Buddhist Ideas to Ideals

One should be the pupil of everyone all the time.  One should express one’s appreciation of all that is well said.  One should speak of others’ virtues in their absence, and repeat them with pleasure.  Great Good arises from continuous devotion towards the fertile fields that are the Virtuous and our benefactors, and from the application of an antidote in the case of one who suffers.

The discussion of forbearance revolves around the inappropriateness of anger.  Anger alienates one from the very beings whom one has undertaken to save. 

A Bodhisatva who breaks precepts out of desire still holds sentient beings in his embrace, a Bodhisatva who breaks precepts out of hatred forsakes beings altogether.

There is no evil equal to hatred and no spiritual practice equal to forbearance.

One’s mind finds no peace; neither enjoys pleasure or delight, nor goes to sleep, nor feels secure while the dart of hatred is stuck in the heart.

Since what has not arisen does not exist, who would then form the wish to come into existence?  And since it would be occupied with its sphere of action it cannot attempt to cease to exist either.

In this way everything is dependent upon something else.  Even that thing upon which each is dependent is not independent.  Since, like a magical display, phenomena do not initiate activity, at what does one get angry like this?

When one wishes to move or to speak, first one should examine one’s own mind, and then act appropriately and with self-possession.

One should do nothing other than what is either directly or indirectly benefit to living beings, and for the benefit of living beings alone one should dedicate everything to Awakening.  Do not kill, do not take the not given, do not commit sexual misconduct, do not lie, do not ingest intoxicants

The reason harm is bad is because it is caused out of ignorance.  In order to see the four truths, the mind must be clear, and still; in order to be still, the mind must be content; in order to be content the mind must be free from remorse or guilt; in order to be free from guilt, one needs a clear conscience; the bases of clear conscience are generosity and good conduct. 

What would be the purpose for something that already exists?  Seed cause for apple tree, if you have an apple seed does the tree exist, is it a condition for something non existent, if the apple tree exists latently then what do you need the seed for.

The 7 Steps

1. Recognize all beings as having been one’s mother (infinite universe), enemy or friend all were once mother to you.
2. Recollect the kindness that they have shown to one, the kindness that your mother has shown you.
3. cultivate the yearning to repay the kindness, what person do you want to be
4. cultivate loving compassion keep mothers from suffering and keep them happy
5. give birth to great compassion
6. attain the unusual attitude, focus on the other
7. Bodhicitta is the result (but in practice, one inserts the exchange of self and other)

And that is why I should move to China, not to mention that I love Chinese buffet and Asian women and those sexy wrapped up feet.