Good morning!
Tonight we can see the full moon, if it clears up. The full moon represents the
Buddha heart, full and free in calm and clear conditions, illuminating the world.
Two days ago we had summer solstice, the longest day and thus now we are having
shorter and shorter days, though it seems like we are still having longer and brighter
days. The Buddha heart is awakened to the three dharma marks of impermanence, suffering (duk-kha, going against wishes), and no-self (“self” substance), the fourth
being nirvana (unconditioned peace).
The Buddha taught us that to be born as a human being is very rare like a blind
turtle living at the bottom of ocean coming to its surface once in a hundred years,
which happens to stick its head into a hole of a floating log by rare chance; and that
it is far more seldom to meet the Awakened Way. All creatures are blinded by
karmas, and humans are further blinded by their evolved brains and bodies. That is
why humans have been creating problems – pollutions of ABC (atomic, biological,
chemical) weapons coming from the triple poisons.
Humans with their hubris regard themselves as the best among creatures, but
actually they can be worst among themselves and against the whole world. We are
destroying the wholly wholesome life system and possibly annihilating it at any
moment with nukes. Humans perpetually promote pollution and are prepared to
precipitate mass extinction with the five calamities of delusion, bondage,
discrimination, exploitation, and extermination. We seem to lack cognition,
concern, and countermeasures, as if someone provided the worst weapons to mad
men.
We observe the Six Ways (or Destinies) of hell beings, hungry ghosts, fighting devils,
animal beings, human beings, and celestial beings. We ourselves go through these
Ways, and often worse than them, polluting all, individually, socially, and
ecologically. The triple poisons of thirst (Pali: taṅhā/Sanskrit: tṛṣṇā), anger
(dosa/doṣa), and delusion (moha/moha) essentially come from nescience
(avijjā/avidyā, no witness), and not seeing the true nature of the Dharma of
Dependent Origination (allphenomena dependently originated on causes and
conditions, thus substanceless (suñña/śūnya).
The sole solution of it is to sit still and serene, stop karmas, settle in nirvana, see the
Dharma (witness the Four Dharma Marks), save it, and serve it. Thus only can we be
saved from being small selves which are like bubbles, settle in the Dharma body
which is like the ocean, and serve it. Thus only can we find the true self in no-self,
and find and live in the true home – becoming total satisfaction and salvation of all.
Thus can we make every day and moment, a good day and moment – here and now –
tasting amrita, the ambrosia of immortality.
6/23/13
Photo of Maja Puja (Maha Puja, Great Dedication) in Thailand by Luke Duggleby, in
the National Geographic