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Author Archives: lynnjkelly
Kamma (2) Fairness
One of the reasons it’s worth thinking about kamma is that most of us have an idea that life should be fair, no matter how much evidence there is to the contrary. Let’s suppose though, that the way we perceive … Continue reading
Posted in Anger, Causes and results, Compassion, Dukkha, Faith, Harmlessness, Karma, Patience, Wisdom
Tagged kamma, Karma, karma and fairness
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Kamma (1)
One of the thorniest topics in Buddhist thinking and teaching is the principle of kamma (in Sanskrit: karma). Don’t expect a pat definition here, but it’s worth digging into what the Buddha taught on the subject and how we could … Continue reading
Posted in Causes and results, Dukkha, Karma, Mindfulness, Wisdom
Tagged cause and effect, kamma, Karma
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Internal and External Supports
Just as admirable friendship is the most important external factor in the practice, appropriate attention is the most important internal one. “Attention,” in the Buddha’s vocabulary, is a matter of which questions you take to heart – the ones you … Continue reading
Posted in Causes and results, Dukkha, Friendships, Mindfulness, Relationships, Wisdom
Tagged good friendship, Intention, Mindfulness
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Refuge in the Sangha
And finally we come to the sangha as refuge. The word sangha has more than one meaning, but at its root, it means the community of practitioners, whether ordained or lay, male or female. Originally it referred only to the … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Friendships, Mindfulness, Refuges, The 8-fold path
Tagged Buddhist, refuge, Refuge in the sangha, sangha
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Refuge in the Dhamma
The Tibetan Buddhist teacher Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche described [taking refuge] as “committing ourselves to freedom.” (The three dharma wheels in this sculpture represent the three refuges: Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha) Taking refuge is not seeking shelter in the ordinary sense; … Continue reading
Refuge in what?
What does it mean to take refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha? It’s a repeated refrain in the Pali canon that the path to freedom starts with having faith in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha – what does that … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Hindrances, Imperfections, Perfections, Wisdom
Tagged Faith, taking refuge, The Buddha
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Impermanence and Time
Impermanence is intimately connected with time: … But “later” is the safest of all time frames. It can be safely ignored because it’s not now—it’s later, and later never comes. And even if it does, we don’t have to worry … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, Mindfulness, Patience, Wisdom
Tagged anicca, Impermanence, impermanence and time, Time
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Whatever IS will be WAS (Bhikkhu Nanamoli)
Title from: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel186.html Bhikkhu Nanamoli gives the pithiest possible explanation of anicca, the characteristic of impermanence that permeates all existence, all the world as we can experience it. In terms of how we might come to understand the truth of … Continue reading
Posted in Dukkha, Mindfulness, Patience, Wisdom
Tagged anicca, Impermanence, nothing lasts
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Other Auspicious Actions
From: http://www.suttas.com/10-meritorious-deeds.html In the previous post, we talked about half of the “auspicious actions” that had to do with giving. The remaining items on the list involve other sorts of actions. 2. keeping the precepts 3. meditation 8. teaching the … Continue reading
Posted in Causes and results, Karma, Mindfulness, Precepts, The 8-fold path, Wisdom
Tagged Buddhadhamma, Dhamma, meditation, Precepts, Right view
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The Buddha's Advice to Laypeople 