Dharma
10. *Dharma (its various meanings)
Dictionary Definition: Dharma means the teachings of the Buddha. Some regard it as an ultimate truth, or as the fount of all things which lies beyond the "three realms" and the "wheel of becoming".
My Definition: It is an uninterrupted flow of experiences. The inner workings of our experience, of reality. The Dharma is neither a god nor is it a reality other than this life. But instead, just the simple truths arising in every moment of experience. It is what the case is in any moment of experience.
Journal Entry January 24th: Dharma has been one of the confusing concepts for me up to this point. There are many different definitions for it and it is different based on whether it is capitalized or not. I would like to learn more about this as we continue and specifically the Dharma gate. I understand that if you want to gain wisdom, you cannot select what you get wisdom from. If one isn’t willing to look at dukkha, how will one ever know it. Wisdom, love, and compassion leave the door open, while ignorance and ill-will leave it closed. I would like to expand on this concept.
10. *Dharma (its various meanings)
Dictionary Definition: Dharma means the teachings of the Buddha. Some regard it as an ultimate truth, or as the fount of all things which lies beyond the "three realms" and the "wheel of becoming".
My Definition: It is an uninterrupted flow of experiences. The inner workings of our experience, of reality. The Dharma is neither a god nor is it a reality other than this life. But instead, just the simple truths arising in every moment of experience. It is what the case is in any moment of experience.
Journal Entry January 24th: Dharma has been one of the confusing concepts for me up to this point. There are many different definitions for it and it is different based on whether it is capitalized or not. I would like to learn more about this as we continue and specifically the Dharma gate. I understand that if you want to gain wisdom, you cannot select what you get wisdom from. If one isn’t willing to look at dukkha, how will one ever know it. Wisdom, love, and compassion leave the door open, while ignorance and ill-will leave it closed. I would like to expand on this concept.
Dukkha
11. *Dukkha (One of the Three marks)
Dictionary Definition: Suffering, or ill. As the first of the Four Noble Truths and the second of the three characteristics of existence the term dukkha is not limited to painful experience, but refers to the unsatisfactory nature and the general insecurity of all conditioned phenomena which, on account of their impermanence, are all liable to suffering, and this includes also pleasurable experience. Hence ‘unsatisfactoriness’ or ‘liability to suffering’ would be more adequate renderings, if not for stylistic reasons. Hence the first truth does not deny the existence of pleasurable experience, as is sometimes wrongly assumed. (www.urbandharma.com)
My Definition: Dukkha, for me, is the wide range of unsatisfactory things in my life. From the small bummers that happen throughout the day to the major tragedies that happen in my life.
Journal Entry: I do not see dukkha as a negative part of life as is often assumed. When I look at the best moments I have in my life, they were preceeded by times that I labeled unpleasant. Since we label all moments of experience as pleasant, unpleasant, or indifferent; I see all moments instead as dukkha, sukkha, or detachment.
Journal Entry January 24th: In the Kalama Sutra article I read that “one ends dukkha through self-reliance, through individual responsibility, through one’s direct empirical experience of the Dharma. One must look to oneself as the ultimate authority in spiritual matters.” This spoke to me because I grew up in a sect off of Christianity that was very structured and based on memorization. This did not appeal to me and made me against religion. This has given me a new interest in learning more about Buddhism as a religion. Dukkha and Interdependent Co-Arising are very interesting main points for me.
11. *Dukkha (One of the Three marks)
Dictionary Definition: Suffering, or ill. As the first of the Four Noble Truths and the second of the three characteristics of existence the term dukkha is not limited to painful experience, but refers to the unsatisfactory nature and the general insecurity of all conditioned phenomena which, on account of their impermanence, are all liable to suffering, and this includes also pleasurable experience. Hence ‘unsatisfactoriness’ or ‘liability to suffering’ would be more adequate renderings, if not for stylistic reasons. Hence the first truth does not deny the existence of pleasurable experience, as is sometimes wrongly assumed. (www.urbandharma.com)
My Definition: Dukkha, for me, is the wide range of unsatisfactory things in my life. From the small bummers that happen throughout the day to the major tragedies that happen in my life.
Journal Entry: I do not see dukkha as a negative part of life as is often assumed. When I look at the best moments I have in my life, they were preceeded by times that I labeled unpleasant. Since we label all moments of experience as pleasant, unpleasant, or indifferent; I see all moments instead as dukkha, sukkha, or detachment.
Journal Entry January 24th: In the Kalama Sutra article I read that “one ends dukkha through self-reliance, through individual responsibility, through one’s direct empirical experience of the Dharma. One must look to oneself as the ultimate authority in spiritual matters.” This spoke to me because I grew up in a sect off of Christianity that was very structured and based on memorization. This did not appeal to me and made me against religion. This has given me a new interest in learning more about Buddhism as a religion. Dukkha and Interdependent Co-Arising are very interesting main points for me.
Equanimity
12. *Equanimity: (One of the Four Immeasurables)
Dictionary Definition: Evenness of mind especially under stress. (www.Merriam-Webster.com). A state of psychological stability and composure which is undisturbed by experience of or exposure to emotions, pain, or other phenomena that may cause others to lose the balance of their mind. The virtue and value of equanimity is extolled and advocated by a number of major religions and ancient philosophies. (Wikipedia)
My Definition: Equanimity is seeing clearly at all times. It is taking a deep breath and still looking at a situation skillfully instead of giving up.
Journal Entry February 7th: For me looking at any situation in my life I must be present with it. I need to look at it with equanimity and accept it for what it is, understand the conditions that have made it what it is, and not get angry about it or have unwholesome feelings about it, because those feelings will not change what it is, it had no choice but to be the way that it is. If I look at every situation in this way with equanimity, I come closer to having the Bodhi mind of clarity.
12. *Equanimity: (One of the Four Immeasurables)
Dictionary Definition: Evenness of mind especially under stress. (www.Merriam-Webster.com). A state of psychological stability and composure which is undisturbed by experience of or exposure to emotions, pain, or other phenomena that may cause others to lose the balance of their mind. The virtue and value of equanimity is extolled and advocated by a number of major religions and ancient philosophies. (Wikipedia)
My Definition: Equanimity is seeing clearly at all times. It is taking a deep breath and still looking at a situation skillfully instead of giving up.
Journal Entry February 7th: For me looking at any situation in my life I must be present with it. I need to look at it with equanimity and accept it for what it is, understand the conditions that have made it what it is, and not get angry about it or have unwholesome feelings about it, because those feelings will not change what it is, it had no choice but to be the way that it is. If I look at every situation in this way with equanimity, I come closer to having the Bodhi mind of clarity.