The Zen Ox Herding Pictures #8
The circle represents voidness or emptiness. With no beginning and no end, the circle illustrates that emptiness is boundless—such is the quality of a mind totally free from clinging to a sense of self and free from attachment to the ox, or all worldly happiness. This is the end of the worldly stages of life.
Using the Heavenly Messengers and the Power of the Mind
This is a very good opportunity and I’m glad to be able to help out this way … particularly since about 25% of the population of the world is locked down, so they say. This is literally billions of people who are experiencing a retreat situation.
Q6. With What May Dhamma Be Compared?
The Buddha said, ‘Dhamma may be compared to a raft.’ He used the word ‘raft’ because in those days rafts were commonly used for crossing rivers, and this explanation of Dhamma as a raft could be readily understood.
Illness Reminds Us to Be Clever
Let us examine the reason why this illness happens. We ought to consider in a beneficial direction, that is, to see that this illness occurs to warn us. Illness doesn't exist to make us suffer or be sad.
Spreading Karunavirus
So, the world has changed, we're in lock-down, and Dhamma practice continues with heightened focus. Covid-19 just marched in.
Steadfastness in Challenging Times
How can we cultivate the quality of steadfastness so that when we do experience difficulty and adversity, we have a certain stability, clarity and firmness that is easily adaptable to circumstance?
The Dhammic Life Which Is Still a Secret
“How does Dhamma and the laws of Dhamma or nature relate to ecology in one’s duty towards the environment?”
The Zen Ox Herding Pictures #7
The young man looks up at the sky. Now that he has had his fill of worldly happiness for a long time, he becomes indifferent to it and aspires for something greater. Looking to the heavens, he sets his sights up high until he forgets the ox—he forgets worldly happiness and everything he possesses, along with his sense of self.
Doubts and Questions in Trouble Times
The first thing that comes to mind is to be looking at our own mind states and to be reflecting on how we feel about current conditions. Before we jump in and help other people or try and make them feel okay or to be encouraging or comforting, it's good to see where we're coming from.
Q5. Where Do We Learn and Study?
We answer this by quoting the Buddha once again, ‘In this fathom-long body together with awareness and intelligence.’ We learn in a human body accompanied by awareness and knowing. This means a living person, specifically, oneself.
Dhammic Safe Harbor (Covid-19.2)
“Retreating to safe harbor” is a theme Ajahn Buddhadāsa employed to caution against mindless progress. Careening forward out of habit is never wise. There are many times when we must pause and take stock.
Illness is Ordinary and Natural
Illness ought to be seen as natural occurrences for all physical saṅkhāras (bodies), whether humans or other animals, because saṅkhāras undergo change.* Whenever there is change, it can be up or down. Upward change feels comfortable and healthy. Downward change creates illness.
Heavenly Messages
These are frightening times. The uncertainty and stress in the air on account of the coronavirus pandemic is palpable and, at least for our human family, life as we know it has been radically disrupted.
The Dhammic Life Which Is Still a Secret
“In everyday city life would there be any real tangible benefit from the casual study of laws such as impermanence, conditionality, not-self etc.?”
A Few Mindfulness Exercises for the Pandemic
1) Be mindful of anxiety as a phenomena affecting body and mind. Don’t fight it or indulge it. See the anxious thoughts as simply thoughts, like clouds passing through the sky of the mind. See the physical sensations as merely sensation, part of nature.
The Zen Ox Herding Pictures #6
Feeling contented and jubilant, the man joyfully plays his flute while riding the ox. Fully tamed and harmless, the ox walks cheerfully and seems to enjoy itself as well. This picture signifies that the man has achieved the greatest success in worldly life and has fulfilled his material desires. He has attained enormous wealth and great honor, and is surrounded by a large number of loved ones and supporters.
Benefits, Drawbacks, and the Way Out
They are certainly drawbacks to having a global pandemic, but is it all doom and gloom and complete misery?
Q4. How Is Non-clinging Put into Practice?
The Buddha explained how to practice in succinct and complete terms. When seeing a visual object, just see it. When hearing a sound with the ears, just hear it. When smelling an odor with the nose, just smell it. When tasting something by way of the tongue, just taste it. When experiencing a tactile sensation by way of the general skin and body sense, just experience that sensation. And when a mental object, such as a sorrowful thought, arises in mind, just know that mood of sorrow.
Sane Living … Year Round (Covid-19.1)*
Avoiding Covid-19 and flattening the curve are on our minds. As many of us will catch it, surviving it is also on the table. Those of us who will experience cold or perhaps flu-like symptoms have healthy choices to make. How do we get through that without taxing the underfunded, strained healthcare system and adding to the emotional chaos?