The state of mind that most needs enlightenment is the one that sees
human beings as NEEDING to be guided or enlightened.
--Thaddeus Golas, ch.6 and 10

GILL EARDLEY
Allspirit

from: "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind," by Shunryu Suzuki

According to traditional buddhist understanding, our human nature is
without ego. When we have no idea of ego, we have Buddha's view of
life. Our egoistic ideas are delusion, covering our buddha nature. We are
always creating and following them, and in repeating this process over and
over again, our life becomes completely occupied by ego- centered ideas.
This is called karmic life, or karma. The Buddhist life should not be karmic
life. The purpose of our practice is to cut off the karmic spinning mind. If
you are trying to attain enlightenment, that is a part of karma, you are
creating and being driven by karma, and you are wasting your time on
your black cushion. According to Bodhidharma's understanding, practice
based on any gaining idea is just a repetition of your karma. Forgetting this
point, many later Zen masters have emphasized some stage to be attained
by practice.

VICKI WOODYARD
NDS

Joko Beck tells a story about a man who was waiting for the enlightenment
train. While he was waiting he busied himself taking care of others who were
waiting and so he forgot that he was waiting...until he no longer cared about
his own enlightenment.

MACE MEALER
Illuminata

Colophon

No authority have I,
not even so much as a biscuit
on a hungry day,
as such seeking
only creates misery.
Therefore place no weight
on these joyous lamentations.
Still, if one must journey,
the destination of
serving with kindness,
ever at hand,
has stood the test
of time.

M J GILBERT
AlongTheWay

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

Through allowing the "isness" of all things,
a deeper dimension reveals itself to you as an
abiding presence, an unchanging deep stillness,
an uncaused joy beyond good and bad. This is
the joy of Being, the peace of God.

- Eckhart Tolle

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"The Power of Now"
Eckhart Tolle
New World Library, 1999

JOSEPH RILEY
Panhala



Is the abode of God anywhere but in the earth, the sea, and sky, and air, and virtue?
Why do we seek the heavenly ones beyond?
Whatever you see, and whatever you touch, that is God.
~Lucan

ROBERT COOPER
DailyDharma

"Loving-Kindness-maitri-toward ourselves doesn't mean getting rid of
anything. Maitri means that we can still be crazy after all these years.
We can still be angry after all these years. We can still be timid or
jealous or full of feelings of unworthiness. The point is not to try to
change ourselves. Meditation practice isn't about trying to throw ourselves
away and become something better. Its about befriending who we are
already. The ground of practice is you or me or whoever we are right now,
just as we are. That's the ground, that's what we study, that¹s what we
come to know with tremendous curiosity and interest.

~Pema Chodron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the book, "The Wisdom of No Escape," published by Shambala Press.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MANUEL HERNANDEZ
ANetofJewels

Gems from Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj's Conversations

"Truth is simple and open to all. Why do you complicate? Truth is loving
and lovable. It includes all, accepts all, purifies all. It is untruth that is
difficult and a source of trouble. It always wants, expects, demands. Being
false, it is empty, always in search of confirmation and reassurance. It is
afraid of and avoids enquiry. It identifies itself with any support, however
weak and momentary. Whatever it gets, it loses and asks for more.
Therefore put no faith in the conscious. Nothing you can see, feel, or think
is so. Even sin and virtue, merit and demerit are not what they appear.
Usually the bad and the good are matter of convention and custom and are
shunned or welcomed, according to how the words are used."

JOSEPH RILEY
Panhala

"To start from the self and try to understand all things is delusion.

To let the self be awakened by all things is enlightenment."

-- Dogen

AL LARUS

Seing people carrying loads of crutches.
In my mind, having the best pair was an achievement.
Do you think I smiled when my teacher said:
Give up all of this, what you need is nothing.

Alan

Preconceived bamboos would block one’s view;
Clear mind would mirror all phenomena exactly.
Self-righteous approach could not reach Buddha;
Empty-minded to receive what naturally there is.

Yutang Lin

GLORIA

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HSIN HSIN MING V7

"The way is perfect like vast space
where nothing is lacking and nothing is in excess"

Commentary:

"The true nature of things is continuously manifesting. When a dog barks or
pees on the ground that dog's nature is in realization.....All things are
always manifesting their true nature. We never look out at a tree and say
"that tree is imperfect, that tree is not manifesting its true nature. We
only look at ourselves and other human beings and say, "we are not
manifesting our true nature."

Genpo Dennis Merzel. "The Eye Never Sleeps"