I have spend great deal of time meditating and fell in love with life again i am surrounded but darkness and i am i nightlight in the dark so to speak i have had my heart softened and my mind is open to the universe i am.lucky
Dear Sir/ Mdm,
nI like to know in your service, do you have a Zen person that do new home cleansing and blessing?
I am planning to move to a place and I like to cleanse it and bless it. I am a a long time faith
in Quan Yin Goddess of Mercy, and I will be comfortable with Blessing with Goddess of Mercy way
of blessing for my new home. I like a clear mind person that are zen.
Please do let me know if you have someone that are experience to do that.
Thank you very much.
Rdgs
Meeleng
Dear Shi Chuan Guan (sorry I don’t know how to say
: venerable?) I try to practice Vipassana as regularely as possible. I refuse to get the “help” of any living “master” in my practice. After all, just before the parinibbāna, Lord Buddha asked His bikkhus whether they had or no some last questions : this makes His teaching complete. A lot of Vajrayāna practisers prefer to follow a Master who’s still alive but then they follow Chögyam Trungpa… who passed away (???).
My only Master Is Lord Siddattha Gōtama. That’s why I’m so glad to see there is the Digital Buddha Vacana.Does it exist in other languages (e.g. French) and is there a possibility to access the Dhammapada this way?
Anyway, thank you so much for having done such a fabulous job! 🙂
Dear Vincent,
Pardon for the very belated reply!
“Ven. Chuan Guan” is good. 😉
Glad to hear that you are practising vipassana as regularlly as possible.
I’m with you on not being reliant on any living “master”, ie self-reliance. However, by reading the translations, aren’t we in a way, already relying on them as our teacher and guide already?
Having a teacher merely bring the text to life. It is like reading a physics text on Newton’s law of gravity by ourselves as opposed to have it taught to us by a physics teacher. Often times, the physics teacher can clarify points that a textbook may sometimes still appear abstract or obscure to some.
Case in point, I learnt programming back in the 80s simply by watching a television documentary and ploughing through all possible library books on the subject. While it proves that one can learn without a living teacher, it does not invalidate learning programming from a teacher. In fact, later on when I pursued computer engineering in university, I appreciated both ways of learning and found that some do better in one way than the other. 🙂
Having said all these (sometimes I over do it in giving examples! ha!), if you find that your learning and practices lead to lesser mental agitations, defilements and lead to a more caring, loving and peaceful state, then keep doing it! 🙂
Let me try to find the French translation and see what I can do to adapt it for the daily verses.
Dear Shi Chuan Guan,
I am new to the Buddhist faith and I am fascinated by its tenants. I however am rather distanced from the idea of Buddhist “Naraka.” It is my understanding that there are no creator gods, just the infinitely enlightened, which brings me to my question: I read your article on forgiveness and it brought me joy in imagining a faith that embraces peace and forgiveness as an imperative part of Buddhism. Naraka seems like the antithesis of forgiveness and peace. I am thinking that whoever sat to compile and write about Naraka was not a peaceful person, nor a forgiving person if they took the time to write about Naraka. How could one embrace such a belief of horror and anguish and still consider themselves peaceful, forgiving and enlightened? This sounds like the complete opposite of peaceful, forgiving and enlightened. This is the basis for rage, revenge and anguish upon our fellow people. Could you elaborate?
Dear Scott,
Thank you for writing and sharing your thoughts and kind words.
I understand how the very idea of a Buddhist “Naraka” or Hell seem like the exact opposite of the teaching of peace and forgiveness, ‘cos in most faiths, hell seems to be a punishment mete out by a divine being for the bad deeds we’ve done. In Buddhist teachings, the karmic results (vipaka) arises when the conditions are suitable for our karma to ripen. The nature, quality and extent of the results depend on the karma (actions), intensity and the object to which the action was performed on, but not on whether the object or person forgives us or not.
In real life, a person A may harm person B. While B may suffer from anguish and stress, assuming that the harm is not irrepairable or permanent, B may recover and through forgiveness, overcomes whatever emotional or mental baggage or suffering due to it.
Meanwhile, it does not mean that A is necessarily free of the guilt and remorse of having harmed B.
Similarly, the karmic fruit of A is not simply absolved with the forgiveness by B. The Buddha harboured no grudge towards Devadatta for his numerous attempts to kill him nor the final attempt which hurt his toe, but Devadatta still experienced the hell rebirth
thereafter.
If we punch a wall, it is not the wall that is punishing our fists, but our own punching that bruises them. The wall can neither bear a grudge nor forgive us, but gives us support when we lean on it and bruises our knuckles if we choose to punch it.
Your app is wonderful! I look forward to it every evening. I also love the little pop-up message that shows after I close the app, it’s a nice touch. Thank you!
Your app is wonderful! I look forward to it every evening. I also love the little pop-up message that shows after I close the app, it’s a nice touch. Thank you!
Ok, got the link fixed. The tag info was corrupted in the last server refresh after a bot attack.
You should be able to download the PC desktop app now. 🙂
I have spend great deal of time meditating and fell in love with life again i am surrounded but darkness and i am i nightlight in the dark so to speak i have had my heart softened and my mind is open to the universe i am.lucky
Hi,
Did you know the Reverend Miao Jing. Is the monastery in New Mexico still there?
Yes, I know Master Miao Jing, he is my late teacher. 🙂
The monastery is still in New Mexico.
Dear Sir/ Mdm,
nI like to know in your service, do you have a Zen person that do new home cleansing and blessing?
I am planning to move to a place and I like to cleanse it and bless it. I am a a long time faith
in Quan Yin Goddess of Mercy, and I will be comfortable with Blessing with Goddess of Mercy way
of blessing for my new home. I like a clear mind person that are zen.
Please do let me know if you have someone that are experience to do that.
Thank you very much.
Rdgs
Meeleng
Dear Meeleng,
We would be happy to do a simple house blessing for you.
Please contact me via the email link above and I’ll follow up with you.
Hmmm … house blessing, this reminds me, I have an article I want to share about house blessings …
With metta,
Dear Shi Chuan Guan (sorry I don’t know how to say
: venerable?) I try to practice Vipassana as regularely as possible. I refuse to get the “help” of any living “master” in my practice. After all, just before the parinibbāna, Lord Buddha asked His bikkhus whether they had or no some last questions : this makes His teaching complete. A lot of Vajrayāna practisers prefer to follow a Master who’s still alive but then they follow Chögyam Trungpa… who passed away (???).
My only Master Is Lord Siddattha Gōtama. That’s why I’m so glad to see there is the Digital Buddha Vacana.Does it exist in other languages (e.g. French) and is there a possibility to access the Dhammapada this way?
Anyway, thank you so much for having done such a fabulous job! 🙂
Respectfully
Dear Vincent,
Pardon for the very belated reply!
“Ven. Chuan Guan” is good. 😉
Glad to hear that you are practising vipassana as regularlly as possible.
I’m with you on not being reliant on any living “master”, ie self-reliance. However, by reading the translations, aren’t we in a way, already relying on them as our teacher and guide already?
Having a teacher merely bring the text to life. It is like reading a physics text on Newton’s law of gravity by ourselves as opposed to have it taught to us by a physics teacher. Often times, the physics teacher can clarify points that a textbook may sometimes still appear abstract or obscure to some.
Case in point, I learnt programming back in the 80s simply by watching a television documentary and ploughing through all possible library books on the subject. While it proves that one can learn without a living teacher, it does not invalidate learning programming from a teacher. In fact, later on when I pursued computer engineering in university, I appreciated both ways of learning and found that some do better in one way than the other. 🙂
Having said all these (sometimes I over do it in giving examples! ha!), if you find that your learning and practices lead to lesser mental agitations, defilements and lead to a more caring, loving and peaceful state, then keep doing it! 🙂
Let me try to find the French translation and see what I can do to adapt it for the daily verses.
Blessings!
Dear Shi Chuan Guan,
I am new to the Buddhist faith and I am fascinated by its tenants. I however am rather distanced from the idea of Buddhist “Naraka.” It is my understanding that there are no creator gods, just the infinitely enlightened, which brings me to my question: I read your article on forgiveness and it brought me joy in imagining a faith that embraces peace and forgiveness as an imperative part of Buddhism. Naraka seems like the antithesis of forgiveness and peace. I am thinking that whoever sat to compile and write about Naraka was not a peaceful person, nor a forgiving person if they took the time to write about Naraka. How could one embrace such a belief of horror and anguish and still consider themselves peaceful, forgiving and enlightened? This sounds like the complete opposite of peaceful, forgiving and enlightened. This is the basis for rage, revenge and anguish upon our fellow people. Could you elaborate?
Dear Scott,
Thank you for writing and sharing your thoughts and kind words.
I understand how the very idea of a Buddhist “Naraka” or Hell seem like the exact opposite of the teaching of peace and forgiveness, ‘cos in most faiths, hell seems to be a punishment mete out by a divine being for the bad deeds we’ve done. In Buddhist teachings, the karmic results (vipaka) arises when the conditions are suitable for our karma to ripen. The nature, quality and extent of the results depend on the karma (actions), intensity and the object to which the action was performed on, but not on whether the object or person forgives us or not.
In real life, a person A may harm person B. While B may suffer from anguish and stress, assuming that the harm is not irrepairable or permanent, B may recover and through forgiveness, overcomes whatever emotional or mental baggage or suffering due to it.
Meanwhile, it does not mean that A is necessarily free of the guilt and remorse of having harmed B.
Similarly, the karmic fruit of A is not simply absolved with the forgiveness by B. The Buddha harboured no grudge towards Devadatta for his numerous attempts to kill him nor the final attempt which hurt his toe, but Devadatta still experienced the hell rebirth
thereafter.
If we punch a wall, it is not the wall that is punishing our fists, but our own punching that bruises them. The wall can neither bear a grudge nor forgive us, but gives us support when we lean on it and bruises our knuckles if we choose to punch it.
Hope this clarifies. 🙂
Blessings!
Ven. Chuan Guan,
Your app is wonderful! I look forward to it every evening. I also love the little pop-up message that shows after I close the app, it’s a nice touch. Thank you!
Ven. Chuan Guan,
Your app is wonderful! I look forward to it every evening. I also love the little pop-up message that shows after I close the app, it’s a nice touch. Thank you!
I am trying to find the download for PC desktop but it says “not found”. Is this no longer available? 🙁
Let me check and get back to you.
Ok, got the link fixed. The tag info was corrupted in the last server refresh after a bot attack.
You should be able to download the PC desktop app now. 🙂
Thanks for posting, it’s fixed now. Turns out the tag info for various posts were corrupted during the last server restore after a bot attack.
You should be able to download the windows app for desktop/laptop pc.