Therapeutic methods

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“There are many healing therapeutic methods, and in my opinion, the most potent of them all is honest and open meetings with other people.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Forgive

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“To forgive is to choose the path of happiness instead of sadness, discovering hope instead of bitterness.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Breaking the precepts

Hi.

One evening Monkey found Pig, a usually very diligent practitioner, drunk outside his house.
”I thought about what it would be like to break a precept,” Pig replied upon the Discovery, ” so i thought i´d get myself drunk.”
”Thats not breaking the precepts, ” said Monkey with a smile, sat down, poured up a glass for himself and enjoyed the evening laughing with Pig.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Overcoming attachment

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“Overcoming attachment does not mean that you become cold and indifferent. 

It means that you have an relaxed control over your mind through an understanding of the root causes of attachment, happiness and fulfillment.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Falling

Hi.

Falling

One evening at the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

"Its true that when we fall to the ground it might hurt us, but it is also true that we need to rely on the ground to get back up"


Mtfbwy
Fugen

Buddhismpodden part 3

Hi.

https://buddhismpodden.podbean.com/e/avsnitt-2-jukai-del-2/

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Earn gratitude

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“Do not wish for gratitude, earn it.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Buddhismpodden part 2

Hi.

https://buddhismpodden.podbean.com/e/avsnitt-2-del-1-jukai/

Anders Vilhelmsson och Torbjörn Fugen Andersson fortsätter sina Buddhistiska diskussioner. I detta avsnitt är temat Jukai vilket öppnar för diskussioner i många filosofiska ämnen. Detta är del ett i ett tvådelat avsnitt.

Har du några frågor tar vi gärna emot dom på: buddhismpodden@gmail.com

Mtfbwy

Fugen

divine nature

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”On the basis of the belief that we all share the same ”divine nature” we have an good reason and a strong ground to build on in our development with other people.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Compassion

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“Compassion is living in every action right here and now."

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Buddhismpodden Avsnitt 1

Hi.

Buddhismpodden Avsnitt 1

Premiäravsnitt!

Inledande samtal mellan Anders Vilhelmsson Och Torbjörn Fugen Andersson. Presentationsavsnitt där vi diskuterar Buddhism allmänt samt vår väg till Buddhismen och snack omkring detta.

Om du har några frågor du vill att vi ska ta upp maila oss: buddhismpodden@gmail.com

Episode: http://buddhismpodden.podbean.com/mf/feed/x6vbf3/Buddhistpodden_avsnitt_1_online-audio-converter_com_.mp3

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Another rebirthquestion

Hi.

Another rebirthquestion

One day Owl asked Monkey:

"If i live an evil life i may be rebirthed as an bug. But what if i live an really, really bad life would i be reborn as an Amoeba then?"

Monkey smiled and replied " Owl, don't you have anything more important in your life? If there is such a thing as rebirth, you'll find out about it soon enough."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Exposing meditation

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“Meditation works by exposing our deepest beliefs and causing us to let go of the false ones through deep contemplation and insight.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Always home

Hi.

Always home

One evening at the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

"Consider the snail, as it carries its house with it, it is always home."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Buddhas Problem

Mosquitos

One day when Monkey and Turtle was out travelling Monkey noticed that Turtle had alot of nasty Mosquitobites.

"Its all right," Turtle said, " its Buddhas problem."
"Its ok to say its Buddhas problem, but that doesn't solve it" Monkey replied and handed Turtle some mosquitorepellant.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Water

Hi.

One evening at the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

"We can learn alot from water.
It follows least resistant path, is the humblest of elements as it always seeks the lowest point yet it can penetrate even the hardest and in the end overcomes all obstacles."


Mtfbwy
Fugen

Real world

Hi.

Real world

One evening at the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

"In order to start living in the real world, you have to stop only living in the world you've made up."


Mtfbwy
Fugen

Don't wait

Hi.

Don't wait

One day Monkey met Ant who told him he had no time to enjoy life right now as he was working on getting things perfect.
Monkey smiled and said: " Don't wait until every thing is perfect to start enjoying your life."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

inbetweenplaces

Hi.

One day when out traveling Monkey told Turtle:

“I like inbetweenplaces, theres nothing to do but be.”

Mfbwy

Fugen

Being missed

Hi.

When Monkey returned from one of his travels everyone ran to meet and greet him.

"You know," Monkey said," that if you have been missed while away you have done something good before you went."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

taking freedom seriously

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“Courage is taking the freedom you always have seriously and make the best of it.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

People in power

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“Consider people in power like Directors, politicians, kings, teachers.

If they perform their tasks with compassion and love for the benefit of all beings, their work becomes an instrument for great benefit.

If, on the other hand, it is performed out of selfishness or anger it will be an instrument of disaster."

Mtfbwy

Fugen

heart AND head

Hi.

One day when speaking to one of the animals Monkey said:

“Follow your heart, but remember to take your head with you”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Mindfulness is never boring

Hi.

One day when out walking, Monkey told Turtle:

“Mindfulness is never boring”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

What is meditation

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey said:

"Meditation is simply the art of resting and relaxing completely."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Building from an acorn

Hi.

One day when out walking Monkey told one of the animals:

"When you want to build something new start like the oaktree with something small like an acorn and let it grow over time to an majestic Oaktree."


Mtfbwy
Fugen

The ultimate teaching

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey smiled and spoke to the animals:

”An application of the ultimate teaching of Buddhism is that you won’t get it until you have it.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Paying for puzzles

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey said:

"Consider puzzles.
The more broken they are, the more people pay for them."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Just do it

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”Its funny how people use the word ”just”. 
We are just animals, its just a cat, its just something simple i cooked up.
How about if we started saying things like you are just everything, you are just the entire universe and you are just right?”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Nonaction in action

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”A good example of nonaction in action is when the snow falls on the leaf hanging in the tree.
The leaf does not resist and when the snow becomes to heavy on it, it just gives away and lets the snow fall off.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

"The divine nature"

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”On the basis of the belief that we all share the same ”divine nature” we have an good reason and a strong ground to build our development with other people.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Question everything

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

” As you sit down and step into the silence it is an good opportunity to think about the question ”What am i doing here and why?” 

In a sense a good opportunity to question everything.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Good

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”A good approach to life and people can be developed by using the word good. 
I am good. 
He is good. 
She is doing good. 
It's all good practice.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Cultivating a flowerbed

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“Just like cultivating a flowerbed is the cultivating of the practices of ethics, meditation and wisdom. 

The more you practice, cultivate it, the stronger it becomes.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Dangerous answers

Hi.

One day when out walking with one of the animals, monkey said:

"Be wary of the questions you ask as the answers might be dangerous."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Get it?

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”An application of the ultimate teaching of Buddhism is that you get it when you have it.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Facts of pain and pleasure

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“There is no pleasure without some amount of pain. 

There is no pain without some amount of pleasure. 

Learn to live with those facts."

Mtfbwy

Fugen

in the middle of the forest

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“In the middle of the forest there is a glade that can only be found by those who are lost. 

Dare to get on the path to it.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Life and death

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“Death is absolutely vital for life. 

To realize this deeply is the beginning of really living."

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Aprreciate what you have

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”There is an old story about a man who ran from his shadow and finally fell down exhausted. 
The same goes with life. 
No matter how hard you pursue pleasure and success there are times when you will fail, no matter how fast you run, 

Sometimes you will stumble. 
It is much better to appreciate and value what you have here, now, and build around that than always live on the run.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Facts of life

Hi.

One day when talking to a friend in need Monkey said:

“Rain will always be rain, and it nourishes both flowers and weed.

A life without pain and suffering can never be complete. 

Sadness and pain can be an rich source for insight and strength.

Learn to live and prosper with those facts of life."

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Putting things first

Hi.

One day when out walking, monkey spoke to one of the animals:

The trouble with Western Buddhism is that it puts intellectual studies and meditation first.The question is, where does that leave Saddha (faith), Dana (giving) and sila (ethics)?

Mtfbwy

Fugen

A permanent change

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”Buddhism is not a quick fix that you just apply quickly when something goes wrong.If you do it correctly it will change your life permanently.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Looking and seeing

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“There is a difference between looking and actually seeing. 

Be mindful of the gap.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

remember to dare to be bored

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“Let each moment display itself. 

Don’t plan to much. 

Remember to dare to be bored.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

You can't plan happiness

Hi.

One day when speaking to one of the animals, Monkey said:

“You can’t plan happiness in your life, just get ready to gratefully/gracefully accept it when it comes. Its not so dependent on what life gives you but rather how you manage to use what you get.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

The secret behind gratefulness

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“The secret behind gratefulness is the ability to be amazed/surprised at lifes little miracles.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Dialogue

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“Dialogue is an approach to life that builds on the value of examining questions together in the spirit of no one owning the truth.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Advice to a couple

Hi.

One day when speaking to a couple Monkey said:

“There is great value in truly seeing each other and take the consequences of what you see.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

The truth of suffering

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“The truth of suffering is that neither individual or social problems are only because of external conditions.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Peace lies within

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”Buddhism is all about letting go, standing back, and in the process get in touch with the wisdom and peace that is within us.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Four important words

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”There is four very important words to stand by in life, Love, Honesty, Truth and Respect.

Without those in your life there is not much of value.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Fish

Hi.

One day Turtle found Monkey feeding fish at the river.

”Have you noticed what happens when two fish go for the same piece of food and only one gets it? What does the other one do?
Become angry and start a fight or sad and start crying?
No, they just turn away and search for new food. We could learn alot from the fish.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Its all right

Hi.

Its all right

One evening at the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”In the beginning you get all kind of thoughts, and they do their best to convince you that meditation is all right for some people but totally wrong for you.
In my case meditation started out tedious and painful beyond anything you would believe.
Now i am happy i stayed on the path and get the rewards of it.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Putting out salt

Hi.

Hare spotted crazy Frog putting salt around his house.

”What are you doing that for?” Hare asked.
”To keep the giant snails away” crazy Frog replied
”But there are no Giant snails around here,” Hare objected.
”I know. Works good, right?”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

The reverse side of the reverse side

Hi.

One morning at breakfast Monkey held up an loaf of bread and told Turtle:

”The reverse side also has an reverse side.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

A stranger

Hi.

One day a stranger appeared in the clearing, sought out Monkey and said that he had a plan: He would spend a year with Monkey to get enlightened and then return home and continue with life.
Monkey just smiled in response.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Keep washing

Hi.

One evening by the fire, Monkey spoke to the animals:

“Meditation is much like washing clothes in the river. 
In the beginninng when you put it into the water, some dirt comes out and dirties the water. 
But the more you wash the clothes the less dirt there is. 
So, be patient and keep washing.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Wisdom

Wisdom

One day over breakfast Turtle asked Monkey: "What is Wisdom?"

"Wisdom is not knowing things but rather a deep understanding of things.
It is there to help you as discover the changing, interconnected nature of all things, including wisdom itself."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Who´s the smartest?

Hi.

I got the question the other day if Monkey is the smartest of the animals, to which i smiled and replied:
"No, but he's the one who talks all the time..."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Appreciate and value life

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”There is an old story about a man who ran from his shadow and finally fell down exhausted. 
The same goes with life. 
No matter how hard you pursue pleasure and success there are time when you will fail. 
No matter how fast you run, Sometimes you will stumble.

It is much better to appreciate and value what you have here, now, and build around that than always live on the run.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Finding the sacred

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”Buddhism is all about finding the dicovery of the sacred in the midst of the humble and ordinary.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Sides

Hi.

One evening at the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

"Its easy to see others bad sides but hard to see ones own."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Dubious teachers

Hi.

One day when out walking, Monkey told Turtle:

"Some very dubious people pose themselves as teachers of the Dharma, but actually take advantage of others in their pursuit to emphasize their own importance in the name of the Dharma. 
This is very unfortunate, and partly happening because, when it comes to things like spirituality, people are very gullible and forget the number one principle of the Dharma." 

Mtfbwy
Fugen

A stupid rock

Hi.

Monkey came by Mole who seemed to be working on something, so he asked what he was doing.

"Building a Zengarden", Mole answered," I'm working on a place where i can relax and contemplate more and this place would be perfect if it weren't  for that STUPID ROCK in the middle."
Monkey just smiled and went along.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

A good return

Hi.

When Monkey returned from one of his travels everyone ran to meet and greet him.

"You know," Monkey said, "that if you have been missed while away you have done something good before you went."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Mind-made

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

“Funny thing this label that says “Made in china”, “Made in india” or “made in Japan” because when you get down to it, everything is Made in Mind or Mind-made.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Live here

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”There is an old story about a man who ran from his shadow and finally fell down exhausted. The same goes with life. 
No matter how hard you pursue pleasure and success there are time when you will fail. 
No matter how fast you run, Sometimes you will stumble.

It is much better to appreciate and value what you have here, now, and build around that than always live on the run.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

No mud, no lotus

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”It is true that without mud you have no lotus.

The difficulty is to see that for what it really is and appreciate them both equally.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Everyday life is the path

Hi.

One day Mother Goose came up to Monkey and asked:

”What are the path?”
Monkey smiled and replied:
”Everyday life is the path.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Why are they smiling?

Hi.

Why are they smiling?

A visitor came to the clearing and after a while took Monkey aside and asked:

"I thought that Buddhism was a pessimistic religion all about suffering, death asf. So why are they smiling and what are everybody so happy about?"

Monkey just looked at him and smiled even wider.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

What to do about worry

Hi.

One evening at the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

"If you are worried about something, sit down, grasp the worry and hold it really, really tight.
Now watch what happens.
The harder you try to stay worried, the more difficult it becomes and eventually the worry dissipates."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Smiles

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

"Consider smiles.

They are your gift to the world and further, if you smile enough eventually it will reach your heart."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

A house of bricks

Hi.

One evening at the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

"Our practice is like building a house of bricks.

You put down brick by brick until you have a finished house. 

Yet, at the same time as you put down your first brick your house is built."

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Time to waste

Hi.

One evening at the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

"Time is a funny thing, it is one of the most precious things but it's still ok to waste."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

This too will pass

Hi.

Lion came to Monkey and asked for a thing that not only cheered him up when he was unhappy but also stop him from being to proud and overbearing.Monkey smiled, took one of his ”laughing Buddha”-statues and wrote ”This too will pass” on its belly and gave it to Lion.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

How hard can it be?

Hi.

Ostrich had agonized a long time on whether or not to start meditating and eventually Monkey went over to him with a big smile and said:
"For goodnes sake, all you need to do is sit on your backside and breathe. How hard can it be?"

Mtfbwy
Fugen

The most important job

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”There is no trouble that cant be alleviated by half an hour spent doing some good cooking. 
That is one of the reasons one of the most important jobs in the monastery is that of the cook.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

The river

Hi.

The river

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”Consider the river. 
It is in constant motion and overcomes all objects. 
It revels in its power as it thinks noone is equal to itself and then, eventually, it arrives at the ocean and realizes what a fool its been.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

All things are zazen

Hi.

A young lady approached Monkey one day and said that she was worried that since having a baby her life was so full of sleepless night, diaperchanges, feedings asf that she had no time for zazen.

"No worries," Monkey said, "all those things are zazen."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

No wasting

Hi.

Owl approached Monkey and asked about him eating meat.

”I didn´t kill the animal, the butcher did, and since i like it and there is alot of people starving in the World it would be wasteful not to eat that which is brought before me.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Worth

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”Its never wrong to move on from being treated wrong, and you should never feel guilty for recognizing your Worth.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

The business of busyness

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”When we get to caught up with the business of busyness we loose Connection with Everything, and everyone, including ourselves.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Finding the discovery

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”Buddhism is all about finding the discovery of the sacred in the midst of the humble and ordinary.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Crosswordpuzzles

 Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”Consider crosswordpuzzles.

You enjoy doing and trailing the puzzlemakers train of thought and when you are done, you put it away, perhaps, a little more knowledgeable and with a smile on your face.”

Mtfbwy

Fugen

 

Fight

Hi.

Two gorillas, who used to be friends, was having a grudge and had decided to meet for a fight to the death. 
Monkey showed up and asked: ”Tell me, this thing you have an grudge over does it have any intrinsic value?”

”None at all.” They replied.
”And your lives, limbs and blood does that have any value for you?”
”Its priceless.” They replied.
”So you´re about to risk something priceless for something of no value?”
The gorillas decided not to fight after all.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Smiling

Hi.

Smiling

One day Monkey was sitting smiling near the pond in the forest when frog came by and asked: ”What are you always smiling about?”

Monkey replied: ”Look into the pond. Its like an mirror. What you see is the face of Buddha. Doesn’t that make you smile?”


Mtfbwy
Fugen

Books

Hi.

One day, Owl, who was an experienced reader, asked monkey:

"Why do you have so many books?"

”Because i enjoy reading them.”

”Why do you give them away then?”

”So that others may benefit and enjoy them.”


Mtfbwy
Fugen

Not a quick fix

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:
”Buddhism is not a quick fix that you just apply quickly when something goes wrong and further, if you do it correctly it will change your life permanently.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Good

Hi.

One evening by the fire Monkey spoke to the animals:

”A good approach to life and people can be developed by using the word good.
I am good.
He is good.
She is doing good.
Its all good practice.”

Mtfbwy
Fugen