Search results for: "The Sangha"

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  2. The Four Bases of Success
     … The Buddha places a lot of emphasis on harmony within the sangha. That’s why we have the vinaya , to make sure that our life here together is a life conducive to the practice. People get along because they avoid harming one another. Instead of being a distraction, life in the community then becomes an aid to the practice. Instead of dwelling on what … 
  3. On the Path of the Breath
     … You can think about the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha. All of these are valid topics of meditation. They’re there to inspire the mind, to gladden the heart. You can think about the good times you’ve been generous in the past, when you didn’t really have to share something but you felt moved to share. Or of the times you could … 
  4. Guardian Meditations
     … If you think that comparing yourself to the Buddha is too much of a stretch, think about the members of the Sangha. You can read the verses of the elder monks and the elder nuns. Some of them were pretty miserable, total losers in meditation at first, and yet they were able to pull themselves together. They could do it; you can do it … 
  5. Developing Discernment
     … When the breath gets boring, you can think about the different parts of the body, think about the virtues of the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha. You can think about death if you find yourself getting lazy or complacent. There are a wide variety of things that you can use as topics of concentration. There’s a sad story about a young Western monk … 
  6. Lessons in Fabrication
     … We say we take refuge in the Buddha, refuge in the Dhamma, refuge in the Sangha, and one of the ways we keep taking refuge in them is that we keep them in mind. That’s another meaning of sarana: things you remember. Always remember that the most important event in the world—that should have an impact on everything you do, say, and … 
  7. How & Why We Meditate
     … This is why we have the chants on the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha prior to the meditation: to remind ourselves that this path we’re following here is not a brand new path. It’s not something we just recently cooked up. In fact, the Buddha himself said he didn’t invent the path. He discovered an old path. There had been … 
  8. The Breath All the Way
     … Try thinking about the Dhamma, the Sangha. See if that gives a sense of gladness. Think about the times you’ve been virtuous or generous in the past, and see if that’s encouraging. In other words, any Dhamma topic that helps to gladden the mind: You can bring that in and use it. Then, when it’s done its work, go back to … 
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