Is The Buddha Just A Man?

If the Buddha is a mere human being (which he is not),
Who was born and died like us,
How can he guide us to become Buddhas,
Who are beyond birth and death?

- Stonepeace

According to the Dona Sutra, the brahmin Dona was walking along when he sighted the Buddha's footprints. Amazed by their auspicious details of wheels with a thousand spokes, with rims and hubs, it occurred to him that they could not belong to a human being.

Tracing the footprints, he encountered the Buddha, who was seated under a tree, radiating and inspiring confidence and tranquillity mindfully.

Curious, he went forth and asked if the Buddha was a deva, a godly being, to which the Buddha said he was not. Next, he asked if he was a gandharva, a lesser godly being, to which the Buddha also replied that he was not.

Dona then asked if he was a yaksha, a demon, to which the Buddha again replied that he was not. Stumped, Dona finally asked if he was a human being, to which the Buddha too replied that he was not.

Out of further imaginable options, Dona finally asked, 'Then what sort of being are you?'

The Buddha answered that he had abandoned fermentations that conditioned rebirth as a deva, gandharva, yaksha or human being, similar to how a palmyra stump is totally uprooted. As such, he is no longer any of them or subject to being any of them again.

Just like a lotus flower that blossoms untainted and stands above muddy defiled water, though he was born in this world, he overcame its taints to become 'awakened'. This was when the Buddha defined himself for the first time, when he said, 'I am awake', or 'I am Buddha'.

The word 'Buddha' means an 'awakened one', one who was awakened from the taints of attachment, aversion and delusion, the muck and mire of Samsara.

Having described himself to be like a lotus, this is how the lotus became the symbol of purity in Buddhism, the goal which all Buddhists aspire towards, away from all fermentations and taints that condition rebirth.

The Buddha did not state that was not a mere human being in just one instance. He repeatedly taught that fully awakened ones cannot be defined as adhering to conditions which bind beings to the cycles of rebirth.

While their minds cling to those conditions which define them, his mind does not cling to any of them, just as a lotus flower rises above pure, unconditioned by the dirt where its roots were.

Greater than humans and gods, both of whom are still bound by rebirth, one of the traditional titles of the Buddha is 'Teacher of humans and gods', as it is he, who is free from rebirth, who discerned and walked the path to this freedom, who is capable of teaching all along this path. The Buddha was human when he was still Prince Siddhartha and Ascetic Gautama, but having evolved spiritually and perfectly in compassion and wisdom, he joins the 'race' of all other Buddhas, who are equally supremely enlightened!

Having transcended all constraints,
the Buddha can skilfully manifest as
devas, gandharvas, yakshas, humans or any other beings
to guide them to Buddhahood.

- Extracted from The Daily Enlightenment

Adele - Someone Like You

Love this version of Adele's song.

Enjoy!!

Promises Unleashed

This is a good documentary on how the banking systems is so screwed up that it caused the global financial crisis.

If nothing changes, the contagion will always be with us...

Not Google Plus

Even Gods May Fall

Whoever has accumulated much merit, after his rebirth in the Deva-realms [heavenly planes of gods], lives there till the end of the life-span of that realm is attained.

If, however, the force of the meritorious deed [good karma] that caused his rebirth onto that realm [which is limited] is exhausted before the end of the life-span of that realm, is reached, he dies [and resume rebirth within Samsara, if not yet enlightened].

Some devas sometimes so indulge themselves in the pleasures and enjoyments of the Deva-realms, that they forget to take their food at the due and proper time. Consequently, at last, they come in for a fainting fit and then pass away. Some others die due to extreme anger caused by jealousy against another’s prosperity.

That is because their subtle bodies cannot endure the burning that their anger generates within themselves, so their bodies are consumed and wither. (This description is given in the story of Ghosaka in the commentary of the Dhammapada.)

In describing the actual manner in which death occurs in these Deva-realms, we are told that when death is approaching and a deva is destined to fall away (die), five signs of warning are shown to him: (1) His garland fades, (2) his garments become soiled, (3) sweat exudes from his arm pits, (4) his body becomes ill-coloured, and (5) he feels no delight in his seat even as he remains seated.

It is also of interest and significance to note that from the moment of birth in a Deva-realm to the moment of death, neither the decaying and breaking of teeth, nor the greying of hair seems to occur. A heavenly female being (devi) for instance, maintains the appearance of a sixteen year old maiden all throughout her life, and a male has the appearance of a twenty year old youth.

At the last moments preceding death, however, their bodies lose their colour, they feel exhausted and faint. Up to this last moment they never feel tired. When they near death, they begin to yawn… Only a few of the devas who are the wisest among them know what is about to happen… When devas die, their mansions too vanish and no residue remains, just as when a piece of camphor is burnt.

[Editor: As such, the mere doing of good to create merits for heavenly rebirths is dangerous, as wisdom is needed too, while the safest place for rebirth is a Buddha's Pure Land, where enlightenment will be eventual, where there is no possibility of sensual indulgence, rise of defilements like anger, spiritual complacency, ageing, disease or untimely death.]

- Extracted from The Daily Enlightenment

R U OK Day

Today, Australia has launched the "R U OK" day.

It is to highlight the many cases of suicides that had occurred over the years.

The intent is to prevent anyone from considering suicide by just being concerned about the people around you, by just asking a sincere question of how they are doing.

A simple question like "R U OK" and just taking the time to be present and listen to them would perhaps be the very thing that a depressed person needs to stop him from taking the drastic step of ending his life.

So, take a minute to ask your friends, family and acquaintances if they are OK. Be genuinely interested in them and really be there for them.

Help your fellow man and prevent the senseless loss of a beautiful human being from taking their own life.

Life is beautiful - live it fully.

Have You Washed Your Bowl Yet?

In the Zen tradition, a classic dialogue between a teacher and a student is called a ‘mondo’ (in Japanese and Chinese: ‘問答: question and answer’). It is considered classic as it is an illuminating exchange. Whether it is enlightening to one who hears it, however, depends on how deeply one connects to it.

With Zen’s focus on direct experience of the essence of the Dharma in everyday life over looking for it in sutras, mondos are both records of realisations and instructional guides.

One such mondo is called ‘Joshu washes the bowl’, as recorded in ‘The Gateless Gate’ by Zen Master Mumon (Wumen)…

A new monk asks Master Joshu (Zhaozhou), ‘I’ve just entered the monastery. Please teach me.’ Joshu enquires, ‘Have you eaten your porridge?’ The monk replies, ‘I have eaten.’ Joshu says, ‘Then you had better wash your bowl.’

Upon hearing this, the monk became enlightened.

The mystery of this mondo, for musing over, or rather, contemplating, would be why he became enlightened and why we are not likewise so, despite having ‘heard’ the same words! Speculating or rationalising, instead of realising the mondo’s significance would not count, as this is the opposite of directly experiencing the mondo, like the monk did.

Mumon commented on the mondo in verse – ‘It is too clear and so it is hard to see. A dunce once searched for fire with a lighted lantern. Had he known what fire was, he could have cooked his rice much sooner.’

So much said earlier, here are some speculated and rationalised possibilities of what Joshu and Mumon could be conveying. Warning! Mondo ‘spoiler’ ahead – though you might disagree!…

Zen, or rather, the essence and actualisation of the Dharma, is about doing what is supposed to be done in the moment. Though Joshu’s question and instruction seemed out of point as replies to the monk’s request, what he uttered were really the best answers in the moment.

Joshu asked if the monk had eaten out of concern. The question itself was guidance that the monk sought – exemplifying how to practise the Dharma – by being caring, by expressing compassion, to a newbie too! Perhaps the monk didn’t realise this yet, as he answered conventionally, in a way he expect he should.

The Master’s next response was an expression of wisdom, though also based on compassion, helping him to see more clearly what he should do – a skilful and direct instruction. There were no wasted words or efforts. So… why go wash the bowl?

Zen is not about doing or reaching towards something special or mystical. It is down-to-earth and practical, about doing what should be done in this moment – even if it is an ordinary, routine and so-called mundane task.

When we look for something extraordinary, we have forgotten that the extraordinary enlightenment arises from taking care of the ordinary. To focus on doing what is appropriate in each moment with an ‘ordinary mind’, that is not cluttered or distracted with the unnecessary is Zen practice.

Joshu’s replies was Zen in the moment too – what was appropriate there and then. Everyday matters done properly with mindfulness, compassion and wisdom would amount to good Zen practice – beyond just sitting well on the cushion during a meditation session.

Now… we all have our food to eat when hungry, bowls to wash after eating, bodies to bathe at the end of the day… How Zen are you making these activities to be? Now that you have read this article, what is the ‘bowl’ you should ‘wash’ – that next appropriate thing to do? The way of Zen is so clearly before our eyes that we overlook it, as if foolishly looking for glasses while wearing them.

If we lived and breathed Zen all this while, we would be Zen Masters already!

- Extracted from The Daily Enlightenment

A Journey With Nature

Time-lapse video of Mother Nature.

So beautiful.

It takes a lot of dedication to film these in remote places. Our thanks to the author for sharing the beauty with us.