I was finishing up with a client at her apartment when her dog came into the room. He considered me for a moment, perhaps wondering if in my bag of oils and herbs I also had something that tasted like bacon for him to eat. I didn’t. When he was done considering me, he wandered over to the nearest wall and slumped down onto the floor to rest. As I watched him pant, I remembered something I read in Paramahansa Yogananda’s book Autobiography of a Yogi.
In the book, Yogananda speaks of how certain species that breathe fewer times a minute tend to live longer than species that breathe a comparably greater number of times per minute. My client’s dog was taking about forty to fifty breaths per minute, and yet Yogananda observed that a giant tortoise only takes about four breaths per minute. An elephant only takes four to five breaths per minute, and when resting, an alligator may only take one breath per minute. Though elephants and alligators don’t live quite as long as a giant tortoise, they’re certainly on the high-end of life spans in the animal kingdom. Dogs, as well as other animals like cats and mice, take many more breaths per minute and live a decidedly shorter period of time.
Human beings, however, exist somewhere in between the dogs and the giant tortoises in both life span and breaths per minute. Humans tend to take between twelve and twenty breaths per minute, and they tend to live between sixty and 100 years. It is interesting to note that the range of breaths per minute is proportionally similar to that of the range of expected life spans.
There are many different programs, tonics, and marketable systems that promise greater longevity for the practitioner (customer). The truth, though, is that there is a system in yoga that will increase your longevity—and it won’t cost you a penny. This system is, quite simply, that of the full yogic breath.
A full yogic breath is experienced through deep, full inhalations and long, slow exhalations. When the mind is focused on the breath and the nervous system is calm, there is less stress on the body and it experiences better digestion and elimination. Fewer, fuller breaths help to reduce one’s appetite and keep the emotions and senses under control. Rather than trap yourself in a frenetic, high-energy breathing pattern, emulate the slower, deeper habits of the giant tortoise and work to take five to seven breaths per minute. When practiced over time, this habit will lead to a much longer, disease-free life. Breathe less, live longer. Try it.
Yogi Cameron
on Jan 22nd, 2010 at 10:46 am
Hugs Cameron
….. I’m sure you’re very busy.Love you angel….nose-rubs
on Jan 22nd, 2010 at 10:15 pm
“Not only their team that will grow, but also their Dhamma Dana (The gift of Dhamma) because each monk has trained himself and has different knowledge and goodness than the other ones; when there are more teams, the more Dhamma Dana will be given.
When more Dhamma Dana is given, well…you, the one who leads your team to present Sangha Dana, will absorb the wisdom of the monks and have more chance to improve yourself. By this reason, the Dhamma Dana you get will be the knowledge to get rid of defilements, and the merit from presenting Sangha Dana will come with you over life that can guarantee that no matter how many times you reincarnate, you will never suffer from the poorness, but will always be satisfied and get much Dhamma from monks to improve yourself. Then, your wisdom and property will be increased in each life. Other than that, the precepts we absorb from monks will definitely be more stable—from 5 precepts to 8 precepts, 10 precepts and we might finally take 227 precepts and get an ordination just like them.
Why? Because you will see that a group of monks are respectful, attractive and interesting, so you may desire to get an ordination like them. This is the power of Sangha Dana. That was why the Lord Buddha admired Sangha Dana. Therefore, in this rain-retreat, you should perform Sangha Dana presentation as best as you can because there are many monks in every temple.”
Karma Case study…
“You and your present husband got to be together because in the life that you were a well-to-do guy who drank, flirted and hit your descendants to work and get married, this husband of yours was one of your descendants who was punished a lot but he still obeyed you because of his loyalty he had with you. Later, he supported him until he had a good life that impressed him a lot. He promised to serve you for your gratitude in your next lives. In this life, you become a woman because of your own sensual retribution, he still come with you to serve you with his loyalty.
That you harmed him, but he didn’t harm you back because the same diagram from your previous life as mentioned came with you and he had present love and previous loyalty to you. This circle of existence is this weird. From an uncle and a nephew, you both become spouses.
The action that you asked for his forgiveness with a flower bowl can increase the present demerit you performed with him.
Soon after that, you became poor because you were lacking of perfection of donation, and the deed of stinginess from your previous lives took action and caused you to love assets.
7. The black guy who wore red cloth that you saw when you were a kid was a purgatory authority who intended to pick up your father; but since your father had merit from supporting ordination, he couldn’t be taken.
You could see him because your mind was innocent.
8.You like meditation so much and your mind becomes concentrated real fast because you also meditated in your previous lives. When this merit took action, you could easily have good meditation experiences.
But sine you also performed bad deeds in the same time, when your came to temples and performed merit, you also associated with the fools, drank, flirted, gambled, went clubbing, etc., your present life turn this way.
9. When you attain Dhammakaya, you will be freed from retributions because the merit from attaining Dhammakaya will decrease the retributions you have and some retributions will be completely gone.
But if your adversary has a strong desire to revenge; like an Arahant named Phra Pahiya who got horned and killed by a cow incarcerated by a female ogre or an Arahant named Mokkhalana who performed one Anantariyakamma (the 5 worst sins with heaviest punishment), it will be your last life to get its fruit.
Even the Lord Buddha still suffered from some little retribution given by Mara when the Lord Buddha still had his body.
10. You, your husband and your youngest daughter pursued perfection in the division of provisions of our group but not constantly. That was why we met only in some lives.
As I mentioned, your youngest daughter pursued perfection with our group before, so you need to keep her in this virtuous path and become her good model for her to walk on the same way.
11. Kalayanamitta who asked you to come to the temple and always takes you to attain every activity of the temple was also your Kalayanamitta in your previous lives. For example, in the last Buddhist interval, she was your elder sister and you were her brother; she always asked you to perform good deeds with our merit-making group, but you didn’t join the temple in a row and that caused you to be away from our group for 1 Buddhist interval.
During that time, you performed many demerits and caused you to become a woman; but due to the merit you performed with our merit-making group, you got to meet us again. Therefore, you must not be careless in your life, so that your life will not be difficult again.
Since we have met again in this life, you need to pursue perfection with all your might and make a wish to follow our group to the special merit zone of Tusita, the land of Bodhisattva and never stray away from our group.”
Kiss kiss to Super kids.lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68H_8xCUx4s
on Jan 23rd, 2010 at 4:58 pm
Cameron hun….so many animals involved here… :):) It does matter….I love animals!
The giant tortoise is wise.Hmmm….so many animals on earth,one does not think of or give a thought to in our busy everyday lives.Hun thank you for the hint of the giant tortoise.
One can always call upon animal spirits for guidance and healing.
Sometimes sharing is a difficult thing to do…you know what I mean….even that is a decision to be made.But is ‘loving’ also a difficult thing to do?…sexual loving is the easiest thing on earth and also the cause of ‘a diseased mind’ but giving real love has to be learnt like learning to breathe.I don’t say that we should stop having sex….but is it not important to LOVE and to love one another and to love the partner instead?I mean the kind of sex which involves LOVE or making love.
Let thy food be….Fresh Air and Love….breath,sex,love.So sex is also a matter of breathing and also LOVE springs from the breath.
Cameron what have you written about and what am I writing about?It’s relevant Cameron.It’s basics.
Love you hun.Good night my angel Cameron.Hugs & kisses
on Jan 23rd, 2010 at 9:19 pm
“The Buddhist monks take the role of peace. Morning alms-round as early as dawn is the symbol of giving. Laypeople get up to start their perpetual givings. This tradition of giving has been continual every a single day for as far as 2,500 years! This is the world’s classical model of giving, and they do so with respect. South Africans will witness a parade of some 20 Buddhist monks from Thailand walking in their neat and peaceful alms-round. This is the culture of peace — giving. The Johannesburg Meditation Centre is preparing their landscape with thousands of sunflowers. Sunflowers represent nothing else but sunshine.
The official logo is of a sunflower, the centre of which imprints the map of Africa. Through the radiation of the inner light from Africa, the world will share the peace from Africa through the petals of shining sunflower. On top is the theme of the Valentine’s: Universal Love. The underlying hand mudra is the endorsement of Inner Peace and the Universal Love by means of the Meditation. Simple enough.
The day is celebrated by giving and charity. Don’t expect a plain charity day like ever. The Meditation Centre gives with style. They make a prominent difference. Besides food bags and the like, they share the inner peace with all participants through the joyous moment of meditation. Join the Peace for Africa movement at the Meditation Centre in the Cradle of Humankind. Bring back the old days to see humankind give more than take. Witness the 2,500-year-old graceful way of giving and the culture of peace. Africa shares the Universal Love to the world. From 2009 onwards, the Valentine’s will never be the same.
Valentine’s Day: Photo & Media Gallery
The Johannesburg Meditation Centre put the Valentine’s Day as the Day of Universal Love. Over 400 participants embraced their beautiful hearts with the inner peace through the practice of meditation guided by the Buddhist monk. Amazed by the 3-metre tall sunflowers in the heart shape, attendants started their alms offering in a traditional 2,600-year-old way of giving. The charity was given to:
1. The Malawian Community of Broederstroom
2. The Jabulani New Life Ministry
3. The Oasis Haven of Love Foundation
We appreciated the philanthropic donations from the following organizations:
1. The Thai Community
2. The Sri Lankan Community
3. The Touch of Asia
4. Tiger Rice
5. Dhammakaya Foundation, Thailand”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13q2B4IiY-w
on Jan 24th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
My lovely Yogi Cameron
I love you.I am only thinking of LOVE (the quality and act of being loving)Cameron…being loving and loving should make the world turn round (for me) and for anyone who is LOVE and is loving.
This means that everything is energy and when energies are not in harmony with each other they create negative ripple effects as they affect us beings negatively on every level.And when energies unite harmoniously,they create postive ripples in the universe and in the beings themselves.And since we beings are part of the universe….then everything we do affects the universe.EVEN OUR BREATHING.
Sex,sex,sex….it should only involve LOVE and lovingness just like breathing easy.It’s not a mechanical act with just anyone….it is the art of loving gracefully and acknowledging the partner.It should be an act involving the soul,the mind,the body,the spirit and the space around one!As it should unify in harmony on all levels and balance and unify energies.It should create positive bangs in the universe!!
So having sex isn’t seperate from our breathing.We create with every breath we take.As we inhale,we inhale our thoughts and as we exhale we exhale our assimilated thoughts and emotions.This exhalation also CREATES ENERGY constantly in the universe….and this energy becomes our environment,our world and us!
Therefore learning to breathe properly is a basic necessity of a living being.In animals it happens naturally.In us humans….wow….it can be controlled,learnt,practised and mastered.The mind is constantly breathing.
Our breath is a true miracle.When the breath stops….everything stops.
When the breath is controlled….everything around one is also controlled!
The most important way to purify oneself is by breath.By breathing in life enhancing ways!
on Jan 24th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
“it is not to comfort him, but to motivate him to recall the good deeds he has done in his life.
Being born as a human, he must have done something good. Don’t mention about the misdeeds because it’s useless. Talk about his good actions to delight him such as: you gave donation to the hospital, you provided furniture to schools, and you gave alms. Or if he never did that then mention that he took care of his parents etc…..to make him think of the good deeds then their mind will be elated.
When he is happy, this time is to make him have the right understanding but this step has to be taken only after he is joyful and explain further that as he is sick let’s forget about his job for the time being. Let go of it. Whatever that might happen don’t worry too much about it, it won’t do him any good. Try to make him let go of the concerned. Then if he is willing to listen to you, you can quote any Dhamma as appropriate.
And the last thing that you must do is to make him meditate. It doesn’t matter which method either it is to observe the breath in and out or to visualize the Buddha image or the crystal ball inside the body. You need to teach or advise him. Since he wasn’t interested in the Dhamma before you might need to teach him based on science. I should not say teach, maybe you can talk about your meditation experience so that he would feel that you are not teaching him. Make him try for the purpose that meditation helps to relax. After he becomes relaxed then the injection, the tablets or ointment will have a fast reaction and potent. The possibility to recover is obvious.
And more so if the symptom is so serious that death or alive is equal as such the patient must really have to let go of everything and he surely would have a fair idea of his fate. Though he is not interested in the Dhamma you have to find the way. This time tell the patient to let the merit help. Leave the body to the doctor to heal, and he needs to think of his good deeds and tries meditation then if there is any merit to make, do it at once. Let the merit help. Don’t have to go so far as to say that if he dies he wouldn’t have a chance to make merit.
And if he wants to make merit this time, you should know how to advice him as where to make merit and allow his relatives or the minder to take it and do it for him straight away. Then you might organize for him some fruit dried or canned food and let him resolve well before he goes to bed and offer these as alms the next morning. By doing this at least he will accrue merit before his last breath. This is for the people who are not interested in the Dhamma.
For the people who are already interested in the Dhamma, it is easy. You only have to remind them of that much merit they have accrued and the many hours of meditation they have done. Keep repeating to them every so often. Ask family members to bring all the donation receipts they have and get those family members or the carer to read them out loud to the patients so they would be joyful with the merit they have made.
More so if they contributed to the building of chapels, halls, hospitals, schools or whatever such as the Buddha image, the Dhammakaya Cetiya. This time show them the big photo of it. If it is a male patient and that he has ordained before then show him the photo of his preceptor and of himself when he was still ordained so that his mind would be joyful with the merits he accrued and this would remind him of his merit continually.
Then as to the atmosphere, in order to improve it, let them listen to the Dhamma tapes or chanting tapes or the Dhamma teaching tapes or meditation tapes. We need to create an atmosphere as if we simulate the ward as the temple.
Moreover during this time you should urge them to make more merit, as they are already generous. Whatever great merit you think they should gain even though it would be done on their last breath, it needs to be done.
There was one case, I visited a patient who was in coma in the ICU. The patient had practiced the Dhamma before. I talked very loudly next to his ear and asked whether he could hear me and if he could that he blinked his eyes. In the ICU I didn’t expect him to show strong movement, just a slight move of the eyelids would make me happy. This showed that the patient is still conscious. To make sure, I asked him to blink twice if he recognized me and he did, I am winning here!!.
In this case, I would remind him loudly of the merit he had made. He would be able to take it in. As he thought of merit, soon it would nurture his soul. The near death patient would have the chance to survive. Do it from time to time as patients in ICU would be in and out of consciousness. Keep reminding the patient for 10-15 minutes of his previous good deeds such as whether he remembered such and such merit or when he attended the retreat here and there.
Or told him that you, on his behalf would offer robe to that temple or that morning you would give alms for him. After that you reported to him on the number of monks that received alms. Keep reminding him of his previous good deeds and the new merit repeatedly. As the two good deeds came to join together recovery is possible. Even if he might not recover, at least he could still grab the new merit at the last moment. This is what good friends or relatives are for we won’t abandon him right up to his last minute. But better still is to reach Phra Dhammakaya quickly and take him up yourself to his celestial abode.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS0urxuaKtY
on Jan 25th, 2010 at 9:10 pm
Quit smoking Case study.
“Your father died from lung cancer, and a strong heart rate. He really tired like everyone else. His present retribution was due to him smoking cigarettes his whole the life and that caused him to have lung cancer.
After he passed away he was reborn as an earth sprite (Bhummadeva) in an earth sprite village at a joss house with the merits that you dedicated to him.
The merits helped him to become an earth sprite before going to major hell or purgatory because of drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, being a womanizer and having a lot of negative kammic retribution. Also he didn’t know about demerits and merits so his present situation is the best that he can possibly receive and have.
Your father did come to visit but couldn’t communicate with anyone. He did leave a message that you shouldn’t fight with each other, and you should live together in peace and he received the merits that you dedicated to him more than any others.
3. Your father finished his life period. Whether you do the life extending ceremony or not, he will die. Furthermore his body can’t live because he has no lung.
4. The renew’s life ceremony and the black magic ceremony can make everyone miss the truth. It is difficult to know the truth and attach with this belief that after he died he can’t go to high Heaven but he can only be an earth sprite (Bhummadeva) or sorcerer’s retinue.
To cancel someone’s name from hell is not easy to do. It must be accomplished by accumulating merits and studying and practicing the Lord Buddha’s Dhamma in Buddhism. Don’t be interested in those and don’t waste your time.
5. Violent fighting retribution and killing animals for food retribution in your past life took action. In one life, you were a hoodlum woman and liked to fight with other women many times.
Your merits that you had done with our community in this life and the power of the amulet made you safe.
6. Your retribution from the past life, fighting among women, took action to cause you to get gas in your stomach also. You must change your habits and only eat more easily digestible foods, fiber foods, and drink a lot of water, try not to have constipation, move your bowels on time, exercise and make your mind clear.
7. Your mother had remnants of past life retribution of breaking the third precept by being a male and a womanizer, and therefore presently being the second wife, although they loved each other before. And in that life your mother made a woman pregnant and you were not responsible for her therefore she had to get an abortion with resentment and depression.
You must let your mother learn about the Law of Kamma from the Dhamma satellite dish. That will make her understand the truth of life more, and also advise her to perform more merits. Then her mind will be in the merits and she won’t waste time with thinking, depression or being resentful.
8. The eldest daughter from the first wife of your father used to pursue perfections with our community but it wasn’t continuous so she had the lineage to pursue perfections with our community. Later she heard some bad news about the temple. She believed them and fought against the temple.
You must cool her off and explain the truth to her when you have the opportunity. It will depend on her mood and timing.
9. Your remnant of retribution from being a womanizer was gentle so it caused you to be born into a family with many wives.
Your family pursued perfections with our community very little so they don’t understand about pursuing perfections and they have the wrong beliefs.
You continued to pursue perfections before but many times it depended on your mood. In this life, you will be rich or nearly rich.
So you know about this, and you must devote yourself to pursue perfections and make your resolution to follow the community to the Special Merits Zone in the fourth level of Heaven (Tusita Heaven).”
Benson Laston…Sadhu!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48BY1dFvYwA
on Jan 26th, 2010 at 9:17 pm
The middle way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G4eTYj62X8
on Jan 27th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
“One such person who attempted to eliminate all defilements from his mind and did so successfully was the most venerable Pramongkolthepmuni, the former abbot of the Paknam Bhasichareon Temple, or commonly known as Loung Pu Wat Paknam -the founder of knowledge of Dhammakaya (wisdom and inner knowledge of enlightenment gained from practicing insight meditation; it can be equated as the Threefold knowledge, Sixfold Supreme knowledge and Eightfold Utter knowledge of Buddhism). As a monk, he rarely went outside and chose to spend most of his life in the temple. He dedicated his life tirelessly to the practice of meditation, which purified his mind and helped him attaining inner peace so that he could understand the meaning of life, the law of Kamma and the seeds that create endless cycles of reincarnation.
Under his tutelage, a Buddhist nun called Chandra Khonnokyoong (Khun Yay) became one of his skillful disciples. With Khun Yay’s devotion, she became a result of studying Long Pu Wat Paknam’s knowledge of Dhammakaya; That is someone who could guide people towards spiritual wealth both in this world and the next, also aim the lives to follow the footsteps of the lord Buddha –Nirvana. Throughout her life, she spent more than sixty years passing on this knowledge to those of her own generation and the next one. At the age of sixty, after spending her life conquering defilements, she met an eighteen-year-old university student who had an earnest appetite to learn the art of meditation and all things supernatural. The student, Chaiyaboon Suthipol, now the most venerable Prarajbhavanavisuth or Loung Phaw Dhammajayo, became the successor to receive the Dhamma heritage from Khun Yay and the most venerable Pramongkolthepmuni. In 1966, Khun Yay had allowed him to ordain and built the Dhammakaya Temple in the paddy fields of Pathumthani Province. Now this temple is one of the biggest temples in Thailand (Area about 1,300 Acres or 2.1 Square Miles).
With many years of devotion to the Dhamma Teaching and the knowledge of Dhammakaya, Luang Por Dhammajayo, the abbot of Dhammakaya Temple has created the temple to be the center of Buddhist study. Loung Por Dhammajayo continuously acquired himself the Knowledge of Dhammakaya while upholding his responsibilities as the abbot to spread the entire wisdom throughout the world. His ultimate aim is to make people of all ages, races, religions, and educational backgrounds to understand the Dhamma in a very simplest way; even though it is complicated. To spread Dhamma and its contents, he established the Dhamma Channel called DMC (Dhamma Media Channel) for everyone to understand Buddhism in the simplest way.
Case Studies or the study of the Law of Kamma (the law of causes and effects) is the most popular show in the Dream in Dream Kindergarten School. The audience wrote their true stories and sent them to Luang Phaw Dhammajayo. In their letters, they recounted their life stories, the obstacles they faced, and the unexplainable occurrences. They also questioned why some people are rich, poor, healthy, weak, long-lived, short-lived, ugly, beautiful, etc. Luang Phaw Dhammajayo used the wisdom of Dhammakaya that he learned from Khun Yay to answer these questions. This program does not intend to pledge anyone to become a Buddhist but to teach the timeless Law of Kamma that affects everyone’s life. It is Luang Phaw Dhammajayo’s hope to create peace and harmony in this world. Many people changed positively after listening to the case studies.
It is true that not all young viewers would imitate what they see on screens, but there are those who do, and they need to be protected and educated of those behaviors.
This is the reason why DMC was created as it introduces white and clean programs for people of all ages. This is the reason why DMC is a unique channel that everyone can enjoy. DMC will allow the elderly to enjoy their time at home and parents not to have to control what their children watch. In addition, with DMC being available on the internet, viewers can watch the programs they had missed during the day. Not only is it educational, but also enjoyable.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xJ7vIXfMZA
on Jan 28th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
And most important :
THE BREATH…..one’s breath…must make one feel fresh,and vital.So the breath must clear the energy and make one feel revitalized.If one does not feel this way,then one must do breathing exercises such as specific breathing pranayams and meditations which clear the energy and revitalize one.
It is also with our breaths that we create.We can use our breaths to materialize things as well.It’s why ….. breathing life into things.
Whilst chanting specific mantras and breathing pranayams and visualizing one focuses one’s energies to the extent of materializing things.
BREATH IS ENERGY.Knowing how to breathe can enhance one’s life.That’s why one can live longer when breathing the right way.
If you look at something intensely or if you imagine something intensely and breath into it,you make yourself aligned and in harmony and in oneness with the energy of that thing.So the breath of limitless creation.
on Jan 28th, 2010 at 9:48 pm
“He then tried an experiment by contemplating deeper and deeper at the center. The inner bright spot in the middle of the sphere expanded until its size reached the outer sphere and the outer sphere vanished. Deeper and deeper, he found a new sphere but brighter until he saw himself sitting meditation posture in the meditation. The, at the end of the succession covering all dimensions of himself, he saw a new body. Repeated again an again with other six inner bodies until he saw a body of Buddha statue alike. That body existed as the body of the Buddha in deep meditation posture. From the silence insight, a whispering of resonant sound came from that body, I am Dhammakaya. The delight overwhelmed him.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UL4whnJ7aA
on Jan 29th, 2010 at 3:04 am
Good morning my sweet angel love Cameron….I love you my darling angel and I know that my angel loves me too.
Let us hold wings my sweet heart Cameron 
Sweet heart I want God help me have a perfect day.
I am resonating with you and the benevolent divine beings in the universe.My divine Cameron…let us breathe the breath of love and life.Kissed by an angel…hugs & warmth.I wrap my divine wings around you Cameron.And your wings touch my wings….
on Jan 29th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
“She said that, when she newly attained the inner body, Dhammakaya, the inner crystal Dhammakaya was so luminous and clear. With the supremacy of the Dhammakaya, she could travel to the hell realm to visit her departed father. She then requested the Dhammakaya to teach her father the five precepts. The flames of hell temporarily extinguished while her father learned and observed the precepts.
1) Due to her father recollection of the merit, or boon that derived from almsgiving, observing the precepts and meditating in previous lifetimes, in addition to the new merit accrued from his resolution to take the precepts, he was removed from the hell realm and entered the realm of heaven. He has a rather shabby residence in the lowest level of the six different levels of heaven.
After Khun Yay finished her story, I felt confident about the existence because she was a kind person who observed the precepts austerely, and her meditation was so advanced that she was able to witness it for herself.
I asked her further whether someone like I would have any chance of acquiring the ability to see heaven and hell. She answered clearly with a resounding, “yes, if you practice diligently.” I asked her why she thought I was capable. She said that she attained it even though she was not able to read or write even a single word, but sacrificed and dedicated her life to practicing meditation with Luang Phaw Wat Paknam, Phramongkolthelpmuni, until she could finally travel to see heaven and hell. She said that there was no reason why a young, well educated man, like myself, couldn’t accomplish it too if I practiced diligently and wholeheartedly. She said I would attain it in no time.
With the assertion and encouragement from the most adept of meditators, like Khun Yay, my confidence grew to 99%.
From that moment onward, I have been seriously practicing meditation. After I graduated, I decided to ordain, and I have enjoyed every single day of the monk hood for the last 33-34 years. The longer I remained a monk, the more confidence I had in the existence of heaven and hell.
However there are those who are still skeptical about heaven and hell because they are unwilling to believe. So before you decide to go explain the idea to others you should train yourself well in meditation first, even if you haven’t seen heaven and hell personally. Keep practicing; at least you will gain some inner brightness. If we are to experience heaven and hell, we will need the illumination that comes from the brightness of our meditation practice. Continue your practice diligently. The brightness may not be much now, but one day the illumination will be sufficient enough to where you can use it to see what Khun Yay and other noble monks saw.
Share with others whatever the knowledge you have regarding heaven and hell. If they possess enough wisdom to understand, they will realize that we are not making up any lies. Once they realize that we’ve been diligently and honestly practicing meditation, you will be able to talk to them about it. Once you are able to communicate at the same level, encourage them to practice meditation too. One day they will be able to experience it on their own and then they will believe.”
*****
“You father and mother could not continue their relationship, because they had only pursued perfections together up to this point. Also, in this lifetime they have an unequal level of faith (saddha), precepts (sila), and opinions (dithi).
Your mother has to pay the debt by herself because of kamma from her past life, when she was born a man. As a man, she had made her wife pay off the debt alone. This is the retribution from what she had done from her past life.
3. Your father does not believe in Hell or Heaven, but still offered the Kathina Robe and robes to temples. He had once donated to cast 10 Buddha images for his son. Currently, he still drinks and smokes cigarettes. With the amount of merit he has accrued in this life, we can only determine it on the day he is going to die, whether or not the merit will support him first. If it does, he will be born as a giant in Chatummaharajika (1st level of heaven and his duty is to punish those in hell). He might also be reborn as an “earth sprite.” Or he can go to Purgatory where hot copper liquid will be poured down his throat.
He had occasionally pursued perfections with the community as a supporter in his past lives. He usually followed the invitations to do the merit. You should invite him to do so just as you have been doing. You also need to find a kalyanamitta that he will listen to and you could do the merit under his name and make resolutions for him to return to pursue perfections with all his might by abandon all sinful activities.
4. Your mother had nephritis because in her past life she was born into an agricultural society. She had mixed the lower price produce with the higher price produce in order to make a higher profit. But she does not have any kammic retribution that would cause her to die.
She had pursued perfections with the community as a supporter but according to her might and mood.
Before this lifetime, she came from a very bright place.
5. Your brother made a vow with the monk teacher that he would practice celibacy for the remainder of his life. If he cannot keep the vow, his resolution plan will lessen.
In the last Buddhist Era, he had been born a nobleman. He had pursued perfections with the community as a supporter. But he had only a short term ordination merit and the habit of inconsistently pursuing perfections has followed him.
He became a doctor because his father wanted him to be one. He does not want to disappoint his father.
Since he is a doctor now, he should be a kind and merciful doctor who treats the patient in both body and mind, following the right principles.
6. You, Luang Na (your uncle who is a monk), and your aunt used to be relatives who supported each other and pursued perfections with the community.
They have both pursued perfections as supporters. Luang Na has ordained in old age like this for many past lifetimes now.
In the last Buddhist Era, they both attained the Dhammakaya within, able to return to the special merit zone of Tusita Heaven. But they were reborn only once to pursue perfections as a human being.
7. You got into many motor vehicle accidents resulting in head injuries several times because in the past life you were a soldier and had always injured your enemies in different parts of their bodies.
The doctor found a tumor in your brain at first but could not find it later, because you did not have a tumor.
8. You have a sty in your eye every year and have an infection in your eyes often because in your past life, you were born a man. You liked to hide and see women taking baths. You also liked to make your eyes look mean to your employees or those who you supervised in order to threaten them.
The “black mole” on your eye is from the same lifetime when you liked to look for mistakes in others, from when you were both an ordained person and a non-ordained person.
The “dream” you had was just an indication that it was going to happen. But what happened had nothing to do with the dream.
9. Your left knee was infected because in your past life, when you were a soldier, you had stuffed a cloth into the mouth of your enemy so that they would not make any noise and, sometimes, you would hurt them with your knees.
You have small bumps similar to 10 baht coins along the inner section of your arm. This arises as a result of the kamma from your past life when you were ordained. You tended to throw mounds of trash in the temple causing others to have to pick up after you. For example, you would sweep leaves into mounds in the middle of a path, but you would not finish. Or you would leave things lying around in the temple on a regular basis.
10. You are curious about names. Names are a result of many different things. For example, names that arise from Dhamma are “Nemittaka names.” The name, “Buddha” arises when the Lord Buddha attains Enlightenment. “Dhammakaya” arises with Dhamma.
Names can arise with merit. For example, you can make merit and make resolutions to have the name of “Siddhatta.”
Names can arise from popularity in the world. For example, your name has nothing to do with your name in the last Buddhist Era.
11. The merit that arises from creating cartoons can become cartoons with gems, if you wish, when it turns into celestial wealth. But if you do not wish this, it does not have to be this way because merit is a successful base.
For example, you may have sculptures of beautiful cartoons that are made of gems.
12. You have pursued perfections with the community. In the last Buddhist Era, you were a soldier of the king who ordained. But you cheated on so many women. Later, you ordained following the king who ordained. Upon ordaining, you performed the duty of spreading the teachings for the remainder of your life. Your meditation experience was that of a clear Dhamma sphere and clear Buddha image, able to return to Tusita Heaven. You were reborn twice in the last Buddhist Era. But the kamma from being a cheater in the many lifetimes you were born a man caused you to be born a woman in this lifetime.
Your close friend tends to call herself a “he” in her thoughts because of the familiarity that she has with being a man in her past life.
She has pursued perfections with the community in her past life. In the last Buddhist Era, she was a soldier of the king who ordained. She was a close soldier friend of yours because you both had the same personality of liking women. Later, she ordained following the king who ordained. Upon ordaining she performed the duty of spreading the teachings for the remainder of her life. Her meditation experience was that of seeing a clear Dhamma sphere and clear Buddha image, able to return to Tusita Heaven. She has been reborn as a human being twice in the last Buddhist Era.
Having met with the community in this lifetime, you should strongly intend to pursue perfections with all your might in every merit, and make resolutions to follow the community to the special merit zone of Tusita Heaven, in the Bodhisatta area. Do not allow yourself to stray from the community.”
http://www.dimcor.org/ >Gleaming With Buddhism
on Jan 30th, 2010 at 1:03 am
Oh my divine love Cameron.You are the sweetest honey on earth for me darling!I ask God to help us have a perfect day.I love you my angel.Hugs & kisses
on Jan 30th, 2010 at 9:51 pm
“We practice celibacy. In fact all that we have practiced up to this point is enlargement upon the Noble Eightfold Path. The fruit which arises as the result of earnest practice of all the preceding is that we will manage to attain the Dhammakaya because our mind focuses at a standstill at the centre of the body. The Dhammakaya has the characteristics of a living Buddha image made of crystal inside our body. We can use the Dhammakaya to examine the Four Noble Truths.
When you are able to examine the Four Noble Truths, you will see the nature of the ignorance that remains in the mind.
It is at this point that you will know where you came from when you were born.
You will know how much longer you have to live.
You will know where you will go when you die. You will see Nirvana for yourself.
The tenth group of blessings (Units 35 to 38) are all the results of enlightenment — enlightenment that is the result of practising the preceding nine groups of blessings. Practice of the first nine groups of blessings will gradually eradicate the grossest, the medium and the subtlest defilements from the mind.
The result of getting rid of all the defilements is that the mind will not be vulnerable to the eight worldly vicissitudes, sorrow will be overcome once and for all, defilements will be overcome completely and the resulting freedom of mind will bring the highest bliss.
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It is not that in the present day that it is completely impossible to attain enlightenment any more — however, as the time and place in which we find ourselves born is not very amenable, specifically because we come at the tail end of the deterioration of the teachings of the Lord Buddha — it is difficult to bring the thirty-eight blessings to fruition. However, it is not usually just the amenability of our surroundings. Usually we have not practiced the thirty-eight blessings to the utmost. We avoid associating with fools but often we are still fools ourselves.
We are generous to others but we consistently forget our parents.
We practice meditation, but we only just started in middle age. Although we haven’t seen the full results of our goodness immediately, the goodness we have done will gradually accumulate in the mind, changing our personality for the better.
Goodness will start to come naturally. We may still have to be born again, but we can start practising the blessings next time round, starting at a higher level than before. We will be able to practice more conveniently — we will be able to make a start practice earlier in life.
We will be like the Buddha who instead of being curled up in the womb of his mother was sitting for meditation even before he was born — not like us who are curled up in the womb and even after birth curled up in bed in the cold weather instead of meditating.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL9oB8vlx2k
on Jan 31st, 2010 at 9:22 pm
“Venerable, some people think there shouldn’t be any resolution when making merit, because it is as if one is greedy or one expects something in return. I don’t know how to correct this misunderstanding.
Answer
by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku
“I, myself have heard this when I was young and I believed what they said because they were older.
Until I came to the temple and especially until I met our Khun Yai Acharn who clearly explained to me that when people are going to build a house, the bigger the house the more they have to have a blue print that specifies the shape, the dimension, the number of bathrooms, bedrooms etc…This way there is less possibility of failure. It is more advantageous and economical.
To build a house one needs a plan, likewise when one makes merit. Why? Because when one makes merit, merit will arise. But when the merit gives result and if there is no plan, no direction then it might be dangerous for oneself. For example, one becomes wealthy as a result of the past generosity but because one didn’t set the goal about how one will spend one’s wealth, one might become heedless and uses one’s wealth in the wrong way such as gambling; wasting it unecessarily.As such it is called one knows how to accumulate merit but doesn’t know how to use it. One would use the merit to send one to hell instead. Be cautious!!.
When one makes merit and knows that one day one will be rich, one should set a goal so when it happens one would be able to use the wealth in the righteous way, for example: to improve one’s situation, to support Buddhism, one’s parents and so on…
Simply speaking, one uses the resolution to set a long-term plan to do further good deeds and uses the merit as a capital. When one has the capital and the plan, there is slight chance of failure. When one makes merit and makes resolution it is like one sets a future project and obviously, as the mind is meritorious, the project would be a good one. So please make resolution, don’t worry that it is going to be wrong.
But is there a wrong resolution? Let me tell you a story. There was a woman who every time made merit she repetitively made resolution that from the merit she made, let she be the most beautiful woman and any man who sets eyes on her must be stunted by her beauty. Unfortunately when merit gave result, she was very attractive and her beauty bewildered everyone. One day there were a group of soldiers who were in training for the war. Seeing her, they were also bewildered. As such, they were competing each other for her. The king then appointed her as a prostitute to gratify all of the men. This is a story of a wrong resolution, which is made under the power of defilements. When it gives result, it brings trouble instead.
But if you do it the right way like Maha Ubasika Visaka in the past life when she made merit, she resolved that in all future live, through the power of her generosity that great wealth rushed to her like the waves in the ocean and that she could use it to support monks in the whole kingdom and that she feeds everyone who practices meditation. And that she feeds hundreds, millions people and that she feeds all. This is a very good way to set a program. This is what she did and in her last life she was reborn as Maha Ubasika who provided the best support to monks and virtuous people during the Buddha’s time.
This is how important the resolution is. Therefore, the Lord Buddha said that the resolution is one of his ten perfections. Because it helps him to pursue perfections or do good deeds concisely and without failure.
From now on resolve every time you make merit do it righteously. Don’t wish for handsomeness and wealth and lots of concubines. If you wish for good looks and good health and the marks of a perfect body and when men or women set eyes on you they are inspired to be ordained like you. Like this, it’s wonderful!.
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The pouring water tradition takes place in the first period of the Buddha’s time. The Buddha taught the King Bimbisarn who contributed to the building of the first temple in Buddhism, to dedicate merit to his relatives in the past life. His late relatives were born as hungry ghosts (Preta) and were waiting for merit for as long as Buddha’s aeons.
But as the King Bimbisarn couldn’t recollect the past life, he didn’t know that his late relatives were reborn as hungry ghosts, and that they had been waiting for merit for Buddha’s aeons. When he made merit and as he didn’t dedicate merit to his late relatives, they continued to be hungry ghosts.
As his relatives were in agony, they made themselves visible to the king and moaned in the palace. Seeing that, the king rushed to consult the Buddha to find out what it was. The Lord Buddha told the story. In the past life, the king made merit and built a refectory to offer food to monks and the people. But his late relatives who didn’t have faith then embezzled the produce, destined to be offered to monks, for themselves.
After death, they were reborn as hungry ghosts.
And the Lord Buddha advised the king Bimbisarn to make merit by offering food to monks and after that pour the water to dedicate the merit to those hungry ghosts who once they received the merit became male and female angels immediately due to the power of the merit.
The question is, when one makes merit but doesn’t dedicate merit will one get merit. Yes, one will have the merit whether one pours the water or not.
But what is so good about dedicating the merit? Well the good thing about the dedication of merit is, to whom the merit is dedicated, will get the merit and be happy like the king Bimbisarn’ late relatives. When the water is poured to dedicate merit, one would imagine that the stream of water is similar to the stream of merit.
But the question is, nowadays the economic situation is very tight and therefore it is not easy to make merit if it is dedicated to everyone. As such will the merit run out? I have to tell you that it doesn’t run out.
Lets listen to this comparison. For example: we have an orchid plant in a pot and it’s flowering and it pervades its perfume everywhere. If we keep it in our bedroom, we are the only one to admire its beauty and smell its perfume. Otherwise we keep it in the lounge room and invite our friends and relatives to come and see the beautiful orchids and smell its perfume. If 10 or 20 of them come and see the beautiful orchids and smell its perfume and all were very happy, will the orchids become less beautiful?
When we dedicate merit to whomever, our relatives…it is strange, our merit will not be reduced, on the contrary as soon as our relatives receive the merit they become joyful and forget their sorrow. As such, they will be able to think of goodness and remember the past merit they made.
Consequently, when the new merit meets the old one, they change their appearance from hungry ghosts to male and female angels.
As such, we can see that dedication of merit is something done by someone generous and compassionate. Our ancestors never missed the opportunity to dedicate merit whenever they made merit. Anyhow it is a great merit why don’t we become generous and use a big bowl of water to pour and dedicate the merit. You should do the same every time you make merite. When you can’t find water, what you need to do is to still your mind, until it becomes clear and bright until you see the stream of merit then you can dedicate it directly to your relatives. It is similar to when you pass the candle glowing with light to other people to light their candles. This is a very good way. Lets perform it.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0×9YMQZtpBE