Inspiring Words

A place to discuss casual topics amongst spiritual friends.
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justpractice
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Re: Inspiring Words

Post by justpractice »

Many teachers limit themselves to various techniques of meditation—in effect making meditation in itself something of a panacea, a goal, even an idol, and therefore a dead-end. The primary reason for this limitation is that both teachers and students are unwilling to pay the price, which is not monetary. They are unwilling to let go of their ideas of themselves; unwilling to let go of a sense of belonging to a special in-group; unwilling to wait in the dark in complete openness; unwilling to turn away from noise and static in their minds whenever they notice it in order to reach into the dark; unwilling to seek solitude and silence; unwilling to radically simplify their lives in order to sustain the context in which the riches of deep mind may emerge. Willingness to change one’s life is not the condition of entry into the silence; rather, once entered, the silence itself elicits such changes. It is the same with so-called asceticism: it is not the condition of entry, but rather the condition for sustaining the process; it arises organically. - Maggie Ross
"Whoever avoids sensual desires
— as he would, with his foot,
the head of a snake —
goes beyond, mindful,
this attachment in the world." - Sn 4.1
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Inspiring Words

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151. Even gorgeous royal chariots wear out, and
indeed this body too wears out. But the Dhamma
of the Good does not age; thus the Good make it known to the good.
152. The man of little learning grows old like a
bull. He grows only in bulk, but, his wisdom does not grow.
Buddha - Dhammapada
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Inspiring Words

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In anger we should refrain both from speech and action.
Pythagoras
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Mahabrahma
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Re: Inspiring Words

Post by Mahabrahma »

Power comes in response to a need, not a desire.
-Goku.
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Inspiring Words

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If others tell us something we make assumptions, and if they don't tell us something we make assumptions to fulfill our need to know and to replace the need to communicate. Even if we hear something and we don't understand we make assumptions about what it means and then believe the assumptions. We make all sorts of assumptions because we don't have the courage to ask questions.
― Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements
The Four Agreements are:

Be Impeccable With Your Word.
Don't Take Anything Personally.
Don't Make Assumptions.
Always Do Your Best.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Inspiring Words

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Today a man is no longer punished only for the crimes he has in fact committed. Now he may be compelled to confess to crimes that have been conjured up by his judges, who use his confession for political purposes. It is not enough for us to damn as evil those who sit in judgment. We must understand what impels the false admission of guilt; we must take another look at the human mind in all its frailty and vulnerability. If we are to survive as free men, we must face up to this problem of politically inspired mental coercion, with all its ramifications.
A.M. Meerloo, Rape of the Mind
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Inspiring Words

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The fulness of joy is to behold God in all: for by the same blessed Might, Wisdom, and Love, that He made all-thing, to the same end our good Lord leadeth it continually, and thereto Himself shall bring it; and when it is time we shall see it.
Julian of Norwich
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Inspiring Words

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It is one of the few consolations in this not
entirely disconsolate world, that not only Evil, but the Good also
may have a strong infectious power that will show itself
increasingly if only we have the courage to put it to the test.

"Thus it is our own mind that should be established in all the
Roots of the Good; it is our own mind that should be soaked
by the rain of truth; it is our own mind that should be purified
from all obstructive qualities; it is our own mind that should
be made vigorous by energy." Gaṇḍavyūha Sūtra.
Nyanaponika Thera
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Inspiring Words

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The grand figure of Jesus will reign supreme and universal only on that day when the whole of humanity recognizes but one father — the Unknown One above — and one brother — the whole of mankind below.
Blavatsky - Isis Unveiled vol. II
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Inspiring Words

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FIVE METHODS OF EXPELLING EVIL THOUGHTS

If, whilst regarding a certain object, there arise in the disciple,
on account of it, evil and unwholesome thoughts connected
with greed, hatred and delusion, then the disciple
(1) should, by means of this object, gain another and wholesome object.
(2) Or, he should reflect on the misery of these thoughts;
‘Unwholesome, truly, are these thoughts! Blamable are these
thoughts! Of painful result are these thoughts!’
(3) Or he should pay no attention to these thoughts.
(4) Or, he should consider the compound nature of these thoughts.
(5) Or, with teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the gums, he
should with his mind restrain, suppress and root out these
thoughts; and in doing so these evil and unwholesome
thoughts of greed, hatred and delusion will dissolve and disappear;
and the mind will inwardly become settled and calm, composed and concentrated.
This is called the effort to overcome.
MN 20 or Word of the Buddha p. 56
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Inspiring Words

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The habit of dissipating every serious thought by a succession of agreeable sensations is as fatal to happiness as to virtue ; for when amusement is uniformly substituted for objects of moral and mental interest, we lose all that elevates our enjoyments above the scale of childish pleasures.
Anna Maria Porter (1778–1832)
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Inspiring Words

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Fearless minds climb soonest unto crowns.
Shakespeare.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Inspiring Words

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There is a grand fearlessness in faith. He who in his heart of hearts reverences the good, the true, the holy; does not tremble at the apparent success of attacks upon the outworks of faith.
FW Robertson
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Inspiring Words

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Perhaps there lives some dreamy boy, untaught
In schools, some graduate of the field or street.
Who shall become a master of the art.
An admiral sailing the high seas of thought
Fearless and first, and steering with his fleet
For lands not yet laid down in any chart.
—Longfellow.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Inspiring Words

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

The American Union will last as long as God pleases. It is the duty of every American Citizen to exert his utmost abilities and endeavours to preserve it as long as possible and to pray with submission to Providence “esto perpetua” [may it last forever].
John Adams to Charles Carroll, August 2, 1820.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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