é™æ€è¯ Readings For Silent Reflection
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Tug of War
During a tug of war, both parties pull their hardest. Roars fill the air. The red knot at the center of the rope moves towards one side or the other, depending on the balance of strength being exerted. Suddenly a whistle goes off, signaling judgment time. The winners celebrate with thunderous cheers, while the losers sigh heavily. The red knot, just now the center of all attention, lies on the ground motionless, silent. No one cares about it anymore.
Before, during and after the tug of war, the red knot was just a red knot. What does it have to do with winning or losing? Focus of attention or neglected object, it is all same to the knot. What difference is there between excitement and loneliness? And the knot never takes sides. Whether it favors one team or the other is merely the contestants’ perspective.
Sometimes, we are just like the red knot in a tug of war. Strong or weak, win or lose, hot or cold are only matters for the audience. They have nothing to do with us. We should perceive this properly.
-Master Jingzong
(English translation by Wang Yuanyuan, edited by Jingtu) -
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一心归命 “å�—æ— é˜¿å¼¥é™€ä½›” _/|\_
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Always recite "Nanmo Amituofo".
愿生西方净土ä¸ï¼Œ 上å“�莲花为父æ¯�，花开è§�ä½›æ‚Ÿæ— ç”Ÿï¼Œä¸�退è�©è�¨ä¸ºä¼´ä¾£ã€‚
We wish to be born in the Western Pure Land with lotus blossoms, in highest order, as parents. When the lotus blossoms fully, we shall see the Buddha and be enlightened with the absolute truth, with never-retrogressive Bodhisattvas as companions.
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In our minds, ignorance is an intangible storm, jealousy is a knife, doubt is a ghost, superstition is a prison. These intangible thieves can destroy all our good nature and merits from spiritual cultivation.
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If a person cannot control his own mind, he will violate precepts so frequently as to harm his wisdom.
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To practice Buddhism is to assume responsibilities in any given position. Do not belittle mundane matters so much as to forget that we are in the human world. -
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Many people regard spiritual cultivation as a term for monks or nuns. In fact, spiritual cultivation should be practiced by everyone in their daily life-to modify mind and temperament, and to practice right behaviors.
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While an ordinary person suffers an ignorant past and a confused present, a Saint enjoys an enlightened present and a free future.
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ä¸è‹±æ³•å�¥ç»�/Bilingual Dhammapada
安��/Sukhavagga: Happiness (Dhp 197-208)
贪欲ä¸æ— 欲，我ç‰å®‰ä¹�ä½�，于贪欲人ä¸ï¼Œæˆ‘ç‰æ— 欲ä½�。
We the unfrenzied live
happily midst the frenzied,
among the frenzied humans
from frenzy dwell we free.
Explanation: Among the anxious men and women, who ceaselessly exert themselves in pursuit of worldly things. We, who do not make such a feverish effort to pursue the worldly, live happily. Among those who seek the worldly, among men who seek pleasure, we live without seeking pleasure. -
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... My TEACHING IS NOT A PHILOSOPHY....It Is The Result of Direct Experience...
... My teaching is a means of Practice, not something to hold onto (attachment) or worship...
... My teaching is like a raft used to cross the river. Only a fool would carry the raft around (attachment) after he had already reached the other shore of liberation .
- The Buddha
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