Ocean of Dharma: 2008

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Nonaction Is the Source of All Action

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

December 31, 2008

NONACTION IS THE SOURCE OF ALL ACTION

Real peace is nonaction; that is the source of all action. We have to learn how to be a rock in order to be a tree or a flower or wind or lightning or a typhoon. We have to be still; then we go beyond that. Therefore sitting practice is very important. (In meditation) we are not particularly training ourselves to destroy or conquer the world. We are trying to relate to the world in the same way that we relate to the birth of our first child or, for that matter, to our own orgasm -- which happens, I hope, when we make love. Anything active that happens has some relationship to that very stillness. That stillness is not vacant or deadly; it is fully of energy, automatically.

Thanks to Todd Amodeo for suggesting this quote from "What Is the Heart of the Buddha?" in THE HEART OF THE BUDDHA, page 9. And apologies to Barry Gruessner, who suggested the last quote, for calling him Bruce.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,561 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Carolyn Rose Gimian

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources.
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Sunday, December 28, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Meditation as Part of Daily Life

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

December 28, 2008

MEDITATION AS PART OF DAILY LIFE

Chogyam Trungpa: Meditation practices have nothing to do with the value of the techniques as such, but are based on simplicity as a whole. They (students) shouldn't regard the technique as magical power at all. I should warn everybody that meditation has no magical power as such, but everybody has to work on themselves. Having used the technique diligently, from that point, people begin to develop. There is simplicity in the technique; they don't have to strive for it. The technique becomes part of themselves, (the) same as drinking a cup of tea, that becomes very close to it. So the technique should be referred to as part of the daily life situation, rather than medicine or a sedative as such.

Student: But what does meditation develop?

CT: Becoming sane and becoming skillful in dealing with your daily life.

S: OK, but how does it happen?

CT: Well, it just happens!

Thanks to Bruce Gruessner for suggesting and transcribing this quote from an interview in 1971 in Montreal. The interview is posted on The Chronicles of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, at
http://www.chronicleproject.com/chroniclesradio_dispatches/2008_07_17.html

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,551 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: A Jolly Good Life

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

December 24, 2008

A JOLLY GOOD LIFE

Confidence is there. It is a fact. It is the case. But surprisingly, nobody noticed it before. So telling people about this state of being is simply telling the truth. You don't have to make up anything at all. This unconditional confidence manifests in our lives as appreciation: the appreciation of our intelligence, our sympathy towards self and others, the appreciation of good food and drink, appreciation for our meditation practice. Appreciating the details of life begins to open up our life so that it is no longer purely a struggle but a jolly good life. So the real way to share our understanding with others is to cheer ourselves up to begin with.

From "Unconditional Confidence," in CONQUERING FEAR, forthcoming from Shambhala Publications, Fall 2009.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,532 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: The Sun Is about to Rise

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

December 21, 2008

THE SUN IS ABOUT TO RISE

The Great Eastern Sun is the sun that is fully risen in your life. It is the sun of wakefulness, the sun of human dignity. It is Great because it represents upliftedness and the qualities of openness and gentleness. You have an uplifted sense of posture or place in your world, which we call having good head and shoulders. It is East because you have a smile on your face. East is the concept of dawn. When you look to the East, first thing in the morning, you see light coming from the East, even before the sun rises. So East is the smile you have when you wake up. The sun is about to rise. Fresh air is coming with the dawn. So the sun is East and it is Great.

From "Facing Yourself," in CONQUERING FEAR, forthcoming from Shambhala Publications, Fall 2009.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,521 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Eating with Awareness

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

December 17, 2008

EATING WITH AWARENESS

When you eat with awareness, you find that there is more space, more beauty. You begin to watch yourself, to see yourself, and you notice how clumsy you are or how accurate you are. You notice the way you pick up your fork and knife, and the way you put the food in your mouth. When you practice awareness, everything becomes majestic and good. You begin to see that you have been leading a different kind of life in the past. You had the essence of mindfulness already, but you hadn't discovered it. So when you make an effort to eat mindfully..., you find that life is worth much more than you had expected.

From "Introduction to Practice," in the 1979 Seminary Transcripts, pages 4 to 5.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,513 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Freedom from Habitual Tendencies

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

December 11, 2008

FREEDOM FROM HABITUAL TENDENCIES

There are all kinds of habitual tendencies that are connected with holding on to what we are. People get divorced because they think they might find a better mate. People change restaurants because they think they might get cheaper and better food. The habitual patterns of ego work that way. The notion of enlightenment is a sense of freedom from those patterns. And the way to attain that freedom is by means of the sitting practice of meditation. In sitting practice, we look at our minds, and we maintain good posture. When we combine body and mind that way, we find ourselves emulating the Buddha -- the way to be properly. Then we begin to develop sympathy toward ourselves, rather than just holding on.

From "Manifesting Enlightenment," in THE HEART OF THE BUDDHA, pages 212 to 213.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,483 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Perception and Perceiver

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

December 7, 2008

PERCEPTION AND PERCEIVER

The feminine principle is the perception of colors, directions, time. Thus it is the manifestation of the colorful aspect of the world. Without it, there is no perceiver of this. The perceiver is the masculine principle. In this framework, the masculine principle is not regarded as the master dominating the scene. Moreover, we are not saying that the feminine principle belongs to women and the masculine principle to men. Wherever there is a perceiver, that is the masculine principle; wherever there is a perception, that is the feminine principle.

From "Femininity," in THE COLLECTED WORKS OF CHOGYAM TRUNGPA, Volume Six, page 565.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,459 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Feminine Inspiration

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

December 4, 2008

FEMININE INSPIRATION

Feminine inspiration projects a world which it can regard as workable and friendly since it is its own creation.....An aspect of feminine inspiration is regarding what you have created as sacred. You have created Buddhism, Christianity, Sufism -- it is your production. Since it is fully yours, respect it, work with it. These teachings did not come from somewhere else; your own openness gave birth to them. Moreover, you gave birth to pleasure and pain. You built Paris, London, New York City. You produced the president of the United States. These things are the product of feminine inspiration.

From "Femininity," in THE COLLECTED WORKS OF CHOGYAM TRUNGPA, Volume Six, page 564.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,457 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Monday, December 1, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Peak Experience

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

December 1, 2008

PEAK EXPERIENCE

At the very moment of enlightenment, the Buddha experienced hosts of maras, or obstacles, attacking him with aggression and trying to seduce him with beautiful girls. That is a peak point, or (what is called) a moment of bardo experience. The point is that once we have achieved some higher state, a so-called higher state or more profound state of something, the negative aspect, or the mara aspect, is also going to be there -- equally, exactly the same. And they both become more subtle. The subtleties of awakeness are exactly the same as the subtleties of sleepiness or confusion. Such subtleties continue all the time, side by side. Therefore, samsara and nirvana are like two sides of a coin. They occur together in one situation, simultaneously. Such bardo experiences happen all the time with us. We don't have to have a peak experience or a dramatic experience -- in ordinary everyday situations as well, we are not quite certain whether we are learning something or whether we are missing something. There is that particular point of doubt.

From "The Bardo of Birth," in TRANSCENDING MADNESS: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SIX BARDOS, page 77.

Of interest to readers:
Emacs!

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, prominent Buddhist teacher and the author of What Makes You Not a Buddhist, taught a public seminar to an audience of 550 this past weekend in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Rinpoche commented on teachings on the bardos, using Transcending Madness: The Experience of the Six Bardos, Chogyam Trungpa's book on the bardo states and the six realms. For a review of the weekend and links to an interview with Dzongsar Khyentse RInpoche, go to:

http://www.shambhalasun.com/sunspace/

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,438 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Poverty Is Also Richness

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

November 26, 2008

POVERTY IS ALSO RICHNESS

The buddha of the human realm is a buddha with a begging bowl. This represents the mentality of poverty, which is the largest concern of the human realm. In order to relate with poverty, you have to speak the language of poverty. But by carrying a begging bowl, in fact, it is as though you always have something to put things into. In other words, the ultimate mentality of poverty is also the mentality of richness at the same time. Whatever situations need to be created, you can create them, and you get it. You are in command of the whole situation. So that is being extremely wealthy.

From "The Human Realm," in TRANSCENDING MADNESS: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SIX BARDOS, page 247.

Of interest to readers:
Emacs!

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, prominent Buddhist teacher and the author of What Makes You Not a Buddhist, will be teaching a public seminar in Halifax, Nova Scotia, November 28 to 30. Rinpoche will comment on Transcending Madness: The Experience of the Six Bardos, Chogyam Trungpa�s book on the bardo states and the six realms.

The program begins Friday evening, November 28, and runs until the afternoon of Nov. 30. For more information on registration, phone 902-420-1118, x 10, or go to: http://www.halifax.shambhala.org/eventdetails.php?id=2764

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,415 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Transcending Aggression

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

November 23, 2008

TRANSCENDING AGGRESSION

The experience of hell comes from deliberate, basic aggression. That aggression is the opposite of patience....The basic aggression of hell comes from your wanting to destroy your projection. It is natural aggression: you want to destroy the mirror. Since projection works as it is, in a very efficient and accurate way, it becomes too embarrassing. You don't want to go along with it. Instead of seeing the naked truth, you want to destroy the mirror -- to the extent of not only destroying the projection, or the mirror, but also the perceiver of the mirror. The perceiver is also extremely painful, so there is the suicidal mentality of wanting to destroy the perceiver of the mirror as well as the mirror itself. There is constant struggle, destruction, going on.....However, change is taking place always, constantly. That is why the teachings place tremendous importance on the realization of impermanence. Impermanence becomes extremely important at this particular point of aggression. Aggression is trying to freeze the space, trying to sterilize the space. But when you begin to see the impermanence, you cannot solidify space anymore. That then is the peak experience of transcending aggression.

From "The Bardo of Death," in TRANSCENDING MADNESS: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SIX BARDOS, pages 146 to 147.

Of interest to readers:

Emacs!

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, prominent Buddhist teacher and the author of What Makes You Not a Buddhist, will be teaching a public seminar in Halifax, Nova Scotia, November 28 to 30. Rinpoche will comment on Transcending Madness: The Experience of the Six Bardos, Chogyam Trungpa's book on the bardo states and the six realms. Khyentse Rinpoche's dynamic style and brilliant intellect, as well as his deep appreciation for Chogyam Trungpa's teachings, are sure to make this a memorable weekend.

The program begins Friday evening, November 28, and runs until the afternoon of Nov. 30. For more information on registration, phone 902-420-1118, x 10, or go to: http://www.halifax.shambhala.org/eventdetails.php?id=2764

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,398 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Madness and Sanity

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

November 20, 2008

MADNESS AND SANITY

When we talk about madness and about sanity, it is extremely important, and everybody should know, that there is only ONE point, rather than that you belong to either of those groups (the insane and the sane.) You don't have to belong to one in order to become mad or another in order to become wise or liberated. You don't have to associate yourself with either the good or the bad, but you become the one. And that one possesses both good and bad simultaneously. That's a very important point in terms of experience. It is extremely necessary to know that.

From "The Bardo of Birth," in TRANSCENDING MADNESS: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SIX BARDOS, page 78.

Of interest to readers:

Emacs!

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, prominent Buddhist teacher and the author of What Makes You Not a Buddhist, will be teaching a public seminar in Halifax, Nova Scotia, November 28 to 30. Rinpoche will comment on Transcending Madness: The Experience of the Six Bardos, Chogyam Trungpa�s book on the bardo states and the six realms. Khyentse Rinpoche's dynamic style and brilliant intellect, as well as his deep appreciation for Chogyam Trungpa�s teachings, are sure to make this a memorable weekend.

The program begins Friday evening, November 28, and runs until the afternoon of Nov. 30. For more information on registration, phone 902-420-1118, x 10, or go to: http://www.halifax.shambhala.org/eventdetails.php?id=2764

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,389 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Sadness for Others

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

November 16, 2008

SADNESS FOR OTHERS

[For Baird Bryant, a student of Chogyam Trungpa's who passed away this week]

I personally feel sadness, always. You feel sad, but you don't want to burst into tears. You feel embryonic sadness. There are hundreds of thousands of people who need your help, which makes you feel sad, so sad. It's not that you need someone to keep you company, but it is sad because you feel the sense of aloneness, and others do not. Many people have this experience. For example, I have a friend and student named Baird Bryant whom I've worked with for many years. He is a filmmaker, and we worked together on several films. I can see that he has that kind of sadness. He wishes that something could be done for others, that something could be made right. He has that sadness, aloneness, and loneliness, which I appreciate very much. In fact, I have learned from witnessing my friend's experience.

From "Helping Others," in GREAT EASTERN SUN: THE WISDOM OF SHAMBHALA, page 175.

"As a loving and grateful student of Chögyam Trungpa, the Dorje Dradul of Mukpo, I am delighted that these wonderful teachings -which have so profoundly influenced and shaped my life - are now available to benefit others. May countless people have the good fortune to read this book."Pema Chodrön, author of When Things Fall Apart

Available from Shambhala Publications on line at:
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-1-57062-818-4.cfm

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,373 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Openness to Where You Are

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

November 9, 2008

OPENNESS TO WHERE YOU ARE

In human life, if you feel you have made a mistake, you don't try to undo the past or the present, but you just accept where you are and work from there. Tremendous openness as to where you are is necessary. This also applies to the practice of meditation, for instance. A person should learn to meditate on the spot, in the given moment, rather than thinking, "...When I reach pension age, I'm going to retire and receive a pension, and I'm going to build my house in Hawaii or the middle of India, or maybe the Gobi Desert, and THEN I'm going to enjoy myself. I'll live a life of solitude and then I'll really meditate." Things never happen that way.

From "The Bardo of Illusory Body," in TRANSCENDING MADNESS: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SIX BARDOS, page 96.

Of interest to readers:

Emacs!

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, prominent Buddhist teacher and the author of What Makes You Not a Buddhist, will be teaching a public seminar in Halifax, Nova Scotia, November 28 to 30. Rinpoche will comment on Transcending Madness: The Experience of the Six Bardos, Chogyam Trungpa�s book on the bardo states and the six realms. Khyentse Rinpoche's dynamic style and brilliant intellect, as well as his deep appreciation for Chogyam Trungpa�s teachings, are sure to make this a memorable weekend.

The program begins Friday evening, November 28, and runs until the afternoon of Nov. 30. For more information on registration, phone 902-420-1118, x 10, or go to: http://www.halifax.shambhala.org/eventdetails.php?id=2764

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,336 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Fearlessness and Joy Are Truly Yours

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

November 6, 2008

FEARLESSNESS AND JOY ARE TRULY YOURS

When a warrior king presents a gift,
It could be a naked flame, which consumes the jungle of ego,
Or an ice cold mountain range, which cools the heat of aggression.
On the other hand, it could be a parachute.
One wonders whether it will open or not.
There is a further choice --Thunderbolt:
Whether you are capable of holding it with your bare hand is up to you.
So, my heartfelt child, take these gifts and use them
In the way that past warriors have done.

Unpublished poem, from the manuscript of CONQUERING FEAR: THE HEART OF SHAMBHALA, forthcoming in 2009.

Of interest to readers:

Just out! THE POCKET CHOGYAM TRUNGPA. A treasury of 108 short teachings by Chogyam Trungpa, one of the most influential Buddhist teachers of our time. Pithy and immediate, these teachings address a range of topics, including fear and fearlessness, accepting our imperfections, developing confidence, helping others, appreciating our basic goodness, and everyday life as a spiritual path. With the Shambhala discount, this little book costs less than six dollars. Available at
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-1-59030-643-7.cfm

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,330 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Sorry for Multiple Images

I'm writing to apologize for the multiple images or jpegs many of you will be receiving with today's Ocean of Dharma quote. I'm attempting to upgrade the visual appearance of the quotes, beginning with including small images of the books that are used. Unfortunately, I'm far from professional at this. Apologies for this and other occasional graphic mistakes. And thanks for your patience, Carolyn

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: We Live at the Expense of Others

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

November 1, 2008

WE LIVE AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS

We may try to be a spiritually inclined person who does not care about money. We want to be free of worldly concerns. However, trying to lead life completely free from money or materialism lacks clarity and real feeling. Particularly in this highly organized society, we live at the expense of others, unless we ourselves contribute something. Whether we are living in a remote place, such as the north of Scotland, or wherever we are, we still need food, and this food is produced by somebody. This food is the product of someone's work. Someone has been working, going to a great deal of trouble to produce our food. Some people may spend their lives purely churning milk in order to produce butter. Some people spend their whole lives just screwing bolts into things. Most of their lives are just spent doing that. People are trained in the beginning to do regular, ordinary work, and they do it.
When the time comes to retire, they feel something is missing, something has been lost. Those people suffer, but they don't think in terms of suffering or pain, because they have so bravely accepted their lives and ignored all the other aspects of life. They close one eye and just do it, just one thing. The world is made out of this, the present world anyway. Perhaps it has always been this way. This is not just a question of money alone, but appreciating the practicality of life and having compassion. There is a limit to how much freedom we take.

In OCEAN OF DHARMA: THE EVERYDAY WISDOM OF CHOGYAM TRUNGPA, #242. Originally from "Money," an unpublished talk given in Scotland circa 1968.

Of interest to readers:

Emacs!

Waylon Lewis reviews OCEAN OF DHARMA in the new online version of ELEPHANT magazine, at

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2008/10/book-review-ocean-of-dharma-the-everyday-wisdom-of-chogyam-trungpa-edited-by-carolyn-gimian/

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,317 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week:Sit and Do Nothing

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

October 29, 2008

SIT AND DO NOTHING

The world can be explored; it is workable, wherever you go, whatever you do. But I would like to plant one basic seed in your mind: I feel that it is absolutely important to make the practice of meditation your source of strength, your source of basic intelligence. Please think about that. You could sit down and do nothing, just sit and do nothing. Stop acting, stop speeding. Sit and do nothing. You should take pride in the fact that you have learned a very valuable message: You actually can survive beautifully by doing nothing.

In THE POCKET CHOGYAM TRUNGPA, page 177. Originally from "Maha Ati," in JOURNEY WITHOUT GOAL, page 142.

Of interest to readers:

Just out! THE POCKET CHOGYAM TRUNGPA. A treasury of 108 short teachings by Chogyam Trungpa, one of the most influential Buddhist teachers of our time. Pithy and immediate, these teachings address a range of topics, including fear and fearlessness, accepting our imperfections, developing confidence, helping others, appreciating our basic goodness, and everyday life as a spiritual path. With the Shambhala discount, this little book costs less than six dollars. Available at
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-1-59030-643-7.cfm

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,293 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Warrior Versus Seer

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

October 26, 2008

WARRIOR VERSUS SEER

The warrior is a practitioner like the bodhisattvas, great Mahayana practitioners dedicated to helping others. The seer is a man of wisdom like the buddhas, who see the situation as it is but don't have to enter into manipulative actions of any kind at all. In the case of the warrior, there's still duality. Even though it may not be the duality of awareness of oneself as ego, there is still the duality of action and the object of action. That's where bravery comes in -- not to hesitate because you see action as it is; not to interpret in terms of concepts, but try to work with action itself and go along and along. Somehow that doesn't mean struggle. Absolute warriors, ideal warriors, don't struggle. They just proceed along because they know their work, they know their abilities. They don't question it. Their actual inspiration comes from the situation as it is. If the situation becomes more and more overwhelming and powerful, that much more energy goes along with it. It's like judo: you use the situation as your power rather than trying to fight with it.

From "The Bardo of Dreams," in TRANSCENDING MADNESS: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SIX BARDOS, pages 114 to 115.

Of interest to readers:

Emacs!

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, prominent Buddhist teacher and the author of What Makes You Not a Buddhist, will be teaching a public seminar in Halifax, Nova Scotia, November 28 to 30. Rinpoche will comment on Transcending Madness: The Experience of the Six Bardos, Chogyam Trungpa's book on the bardo states and the six realms. Khyentse Rinpoche's dynamic style and brilliant intellect, as well as his deep appreciation for Chogyam Trungpa's teachings, are sure to make this a memorable weekend.

The program begins Friday evening, November 28, and runs until the afternoon of Nov. 30. For more information on registration, phone 902-420-1118, x 10, or go to: http://www.halifax.shambhala.org/eventdetails.php?id=2764

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,291 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Mistakes

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

October 23, 2008

MISTAKES

Mistakes also have a point to them. As far as the warrior's steps go, there is no defeat at all, there are no mistakes at all. Both positive and negative are the path, the general pattern. Any negative experience which occurs is an invitation or vanguard of positive experiences, as well. It just happens that way.

From "The Bardo of Dreams," in TRANSCENDING MADNESS: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SIX BARDOS, page113.

Of interest to readers:

Emacs!

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, prominent Buddhist teacher and the author of What Makes You Not a Buddhist, will be teaching a public seminar in Halifax, Nova Scotia, November 28 to 30. Rinpoche will comment on Transcending Madness: The Experience of the Six Bardos, Chogyam Trungpa�s book on the bardo states and the six realms. Khyentse Rinpoche's dynamic style and brilliant intellect, as well as his deep appreciation for Chogyam Trungpa�s teachings, are sure to make this a memorable weekend.

The program begins Friday evening, November 28, and runs until the afternoon of Nov. 30. For more information on registration, phone 902-420-1118, x 10, or go to: http://www.halifax.shambhala.org/eventdetails.php?id=2764

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,281 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Egoless Common Sense

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

October 19, 2008

EGOLESS COMMON SENSE

Decision making based on accepting a situation is expressing faith and gentleness; therefore, it could be said to be compassion. Once you see the situation as it is, then you just involve yourself in it and it takes you along. In fact, you can tell what the end is going to be. That is developing egoless common sense. Egoless common sense is not based on "because-of-anything," but it is based on "it-will-be-so." You could project your future quite accurately or take the right path quite accurately if you had that general egoless common sense. With such precision and clarity, as well as egolessness, you are not dwelling on hope or fear. Then things take place naturally.

From "The Bardo of Dreams," in TRANSCENDING MADNESS: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SIX BARDOS, page112.

Of interest to readers:

Emacs!

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, prominent Buddhist teacher and the author of What Makes You Not a Buddhist, will be teaching a public seminar in Halifax, Nova Scotia, November 28 to 30. Rinpoche will comment on Transcending Madness: The Experience of the Six Bardos, Chogyam Trungpa�s book on the bardo states and the six realms. Khyentse Rinpoche's dynamic style and brilliant intellect, as well as his deep appreciation for Chogyam Trungpa�s teachings, are sure to make this a memorable weekend.

The program begins Friday evening, November 28, and runs until the afternoon of Nov. 30. For more information on registration, phone 902-420-1118, x 10, or go to: http://www.halifax.shambhala.org/eventdetails.php?id=2764

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,275 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Tension

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

October 16, 2008

TENSION

Student: If you make a decision, it is going to bring you tension, because you don't know how it is going to work out, whether it's a good or bad decision. Do you just go along and accept it?

Chogyam Trungpa: Ultimately, decisions don't come out in terms of yes and no, black and white. The ultimate answer, so to speak, would say you're right, but at the same time you are wrong. [Understanding that,] releases tension, the ultimate tension. If you are involved with something and if you reject or accept it absolutely, one hundred percent, then the tension is going to remain all the time. There is no way of solving the problem of tension by making black-and-white decisions, in other words. The only way of transcending that tension is through the acceptance of all aspects.Nothing is going to be a magic sedative. But strangely enough, once you begin to accept that, then half of the problem has been solved.

From "The Bardo of Dreams," in TRANSCENDING MADNESS: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SIX BARDOS, page109.

Of interest to readers:

Emacs!

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, prominent Buddhist teacher and the author of What Makes You Not a Buddhist, will be teaching a public seminar in Halifax, Nova Scotia, November 28 to 30. Rinpoche will comment on Transcending Madness: The Experience of the Six Bardos, Chogyam Trungpa�s book on the bardo states and the six realms. Khyentse Rinpoche's dynamic style and brilliant intellect, as well as his deep appreciation for Chogyam Trungpa�s teachings, are sure to make this a memorable weekend.

The program begins Friday evening, November 28, and runs until the afternoon of Nov. 30. For more information on registration, phone 902-420-1118, x 10, or go to: http://www.halifax.shambhala.org/eventdetails.php?id=2764

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,267 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: A General Sense of Being

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

October 14, 2008

A GENERAL SENSE OF BEING

The sense of being can't be one solid thing. It moves constantly. It projects out and in, and it is very fickle. Nevertheless, there should be some attempt to relate to the overall situation, to a sense of the whole. It is like looking at a string of beads or an animal's tail. When a lot of little beads are strung together, you have a mala or a necklace; hundreds of small hairs put together become a tail. So there is a general sense of being, made out of lots of little things put together.

From "Being and Projecting," in TRUE PERCEPTION: THE PATH OF DHARMA ART, p.77.

Of interest to readers:

TRUE PERCEPTION: THE PATH OF DHARMA ART is the new edition of Chogyam Trungpa's classic work DHARMA ART. This new edition contains additional material and a new introduction.To order your copy at a 20% discount, go to:
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-1-59030-588-1.cfm

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,271 subscribers.

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Saturday, October 11, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: The Joy of Warriorship

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

October 11, 2008 For Canadian Thanksgiving

THE JOY OF WARRIORSHIP

When we speak of fearlessness, we are describing a positive state of being full of delight and cheerfulness, with sparkling eyes and good posture. This state of being is not dependent on any external circumstance. If you can't pay the electric bill, you might not have hot water in your house. The building you live in may not be well insulated. If you don't have indoor plumbing, you may have to use an outhouse. Millions of people in the world live this way. If you can raise your good posture of head and shoulders, then regardless of your living situation, you will feel a sense of joy. It's not any kind of cheap joy. It's individual dignity. This experience of joy and unconditional healthiness is the basic virtue that comes from being what we are, right now. You have to experience this natural healthiness and goodness personally.
When you practice meditation, that brings the beginning of the beginning of this experience. Then, when you leave the meditation hall and go out and relate with the rest of reality, you will find out what kind of joy is needed and what kind of joy is expendable. The experience of joy may be a momentary experience, or it could last a long time. In any case, this joy is an eye opener. You are no longer shy of seeing the world. You find that the joy of warriorship is always needed.

From the manuscript of CONQUERING FEAR: THE HEART OF SHAMBHALA. Forthcoming from Shambhala Publications in 2009.

Of interest to readers:

TRUE PERCEPTION: THE PATH OF DHARMA ART is the new edition of Chogyam Trungpa's classic work DHARMA ART. This new edition contains additional material and a new introduction.To order your copy at a 20% discount, go to:
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-1-59030-588-1.cfm

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,252 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: The Warrior's Weapons

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

October 8, 2008

THE WARRIOR'S WEAPONS

If victory is the notion of no enemy, then the whole world is a friend. That seems to be the warrior's philosophy. The true warrior is not like somebody carrying a sword and looking behind his own shadow, in case somebody is lurking there. That is the setting-sun warrior's point of view, which is an expression of cowardice. The true warrior always has a weapon, in any case....The definition of warriorship is fearlessness and gentleness. Those are your weapons. The genuine warrior becomes truly gentle because there is no enemy at all.

From the manuscript of CONQUERING FEAR: THE HEART OF SHAMBHALA. Forthcoming from Shambhala Publications in 2009.

Of interest to readers:

TRUE PERCEPTION: THE PATH OF DHARMA ART is the new edition of Chogyam Trungpa's classic work DHARMA ART. This new edition contains additional material and a new introduction.To order your copy at a 20% discount, go to:
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-1-59030-588-1.cfm

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,258 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Friday, October 3, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: How Things Are Made

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

October 3, 2008

HOW THINGS ARE MADE

In North America, people graduate from college and leave home -- or sometimes leave home even before that. There's no sense of home then. They begin to live out of a suitcase and get a job -- secretarial, management, depending on their capabilities. People develop an interesting relationship with reality in that way. You don't see how things are produced, what things are made out of, how things have been done. You might see a silk-screened design and like it, so you buy it without knowing anything about the process of silk-screening. Or you might buy a carpet, not knowing the weavers or the carpetry world at all. And when things go wrong, usually we call a specialist....From the modern American point of view, you can just go to the store and buy things and pick them up. That is not quite a good attitude, let alone elegance. People have to realize how things are made and produced, how they happen to be so beautiful, so lovely.

From "Discovering Elegance," in TRUE PERCEPTION: THE PATH OF DHARMA ART, pages 5 to 6.

This new edition of DHARMA ART, containing additional material and a new introduction and preface, is now available.To order your copy at a 20% discount, go to:
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-1-59030-588-1.cfm

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,244 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Preproduction Freedom

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

September 30, 2008

PREPRODUCTION FREEDOM

Restrictions and inadequacies usually come from feeling burdened, as though we are carrying a heavy load. But if we develop the notion of space fully and properly, we begin to find that there is no burden, no load. That is a relief -- not just a petty relief, but a larger version of mind altogether. We begin to realize that an extraordinary openness takes place in our lives -- in the way we move, the way we eat, the way we sleep, and the way we create a work of art. Tremendous freedom takes place in that basic space. Such freedom is not a product of the creation of art; it is preproduction freedom. That is very important for you to know. Before we produce anything at all, we have to have a sense of free and open space with no obstacles of any kind.

From "Heaven, Earth and Human," in TRUE PERCEPTION: THE PATH OF DHARMA ART, page 129. This new edition of DHARMA ART, containing additional material and a new introduction and preface, will be published by Shambhala Publications in November 2008. To preorder your copy at a 20% discount, go to:
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-1-59030-588-1.cfm

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,238 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Friday, September 26, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Unconditional Expression

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

September 26, 2008

UNCONDITIONAL EXPRESSION

We no longer regard a work of art as a gimmick or as confirmation. It is simply expression -- not even self expression, just expression. We could safely say that there is such a thing as unconditional expression that does not come from self or other. It manifests out of nowhere, like mushrooms in a meadow, like hailstones, like thundershowers.

From "Heaven, Earth and Man," in The Art of Calligraphy. THE COLLECTED WORKS OF CHOGYAM TRUNGPA, Volume Seven, page 191. Also in the forthcoming volume TRUE PERCEPTION: THE PATH OF DHARMA ART.

OF INTEREST TO READERS: A new edition of DHARMA ART, containing additional material and a new introduction and preface, will be published by Shambhala Publications in November 2008. The book will appear under a new title: TRUE PERCEPTION: THE PATH OF DHARMA ART. To preorder your copy at a 20% discount, go to:
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-1-59030-588-1.cfm

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,237 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Dharma Art

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

September 23, 2008

DHARMA ART

The basic sense of delight and spontaneity in a person who has opened fully and thoroughly to him or herself and to life can provide wonderful rainbows and thundershowers and gusts of wind. We don't have to be tied down to the greasy-spoon world of well-meaning artists with their heavy-handed looks on their faces and overfed information in their brains. The basic idea of dharma art is the sense of peace and the refreshing coolness of the absence of neurosis.

OF INTEREST TO READERS: A new edition of DHARMA ART, containing additional material and a new introduction and preface, will be published by Shambhala Publications in November 2008. The book will appear under a new title: TRUE PERCEPTION: THE PATH OF DHARMA ART. To preorder your copy at a 20% discount, go to:
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-1-59030-588-1.cfm

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,225 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Carolyn Rose Gimian

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources.
TO SUBSCRIBE visit the Chogyam Trungpa website by clicking on the following link: http://OceanofDharma.com

A book containing 365 short teachings based on the quotes of the week is now available. To order Ocean of Dharma: The Everyday Wisdom of Chogyam Trungpa at a 20% discount, go to shambhala.com.

Friday, September 19, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Spiritual Supermarket

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

September 19, 2008

SPIRITUAL SUPERMARKET

The study of spiritual materialism is very important. Some people tell you to hold your breath, and you'll feel blissful. Some people tell you to breathe out, and you'll feel blissful. Some people tell you to eat a carrot right now! Some people say, "Stand on your head." Some people say "Sit, then stand on one foot, then lie down on your back and have a good massage." Or swim in cold water and that will help you. Swim in hot water -- that will help you. Reading this might help you. Say these few words over and over to yourself. Or shout your words; project out. Dive in. Dive out. Wear certain clothes. Get a certain hair cut. Do certain eye gazes. People suggest all sorts of things, which is what's known as the "spiritual supermarket." All these trips have been laid on the poor Americans. We could call this spiritual democracy. It doesn't particularly help. However, America remains a great field of spiritual fertility. Fertile situations occur constantly, all the time. Trying to work with this American mentality and bring it together with the Buddhist tradition of orthodoxy, at the same time, creates a good balance.

Edited from an unpublished transcript VIEWING AND WORKING WITH THE PHENOMENAL WORLD, a seminar at Naropa Institute, Talk One, June 10, 1976.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

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Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Carolyn Rose Gimian

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources.
TO SUBSCRIBE visit the Chogyam Trungpa website by clicking on the following link: http://OceanofDharma.com

A book containing 365 short teachings based on the quotes of the week is now available. To order Ocean of Dharma: The Everyday Wisdom of Chogyam Trungpa at a 20% discount, go to shambhala.com.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: The Moment of Enlightenment

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

September 16, 2008

THE MOMENT OF ENLIGHTENMENT

Before Prince Siddhartha became the Buddha, he realized things were not quite right in his world. Neurosis was continuously spreading in his kingdom. He decided to reject any approach to life that made him purely comfortable and happy and to search for some psychological sanity beyond that. He thought that meditating and studying with the holy men of the time would help him. Then he would be able to rule his kingdom and be a better king. He left his palace and studied with various gurus, who taught him all kinds of techniques: holding his breath, not holding his breath, sitting in different postures doing spiritual acrobatics, and many other approaches. But he found these techniques kept his mind very busy, rather than being simple and alone.
Having practiced for six years, he still had doubts about what he was doing. Then, it occurred to him that life is not so much a question of gain and loss. Instead, life is full of reality, and that reality rests in the mind. He realized that mind is constantly speeding, on and on. So Prince Siddhartha decided to stop that speed. He decided to sit and meditate under a bodhi tree on the banks of the Nairanjana River. His austerity had not proven to be the best way, so he decided to give that up. After sitting for a long time, not much happened. Then, he got up and walked around, and he was offered a drink of milk by a friend. He settled himself on a comfortable seat made of kusha grass. He began to relax and meditate again. At that moment, when he relaxed, the whole struggle began to dissolve. He realized that he shouldn't push so hard, but that he could give in and let himself go. That was the moment of enlightenment, which was not all that dramatic.

Edited from an unpublished transcript VIEWING AND WORKING WITH THE PHENOMENAL WORLD, a seminar at Naropa Institute, Talk One, June 10, 1976.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

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Carolyn Rose Gimian

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources.
TO SUBSCRIBE visit the Chogyam Trungpa website by clicking on the following link: http://OceanofDharma.com

A book containing 365 short teachings based on the quotes of the week is now available. To order Ocean of Dharma: The Everyday Wisdom of Chogyam Trungpa at a 20% discount, go to shambhala.com.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Individual Salvation

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

September 13, 2008

INDIVIDUAL SALVATION

Individual salvation is the first step in the Buddhist tradition. We have to be willing to save ourselves independently and personally. Nobody else is going to save you. That�s the first footing you begin with. The Buddhist teachings will provide a lot of help and suggestions of all kinds, of course, but at the same time, those suggestions can only be helpful to us if we actually get to the point where we are able to cooperate. You have to do it for yourself. There are no external authorities who will make you feel good or save you from anything. So the Buddhist approach, from that point of view, is a non-theistic tradition. This does not mean to say that it�s anti-God, or anti-theism particularly. But the Buddhist tradition begins with the importance of working on oneself and for oneself. By doing so, slowly we begin to expand our vision, and our sense of sanity progresses. Then we are able to help others like we helped ourselves.

Edited from an unpublished transcript of Talk One of VIEWING AND WORKING WITH THE PHENOMENAL WORLD, a seminar at Naropa Institute, June 10, 1976.

OF INTEREST TO READERS: A new edition of DHARMA ART, containing additional material and a new introduction and preface, will be published by Shambhala Publications in November 2008. The book will appear under a new title: TRUE PERCEPTION: THE PATH OF DHARMA ART. To preorder your copy at a 20% discount, go to:
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-1-59030-588-1.cfm

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,194 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Carolyn Rose Gimian

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources.
TO SUBSCRIBE visit the Chogyam Trungpa website by clicking on the following link: http://OceanofDharma.com

A book containing 365 short teachings based on the quotes of the week is now available. To order Ocean of Dharma: The Everyday Wisdom of Chogyam Trungpa at a 20% discount, go to shambhala.com.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Inquisitiveness

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

September 9, 2008

INQUISITIVENESS

The notion of looking at things as they are is a very important concept.Look! Why do we look at all? Or we could say, Listen! Why do we listen at all? Why do we feel at all? Why do we taste? The one and only answer is that there is such a thing as inquisitiveness in our makeup. Inquisitiveness is the seed syllable of the artist. The artist is interested in sight, sound, feelings, and touchable objects. We are interested and we are inquisitive, very inquisitive, and we are willing to explore in any way we can.Such tremendous inquisitiveness is the key point in the way we look at things, because with inquisitiveness we have a connection.

Condensed from "Heaven, Earth and Man" in THE ART OF CALLIGRAPHY, page 188 in Volume Seven of THE COLLECTED WORKS OF CHOGYAM TRUNGPA. For the first time, this material will be included in TRUE PERCEPTION: THE PATH OF DHARMA ART.

OF INTEREST TO READERS: A new edition of DHARMA ART, containing additional material and a new introduction and preface, will be published by Shambhala Publications in November 2008. The book will appear under a new title: TRUE PERCEPTION: THE PATH OF DHARMA ART. To preorder your copy at a 20% discount, go to:
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-1-59030-588-1.cfm

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

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Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Carolyn Rose Gimian

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources.
TO SUBSCRIBE visit the Chogyam Trungpa website by clicking on the following link: http://OceanofDharma.com

A book containing 365 short teachings based on the quotes of the week is now available. To order Ocean of Dharma: The Everyday Wisdom of Chogyam Trungpa at a 20% discount, go to shambhala.com.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Strength for the Darkest Hour

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

September 6, 2008, the 40th Anniversary of the Sadhana of Mahamudra

STRENGTH FOR THE DARKEST HOUR

This is the darkest hour of the dark ages. Disease, famine and warfare are raging like the fierce north wind. The Buddha's teaching has waned in strength. The various schools of the sangha are fighting amongst themselves with sectarian bitterness; and although the Buddha's teaching was perfectly expounded and there have been many reliable teachings since then from other great gurus, yet they pursue intellectual speculations. The sacred mantra has strayed into Bon and the yogis of tantra are losing the insight of meditation. They spend their whole time going through villages and performing little ceremonies for material gain.
On the whole, no one acts according to the highest code of discipline, meditation and wisdom. The jewel-like teaching of insight is fading day by day. The Buddha's teaching is used merely for political purposes and to draw people together socially. As a result, the blessings of spiritual energy are being lost. Even those with great devotion are beginning to lose heart. If the buddhas of the three times and the great teachers were to comment, they would surely express their disappointment. So to enable individuals to ask for their help and to renew spiritual strength, I have written this practice, the Sadhana of Mahamudra.

From THE SADHANA OF MAHAMUDRA.

OF INTEREST TO READERS: Today is the 40th Anniversary of the Sadhana of Mahamudra, a very important text that Chogyam Trungpa discovered, so to speak, at Tagstang in Tibet. For information about this text and to hear a talk by Chogyam Trungpa, go to the Chronicles of CTR: http://www.chronicleproject.com/stories_110.html

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

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Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Carolyn Rose Gimian

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources.
TO SUBSCRIBE visit the Chogyam Trungpa website by clicking on the following link: http://OceanofDharma.com

A book containing 365 short teachings based on the quotes of the week is now available. To order Ocean of Dharma: The Everyday Wisdom of Chogyam Trungpa at a 20% discount, go to shambhala.com.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Sacredness in Art

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

September 3, 2008

SACREDNESS IN ART

A good work of art always reflects a notion of sacredness within it....A work of art is created because there is basic sacredness, independent of the artist's particular religious faith or trust. That sacredness is the aspect of heaven, which creates an umbrella, so to speak, that becomes very powerful and very real. At that point, human dignity is more important than the particular religion or discipline a person came from. That sounds great, don't you think? Sacredness from that point of view is the discovery of goodness, which is independent of personal, social, or physical restrictions.

From "Heaven, Earth and Man" in DHARMA ART, page 142 in Volume Seven of THE COLLECTED WORKS OF CHOGYAM TRUNGPA.

OF INTEREST TO READERS: A new edition of DHARMA ART, containing additional material and a new introduction and preface, will be published by Shambhala Publications in November 2008. The book will appear under a new title: TRUE PERCEPTION: THE PATH OF DHARMA ART. To preorder your copy at a 20% discount, go to:
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-1-59030-588-1.cfm

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,157 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Carolyn Rose Gimian

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources.
TO SUBSCRIBE visit the Chogyam Trungpa website by clicking on the following link: http://OceanofDharma.com

A book containing 365 short teachings based on the quotes of the week is now available. To order Ocean of Dharma: The Everyday Wisdom of Chogyam Trungpa at a 20% discount, go to shambhala.com.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: The Power of an Autumn Leaf

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

August 30, 2008

THE POWER OF AN AUTUMN LEAF

In working with the setting sun or confused world, the attitude of the warrior is like an autumn leaf floating down a river. It doesn't change its color, and it doesn't struggle with the river. It goes along with it. This has a natural effect, because the brook or the river has never carried such an autumn leaf before. The setting sun world will be uncertain what to do with this leaf. So by simply being there, you make people think twice, automatically.
It puts people on the spot when you don't react to them. You don't fight back when they attack you, but you just remain as an autumn leaf, whatever they do. This is the gentle way of working. If there are hundreds of thousands of autumn leaves coming down a small brook, then the appearance of the brook will be changed by them altogether. The joke is on the setting sun people, and they have to think twice. They might smile and pretend to laugh, but really they will be crying, weeping. So you see, an autumn leaf has a great deal of power over the world of the setting sun. Such little leaves could stop the flow of water altogether. If there are enough powerful autumn leaves, that is possible. It has been done in the past.

From CONQUERING FEAR: THE HEART OF WARRIORSHIP, forthcoming from Shambhala Publications in 2009.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,140 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Carolyn Rose Gimian

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources.
TO SUBSCRIBE visit the Chogyam Trungpa website by clicking on the following link: http://OceanofDharma.com

A book containing 365 short teachings based on the quotes of the week is now available. To order Ocean of Dharma: The Everyday Wisdom of Chogyam Trungpa at a 20% discount, go to shambhala.com.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Riding the Ox of Mind

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

August 27, 2008

RIDING THE OX OF MIND

There are several levels of mindfulness one can achieve. It is like the images shown in the ox-herding pictures from the Zen tradition. First, there is a sense of watching yourself (searching for the ox.) And then there is a sense that you don't actually have to watch yourself, because you can feel your own footprint; (finding the footprint of the ox). That is a level of how confident you are with yourself. And then as you go along, you begin to feel that you are very much in control of everything. (You find the ox and tame it.) The sense of being is always present there. You could ride on yourself (the ox), and play a flute as you ride along. The sense of well-being is so solid, so definite, you can even extend greater awareness of, not only the sense of being or body, but the sense of well-being, of livelihood -- which leads to further levels of mindfulness.

From "The First Foundation: Mindfulness of Body," in the 1973 Hinayana-Mahayana Transcripts, page 45.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 6,133 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com.

Carolyn Rose Gimian

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources.
TO SUBSCRIBE visit the Chogyam Trungpa website by clicking on the following link: http://OceanofDharma.com

A book containing 365 short teachings based on the quotes of the week is now available. To order Ocean of Dharma: The Everyday Wisdom of Chogyam Trungpa at a 20% discount, go to shambhala.com.