The story of Harold the cook and the dharma practioner

art, Buddhism, Culture, Fashion, Health, Human Rights, Philosophy

It’s cold outside today, but I am going to dress appropriately. Appropriately for a dharma practitioner. What’s a dharma practitioner? A mind scientist. What is the mind. The mind is clear and knowing and resides at the heart, in the chakras, in the channels. The right channel is white, the left channel is red and the central channel is blue. You have six chakras. Don’t dispute it. At the secret place, the stomach, the heart, the throat, the forehead and crown. Look at yourself. Study the mind. Don’t be distracted. Abandon your obsession with the five sense objects and focus clearly, virtuously on the mind. At your heart sits Chenrezig, the Buddha or Guru of Compassion, watching, observing with his omniscient mind, your every move. Be aware of your own actions of body, speech and mind, by relying upon mindfulness, alertness and introspection to develop the actions of the white path that lead towards a higher rebirth, liberation and Buddhahood.

In western countries, even perhaps in the East, such a to-do regarding appearance. What does a dharma practitioner look like? Virtuous, kind-hearted, not impatient. The Buddha has many qualities of body, speech and mind. Why not study that for a change, instead of burying your unhappy subjective, stupid mind in a magazine that offers nothing but misery?

Anyway, I’m going to dress like Amogasiddhi in green. Anything wrong with that? Apparently so. I now look like a Tibetan business woman to Harold the cook. What am I wearing that looks so business like? Well just a belt; a green chuba, brown woollen jacket, sky blue shirt, grey socks, brown sneakers. That’s means business and Tibetan to some and Buddha-dharma to others. It’s warm, practical, modest, colourful, comfortable, sensible, groovy and cool.

What would you wear to go and get breakfast. To purify the place? It’s not the case that dharma practitioners only wear burgundy or marrone. Doctors of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy wear gold and burgundy, thai monks wear orange or yellow. Japanese monks wear black and cream. I am a dharma practitioner who today wears green, brown, sky blue and cream. What’s the big deal. I keep my vows. Do you keep yours? That’s what a mind that is attached to appearance doesn’t understand. Your inner freedom and wisdom is to do what is wise, not harmful, decent and unattached which opposes, cuts off and abandons the small minded desires, hatred and  ignorance of the common or ordinary world.


A discussion on the problems within the world

Buddhism, ethics, Health, Love and Compassion

These days, and for how long now, people discuss the benefits of exercise. The only thing is what about learning how to engage in the practice of the dharma instead? What am I talking about? The benefits of engaging in all actions of body, speech and mind with a consciousness imbued with, pervaded by wisdom, the wisdom realising emptiness, a liberated, strong and positive state of mind.

Are you aware of your actions? I’d say not.

The false view of a transitory collection, the false view of a self, the false concept of an inherently existent I and mine is to blame for the discomfort one experiences whether alone or with others. I am pointing to the false view of a self of persons and of phenomena. All phenomena lack inherent existence whilst cause and effect and dependent arising are unfailing.

The thing is everyone is basically looking for an experience of happiness, wanting to avoid suffering and it’s causes, but when you go walking, the hatred emanating from people’s faces, their eyes, their attitude is palpable and ordinary. Haven’t you noticed, when you walk along the pathway, not very many people practice courtesy, selflessness of persons or correct view. A common, sensible direction cannot be found. People meander, barging into one another, refusing to get out of each others way, acting like they own the common space, refusing to acknowledge the need to benefit others.

We live in a country that walks and drives on the left side of the pathway or road. If you observe the direction of the traffic, and stay to the correct side, you can avoid a nasty confrontation or accident/injury with others. Why not watch your motivation and try to make your experience of yourself and the world a benefit not only to yourself but the community as a whole? You are mindless, self centred beings. The streets of Melbourne, or indeed any city or country town are harsh, dangerous and even violent spaces.

Copyright © Vanessa Anne Walsh 2017