On the evening of the seventh day of the twelve lunar month, as he was sitting meditation, all sorts of demonic realms delusion appeared before him to torment him: such things as sensory pleasures and desire for wealth, and fear of birth and death. He was not deluded by any of them. In the end, all the so-called armies of delusion, including female demons and all the rest, were vanquished by his p
ower of concentration.
In the course of this night, Shakyamuni experienced various spiritual powers one by one: the power of the knowledge of the realms of spirits ( the power of travel anywhere instantly); the power of the knowledge of supernatural vision; the power of the knowledge of supernatural hearing; the power of knowing the mind of others; the power to know at will past abodes (the power to know past lives); and the power of stainless wisdom ( the power to end all leaks and defilement). When he reached the realm of the six spiritual powers, his body and mind spontaneously emitted a great light.
As he emptied through in great enlightenment and experienced anuttarasamyaksambodhi: supreme, perfect, complete enlightenment, the next morning. Then he joyfully
exclaimed," How strange! All sentient beings are equipped with the characteristics of the wisdom of the tathagatas, but because
of the clingings of false thought, they can not realise them."
In the course of this night, Shakyamuni experienced various spiritual powers one by one: the power of the knowledge of the realms of spirits ( the power of travel anywhere instantly); the power of the knowledge of supernatural vision; the power of the knowledge of supernatural hearing; the power of knowing the mind of others; the power to know at will past abodes (the power to know past lives); and the power of stainless wisdom ( the power to end all leaks and defilement). When he reached the realm of the six spiritual powers, his body and mind spontaneously emitted a great light.
As he emptied through in great enlightenment and experienced anuttarasamyaksambodhi: supreme, perfect, complete enlightenment, the next morning. Then he joyfully
exclaimed," How strange! All sentient beings are equipped with the characteristics of the wisdom of the tathagatas, but because
of the clingings of false thought, they can not realise them."
2
After his enlightenment, because he was earnestly asked to do so by the devas, Shakyamuni Buddha resolved to disseminate the teaching and bring salvation to the world. The first thing he did was to go to the Deer Park, which had been a holy ground since ancient times, to find the five men who had found him in the forests of the snowy mountains in years gone by, and who were now concentrating on t
he practice of austerities. He preached to them the four noble truths of suffering, the formation of suffering, the extinction of suffering, and the path to the extinction of suffering. One after another, the five men understood and they began to cultivate the Path according to the Buddha's teaching. They were called bhiskshus ( Bhikshu means beggar: above they beg for the teaching from Buddha and below they beg for food from sentient beings.) This was the start of Shakyamuni Buddha's teaching activities. In Buddhist terms, it is called the initial turning of the Wheel of the Dharma. It was also the beginning of what in Buddhism are called the Three Jewels: the jewel of the Buddha, the enlightened one, the jewel of the Dharma, the enlightening teaching, and the jewel of the Sangha, the community of those seeking enlightenment.
3
At this time, in the city of Varanasi, was a man named Yashas who was the son of a prominent man. Because he felt the suffering of human life, he began to believe in the true Dharma and, hearing of Buddha's reputation, he left home, went to the Deer Park, and took refuge with him. He brought with him his companions, some fifty sons of prominent men, who all became disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. The parents of Yashas and his wife who came along and put their faith in Buddha. They became householders who cultivated practice, called in Sanskrit upasakas and upasikas.
4
Here's a guy who believes that money does not buy happiness!
How is this as a man of the people? The president of Uruguay, José Mujica, has earned a nickname, "el presidente mas pobre" (translation: "poorest president").
The 77-year-old recently admitted to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo that he donates almost all of his presidential salary, making him the poorest, or, as Univision pointed out,
How is this as a man of the people? The president of Uruguay, José Mujica, has earned a nickname, "el presidente mas pobre" (translation: "poorest president").
The 77-year-old recently admitted to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo that he donates almost all of his presidential salary, making him the poorest, or, as Univision pointed out,
most generous president, in the world.
El presidente explained he receives $12,500 a month but keeps only $1,250. The public servant told the newspaper, "I do fine with that amount; I have to do fine because there are many Uruguayans who live with much less."
He and his wife - a senator who also donates part of her salary - live in a farmhouse in Montevideo. His biggest expense is his Volkswagen Beetle, valued at $1,945.
Perhaps not surprisingly, under the former guerrilla fighter, who was elected in 2010 as a member of the left-wing coalition, the Broad Front, the country has become known for being one of the least corrupt on the continent.
Mujica has no bank accounts and no debt, and he enjoys one thing money can't buy: the companionship of his dog, Manuela.
The Uruguayan is not the first president to donate his salary. U.S. President John F. Kennedy, who came from wealth, donated his salary when in office, as did President Herbert Hoover. Hoover, who grew up poor, decided to never accept money for public service, so he could not be accused of corruption.
The World’s Poorest President
El presidente explained he receives $12,500 a month but keeps only $1,250. The public servant told the newspaper, "I do fine with that amount; I have to do fine because there are many Uruguayans who live with much less."
He and his wife - a senator who also donates part of her salary - live in a farmhouse in Montevideo. His biggest expense is his Volkswagen Beetle, valued at $1,945.
Perhaps not surprisingly, under the former guerrilla fighter, who was elected in 2010 as a member of the left-wing coalition, the Broad Front, the country has become known for being one of the least corrupt on the continent.
Mujica has no bank accounts and no debt, and he enjoys one thing money can't buy: the companionship of his dog, Manuela.
The Uruguayan is not the first president to donate his salary. U.S. President John F. Kennedy, who came from wealth, donated his salary when in office, as did President Herbert Hoover. Hoover, who grew up poor, decided to never accept money for public service, so he could not be accused of corruption.
The World’s Poorest President
5
When you realise that there is no good or bad in the world, the whole world, heaven and hell are within you. Your mind is free from suffering. No one can stop you from attaining happiness and peace. You are the world.
6
Tao
When you want to discuss a subject,
Put yourself outside the matter
And fathom the situation's advantages and disadvantages.
When you want to take up a matter,
Put yourself in the middle of the thing
And forget all reflections on profit and loss.
When you want to discuss a subject,
Put yourself outside the matter
And fathom the situation's advantages and disadvantages.
When you want to take up a matter,
Put yourself in the middle of the thing
And forget all reflections on profit and loss.
7.
During his first stay of three months in the Deer Park, Shakyamuni Buddha had already accepted fifty-six faithful disciples. He sent them out in all directions to propagate the teaching. He himself went alone to the city of Rajagrha in the land of Magadha beside the Nairanjana River and displayed his spiritual powers in order to convert those followers of outside paths who worshipped fire. At the
time, the three chief teachers of orthodox brahmanism were the three brothers Uruvilva-kashyapa, Nadi-kashyapa, and
Gaya-kashyapa. They came leading their thousands disciples to sincerely take refuge with Shakyamuni Buddha and become his followers. Next, Buddha won over the scholars Shariputra and Maudgalyayana, who were famous among the brahman communities for their intelligence and wisdom. These two also brought along a hundred disciples, and all of them became followers of Buddhism.
Gaya-kashyapa. They came leading their thousands disciples to sincerely take refuge with Shakyamuni Buddha and become his followers. Next, Buddha won over the scholars Shariputra and Maudgalyayana, who were famous among the brahman communities for their intelligence and wisdom. These two also brought along a hundred disciples, and all of them became followers of Buddhism.
8
Tao just works it own way to nourish the earth and living beings with compassion and unconditional love. If we live pure heartedly and follow the law of nature, we are in prefect balance and in harmony.That is the way of Tao.
Tao can not be explained. You can only feel its greatness and love when you move along with nature. Just like when you drink your own cup of tea and you know its taste and it is difficult for you to explain how the taste is to your friend. This involves wisdom.
Tao can not be explained. You can only feel its greatness and love when you move along with nature. Just like when you drink your own cup of tea and you know its taste and it is difficult for you to explain how the taste is to your friend. This involves wisdom.
9
When Shakyamuni Buddha was about 80 years old, that is, forty-eight or forty-nine years after his enlightenment, on a summer day as he was passing the rainy season in the village of Beluvana near the city of Vaishali, he let it be known that he would soon enter nirvana. Then he set off toward the north on his last journey, to the city of Kushinagara. Under the twin sala trees in the sala grove whe
re he had been born, Shakyamuni preached the Dharma to the elderly brahman Subhadra and when he had finished, he accepted him as his last disciple. Then he appeared to be sick and did not get up. He lay down on his right side and entered nirvana.
The date of Shakyamuni's death in Western terms was about
490-480 B.C. He died at midnight on the fifteen day of the second lunar month. His disciple Mahakashyapa hastened there from Spirit Peak and took charge of the funeral rites. As Buddha lay in his golden coffin, he unexpectedly showed his spiritual powers: he extended his foot to put Mahakashyapa's mind at rest, then he entered into a profound stillness.
When Buddha was about to die, his disciples asked him what would happen to them after his demise. He then instructed them very earnestly that, after he was gone, they should take the precepts of discipline as their teacher. This is why Buddhists ever since have looked upon the precepts of disciple with the same respect they give to the scriptural teachings that he imparted, and have followed them faithfully.
The date of Shakyamuni's death in Western terms was about
490-480 B.C. He died at midnight on the fifteen day of the second lunar month. His disciple Mahakashyapa hastened there from Spirit Peak and took charge of the funeral rites. As Buddha lay in his golden coffin, he unexpectedly showed his spiritual powers: he extended his foot to put Mahakashyapa's mind at rest, then he entered into a profound stillness.
When Buddha was about to die, his disciples asked him what would happen to them after his demise. He then instructed them very earnestly that, after he was gone, they should take the precepts of discipline as their teacher. This is why Buddhists ever since have looked upon the precepts of disciple with the same respect they give to the scriptural teachings that he imparted, and have followed them faithfully.
