There is nothing to fear other than my mind.

The knower of reality has said
That even if recitation and physical hardships are practised for long periods of time,
They will be meaningless if the mind is distracted elsewhere.

People who are disturbed by sickness have no strength to do anything (useful),
Likewise those whose minds are disturbed by confusion Have no strength to do anything (wholesome).

Just as I would be attentive and careful of a wound when amidst a bustling uncontrolled crowd,
So I should always guard the wound of my mind
when dwelling among harmful people.

Even those who wish to find happiness and overcome misery will wander with no aim nor meaning If they do not comprehend the secret of the mind —
The paramount significance of Dharma.

Once bodhimind is developed no matter whatever you do, even sleeping the whole day and night, or fooling around, every minute of your activity becomes accumulation of merit and purification of negativity.

- Acharya Shantideva, Bodhicaryāvatāra

THE FOLLOWING EMPOWERMENTS will be livestreamed on ZOOM.
The links will be on the Ewam Choden website.
There's no pre-registration, but donations are very much appreciated.

Green Tara (Atisha) on July 22 at 6 pm
Manjushri on July 23 at 10am
Vajrapani Bhutadamara on July 23 at 2 pm
Chenrezig on July 24 at 10 am
Medicine Buddha on July 30 at 10 am
Hayagriva on July 30 at 2 pm


DHARMA TALK ON ZOOM:
"THE PURPOSE OF BUDDHA TURNING THE WHEEL OF DHARMA IN THIS UNIVERSE AND WHAT WE CAN EXPECT BY PRACTICING HIS TEACHING."
JULY 31 AT 2 PM
The link will be on the Ewam Choden website.


https://www.ewamchoden.org/

How to react if someone is angry with you?

One time Brahmin Akkosaka got angry at Buddha, because a man from his clan had become a Bhikkhu. Akkosaka was yelling and insulting the Buddha.

Buddha: “What do you think, Akkosaka? Do your friends, relatives, and guests sometimes come to visit you?”
Akkosaka: "Sometimes they do, Master Gotama.”
Buddha: "Do you then serve them with a variety of food and drinks?”
Akkosaka: "Sometimes I do.”
Buddha: “But if they don’t accept it, who do those food and drinks belong to?”
Akkosaka: “In that case Master Gotama, they still belong to me.”
Buddha: “In the same way, Akkosaka, when you abuse, harass, and attack me, who does not abuse, harass, and attack, I don’t accept your insults. They still belong to you, Akkosaka, they still belong to you!"

- SN 7.2 Akkosaka Sutta #anger #Buddha

Coloured sketch of Primordial Buddha, Vajradhara

Eye consciousness arises dependent on the eye and sights. The meeting of the three is contact. Contact is a condition for feeling. What you feel, you perceive. What you perceive, you think about. What you think about, you proliferate. What you proliferate about is the source from which a person is beset by concepts of identity that emerge from the proliferation of perceptions. This occurs with respect to sights known by the eye in the past, future, and present.

Ear consciousness arises dependent on the ear and sounds. …

Nose consciousness arises dependent on the nose and smells. …

Tongue consciousness arises dependent on the tongue and tastes. …

Body consciousness arises dependent on the body and touches. …

Mind consciousness arises dependent on the mind and thoughts. The meeting of the three is contact. Contact is a condition for feeling. What you feel, you perceive. What you perceive, you think about. What you think about, you proliferate. What you proliferate about is the source from which a person is beset by concepts of identity that emerge from the proliferation of perceptions. This occurs with respect to thoughts known by the mind in the past, future, and present.

- MN 18 Madhupiṇḍikasutta

https://suttacentral.net/mn18/en/sujato

Vajrapani is a wrathful dharmapala who protects the teachings, maintains Rta, and defends the Sangha. He, and other Dharmapala, are also the archetypal inspiration / Yidam to encourage the Sangha, or even the Tribe or Nation in certain contexts, to defend themselves through martial means. In addition, he encourages the people to protect the weak, and train themselves in physical fitness.

Below is a quote from Suzuki Shōsan (鈴木正三, February 5, 1579 – July 28, 1655) who was a Samurai that became a Zen monk before the end of his life. He promoted what he called Nio Zen Buddhism. He encouraged practitioners to meditate upon Nio and emulate their wrathful expressions and martial stances in order to cultivate power, strength, and courage when dealing with adversity.

"The Niō (Vajrapani) is a menacing God. He wields the kongōsho (vajra) and he can crush your enemies. Depend on him, pray to him that he will protect you as he protects the Buddha. He vibrates with energy and spiritual power which you can absorb from him in times of need."

From my perspective the concepts that Suzuki presents are simply what is found in broader martial / militant Vajrayana, such as aspects of Tibetan faith, the previously combatant Souhei monks, and the core martial aspects of Shugendō (though Shugendō, like all forms of Buddhism is not Militant inherently but doesn’t shy away from physical training, physical prowess, and protecting the weak / the Sangha). The concept of a traveling monk, knowing martial arts, who is the one who help the folk, to teach the folk, and train them to stand up again tyranny is common. Though this has been a political issue on both the so called “Left” and “right”, with both wanting to claim these efforts, it is actually a dharmic concept of doing what is of greater karmic impact and spreads the dharma properly, and is beyond their petty political titles.
One can easily see this type of dedication to the Vajrapani in the west with prayers, lifting, and fight training that invoke Thor or Heracles. In the East the general spiritual martial arts concept, mostly spread from Upper India / Afghanistan by the famous Priest Bodhidharma, embodies this teaching in whole. Sadly, it has been over “mystified” commodified, and commercialized. We need to bring back Indo-European Martial training conjoint with spiritual prayer, ritual, and Yidam / Deva dedication to improve Dharmic connections. Train to have a better path, and commit to the greater Dharmic Good.
It is this approach to Buddhism, not a passive turns the other cheek Buddhism, that we endorse. This does not mean one should be an unhinged criminal who is a burden to their own folk, tribe, and their environment. But it does mean they should have a form of inherent violent potential to protect the Dharma and their own, and be ultimately ungovernable if the lines of adharma are crossed.
~Temple of the Immoveable
Written by Zachary Gill 06 August 2022
Reference: Helen Josephine Baroni (June 2002). The illustrated encyclopedia of Zen Buddhism. The Rosen Publishing Group. p. 240. ISBN 978-0-8239-2240-6. Retrieved 26 March 2012.

Mālunkyāputta, remember what I have left undeclared as undeclared, and remember what I have declared as declared. And what have I left undeclared? ‘The world is eternal’—I have left undeclared. ‘The world is not eternal’—I have left undeclared. ‘The world is finite’—I have left undeclared. ‘The world is infinite’—I have left undeclared. ‘The soul is the same as the body’—I have left undeclared. ‘The soul is one thing and the body another’—I have left undeclared. ‘After death a Tathāgata exists’—I have left undeclared. ‘After death a Tathāgata does not exist’—I have left undeclared. ‘After death a Tathāgata both exists and does not exist’—I have left undeclared. ‘After death a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist’—I have left undeclared.

“Why have I left that undeclared? Because it is unbeneficial, it does not belong to the fundamentals of the holy life, it does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna. That is why I have left it undeclared.

“And what have I declared? ‘This is suffering’—I have declared. ‘This is the origin of suffering’—I have declared. ‘This is the cessation of suffering’—I have declared. ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering’—I have declared.

“Why have I declared that? Because it is beneficial, it belongs to the fundamentals of the holy life, it leads to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna. That is why I have declared it.

“Therefore, Mālunkyāputta, remember what I have left undeclared as undeclared, and remember what I have declared as declared.

- MN 63 Cūḷamālukyasutta

https://suttacentral.net/mn63/en/bodhi

Admin's daily life

The Sukhasana is very simple to perform for people of all ages and levels of physical wellness.

The term ‘Sukhasana’ is gotten from the Sanskrit word “Sukham” which signifies “delight” or “bliss” and “asana” signifies ‘posture’.

All the Asanas are categorized into three parts – Basic Asana, intermediate and advanced. As an amateur (Beginner) you are not able to attempt the advanced Asanas. So this fundamental Asana is best for beginner to begin their yoga session.

This is meditative and relaxing pose. Sukhasana is easy to perform.

Watch "The Bizarre Life Of An Enlightened Person" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/SzmGkRF2ggU

In the small vehicle we realise the absence of self, the cause of suffering and its cessation.
In the great vehicle we realise the absence of other, and lack of solid base of all phenomena. The inter-dependence of everything and its cessation.

In the indestructible vehicle we practice it all. Weaving rules and conditions like threads of fate. Mindfully choosing rebirths in the reality of tomorrow, as dreams crafted by volition.

Three vehicles, three jewels, three places, three bodies, three times.

212. Nakulapita said to the Lord: “Lord, I am a broken down old man, aged, I have reached the end of my days. Rarely am I able to see the Lord and the monks so worthy of respect. Therefore, let the Lord cheer and comfort me so that it will be to my welfare and happiness for a long time.”
The Lord replied: “It is true, householder, what you say is true. For one carrying about the body, to claim even a moment’s health would be foolishness. Therefore, you should train yourself thinking: ‘Though my body be sick, my mind shall not sick.’ This is how you should train yourself.”

Samyutta Nikaya III 2

Opening the eye of dharma.
Is simply to become aware of the present and its conditions. Everyday life is made out of tendencies and chains of unfolding events. One does not have to die to understand rebirth, but just observe yourself and your surroundings.
There is grasping and aversion, and volition in accordance.

Every cigarette, every meal, every phone call, every dream, every conversation with that friend, every telegram post.
Seeing the circular patterns of habitual existence one could realise that in recreation there is nothing new to gain or experience, all tho we pretend there is.
We hide this knowing of volition from our awareness and act surprised when we go through the same experience.

The cigarette still feels like a cigarette, the beer is still beer, the conversation is still a conversation, the mistress is still a mistress. Your emotional response to some phenomena still leads to the same chain of events.

You have been here before, remember the future.

Samsara literally translates to, wandering in circles, cycling.

Nothing Required.

The reason why no seeking, no practices, no learning and no meditation nor effort is required regarding being what you already are, Awareness rigpa, is because all negative mental or emotional states, thoughts, stressful experiences, have no effect on what you already are. Awareness cannot be tainted by anything

It is vital you understand this:

What you Already ARE Is Awareness Perfection.

We go off the rails by thinking. We ‘think,’ we are unhappy right now, in a mess, or angry. We seek something better for ourself from this ‘tedium.’ This thinking creates another thought, by meditating and studying, we can get to a better place. A divine place of bliss and happiness. A better ‘me,’ than the present version.

Yet Awareness has no contact with anything either ‘out there, in the world or in mental arisings, no contact with karma, thoughts, mental or emotional states. It’s like a mirror where no reflection can alter or change. The reflections have no contact with the mirror.

All the practice, meditation or study can’t benefit your Natural Awareness, it doesn’t even need to be realised, recognised nor stabilised. It already is.

You are already that which is Aware and pure

Longchenpa address this vital point:
"Because Awareness Rigpa has no finite essence, and because suchness and deliberate activity are mutually exclusive, and because Awareness is already timelessly and spontaneously present, nothing need be done concerning levels of realisation on which to train, spiritual paths to traverse, mandalas to visualise, empowerments to be bestowed, paths to cultivate in meditation, samaya to uphold, enlightened activities to accomplish, and so forth. This is because there is no need to accomplish anew what is already timelessly and spontaneously accomplished. If there were such need, it would be inappropriate to use the conventional designation "spontaneously present and uncompounded." And it would follow that dharmakaya was subject to destruction, because it would be compounded, and this because it would be created by causes and conditions." (practices etc.)
Longchenpa. ‘A Treasure Trove of Scriptural Transmission.’

And again here, Longchenps’s clear teaching sounds out
"Since all phenomena are timelessly free, nothing need be done to free them anew through realisation."
“Even the thought that freedom comes about through “direct introduction” is deluded. One strives to free this essence from whatever binds it, but nothing need be done to free it, for unobstructed Awareness, which has never existed as anything whatsoever, does not entail any duality of something to be realized and someone to realize it. There is equalness because nothing is improved by realization or worsened by its absence, so there is no need for any adventitious realisation. And because there never has existed anything to realize- for the ultimate nature of phenomena is beyond ordinary consciousness- to speak of realization on even the relative level is nothing but deluded. What can be shown at this point is the transcendence of view and meditation, in which nothing need be done regarding realization, nothing need be “directly introduced”, and no state of meditation need be cultivated. So there is the expression 'it is irrelevant whether or not one has realization'."

~ Via Radical Ati Dzogchen

Although your realization is equal to that of the Buddhas, make offerings to the Three Jewels.

Although you have gained mastery over your mind, direct your innermost aims towards the Dharma.

Although the nature of the Great Perfection is supreme, don't disparage other teachings.

Although you have realized that Buddhas and sentient beings are equal, embrace all beings with compassion.

Although the paths and bhumis are beyond training and journeying, don't forsake purifying your obscurations through Dharma activities.

Although the accumulations are beyond gathering, don't sever the roots of conditioned virtue.

Although your mind lies beyond birth and death, this illusory body does die, so practice while remembering death.

Although you experience dharmata free from thought, maintain the attitude of bodhicitta.

Although you have attained the fruition of Dharmakaya, keep company with your yidam deity.

Although Dharmakaya is not some other place, seek the true meaning.

Although Buddhahood is not anywhere else, dedicate any virtue you create towards unexcelled enlightenment.

Although everything experienced is original wakefulness, don't let your mind stray into samsara.

Although your mind essence is the awakened one, always worship the deity and your master.

Although you have realized the nature of the Great Perfection, don't abandon your yidam deity.

Those who, instead of doing this, speak foolishly with boastful words only damage the Three Jewels and will find not even an instant of happiness.

- Guru Padmasambhava

"For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."
- Corinthians