Loving-Kindness

"The monk who abides in universal love and is deeply devoted to the Teaching of the Buddha attains the peace of Nibbana, the bliss of the cessation of all conditioned things."
-- Shakyamuni Buddha, Dhammapada

"Of all sentient beings there is not a single one who has not been your own father or mother. So as a way of repaying the kindness of all sentient beings, set out to work for their well-being.

"Cultivate loving-kindness and compassion for all sentient beings. Constantly train yourself in bodhicitta. Train yourself to benefit sentient beings through all your actions. Train yourself in cherishing others as more important than yourself."
-- Padmasambhava, Dakini Teachings

"All the joy the world contains
Has come through wishing happiness for others.
All the misery the world contains
Has come through wanting pleasure for oneself.

"Is there need for lengthy explanation?
Childish beings look out for themselves,
While Buddhas labor for the good of others.
See the difference that divides them!"
-- Shantideva, The Way of the Bodhisattva

Comments

[Sarabaite]

Are those from the volumes that are being reproduced? Lovely!
(Good match to the picture, as well! How expressive!)

Curious -- what do those leaders say about people who typically seem to be naturally optimistic as a normal state of being? I don't mean that they (oh, why lie, I mean "I") don't take an interest in other's lives and wellfare, but I'm a far cry from the sort who gives to the point of depletion.

[Christian]

Publishing such wonderful excerpts together with such a cute picture is a bit of a waste: I scrolled down first to admire the picture! The blissful look in the eyes... Ah! :-)

[Bolor]

Nice picture. And quotes. And the puppy's content too.

[Julie]

Man, that is one happy puppy. You look pretty content yourself. :) Beautiful quotes, too, and they go so brilliantly with the picture!

[Franklin]

Sigh. :-)

[Pixie]

Hi Sarabaite,
I don’t think that the teachings quoted are suggesting that we should give ourselves to others until we are depleted.
I think rather that they express the idea that we are all interconnected, via the rounds or rebirth and because we are all sentient beings, all bound in suffering, all seeking happiness ….

“Of all sentient beings there is not a single one who has not been your own father or mother. So as a way of repaying the kindness of all sentient beings, set out to work for their well-being…” Padmasambhava, Dakini Teachings

When one starts to experience the world as it really is, the perceived distance between ourselves and others starts to deteriorate. In fact the very notion of ‘self’ becomes increasingly obsolete. Therefore if our actions are mindful and of benefit to others, this benefits us as much as them. There is no ‘depletion’ because there is nothing to be lost.

That is my humble interpretation anyway...over to you Konchog!

XXPixieXX

[sisLaura]

"Jesus said, 'The first (commandment) in importance is ... love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy' And here is the second: 'Love others as well as you love yourself'. There is no other commandment that ranks with these". Mark 12

[Konchog]

Nice, Pixie! Just as I might have put it, with the corollary about the ongoing truth that one's own deep and abiding happiness has its source in working for the happiness of others. I posted the photo because it reflected something of my giddy happiness just at that moment. During my Mongolian lesson, and before Floki conked out, he had for the first time exhibited playfulness, gently gnawing on my finger. Today he stood upright for the first time. These moments are like little miracles.

Sis, thank you for the beautiful addition. Under different circumstances, that's the Jesus I might have followed.

[Sarabaite]

hmmmm -- thanks, Pixie and Konchong! That rounds out the quotes for me.

[marylee]

I just love those moments when things are as they ought to be.

[Lee Ann]

Sniffle :-}

[Vedran]

That's excellent news about Floki. Seeing you two content like that I wonder maybe I'v been wrong not to get another dog when my
beloved one died. But now it's too late, no way I can get a puppy now. If I start showing emotiones for fluffy creatures everyone would think I'v gone out of my way... Maybe if I could get tibethan mastiff
somehow, but these are rare and expencive. Then I would have excuse for having a puppy, eveybody knows I like tibethan things
and would not dare to disrespect it.

[Konchog]

Vedran, my brother -- try not to think too much about your own feelings, but about the feelings of the dog. Is there a place like the ASPCA where you are that has abandoned animals? Find the one that no one wants and take that one. Who cares what people think? If there are beings that need love, it's our job as bodhisattvas to love them, no matter what. Tell people that. Then what can they say? My teacher often says that love is never wrong. To which I say, amen!

[sarabaite]

Funny, Vedran! I also have a hard time being a little vulnerable, although now that I'm a little older (34) I try to go out of my way to be more open -- it just doesn't come naturally. It's good to be able to make fun of yourself, though; you have a great tongue-in-cheek humor! If you don't mind me asking, what do you do for a living? Your English is so good that I was wondering if you used for a job. (I teach English as a second language, so forgive my nosy curiousity.)

[Vedran]

Maybe I'll do that Konchog! Abandoned animals are not uncommon here. I have friend who often hosts stray cats. However I already have pet goose Galaga and she's raging agressive creature which occupied grassy part of my yard and established autonomy there. She decides who goes in or out. Maybe friendly puppy can help her with anger managment.

Sarabaite- interesting, but english is relativly well spoken in Croatia. It was taught in schools even during communist era. I myself, like most people I know, learnd german in school and english only from tv and internet. I find bizzare to see that in "developed" countrys like France or Japan english language is problem for most of people.

[Christian]

Vedran -- I grew up in the country side and I totally understand your goose situation. Those animals are really fierce. How big is Galaga?

About the stray cats, it would be useful already if some neighbours could gather some money and time, then catch and have them sterilised. They tend to reproduce too fastly. In Korea and Japan, people do not like cats because they are related by the folklore to the world beyond. Foxes used to be considered evil spirits. Koreans are very scared by the deads, the ghosts and the after life in general, that is why confucianism worked so well here, I suppose.

In Bucarest (Romania) and Thimphu (Bhutan), dogs roam the streets in the evenings, noisy and aggressive.

Too many Frenchmen tend perhaps to be too proud of their tongue to really make an effort to speak another one. Even in the academia, foreign PhDs or visiting professors must learn some French otherwise they will die of boredom (especially during coffee and meal time, which are very important and social moments in France).

Now, before lama Konchog becomes too concerned for me, I return to my work:-)

[Jan Hughes]

Thanks very much for posting this picture. I keep coming back to it because it's so warm and peaceful. Lucky puppy, lucky you. Enjoy!

[Dolgor]

The puppy is so cute!

[lyssa]

I'm so glad that you are able to help Floki get back on his feet (quite literally) again. I hadn't checked your blog in a while, so I got the whole puppy story at once. So sweet! I have fostered needy baby animals in the past, and it is very rewarding, though hard work.

Hopefully, when he is all healed up, you will be able to find him a home where he can run and play as well as working to help the economics of the family (I imagine he will eat a lot...better find him a place where he can pull his weight!).