OM or AUM
The sound of creation and the universe combined. The symbol itself represents the different states of consciousness and their relation to the divine. The sound itself is broken down in to four parts:
AUM:
Aaahh: represents the beginning of sound and the aspect of the creation of the universe. (remember universe is a compound word of two words Uni, meaning one and Verse meaning spoken word of phrase) this sound stimulates and resonates with the Throat Chakra which controls your spiritual drive.
OOO: this sound signifies the maintaining energy of the universe and connects the self to a higher state of being. The sound stimulates the Naval Chakra which is the seat of power and drive.
MMMMM: Represents the trans-formative energy of the universe and the thoughts and beliefs of your being or self. The sound allows you to slow down and feel the connection with all that is in existence. The Mmmm sound when prolonged has a looping effect first it stimulates the root chakra which controls fear and helps root oneself to the here and now, then moves itself back up to the crown chakra which is your spiritual centre and your connection to the divine.
Silence: the space between each chant that represents a vibration beyond that of verbal pronunciation. It is pure consciousness of the self (I exist, I know, I am blissful)
Namste
Created vs Made
One of the arguments I have heard about the Divine being a part of everything has been “That is ridiculous, when I build a house I am not really a part of it, I may feel like I am but I am not!” I always have the follow up “Did you create the seed that grows the trees that becomes the wood you use to build the house?”
There is a fine line but a finite line between something that is made and something that is created. When the consciousness that exists in the universe created and manifested the universe in its glory it became a part of the universe, in as much as the same way as I, a father created my children, and a part of me exists in them as a whole.
You are unique, but you are also a part of the whole the same atoms that make up the stars and planets, the animals and plants, also make up you.
Pantheism vs Polytheism
This came up as a discussion today, and because there was a missconception, I wondered if perhaps there were more people out there who might not understand the differences between the two.
Polytheism is the belief that there is more than one deity. In practice, polytheism is not just the belief that there are multiple gods; it usually includes belief in the existence of a specific pantheon of distinct deities.
Within polytheism there are hard and soft varieties:
- Hard polytheism views the gods as being distinct and separate beings; an example of this would be certain schools of Hinduism as well as Hellenismos.
- Soft polytheism views the gods as being subsumed into a greater whole. Some other forms of Hinduism such as Smartism/Advaita Vedanta serve as examples of soft polytheism.
Polytheism is also divided according to how the individual deities are regarded:
- Henotheism: The viewpoint/belief that there may be more than one deity, but only one of them is worshiped.
- Kathenotheism: The viewpoint/belief that there is more than one deity, but only one deity is worshiped at a time or ever, and another may be worthy of worship at another time or place. If they are worshiped one at a time, then each is supreme in turn.
- Monolatrism: The belief that there may be more than one deity, but that only one is worthy of being worshiped. Most of the modern monotheistic religions may have begun as monolatric ones, although this is disputed.
Pantheism and panentheism
- Pantheism: The belief that the physical universe is equivalent to a god or gods, and that there is no division between a Creator and the substance of its creation. Examples include many forms of Saivism.
- Panentheism: Like Pantheism, the belief that the physical universe is joined to a god or gods. However, it also believes that a god or gods are greater than the material universe. Examples include most forms of Vaishnavism.
Some people find the distinction between these two beliefs as ambiguous and unhelpful, while others see it as a significant point of division.
I think my beliefs tend to fall towards the Buddhist Agnostic Pantheism
Namaste!
Blessing for protection and peace.
By his victory over Mara and his three daughters, Attraction, Aversion and Delusion, under the bodhi tree. To the realization of Omniscience, turning of the wheel of the truth and the nine supramundane states. By the three modes of practice for the welfare of the world, for the welfare of relatives, and for the benefit of Buddhahood. Under the peaceful shield of the Sangha, we are protected. May the spirits of miss fortune and ill intent be at peace, Om shanti shanti shanti. May the spirits of the divine guide us and keep us safe. Om paritta paritta paritta, subhaga metta, paritta. May those who are afflicted with pain be free from pain, may those who are in fear (agony and insecure) be free from fear, agony and insecurity. May those who are afflicted with grief be free from grief. May all beings be free from misery, fear and grief. Shelter us, give us strength!
Is Buddhism Theistic?
I believe that Buddhism is not theistic, nor is it atheistic, rather it is Agnostic. Let’s look at the definition of Agnosticism:
Agnosticism is the view that the truth values of certain claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, as well as other religious and metaphysical claims—are unknown or unknowable. According to the philosopher William L. Rowe, in the popular sense, an agnostic is someone who neither believes nor disbelieves in the existence of a deity or deities, whereas a theist and an atheist believe and disbelieve, respectively.
For me personally this is how I see the middle way. I do not wish to limit the divine to my own understanding, nor do I wish to limit myself be believing I can know what is or is not. The divine, in which ever form it takes, does not require you to believe in it for it to exist, but it is when you try to define it as a creator, or being, giving it properties of he or she, you being to limit what is truly limitless. Instead it is more important to understand and focus on the causality and acts of the individual, finding the peace you seek in good works. It is better for form a relationship with the universe itself than it is to understand the divine. It is when you form a close relationship with the universe that you realize that the divine is in fact everything.
Again this is but my truth, and yours may differ from mine. so with the spirit of Satya I say Namaste
Oh, a wise guide eh?
Two people have been living in you all your life. One is the ego, garrulous, demanding, hysterical, calculating; the other is the hidden spiritual being, whose still voice of wisdom you have only rarely heard or attended to. As you listen more and more to the teachings, contemplate them, and integrate them into your life, your inner voice, your innate wisdom of discernment, what we call in Buddhism “discriminating awareness,” is awakened and strengthened, and you begin to distinguish between its guidance and the various clamorous and enthralling voices of ego. The memory of your real nature, with all its splendor and confidence, begins to return to you.
You will find, in fact, that you have uncovered in yourself your own wise guide, and as the voice of your wise guide, or discriminating awareness, grows stronger and clearer, you will start to distinguish between its truth and the various deceptions of the ego, and you will be able to listen to it with discernment and confidence.
-Sogyal Rinpoche.
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
-Cherokee Legend
True Dharma is Universal in nature!
Great Heart of Transcendent Wisdom Sutra (Heart Sutra)
Kuan Yin Bodhisattva, while practicing deep Prajna-Paramita, clearly saw that all five Skandhas are empty and crossed over all suffering. Shariputra, form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Form does not differ from emptiness; emptiness does not differ from form. Sensation, perception, volition, and consciousness are also like this.
Shariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness: Not beginning, not ending, not stained and not pure, not increasing and not decreasing. Within emptiness there is no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind; no seeing, no hearing, no smelling, no tasting, no touching, and no thinking; no realms from sight to mind; no ignorance and no ending of ignorance, no old age and death and no ending of old age and death; no suffering and no beginning and no ending of suffering, no path; no wisdom and no attainment with nothing to attain.
Therefore, the Bodhisattvas rely on Prajna-Paramita, the most excellent wisdom, and with no hindrance of mind, no fears and no illusions, they enter into Nirvana. All Buddhas from the past present and future practice in this way and awake to complete and perfect enlightenment.
Therefore, know that the Prajna-Paramita is the great bright mantra, the great transcendent mantra that relieves all suffering. Know this as truth and declare:
Gone, Gone, Gone Beyond, Gone Far Beyond, Be Set Upon Awakening!
Great Heart of Transcendent Wisdom Sutra
Torei Zenji: The Bodhisattva Vow
When I (a student of the Dharma) look at the real form of the universe,
all is the never-failing manifestation of the mysterious truth of Tathagata.
In any event, in any moment, and in any place,
none can be other than the marvelous revelation of its glorious light.
This realization made our founding teachers and virtuous Zen leaders extend tender care, with the heart of worshiping, to animals and birds, and indeed to all beings.
This realization teaches us that our daily food, drink, clothes, and protections of life
are the warm flesh and blood, the merciful incarnation of Buddha.
Who can be ungrateful or not respectful to each and every thing, as well as to human beings!
Even though someone may be a fool,
be warm and compassionate.
If by any chance such a person should turn against us,
become a sworn enemy and abuse and persecute us,
we should sincerely bow down with humble language,
in reverent belief that he or she is the merciful avatar of Buddha,
who uses devices to emancipate us from sinful karma
that has been produced and accumulated upon ourselves
by our own egoistic delusion and attachment
through countless cycles of kalpas.
Then on each moment’s flash of our thought there will grow a lotus flower,
and on each lotus flower will be revealed a Buddha.
These Buddhas will glorify Sukhavati, the Pure Land, every moment and everywhere.
May we extend this mind over all beings
so that we and the world together
may attain maturity in Buddha’s wisdom.
Letting go of Internal Attachments (Ideas).
From the Tao Te Ching: to me this speaks on attachment to things that are internal.
The Tao is (like) the emptiness of a vessel; and in our employment of it we must be on our guard against all fullness. How deep and unfathomable it is, as if it were the honored Ancestor of all things! We should blunt our sharp points, and unravel the complications of things; we should attemper our brightness and bring ourselves into agreement with the obscurity of others. How pure and still the Tao is, and if it would ever so continue!
Often we need to attemper our brightness, or make less zealous our messages, temper them with compassionate thought instead of assuming our truth is the only truth for everyone. As we empty our vessels of our attachments, both to the material and immaterial, we then can fill it once more with good deeds, and good Dharmas.
Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good. Buddha
I am a Man
Sadly, a fact that I must admit, in this existence I am a man *chuckles* being so there are life views that come from my own unique perspective.
Here are but a few, enjoy!
I am a man, I do not wear pants down past my belt line, I am not in a prison yard expressing my willingness to find a mate. If I found a mate, I would hope that it would be for my mind and spirit not my bare buttock.
I am a man, I do not ware tight pants, instead I prefer a relaxed fit for the ample cargo pants carry do not need any more crushing or busting that life doesn’t already give .
I am a humble man, I do not need to drive an ego extension, I drive a simple quite humble car that is smooth and comfortable to ride in.
I am a poor man, I do not afford the luxuries, nor do I wish to waste my parents money on revving my engine needlessly or rapidly accelerating down the road, for all cargo in all vehicles is precious and so is the joy my family gets for being able to afford family outings.
I am a straight man, I know I apologize that fact, for like you, I was born the way I am, I will not try to convert you, I will not put down your gender or orientation, I will not force my body, or my views on anyone, for we all deserve to find our own happiness in this life.
I am a man, I know it is ok to feel, to find passions, to love, and to sometimes cry.
I am an adequate man, I do not feel the need to bring you down to build myself up.
I am a wise man, I know that my truths are not your truths, and so I say Namaste!
The Buddhist Nerd 
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