Philosophy 06 (May 26 - Dec 27)

[winston]

Be Careful of Reactions

You must not hurt people, you must not hurt yourself and the most obvious way to avoid suffering for yourself and others, is to be careful of your reactions to form and sound.

- Guo Gu, “The Sound of a Bell, the Seven-Piece Robe”

[winston]

You Can Change

Just because you’ve been a certain kind of person for who knows how long, doesn’t mean you have to continue being that kind of person.

- Thānissaro Bhikkhu, “Learning from the Precepts”

[winston]

Artists Mold Reality

Magic is the imposition of will on reality, which is what artists do; they mold reality.

- Chris Kelley

[winston]

Mindfulness and Self-Esteem

The more I can develop the skill of viewing situations from a mindful perspective, the more I can simultaneously improve my self-esteem and accept that not everything the universe concocts is a reflection of my own self-worth.

- Mallika Iyer

[winston]

Remember the Positive

Being enveloped in and defined by what’s difficult is relatively easy to do, so it takes some intentionality to recognize all aspects of our experience and remember the positive forces in our lives.

Sharon Salzberg, “A Birthday Reflection”

[winston]

Overcoming Upsetting Memories

If we remember something that happened six months ago and with the memory come upset feelings, our feelings should be looked at with interest, nothing more.

Though that sounds cold, it’s necessary in order to be a genuinely warm and compassionate person.

- Charlotte Joko Beck, “Attention Means Attention”

[winston]

Speaking Truly

To speak truly, one must engage with and depend upon, the accidental and unforeseen circumstances of the living moment.

No outside guide will suffice.

The best we can do is show up for the event, heart and mind.

- Lin Jensen, “Right Lying”

[winston]

Understanding Reality

Having a clear understanding of how our mind works, is the foundation to understanding reality.

And understanding reality, is the key to mental well-being and health.

- Karuna Cayton, “The Myth of Reality”

[winston]

Our Existence

We don’t exist substantially or intrinsically or independently, but our existence, like the existence of everything else, is interdependent, conventional, constantly changing.
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- Jay L. Garfield, “How to Live Without a Self (and Be a Better Person)”

[winston]

What is it that stops us from recognising the oneness in creation?

The ego in man, sets him against all else; silence it, and all becomes one’s kith and kin.

The ego is the first sprout from the seed of ignorance, which is not a positive acquisition, but only the absence of knowledge.

When knowledge shines, inner and outer natures, are both seen as divine.

There is nothing that is not it. When this is experienced, love floods the heart and flows towards all.

There is no independence; there is only interdependence, for all waves are equally dependent on the sea beneath.

You use the word, ‘my own’; who is this ‘my’ who owns you, and whom you own as yourself?
It is the Divine in you, and in all.

Svechchha is the word in Sanskrit for “one’s desire”, the ichchha (desire) of sva (oneself). Since the self of one and the self of all else, are the same, Svechchha should be the common factor in all desires, namely, love.

Listen to the voice of Him, that warns, directs, prompts and prevents; you cannot then be wrong.

- Divine Discourse Sep 26, 1972

Love must see the best in others and not the worst. Love cannot ignore the divinity in others.

Source: radiosai.org