Are you willing and able to contemplate and concentrate on the teachings?

On YOUR Practice.

In YOUR LIFE SITUATION?

OR

DO YOU FIND YOURSELF DRIFTING ALONG IN THE MATERIAL REALM?

STOP!

Are YOU willing & able to STOP long enough to contemplate and concentrate on YOUR life?

Contemplation & Concentration Ain’t Easy When the Mind is Cluttered.

Study the Buddha Way.

Begin with yourself. Don’t look around for help in the material world. Look within your heart. Are YOU able to experience your spirit?

Here’s a little help.

Recollections By Yao Xiang Shakya

These recollections are much like a handful of leaves. Much like leaves in the woods, they developed over time. Your mind, intellect & ego develop overtime.

Each recollection grew out of practice in life. They are not meant to replace what you know but rather offer a place to lay the concentrated mind and contemplative source of your life.

A Very Short Primer on Buddhism

Please forgive the brevity of this primer which is certain to lead to inevitable vagueness. It is a basic coverage of the necessary teachings of Buddhism. Included are two suggestions:

• Support the soil where these recollections develop.
• Start with a tiny leaf of Buddhist teachings.

1. In other words, study the mental formations, followed by letting them go.
2. Don’t get caught up in the past or the future.
3. Focus on the present moment.
4. Studying the self in such a manner you FORGET the self.
5. This forgetting the self allows the actualization of the self. Another way to understand it is to determine what is reality and what is a passing phenomena.
6. Consider this carefully.

The Handful of Leaves.

Buddhism essentially does not have a set of beliefs that one memorizes and believes in intellectually. The essence of Buddhism is more about the nature of reality and the characteristics of reality. These characteristics are like the leaves on the trees.

The Buddha was staying in a forest with his disciples. He picked up a handful of leaves and asked, “What do you think, are there more leaves in my hand or more in the forest?”

The disciples answered, “More in the forest.”

The Buddha agreed and explained to his followers that what he knew directly was far more than what he taught. He goes on to explain that the handful of leaves is what is needed to awaken.

YES! Be dogged. Do not let go of what you know about your practice.

Leaves of Reality.

Buddha began by teaching what all human beings know. There is stress or suffering in this world. And this stress and suffering is experienced by all beings.

Birth is stress, sickness is stress, old age is stress and dying is stress. The Buddha’s teaching amplifies what human beings already experience. The amplification is the path of practice.

His first teaching was the Four Noble Truths. These truths show the cause of suffering and the end of suffering.

Characteristics of Existence.

Suffering is the first characteristic. The two remaining are similar to the first, in that most human beings know the reality of change. The morning begins followed by the afternoon and night. All are able to see this simple reality of impermanence.

The Buddha offers teachings to broaden and deepen what is already known. The average man knows that life changes, but how to respond to this reality is what Buddhism helps one to do. Follow the footsteps of this sage called Buddha.

The Two Extreme Responses to Reality.

There are two extreme responses to reality that cause more difficulty and also reflect the reality of the third characteristic, no lasting, solid self. The two extremes are in modern language, conceit and annihilation or a sense of superiority and entitlement and inferiority and self-loathing. Narcissism and nihilism seem to represent these two extremes.

Narcissism refers to the extreme of self-centeredness and eternal existence. This is not the teachings of Buddha. The other extreme is nihilism or the annihilation of any phenomena of collapse. The Middle Way is neither narcissism nor nihilism and is the reality of no lasting, solid self.

This last characteristic may be the most difficult to experience. Yet, even though difficult, it is possible to see this reality. Perhaps, for example, you set out to get an education to become a professional.

It is, like all phenomena, under the law of change and suffering. It may provide momentary experiences but there is no solid thing known as a professional. It is a collection of characteristics we agree to call a “professional.” The phenomena known as “human being” follow this law of reality.

The Middle Way.

The Middle Way is a response to reality. It is when one does not cling to narcissism or nihilism. It is recognition of the flow or law of change of the whole existence of reality. It also is the realization of cause and effect and co-dependent arising.

Cause and Effect.

All phenomena respond to cause and effect. It is inescapable. If you put your finger in a flame, for example, your finger gets burned. It is a simple example of cause and effect.

Cause and effect, although inescapable, is complex. It is nearly impossible to make sense of each aspect of what cause brought what effect. It is, however, important to know the law operates in the world.

Buddhism clearly teaches that a wholesome response brings a wholesome effect and an unwholesome response brings an unwholesome effect. Despite this clarity of the path and the clear teachings in the precepts or moral guidelines there are no black and white rules in Buddhism. Virtue goes beyond a set list of rules.

Co-Dependent Arising.

This law refers to the reality when certain conditions exist certain things arise and when certain conditions do not exist certain things cease. The rising and ceasing of things relates to the existence of suffering. When, for example, craving exists suffering arises, when craving ceases suffering ceases. All phenomena fall under this law of co-dependent arising.

Karma or action is part of the cycle of cause and effect. It is sometimes misunderstood as resignation or as if one is doomed to certain results. Karma like cause and effect is complex. It is difficult to make sense of what actions lead directly to what result.

The focus is on what you are up to right now and not on what you have done or might do. Buddhism emphasizes knowing the mind and training the mind in wholesome ways.

The law of change is in some ways a leavening effect on karma. Although actions effect and cause certain phenomena, change is ever possible. Buddhism teaches skillful means of living in order to affect the causes of suffering.

Skillful Means. 

These skills can be learned as are all of the teachings of Buddhism which help to alleviate suffering. The Eightfold Path, the Paramitas and the Precepts are three major sets of skillful means.

The Three-Legged Stool of Buddhism.

Precepts are one leg of the three-legged stool of Buddhism. The other two legs are meditation or concentration and wisdom or insight. All three are necessary. If one or the other is forgotten, the Buddhist practitioner is wobbly and unstable as a stool would be.

There are different sets of precepts. The lay practitioner vows to follow five or ten or sixteen precepts depending upon the tradition. Monks and Nuns follow many more.

Meditations are another leg of the three-legged school of Buddhism. There are many forms of meditation, but in general, each form is practiced in order to cultivate a concentrated empty mind.

Wisdom arises from the vows of the precepts as well as the practice of meditation. It is also considered one wing of Buddhism, the other wing being compassion.

Practice Requires Time and Effort. A willingness to study the mind, intellect & ego to the degree that this threesome does not run your life. We need to relinquish all the endless thoughts, attitudes and ego.

Are YOU willing and able to contemplate & concentrate on the teachings.

OR do you find yourself drifting along in the material realm?