What are you doing right now? What would you do if you could do anything? What can you do right now to bring yourself closer to what you would do if you could do anything? Do it now. Be. Be a human being. Your life is what your mind sees. When you stand barefoot in a lake and you feel the water and the sand, and you see the water and the sand; you experience true nature. When a fish nibbles on your toes, perhaps for the first time – you experience fear, all because you did not see the approaching fish. You fear what you do not see, or know. When you see what is really happening, you will choose whether to flee in fear from the big, vicious fish; or whether to stay and laugh at the hungry little fish. This is the Zen of Buddhism.
Being the Buddha means being the master of your surroundings. Think with your whole mind, interpret your surroundings as they really are, and be mindful and wise. To empty your mind means to be ready to observe, this is called the beginners mind or the Zen Mind. Wise and mindful thinking occurs after you see. Your life is what your mind sees, no need to make it (life) up by thinking up things that may not occur. Visuals/visualizations produce choices, you are the visualizer.
Buddhism is based on the Four Noble Truths:
- The Noble Truths of Suffering
- The Origins of Suffering
- The destruction of Suffering.
- The Way to the Destruction of Suffering.
The escape from suffering is to be found on the Eightfold Path:
- Right Views
- Aspirations
- Speech
- Conduct
- Livelihood
- Effort
- Mindfulness
- Contemplation
Like all religions or spiritual practices, the original teachings have been distorted, but several prevailing truths do remain. The Buddha was a man, a Prophet Prince of India named Gautama Siddhartha. Over time, the Buddha image has become a representation of many Buddha's over past and future generations, until eventually all Buddha's are viewed as the manifestation of the Eternal One, some Absolute Source of all reality.
The people of Asia tend to reject the notion of an Absolute Deity, and thus Buddhism becomes anyone's religion or practice. The Buddha is whatever you want him to be, or whatever you are. This view is probably closer to the original teachings. Gautama Siddhartha also believed that salvation is achieved by human effort, a universe of absolute justice (cause and effect), and he did not believe in superstition, magical rituals, ghosts or demons.
The message of living in the now – the Zen of Buddhism – is where the truth may be found, for it is through personal religious/spiritual experiences that existing and revelatory truths are discovered, this is the value of reality. Truth may be progressive, adjusting itself to our ever-changing lives. Our brilliance and joyfulness is to be found in our personally discovered truths. Truth is discovered in direct proportion to our faith. Deep self-reflection and the desire to reach higher thoughts, wisdom, ethics and ideals is the motivation. Truth and faith are the inspiration that fuels our motivation.
- Buddhism on Evil, Enlightenment and Rewards:
"Unrighteousness is contemptible; sin is despicable. Evil is degrading, whether held in thought or wrought out in deeds. Pain and sorrow follow in the path of evil as the dust follows the wind. Happiness and peace of mind follow pure thinking and virtuous living as the shadow follows the substance of material things. Evil is the fruit of wrongly directed thinking. It is evil to see sin where there is no sin; to see no sin where there is sin. Evil is the path of false doctrines. Those who avoid evil by seeing things as they are gain joy by thus embracing the truth. Make an end of your misery by loathing sin. When you look up to the Noble One, turn away from sin with a whole heart. Make no apology for evil; make no excuse for sin. By your efforts to make amends for past sins you acquire strength to resist future tendencies thereto. Restraint is born of repentance. Leave no fault unconfessed to the Noble One.
"Cheerfulness and gladness are the rewards of deeds well done and to the glory of the Immortal. No man can rob you of the liberty of your own mind. When the faith of your religion has emancipated your heart, when the mind, like a mountain, is settled and immovable, then shall the peace of the soul flow tranquilly like a river of waters. Those who are sure of salvation are forever free from lust, envy, hatred, and the delusions of wealth. While faith is the energy of the better life, nevertheless, must you work out your own salvation with perseverance. If you would be certain of your final salvation, then make sure that you sincerely seek to fulfill all righteousness. Cultivate the assurance of the heart which springs from within and thus come to enjoy the ecstasy of eternal salvation.
"No religionist may hope to attain the enlightenment of immortal wisdom who persists in being slothful, indolent, feeble, idle, shameless, and selfish. But whoso is thoughtful, prudent, reflective, fervent, and earnest—even while he yet lives on earth—may attain the supreme enlightenment of the peace and liberty of divine wisdom. Remember, every act shall receive its reward. Evil results in sorrow and sin ends in pain. Joy and happiness are the outcome of a good life. Even the evildoer enjoys a season of grace before the time of the full ripening of his evil deeds, but inevitably there must come the full harvest of evil-doing. Let no man think lightly of sin, saying in his heart: 'The penalty of wrongdoing shall not come near me.' What you do shall be done to you, in the judgment of wisdom. Injustice done to your fellows shall come back upon you. The creature cannot escape the destiny of his deeds.
Urantia Paper 131:3-5 – Buddhism on Evil, Enlightenment and Rewards
- Quotes from Zen Mind, Beginners Mind by Shunryu Suzuki:
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few."
"To stop your mind does not mean to stop the activities of mind. It means your mind pervades your whole body. With your full mind you form the mudra (gesture) in your hands."
"Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine."
"To have some deep feeling about Buddhism is not the point; we just do what we should do, like eating supper and going to bed. This is Buddhism."
"When you become you, Zen becomes Zen. When you are you, you see things as they are, and you become one with your surroundings."
Readiness, Mindfulness: "It is the readiness of the mind that is wisdom."
"That we are attached to some beauty is also Buddha's activity."
