AUG 2.2

H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche: "The master is like a great ship for beings to cross the perilous 


ocean of existence, an unerring captain who guides them to the dry land of liberation, a rain that 



extinguishes the fire of the passions, a bri

ght sun and moon that dispel the darkness of

ignorance, a firm ground that can bear the weight of both good and 

bad, a wish-fulfilling tree that bestows temporal happiness and ultimate bliss, a treasury of vast

 and deep instructions, 

a wish-fulfilling jewel granting all the qualities of realization, a father and a mother giving their 

love equally to all 

sentient beings, a great river of compassion, a mountain rising above worldly concerns 

unshaken by the winds of 

emotions, and a great cloud filled with rain to soothe the torments of the passions. In brief, he is 

the equal of all the

 Buddhas." pic Matthieu Ricard, Tibet 1985

AUG 2.1

A drop of water is another natural creation. It needs energy, time, and space to create such a beauty of its own. We can see the greatness and wonder in its formation. It helps to open our mind to look into the different dimensions of this Pure Land and its mystic creation. 

AUG 1.6

' With our thoughts we make the world.' Buddha 
~ His Holiness the Gylwang Drukpa


The mind, like anything, needs looking after to work well. If you have a car, for example, that looks very nice and new in the beginning when you bought it

, but you continue to use it without maintenance, its condition will deteriorate day by day. You need to check the brakes, the oil and the engine from time to time. This is the same as our mind, we have to check in from time to time, every day. If you don't put an effort into maintaining your car, even if externally it looks smart, it will not work. If we focus all the time on our body and don't repair and watch our mind, after a time it becomes wild and uncontrollable. If your mind is disturbed then life will be disturbed. Your nervous mind makes everything nervous. Rather than run away, give yourself a chance to understand the message your mind is giving you, the teaching. So, if we continually take care of our minds then we will help ourselves not to be dragged down by the poisons of attachment, anger, ignorance, discouragement, pride and jealousy. We keep a look out.

AUG 1.5

~ His Holiness the Gylwang Drukpa

Create space for compassion
If we can develop our mindfulness in everything we do then we will gradually begin to understand our emotions, where they come from and if they are good or bad for us. It isn't

 easy in the moment to quell anger, fear, jealousy or desire, but if we spend a little time daily exploring ourselves and our emotions then over time they will be less controlling. If you can recognise the 'poisons', then you take a good step towards making the path a little less bumpy. And then you will begin to be able to turn your anger into patience, refrain from speaking harsh words and be rejoicing of others instead of jealous. You will be generous in your thoughts, hoping for the best for everyone.
' In this world
Hate never yet dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate.
Ancient and inexhaustible.
You soon shall pass away.
Knowing this, how can you quarrel?
Buddha

AUG1

Contributed by Richard Gossett

Buddha said,"Do not be led by rumor, or tradition, or by the authority of religious texts, nor by false arguments, nor by appearances, nor by theories, nor even by reverence. But rather when you know through

 your own experience that certain things are wrong and unwholesome, do not lead to calm and happiness and are not beneficial, then give them up. When you know for yourselves that certain things are right and wholesome, lead to calm and happiness and are beneficial, then follow them."

 

AUG1

~ Bhante Gunaratana
There are three integral factors in Buddhist meditation - morality, concentration, wisdom. These three factors grow together as your practice deepens. Each one influences the other, so you cultivate the three of them at 

once, not separately. When you have the wisdom to truly understand a situation, compassion toward all parties involved is automatic, and compassion means that you automatically restrain yourself from any thought, word, or deed that might harm yourself and others; thus your behavior is automatically moral. It is only when you don't understand things deeply that you create problems. If you fail to see the consquences of your actions, you will blunder. The person who waits to become totally moral before he begins to meditate is waiting for a situation that will never arise. The ancient sages say this person is like a man waiting for the ocean to become calm so that he can take a bath.

AUG 1

~ Bhante Gunaratana

The Dhammapada, an ancient Budhhist text says: " What you are now is the result of what you were. What you will be tomorrow will be the result of what you now. The consequences of an evil mind will follow you like a car

t follows the ox that pulls it. The consquences of a purified mind will follow you like your own shadow. No one can do more for you than your own purified mind - no parents, no relative, no friend, no one. A well disciplined mind brings happiness.
Meditation is intended to purify the mind. It cleanses the thought process of what can be called psychic irritants, things like greed, hatred, and jealousy, which keep you snared up in emotional bondage. Meditation brings the mind to a state of tranquillity and awareness, a state of concentration and insight.