It's great to hear the official word in regard to this issue.
Time to get ou the mala =]

When I do mantras I usually do one mala per mantra. Then I will do another mala of a different mantra. Each mantra I keep in my mind what I wish to accomplished by reciting the mantra.

I also do not know if this is correct, but at least I am trying to keep a stable practice.

Many bows

There is a quote written by a thirteenth century Zen master named Dogen that I really like:   "If you cannot find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?"

And I think you eloquently touched upon this point. A lot of people tend to look outside of what they have right in front of them for the truth.  But if the truth is not right here, if Buddha's teachings are not right here in this very instance, what makes you think it will be anywhere else?   The Buddha did not make up his teachings, they were not just some good idea he came up with.  instead he woke up to what was already there all the time.  His blinders were just removed from his eyes.  Just like that we too can wake up to the exact same realization. 

it is so true that we tend to cling on to what was, and what will be, and completely ignore the only true moment that we have.  I think a lot of people do not like to be here and now because inside they are afraid of dealing with themselves. because in the present moment is where we really are.

The past is an interesting concept.  We have never experienced the past, nor can we ever experience the past.  What we had experience was a present moment that no longer exist, it was a "here and now", just one that no longer exist. Yet we are constantly re-playing things that have happened again and again in our minds.  But the past is interesting because it cannot change.  It will not change.  If we are depressed about the past, it will not change. If we are indifferent about the past, it will not change, and if we are happy about the past. It still will not change.

impermanence and emptiness are also beautiful when looked at correctly...

*whew*  its been a while since I talked about these things...thank you for this chance...

you too are a great posting partner. 

Lifetime of Bows

I like the Caterpillar metaphor.

And the transformation between Us and Buddha does seem as vast and as incredible as a caterpillar to a Butterfly. 

And I agree that the transformation and the peeling away if important, in fact it is necessary.   But I think by staying aware of each moment in our lives we will begin to see that the path, all of the transformation we must go through, each moment we wanted to get angry but didn't, each moment of compassion shown, isn't for us to become Buddha, but in those moments we actualize Buddha.  But why we do not stay Buddha comes from ignorance...

Like you stated ignorance sucks! But it is needed.  I think that is brilliant.  Just like all of the missed notes a pianist must go through before they master the piano.  By no longer seeing ignorance as an obstacle but a tool,  we can pierce right through it.


What an awesome discussion. Thank you!

*100,00 prostrations*

Your posts are great the read! Very beautiful writing !

Just one thing I would like to add:
We do not practice to become a Buddha.  We already are Buddhas. We already have exactly the truth we seek. All whats left is the realize the fact. 

All of the peeling away, and Dharma work is just to help us realize that we are already what we seek.

Thank you for you great replies!

Endless Bow

I bow to your wisdom  Thank you for your reply and I agree with it 100%

We can have  some understanding but in the end that understanding means nothing unless it can be applied to our practice.  I feel some people tend to blame karma for what happens to them and they use that as an excuse.

Thank you again.  Hope to have more exchanges with you in the future.

Deep Bow,
Rafael

I agree that being present is like being naked, but I think the feeling of vulnerability comes from thinking we shouldn't be in the present. 
We must peal back all of the layers that have been placed on us from culture upbringing, school, parents etc...and get back to who we really are, our essence.  Once we accept who we really are, we no longer have this naked vulnerable feeling, instead we become empowered and strong and nothing can disturb us. 

It is like wearing wet soggy clothes, we must first take them off before we can put on the nice warm clean clothes.

Like that, we must return to the present and accept it for as it is. because if we are faced with a present moment it could not have been otherwise, if it could it would be.  See this moment.  Accept this moment.  Let this moment go.   Embrace the next one.

*Endless Bow*

I always thought of Karma as not something that comes back to us at a certain time, but I think of Karma as this:
In every moment we are the complete manifestation of all of our previous Karma.  which is why one must practice wholeheartedly in the present moment otherwise we will bring ourselves, with our Karmic baggage with us to the next moment. 

When we see that this very moment contains all of the teachings of the Buddha, and that this very moment is the only time period that actually exist, we can be freed from our Karma and become a Buddha at the very instance. 

I think positive, negative, neutral Karma are just words and cannot be understood intellectually but they can be experienced.

I think about Karma a lot so these are just some of my thoughts....

*Endless Bow*

I use to be terrified about death. I use to avoid any Buddhist teachings that dealt with Death.  But as I continued to practice, and study I realized that all I was doing was running away from the editable.  I finally watched Rinpoche's videos  dealing with death, and I did my first Meditation on Death.  Everything changed for me after that.  To really sit there with the thoughts on Death and to see first hand that Death will come really helped me in dealing with everyday life.  I seem to get less angry, and when I do get angry it doesn't seem to last that long.  The thought "If I died today, would this really matter?" comes back to my mind.   

Meditating on Death can be scary at first, but I think it is important for any practitioner

 

And just to add; I think what keeps me going is: returning back to the everyday.  I think a lot of people think that Buddhist practice is something special that will take you away to some other perfect existence. But instead I see Buddhist practice as returning to everyday life, which is where life actually happens.  It is making the ordinary; divine and the divine ordinary.  (Which is special)

What keeps me going is learning how to see the world exactly as it is and being able to smile back at it.

Thank you for giving me to chance to think about this.

*Deep Bow*

Thank you! I will definitely check out the site and get out the frying pan. 

if you wouldn't mind I would love to try your recipes...

Thank you


Rafael
 

Just wanted to see if I can get some advice on what do to when you lose the spark to practice? or on those days when you just don't want to do anything, especially dharma

Thanks!

In zen Buddhism they say; when you clean Just clean don't make it two.  Become completely one with the action you are doing.  give it your complete awareness.  When thoughts come up, we simply let them go and return to the act of just cleaning.  Do all actions with both body and mind, not as two but as one.  do all actions with your whole being. 

Thanks for sharing.

Sometimes I ask my self that very question.  Why do I keep on returning to my seat? why do I keep on picking up that mala?  For me it is the fact that I know the only way to change what is around me is to change myself. and by changing myself all around me will change(although nothing really does)
My deep wanting to know more about the dharma is another reason I keep going.  The fact that I have Buddha images all over my room keeps me going as a reminder. 

But in the end, I think what gives me my motivation are all the Gurus and teachers who tireless work to benefit others. It really is awe inspiring for me.

 

Thank you for that.  I think the best thing is to be is aware of the fact that we do live off of other things. 

Thank you