saw this rupa at a fair, he wanted $170

Have you ever seen this mudra?

From Going For Refuge

beautiful?

Chapter 5

Buddhanussati is the imaginative practice of imagining the Buddha. It was mentioned by Pingiya (search his name to get the scriptural source).

I remember once at a practice day we were asked to go out and buy something to put on the shrine (that we could keep later) and to imagine the Buddha with us. I felt a sort of awe at a greater consciousness and empathy, it was hard to just walk past people on the street, and disengage. I bought bubbles, which I later gave to my kids.

Also sometimes when I drive, I try to imagine I'm the Buddha.

I have read a lot on the Buddha, done retreats on the Buddha jewel, chanted the Sakyamuni mantra. I think this is an interesting practice. I have never really read a development of the practice, except in Ratnaguna's lovely book, The Art of Reflection.

The Art of Reflection

On p. 105 Ratnaguna discusses how to work with ideals. Don't compare yourself and feel inferior. Just use it in your becoming.

Bhante quote

"A single smile of Beauty can bring about greater transformation than all the frowns of Righteousness."

P.292 The Essential Sangharakshita, (from The Religion of Art, p113).

Quote

"In owning up to my foolishness I liberated my natural flow of energy." p. 55, The Art of Reflection by Ratnaguna.

The art of reflection

I liked this book when in the first chapter Ratnaguna talks about papanca.

Reflection and doing nothing isn't a new idea to me. In talking to me about my solitary retreat, my friend suggested that I do nothing, not even meditate.

I've been thinking a lot lately that quitting blogging, twitter, Facebook, and other social media might be the best way I could simplify and open up my life to more spaciousness. I'm afraid the mello steve that move to NYC 21 years ago has succumbed to the hyper kinetic New Yorker intense way of being. Rushing is a way of life, where people honk before the light changes so you look up and see the light change.

I do like written public journal like reflection.

Anyway, chapter one was a good chapter. I feel like this is a ground breaking book, and that it's reinforcing the obvious. I don't know if I've been indoctrinated into the TBC/O way of thinking, which also encourages one to break the mould and think independently.

Ratnaguna on The Art of Reflection

The Art Of Reflection from Clear Vision Trust on Vimeo.

I got the book yesterday and started reading.

Looking around there are other videos of Ratnaguna



While I was eating my leftovers omelet this morning, with leftover beans salad from the falafel place, I watched this (I know, multitasking, not good...) and really enjoyed it. Here's what I wrote as a comment on video sangha:

"Awesome. I really like the idea of turning inward, and I hope to convince my patients in psychotherapy that turning inward will be, in part, a solution to what ever reason they came in for.

I just got his book, and I've listened to his talks, but I thought I'd just see what else is out there about him, and I'm really pleased to have run across this lovely video that has a whole talk! Thank you."

He's also got some awesome talks on Free Buddhist Audio, where you can learn the Dharma and get to know Ratnaguna (as much as you can by watching a video and listening to a talk). I listened to his talk, again, on Shinran, as I drove through the night in Virginia. It helped me to keep awake while I transported precious cargo from visiting my grandparents in Georgia, coming home to NYC.

watched this the other day

Lokabhandu discusses his early experiences with Bhante: