Started to write about broken promises.
Started to get preachy.
Started to sense that it’s time to stop.
So that’s what I’m doing.
This is for H. <>
Monthly Archives: November 2009
Levels Of Discourse – Vow
There are, of course, levels of discourse. And nowhere is this more apparent than when talking about the subject at hand. For short I’ll call that Vow.
In the early days of Buddhism, in the time of the Buddha, I believe there was a simple way to enter the community of monks. The Buddha, or perhaps one of his close followers would say: Come Monk! And that was it. This simple form was a mutual recognition of….mutual recognition of…that which inspires the heart, enlivens the heart, to follow that which the Buddha was pointing out through the way he was living and what he was saying. No doubt there were people who came to join the growing band of devotees who were not invited in. That would be for one reason or another and who know now what they might have been. Being female was one reason, and that changed due to the Venerable Ananda’s representations to the Buddha.
In the intervening centuries becoming a monk has become formalized to a huge extent. The center of the wish remains the same whether it be ones vocation to be a monk or ones vocation to be an IT professional for example. (I do have to stress however that living the life of a monastic isn’t a life style choice, it goes deeper than that.) What I’m pointing to is the fundamental of vow/wish. I’d go so far as to say this is common to all, although the form that takes is vast and unfathomable in its’ expression. Unfathomable because what one encounters in the world doesn’t always look like it’s inspired, deep, honorable, worthy, worthwhile etc.
So here in this post there is a focus on the deep, for most largely unconscious, level of what it is to be human. A human with other humans. Buddhas together with Buddhas. As I am sure I remember hearing, Buddhas come in all shapes and sizes.
See the comments section attached to yesterdays post.
Refresh The Vow – Daily
This morning I had an email from a woman who, for awhile, came to the Priory in Edmonton back in 2006. It was fun to know her. Sometimes we would email back and forth during the day. Quick fire question-and-answer kind of emails. She clearly had an inquiring mind and a deep wish to delve below the surface of life. One subject that would come up was the use of harsh language/cursing since that was on the table, so to speak.
In the email she said, (Here is) A blog entry w/ no cursing: Soon I’m going to try not doing any cursing for a whole week. I think it’ll be quite challenging. ;) I’d be interested in your thoughts (on what I have written).
All my vows so far have had to deal with right speech. I think it’s a good place to start as far as self-improvement goes. Thoughts and speech do affect mood and behavior. And thinking about what comes out of your mouth leads to thinking about what goes into your brain, what you eat, what you surround yourself with, what you’re doing. At least it has for me.
Quoted from 2nd Vow Update, on K’vitsh.
I’m glad to be able to link to this post…and you should know that cursing is included in many of the other posts and comments on the above site. By linking to this particular post I’m sending a message of support. It is no easy matter to clean up ones language and in the process make some major changes generally. (update: slips do happen….)
The matter of making vows and promises has been coming to mind during the day. Of course vow is linked in to ones ongoing wish and intention to keep true to the moral and ethical Buddhist Precepts. Several of those precepts deal with speech; ones (right) relationship with others – and oneself.
I will write more in response to the above and on vow. In the mean time we all know vows don’t last. They need to be renewed. In the monastery we do that formally each morning with a verse. The ending sentence goes: I wish to unfold the Buddhas teaching that I may help all living things.
Flooding
Spare a thought for all who are caught up in the flooding in Cumbria, as well as in South West Scotland.
My laptop failed me earlier in the week. As you see, it is back in business again. Thankfully.
From My First Wall?
I remember very clearly
everything about the first wall
I sat still in front of.
Stones painted off-white.
I remember very clearly
what came into my mind
it went something like…
Oh NO! This is REALLY important!
I like to think that perhaps one of these stones, now part of the outside of the meditation hall, is one of those off-white stones.
The lay ministers are here for the weekend, including Andrew and his wife Julie, so I’m fully occupied until late on Monday with this retreat.