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The Heart of the Matter

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Edited by Richie Cuthbertson, Wednesday, 4 Oct 2023, 21:56


The world judges by outward appearances.

But it's what's on the inside that counts.

...

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Asoka

Happiness more spiritual than the spiritual

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" And what, bhikkhus, is happiness more spiritual than the spiritual? When a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed reviews his mind liberated from lust, liberated from hatred, liberated from delusion, there arises happiness. This is called happiness more spiritual than the spiritual.

~ S 36.31 (Bhikkhu Bodhi trans.)


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Asoka

Resilience

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Sometimes we make poor choices. Bad kamma happens, some of it delayed, some of it instant. It is painful.

One has to just bear it up. There's nothing else for it. The past can't be changed. Take responsibility for your actions. Learn from the experience.  See what mental dispositions led to the suffering and abandon them.

It comes from within us. The greed, hate, and delusion comes from within. It is not something outside us. We ourselves are the source of it and the end of it.

Resilience is important. Because one will fall over time and time again whilst learning how to walk. 

 It is important to not give up. 

To pick oneself up after failure and keep going, this too is part of the path. Learning how to fall. Because greed, hate, and delusion will not go easy on you. 

Just remember we're all human.

We all make mistakes, we all make poor choices that lead to bad kamma. 

 Part of the journey is learning from our mistakes. Seeing what led to them. Reflecting wisely and growing from them. 

Some of our most potent spiritual lessons can come from humiliation and defeat.

Be kind to oneself. 
It is important.
Hate is poison.

Don't be afraid.
You are not alone.
There is grace out there too.
Friends who support you.
Both human and deva, ancestors too.
But they can't do the work for you.
Only you can do the work.
None but ourselves can free our minds.

 ...

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Asoka

Formations

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Edited by Richie Cuthbertson, Saturday, 22 Jul 2023, 10:18


Where is all this happening?
Sense impressions.
Feelings.

The body is in the mind.
The mind is in the body.

But what is in the heart?

The centre of
These changing dhammas.
Sankharas 

Built by
A thirst that's
Never satiated.

This empty existence
I cling to.

...




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