#geshe kelsang gyatso

[cobotis]

All negative actions are motivated by delusions, which in turn arise from self-cherishing. First we develop the thought, “I am important,” and because of this we feel that the fulfillment of our wishes is of paramount importance. Then we desire for our self that which appears attractive and develop attachment, we feel aversion for that which appears unattractive and develop anger, and we feel indifference toward that which appears neutral and develop ignorance. From these delusions all other delusions arise...

~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

[kenneth-shaw]

My portrait of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, my instructor in Tibetan Buddhism, acrylic on canvas, Wonder Lake, IL 2009

[kadampalife]

A passion for the possible

A passion for the possible

I hope you’ve all been having holidays as peaceful as are possible in your circumstances. I had a good time, as you can see from this picture of my mother and her Dakini carers, who all appeared together spontaneously on the 24th — her 85th birthday — bearing gifts, cards, flowers, and, mostly, love. Then I had a lovely Christmas Day hearing from these little fellows and then spending time with…

[radical-revolution]

"When the turbulence of distracting thoughts subsides and our mind becomes still, a deep happiness and contentment naturally arise from within"

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

[silence-the-barking-monk]

We are fooled completely by appearances...

not for a moment do we question their validity.

— Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

[mahayanapilgrim]

As Shantideva says, suffering has many good qualities because it purifies our negative karma, increases our renunciation and compassion, reduces our pride, and helps us to overcome our bad mental habits. If we think in this way we will feel that difficult circumstances are our best friends. When our mind is balanced in this way it becomes as stable as Mount Meru, and nothing can cause it to shake. — Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

[thefierylotus]

"The higher up we are in the world the further we have to fall; it is safer to be nearer the bottom."

- Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, The Eight Steps to Happiness

[superdecade]

"I seek your blessings to complete the perfection of giving Through the instructions on improving the mind of giving without attachment, And thus to transform my body, my enjoyments, and my virtues amassed throughout the three times Into whatever each sentient being desires."

- Great Treasury of Merit

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

[selflessanatta]

Turning Anger into Peace: The Transformative Practice of Patient Acceptance, https://selflessanatta.com/turning-anger-into-peace-the-transformative-practice-of-patient-acceptance/

New Post has been published on https://selflessanatta.com/turning-anger-into-peace-the-transformative-practice-of-patient-acceptance/

Turning Anger into Peace: The Transformative Practice of Patient Acceptance

Identifying the causes of anger and mastering the art of patient acceptance to conquer anger.

In the Buddha’s Third Noble Truth, he taught that true cessation of human suffering exists.

The suffering of jealousy ceases with the practice of rejoicing.

See: The Joyful Cure: How Rejoicing Leads to the Cessation of Jealousy

The suffering of attachment ceases by meditating on impermanence.

The suffering of negative Karma ceases by practicing purification and moral discipline.

And the suffering of anger ceases with the practice of patient acceptance.

Eckhart Tolle’s Pain Body

For most people, anger comes easily, and meditating on anger is nearly effortless. Once anger takes over, it becomes self-sustaining.

Eckhart Tolle identified this phenomenon and gave it a name, the Pain Body.

He found the concept useful because it allows people to disidentify from anger and pain, which facilitates managing symptoms more effectively.

What is Anger?

The following is adapted from How to Solve Our Human Problems by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

Anger is a focused mind that identifies an animate or inanimate object, finds it unattractive, exaggerates its bad qualities, and wishes to harm it.

For example, incels, involuntarily celibate men, are angry at women.

They identified the objects of their anger, women who reject them.

They find these women’s rejection unattractive, immediately transforming the woman they desired into a woman they claim not to be attractive.

They exaggerate these women’s imagined bad qualities. And often, these incels want to harm the women who reject them, often through fantasies of subjugation and even outright violence.

In its milder forms, this anger expresses itself through vile comments on internet forums and the consumption of degrading pornography.

In its destructive forms, it comes out in acts of terrible violence against women.

The many faults of anger

Anger, jealousy, and attachment are all disturbing states of mind that cause suffering.

These emotions make everyone afflicted engage in negative actions that lead to untold suffering for themselves and others.

Further, these emotions block any progress on the spiritual path leading to happiness or peace of mind.

Anger is a painful state of mind, a source of tremendous suffering.

Anger makes people tense and uncomfortable.

Anger makes it difficult to sleep, and even when sleep comes, it isn’t restful or refreshing.

Anger makes it difficult to enjoy activities, other than violence and cruelty, inflicting pain on others for petty revenge.

Angry people often lose their freedom of choice, driven to action without concern for consequence.

Angry people live in a state of perpetual victimhood, blaming others for their misfortunes and even the anger itself.

Anger destroys relationships.

Anger makes most people wish to retaliate against those perceived to be the cause of harm. The desire to retaliate often causes people to expose themselves to unnecessary personal danger. Actual retaliation harms others and fails to calm the angry mind.

Anger leads to personal conflict, generally causing damage to both parties. Even the victor in violent conflict is often bloodied and weakened.

Angry people have no friends. They exploit acquaintances and servants for specific needs, but every interaction becomes transactional, devoid of connection or closeness.

Anger transforms people into enemies.

Angry people make enemies of anyone who fails to submit willingly to their demands.

Angry people portray others as evil for resisting their will.

Angry people must always be vigilant against potential attacks from rivals, as enemies of their own creation always surround them.

Angry people die alone, forsaken and forgotten, shunned by all who previously cared for them.

Angry lies we tell ourselves

Most people blame others for their anger as if the other person is the cause for their internal emotional state. In fact, most people don’t question the “fact” that other people cause their anger.

It’s a lie. Each person is responsible for their own reaction.

Anyone who fails to take responsibility for their anger is completely powerless to overcome it.

They become a victim in their own mind, trapped in their angry thoughts, and they project their weakness and victimhood onto everyone else.

Perhaps another person has behaved inappropriately, acted in violence, stolen personal property, or committed any of a number of egregious acts. That person’s behavior may be the trigger for anger, and the anger may seem justified and appropriate to the situation.

However, justifiable anger based on injustice or another person’s behavior is still not the cause. The actual cause is a reaction within the person, and that person has a choice—feel angry, or practice patient acceptance and overcome the anger.

The facts remain that anger still has the full list of negative effects, even if it seems completely justified and appropriate to the circumstances.

Negating and overcoming anger when confronting injustice doesn’t make someone weak or more prone to be victimized. It makes them stronger and more resilient when negative Karma comes their way.

Anger is not protection

Many people carry their anger as a sword or a shield. They want others to fear their wrath as an inducement to behave appropriately.

Some people even use anger to manipulate others, forcing people to comply with their wishes out of fear of retribution, believing anger makes them powerful.

Sadly, many people bludgeon their way through life, manipulating everyone they encounter with their anger, and they wonder why no one likes them or believes they are a good person.

Anger is the defining characteristic of an asshole.

While this makes some people imagine they are safe and protected, this safety is an illusion. People who are determined to act in bad ways are seldom deterred by someone’s angry temper.

In fact, many people will intentionally provoke angry responses to get opponents and rivals to act rashly and commit mistakes. Provoking an enemy to act impulsively is mentioned in The Art of War, by Sun Tzu.

Other Manifestations of Anger

Anger is like fire. It starts as a spark, and if fed with confirming thoughts, and given enough time, it grows into an inferno.

However, like large fires in nature, it can grow out of control and consume everything and everyone in its path.

Buddhist practitioners seek to squelch fire at the initial spark. They abhor and avoid all manifestations of anger, including rage, spite, resentment, aggression, and harmfulness.

Many other negative states of mind, spring from anger, each has its own characteristics, and each is disturbing in its own way.

Rage is uncontrolled anger.

Resentment is formed when anger is sustained without forgetting it. The end goal is to create the desire to retaliate.

Spite is when anger has hardened into resentment, and the person wishes to speak harshly.

Aggression is an increase in anger that motivates the desire to harm others either physically or verbally.

Harmfulness is the mental state that wants to see other beings suffer, the opposite of Compassion.

Patient acceptance overcomes anger

Patient acceptance is the practice of enduring hardship, suffering, and insults without becoming disturbed or reacting with anger.

It serves as a direct antidote to anger and aversion, by maintaining a calm and composed attitude towards life’s difficulties.

It involves tolerating harm or discomfort without resentment, and understanding that anger only leads to further suffering.

It’s one of the most challenging, and yet most rewarding practices on the Buddhist path.

Practicing patient acceptance requires mindfulness and awareness of one’s mental state. By being aware of the rise of anger or frustration, practitioners can observe these emotions without taking action based on them, understanding anger’s impermanent nature.

Advanced practitioners seek to stomp out the fire of anger at the initial spark. The longer the fire is allowed to burn the more it will consume and the harder the flame is to extinguish.

When anger arises, practitioners remind themselves of the many faults of anger as outlined above. This practice is rooted in the recognition that suffering is part of existence and often a result of one’s karma; practitioners learn to accept and endure it without negative emotions.

Most who practice patient acceptance also make vows against retaliation. Besides preventing negative actions leading to bad Karma, the vow against retaliation quiets the mind as revenge thoughts become pointless wastes of energy.

Patient acceptance must be applied in everyday situations, from enduring minor inconveniences to facing significant hardships or dealing with difficult people.

Angry people view patient acceptance as a sign of weakness, but anyone who sincerely practices patient acceptance quickly recognizes it takes much more strength to endure than it does to lash out in anger and false bravado.

Patient acceptance turns challenging situations into powerful lessons for developing patience, compassion, and wisdom.

Patient acceptance is closely linked to compassion (karuna). By enduring suffering without anger, one cultivates a deep sense of empathy for others who suffer and a desire to help alleviate their suffering.

Cultivating patient acceptance brings long-term benefits, such as inner peace, resilience, and a more profound ability to cope with life’s challenges.

Patient acceptance is a fundamental practice in Tibetan Buddhism and is considered one of the six perfections (paramitas) that a Bodhisattva should cultivate on the path to enlightenment.

~~wink~~

Anatta

[adhiroha1]

Wish To Teach? How About A Yoga Teacher Training Course In Rishikesh?

Hearing Belgium brings just one thing to the mind- waffles. Belgium has an elite spot among the European nations. Known for the exceptional quality of chocolate and beer, Belgium is a name the encompasses style and finesse. It is interesting to note that, even Belgians have resorted to following a way of life rooted in the Asian continent, that is, yogic lifestyle. Ten years prior, one could not explore beyond the classic hatha in Yoga but now, there is a menu of Yoga retreats in Belgium to choose from. It is becoming a way of life.

Why Yoga?

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, who was a Buddhist monk, had said, “We all wish for world peace, but world peace will never be achieved unless we first establish peace within our own minds.” ‘Peace within’ is one of the many aims of Yoga.

After the first International Yoga Day on June 21st, 2015, Yoga culture has grown exponentially throughout the globe. It has become widely known and gladly adopted. Yoga helps strengthen the mind and body while also reducing stress. That sounds miraculous for people who have desk jobs (a majority, that). No matter if you are in your 20s, 40s or even 60s, Yoga will be beneficial for you. While the internet can orient you with basic asanas, it is best to always learn from a teacher first.

These days, Yoga studies are on the rise. Universities have courses specialising in the stream. To learn, you require a skilled teacher. For the purpose, there are institutes that impart training to the ones who would like to pass on this elixir-like knowledgeto masses.

Where to learn?

Rishikesh, Uttarakhand is a destination that guides with 300-hour yoga teacher training course. It is a full package where one is trained level by level in yogic traditions. A week-off is also planned for the student to either relax or revel in the mountainous beauty of the state. Plus point? The week-off is included in the package.

You may have been motivated by notions of attaining salvation or balance between your mind and body although doubting it but, once enrolled in the course you will realise it actually happening. The 300 hours yoga teacher training course in Rishikesh is great for those who wish for a demo.  

It’s a win-win situation. You can either go on with the training or return with an enriching experience. The goals that are sought through yoga are stilling the mind and gaining insight. It is a useful practice for this day and age where, work squeezes out the life of individuals.

Thousands of years ago, there was only one sage Patanjali while today, we have many to act the part. If you didn’t know, it was Patanjali who made it possible for people to learn yogic knowledge by organising it systematically. So, if you wish to master your senses and aid others in the same, considering to train sounds lucrative.

[meditantespodcast]

A Meditação como solução para seus Problemas - Meditantes PodCast - #12

A Meditação como solução para seus Problemas, foi o tema da Monja Kelsang Loten, discípula de Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, no episódio 12 do Meditantes PodCast com apresentação de Domício Shanti-Rham.

Ouça, veja, curte, participe, compartilhe.

Saiba mais em: https://youtu.be/rpQwTAYosXU?list=PLjXLCSmO7rtqVsiCq4hYS_Fi-8Yk0352a

[twistedbritresale]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully; Hardcover Book by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

[poetyca]

Amare gli altri - Love others - Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Amare gli altri – Love others – Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

🌸Amare gli altri🌸Anche se qualcuno è intelligente e potente,se non ama gli altri,prima o poi incontrerà dei problemie trova difficile esaudire i suoi desideri. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso🌸🌿🌸#pensierieparole 🌸Love othersEven if someone is clever and powerful, if he does not love others,sooner or later he will encounter problems and find it difficult to fulfill his wishes. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

[radical-revolution]

With Dharma wisdom we can find a teaching in everything, and all things increase our faith and our experience of Dharma. Milarepa said that he regarded everything that appeared to his mind as a Dharma book. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

[christianmasson]

Golden Morning Yoga 🧘🏻‍♂️ 🧘🏻‍♀️ coming back to myself. Pure nature connection ♥️ “Yoga does not just change the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees.” ― B.K.S Iyengar “When you listen to yourself, everything comes naturally. It comes from inside, like a kind of will to do something. Try to be sensitive. That is yoga.” ― Petri Räisänen “We all wish for world peace, but world peace will never be achieved unless we first establish peace within our own minds.” ― Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (at Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs, Quebec) https://www.instagram.com/p/CddMaDhLddW/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[aspiritualwarrior]

Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible. We all wish for world peace, but world peace will never be achieved unless we first establish peace within our own minds. We can send so-called 'peacekeeping forces' into areas of conflict, but peace cannot be opposed from the outside with guns. Only by creating peace within our own mind and helping others to do the same can we hope to achieve peace in this world.

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso