corn.

 

Try to ween off sugar.

[fusion58]

On 2/28/2020 at 7:16 PM, jamesc2000 said:

If we only like the people that practice

 

and we only like people that don't drink alcohol, don't womanise and don't eat lots of fatty food

 

and only like people that get their sitting position correct.

 

Then how can you open your heart to people that never practice

 

and drink lots of alcohol and womanise and eat lots of fatty food

 

and worse of the worse don't have a correct sitting position?

 

????

 

Its the ego that splits up people that we think is on the correct path and people on the wrong path.

 

If there is no ego there is no difference to how we see them.

 

If there is no ego spaghetti and custard taste wonderful.

 

Its all good. 

????

 

To your point:

 

Manjushri Prajnaparamita

The Buddha spoke to Mañjuśrī, saying, “When cultivating Prajñāpāramitā thusly, how should one abide in Prajñāpāramitā?” Mañjuśrī said, “Not abiding in dharmas is abiding in Prajñāpāramitā.” The Buddha again asked Mañjuśrī, “Why do you say that not abiding in dharmas is abiding in Prajñāpāramitā?” Mañjuśrī said, “Not abiding in appearances is itself abiding in Prajñāpāramitā.”

 

The Buddha spoke to Mañjuśrī again, saying, “When abiding in Prajñāpāramitā thusly, do one’s good roots increase or decrease?” Mañjuśrī said, “If one is able to abide in Prajñāpāramitā thusly, then one’s good roots neither increase nor decrease, just as all dharmas neither increase nor decrease, and the characteristic of the nature of Prajñāpāramitā likewise neither increases nor decreases. Bhagavān, cultivating Prajñāpāramitā thusly is not abandoning the dharmas of ordinary beings, nor is it grasping the dharmas of the noble ones. Why? Prajñāpāramitā does not perceive the existence of a dharma which may be grasped or abandoned. Cultivating Prajñāpāramitā thusly is also not seeing Nirvāṇa to delight in, nor birth and death to despise. Why? One does not perceive birth and death, much less something to leave behind. One does not perceive Nirvāṇa, much less something to delight in. Cultivating Prajñāpāramitā thusly is perceiving neither impurity or affliction which may be abandoned, nor perceiving merits which may be obtained. Regarding all dharmas, the mind is without increase or decrease. Why? One does not perceive the existence of increase or decrease in the Dharma Realm. Bhagavān, if one is capable of practicing thusly, then this is called cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.

“Bhagavān, not seeing the existence of the birth and death of all dharmas, is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. Bhagavān, not seeing the existence of increase or decrease, is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. Bhagavān, when the mind is not grasping, not seeing characteristics of dharmas nor one who sees, then this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. Bhagavān, it is not seeing good or bad, the creation of high or low, and neither grasping nor rejecting. Why? This is because dharmas are neither good nor bad, being apart from all characteristics. Dharmas are neither high nor low, because they are equal in nature. Dharmas are neither accepted nor rejected, because they abide in reality. This is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.”

The Buddha said to Mañjuśrī, “Are the dharmas of the buddhas supreme?” Mañjuśrī replied, “I do not see such an appearance of supremacy amongst all dharmas. The Tathāgata has had self-realization of the emptiness of all dharmas, and this knowledge has been demonstrated.” The Buddha told Mañjuśrī, “Thusly, thusly! The Tathāgata has completely awakened to the self-realization of the emptiness of dharmas.” Mañjuśrī addressed the Buddha, saying, “Bhagavān, in the emptiness of dharmas, does there exist anything superior which may be obtained?” The Buddha replied, “Excellent, excellent, Mañjuśrī! It is just as you have explained. This is the true Dharma!”

[fusion58]

On 2/25/2020 at 7:36 PM, jamesc2000 said:

Zen Master Man Gong was Seung Sahn Soen Sa's Dharma grandfather.

 

As a thirteen year old child, he was studying sutras at the temple Donghaksa in Korea. The day before vacation, everyone gathered to listen to some lectures. The lecturer said, "All of you must study hard, learn Buddhism, and become as big trees, with which great temples are built, and as large bowls, able to hold many things.

 

The verse says:

"Water becomes square or round according to the shape of the container in which it is placed. Likewise, people become good or bad according to the company they keep. Always keep your minds set on holiness and remain in good company. In this way, you will become great trees and containers of Wisdom. This I most sincerely wish."

 

Everyone was greatly inspired by this lecture. At this point, the Sutra Master turned to Zen Master Kyong-Ho, who was visiting the temple, and said, "Please speak, Master Kyong Ho; everyone would like to hear your words of wisdom."

 

The Master was quite a sight. He was always unshaven and wore robes that were tattered and worn. Although he at first refused, after being asked again and again, he reluctantly consented to speak.

 

"All of you are monks. You are to be great teachers, free of ego; you must live only to serve all people. Desiring to become a big tree or a great container of Wisdom prevents you from being a true teacher.

 

Big trees have big uses; small trees have small uses. Good and bad bowls both have their uses. Nothing is to be discarded. Keep both good and bad friends; this is your responsibility.

 

You must not reject any element; this is true Buddhism. My only wish is for you to be free from discriminating thoughts."

 

Having completed his talk, the Master walked out the door, leaving the audience astonished. The young Man-Gong ran after him, and called out, "Please take me with you; I wish to become your student."

 

The Master shouted at him to go away, but the child wouldn't listen. So he asked, "If I take you with me, what will you do?"

 

"I will learn. You will teach me."

 

"But you are only a child. How can you understand?"

 

"People are young and old, but does our True Self have youth or old age?" "You are a very bad boy! You have killed and eaten the Buddha. Come along."

 

From Manhattan Chogye Sa temple website

 

????

 

Then, the Licchavi Vimalakiirti said to the crown prince Manjushri, "Manjushri, what is the 'family of the Tathaagatas'?"

 

Manjushri replied, "Noble sir, the family of the Tathaagatas consists of all basic egoism; of ignorance and the thirst for existence; of lust, hate, and folly; of the four misapprehensions, of the five obscurations, of the six media of sense, of the seven abodes of consciousness, of the eight false paths, of the nine causes of irritation, of the paths of ten sins. Such is the family of the Tathaagatas. In short, noble sir, the sixty-two kinds of convictions constitute the family of the Tathaagatas!"

 

Vimalakiirti: Manjushri, with what in mind do you say so?

 

Manjushri: Noble sir, one who stays in the fixed determination of the vision of the uncreated is not capable of conceiving the spirit of unexcelled perfect enlightenment. However, one who lives among created things, in the mines of passions, without seeing any truth, is indeed capable of conceiving the spirit of unexcelled perfect enlightenment.

 

Noble sir, flowers like the blue lotus, the red lotus, the white lotus, the water lily, and the moon lily do not grow on the dry ground in the wilderness, but do grow in the swamps and mud banks. Just so, the Buddha-qualities do not grow in living beings certainly destined for the uncreated but do grow in those living beings who are like swamps and mud banks of passions. Likewise, as seeds do not grow in the sky but do grow in the earth, so the Buddha-qualities do not grow in those determined for the absolute but do grow in those who conceive the spirit of enlightenment, after having produced a Sumeru-like mountain of egoistic views.

 

Noble sir, through these considerations can one understand that all passions constitute the family of the Tathaagatas. For example, noble sir, without going out into the great ocean, it is impossible to find precious, priceless pearls. Likewise, without going into the ocean of passions, it is impossible to obtain the mind of omniscience.[72]