Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
OM MANI PADME HUM
Image via WikipediaTibetan Buddhists believe that saying the mantra (prayer), Om Mani Padme Hum, out loud or silently to oneself, invokes the powerful benevolent attention and blessings of Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion. Viewing the written form of the mantra is said to have the same effect -- it is often carved into stones, like the one pictured above, and placed where people can see them.
Spinning the written form of the mantra around in a Mani wheel (or prayer wheel) is also believed to give the same benefit as saying the mantra, and Mani wheels, small hand wheels and large wheels with millions of copies of the mantra inside, are found everywhere in the lands influenced by Tibetan Buddhism.
The Prayer Wheel: Spiritual Technology from Tibet
It is said that all the teachings of the Buddha are contained in this mantra: Om Mani Padme Hum can not really be translated into a simple phrase or sentence.
It is appropriate, though, to say a little about the mantra, so that people who want to use it in their meditation practice will have some sense of what they are doing, and people who are just curious will understand a little better what the mantra is and why it is so important to Tibetan Buddhists. We begin in the next section with some information about the mantra itself.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Thich Nhat Hanh - Cultivating Happiness, Relieving Pain
Thich Nhat Hanh - Cultivating Happiness, Relieving Pain: ""
Thich Nhat Hanh - Cultivating Happiness, Relieving Pain
1:42:36 - 3 years ago
In the first segment of this dharma talk, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh addresses families, offering concrete methods from Buddhism to develop and sustain a family practice that includes children and adults. Beginning Anew – a community meeting of appreciation, deep listening and understanding that is practiced weekly at Plum Village – is explained for family use. Bell practice is described so that all members of the family can take part in it. He gives suggestions for establishing a breathing room in the home and a weekly family meditation time. But most importantly, he reminds us to eat a meal together each day, listen deeply to each others’ words, and speak to each other with love and from our hearts. This is true family practice. In the second segment (#58m5s), Thich Nhat Hanh describes exercises of mindful breathing that were developed by the Buddha more than 2,500 years ago. When you practice mindful breathing, you create the energy of awareness – that awareness can be used to go home to the body and lessen pain and suffering. The breath exercises given here bring joy and happiness into the body and give you the tools to recognize painful feelings and bring relief to them. -- For all DVDs by Thich Nhat Hanh, please go to: https://www.ubcgateway.org/cart/ProductList1.asp?SearchBy=PR_SubCatID&SearchFor=96 or our main website, deerparkmonastery.org.«
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