The sound of the drums...

Hi.

Just got this one sent to me.
A very good video.
Just listen to those drums...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDJhpg01RG4&feature=related

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Bookreview: zen parenting

Hi.

There's a brand called zen.
Don't get me wrong, i know it's a part of buddhism.
But it's also a branded name, in so much as it is used in the sence of doing something "intently, singlemindedly".
Todays book is much like this.
Zen parenting is a very good book for the parents out there.
Not if they want to learn anything about the buddhist sciptures or the life of buddha, but if the want to be here, now.
The way to do this is not by a certain method but to be here, mindfully seeing what is happening and mindfully responding to it.
And the teacher in the most cases is the children.

I said that in the most cases the children were the teachers, but not always so.
In the book they have chapters like "work and zen" and "zen during divorce" in which the emphasis is put on the workplace and undergoing divorce.
Both wonderfully done and brings about some good advices.

Each chapter in the book is put forth in a most elegant way, made for easy reading.
It starts up with a short story, and the lesson of the story is discussed.
A short section called living the lesson follows, in which the authors puts forth some things to think about and work into the practice of being a parent.
Because that's what the book is about, being a parent.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Recite the heart in finnish...

Hi.

I got a reply to my translating the heart sutra to swedish by Uku who gave it to me in finnish..
So i guess we're doing this, if you have it in your language, and it's not posted here, please send it to me.
I'll put it up. ;)

So, the heart sutra in finnish!

Y/din/suut/ra

Kun/ A/va/lo/ki/tes/va/ra /Bod/hi/satt/va/, har/joit/ta/en/ sy/väs/ti praj/na/-pa/ra/mi/taa/, ha/vait/si/ sel/ke/äs/ti/ vii/den/ skand/han/ o/le/van/ tyh/ji/ä/, hän/ va/pau/tui/ kai/kes/ta/ kär/si/myk/ses/tä/ ja/ tus/kas/ta.

Sa/ri/put/ra/, muo/to/ ei/ e/ro/a/ tyh/jyy/des/tä, tyh/jyys/ ei/ muo/dos/ta/.

Se/ mi/kä/ on/ muo/to/a/ on/ tyh/jyyt/tä/, se/ mi/kä/ on/ tyh/jyyt/tä/, muo/to/a/.

Sa/moin/ o/vat/ myös/ tun/te/muk/set/, ha/vain/not/, kä/si/tyk/set/ ja/ tie/toi/suus/.

Sa/ri/put/ra/, kaik/ki/ a/si/at/ ja/ il/mi/öt/ o/vat/ tyh/jyy/den/ lei/maa/mi/a/; ne/ ei/vät/ syn/ny/ tai/ ka/to/a/, ei/vät/ o/le e/pä/puh/tai/ta/ tai/ puh/tai/ta/, ei/vät/ kas/va/ tai/ vä/he/ne/.

Näin/ ol/len/, tyh/jyy/des/sä/, ei/ muo/to/ja/, ei/ tun/te/muk/si/a/, ha/vain/to/ja/, kä/si/tyk/si/ä, tai/ tie/toi/suut/ta/; ei/ sil/mi/ä/, kor/vi/a/, ne/nää/, kiel/tä/, ke/ho/a/, miel/tä/;

ei/ hah/mo/ja, ää/ni/ä, tuok/su/ja/, ma/ku/ja/, kos/ke/tet/ta/vi/a koh/tei/ta/, mie/len/ koh/tei/ta/; ei/ mi/tään/ nä/ke/mi/sen/ a/lu/eel/ta/ tie/toi/suu/den/ a/lu/eel/le/ saak/ka/;

ei/ tie/tä/mät/tö/myyt/tä/ ei/kä/ tie/tä/mät/tö/myy/den/ lop/pu/a/, ai/na/ van/he/ne/mat/to/muu/teen/ ja/ kuo/le/mat/to/muu/teen/ saak/ka/, ja/ ei/ van/he/ne/mi/sen/ ja/ kuo/le/man/ lop/pu/a/;

ei/ kär/si/mys/tä/, syy/tä/, lak/kaa/mis/ta/ tai/ pol/ku/a/; ei/ vii/saut/ta/ ja/ ei/ saa/vut/ta/mis/ta/.

Il/man/ mi/tään/ saa/vu/tet/ta/vaa/, bod/hi/satt/vat/ tu/keu/tu/vat/ praj/na/-pa/ra/mi/taan/, ja/ hei/dän/ mie/len/sä/ ovat/ vail/la/ es/tet/tä/.

He/ o/vat/ vail/la/ es/tet/tä/, ja/ tä/ten/ il/man/ pel/ko/a/.

Kau/ka/na/ kai/kis/ta/ häm/men/nyk/sen/ u/nis/ta/, he/ o/vat/ nir/va/nas/sa/.

Kaik/ki/ men/nei/syy/den/, ny/kyi/syy/den/ ja/ tu/le/vai/suu/den/ budd/hat/ tu/keu/tu/vat/ praj/na/-pa/ra/mi/taan/ ja/ saa/vut/ta/vat/ a/nut/ta/ra/-sam/yak/-sam/bod/hin/.

Näin/ ol/len/ tie/dä/, et/tä/ praj/na/-pa/ra/mi/ta/ on/ suu/ri/ y/li/maal/li/nen/ mant/ra/, suu/ri/ lois/ta/va/ mant/ra/, y/li/ver/tai/nen/ mant/ra/, ver/taan/sa/ vail/la/ o/le/va/ täy/del/li/nen/ mant/ra/,
jo/ka/ ky/ke/nee/ pois/ta/maan/ kai/ken/ kär/si/myk/sen/, ja/ on/ to/del/li/nen/, vir/hee/tön/.

Siis/ lau/su/ praj/na/-pa/ra/mi/ta/ mant/raa/, lau/su/ mant/raa/, jo/ka/ me/nee/ näin/:

ga/te/, ga/te/, pa/ra/ga/te/, pa/ra/sam/ga/te/, bod/hi/, sva/ha/!

Praj/nan/ Y/din/suut/ra/.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

A threesome of brad warner

Hi.
This is partly an translation of an article i made for a swedish buddhist magazine and partly an new review

The article
Two books for the price of one

If you Mention Brad Warner, you always get emotional (and sometimes strong) words ...

The man has been called "the pornobuddhist", he writes articles for the Suicide Girls, a page might not be loaded if you have "notforchildrensetup" on your computer. But it is also possible to read them on his own website .

He was born in 1964, has been a bassist in a punk band, released a number of their own records, has become a zenpriest in "Dogen Sangha" and written two books,

Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies & the Truth About Reality and Sit Down and Shut Up: Punk Rock Commentaries on Buddha, God, Truth, Sex, Death, and Dogen's Treasury of the Right Dharma Eye.

The first, hardcore zen, is about how he became involved in Buddhism, taking up some of its important parts. The second, sit down and shut up, take up Zen master Dogen's book Shobogenzo and with the help of it another deep step down into Buddhism.

He describes his approach as "no bullshit Buddhism", which largely mirrors his books and articles, they are straight, usually simple letters about things that may seem difficult.

In the first of the books Hardcore Zen, it shows that he has been with the punk scene, it is full of reference to punk songs and punkrelatreade occasions. Nevertheless, it is a very good book. Brad is quick in the turns, witty in its language and it's sometimes difficult to hold back a smile. In chapters such as "Gimme Some Truth" and "The Great Heart of Wisdom Sutra" he makes up with great Buddhist concepts such as truth and the heartsutra. One of the most referenced chapters in the book "Do not worry, it will come ... with enlightenment!" He talks about "Kensho" and raises an event that can only be described as a "kenshomoment".

The chapter "In my next life i want to come back as a pair of Lucy Liu's pants", he makes up with questions about reincarnation. He also points out the view that was emphasized by Kanja Odland sensei in Buddhism-now No. 2-2008 "we are all one", which also runs through parts of his second book, Sit Down and shut up.

In "Sit down and shut up", it was observed that he has gone further in his development, both as a writer and as a Buddhist. The language is much better and his present attitude of the various Buddhist concepts show a greater understanding of Buddhism. It may also be that he has another book to relate to that helps. The starting point of "Sit Down and Shut Up" is the Zen master Dogen's book "shobogenzo", a book of about 1200 pages on zenbuddhism.

In chapters such as "why Dogen matters" and "Genjo Koan" he explains the importance of the Dogen and his letters, both from a personal and other points of view.

In chapters such as "cleaning up your room" and "evil is stupid", he goes in to our own state and what we must do to improve our situation.

But he is not without controversy, in the chapter "The day they shot a hole in the jesus egg", he goes onto to speculate that the closest an Buddhist has to "God" is "Universe" itself, which has started a major uproar within the Buddhist circuits and also led to people leaving his sangha.

Even though he may be a controversial and sometimes provocative writer, he has a lot of points. I was going to close with a reference from the "sit down and shut up"'s chapter Zen and stress management: "If there's any single point i dont mind repeating until you're sick to death of it, it's that there are never any shortcuts. "

Thats the article and since then he's released a third book "zen wrapped in karma dipped in chocolate".
In this book we're allowed to follow brad warner during one of his, maybe, more turmoiled periods in his life.
He is unfaithful, breaks up with his wife, Mother and grandmother dies, receives laureates from all over for holding talks and retreats, becomes the head of Dogen sangha, gets into turmoil with some its members, all the while mixing it up with some zenbuddhism.
All of this get's worked into this, his third, book in a very elegant way.
Or at least some of it.
He's Brad Warner, after all...
The issues surrounding this book still echoe in the halls of amazon (if they have halls...). And temperatures run high even speaking of some of the things mentioned in the book.
One of these is the "gummoincident", in which "the nowadadys head of another sangha" was not so pleased that the "pornobuddhist" was appointed the head of Dogensangha.
Sidenote: he wasn't the only one of the former sangha who "disagreed", but the most "famous" and perhaps persistent of them.
This "feud" has since been on the tapestry a couple of times, with Gummo trying to make a mends and other people not so forthgoing...
Or make your own mind up, it's all out there...
The thing to remember though is that there is no "only one side to the story" and that we're all responsible for what happens around us.

In general the book is quite readable, and it has some really good bits in it.
And if you've read the other two you should pick it up, but in my opinion it's hard to beat the second of his books.
I mean, even the title says it all: sit down and shut up!

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Recite the heart sutra in swedish...

Hi.

I noticed there were no swedish translations of how to recite the heartsutra (hjärtsutran) in swedish.
So i made a go at it.
Ino is the one leading the ceremony, and * means you "ring the bell".
enjoy.

(Ino only)
Hjärtat av den perfekta visdomen sutra*

(Alla)
Då/ A/vo/lo/ki/tes/va/ra/, me/di/te/ra/de/ dju/pt*
såg/ han/ tom/het/en/ i/ al/la/ fem/ skan/dhas/
och/ löste/ de/ band/ som/ or/sa/kat/ li/dan/det/.
O/ Sha/ri/pu/tra/,
Form/ är/ ing/et/ an/nat/ än/ tom/het/,
tom/het/ ing/et/ an/nat/ än/ form.
Form/ är/ en/dast/ tom/het/,
tom/het/ en/dast/ form/.
Kän/slor/, in/tryck, for/mer/ing/ar/,med/vet/an/de/
är/ ock/så/ sam/ma.
O/ Sha/ri/pu/tra/, Allt/ing/ är/ ur/sprung/lig/ tom/het
som/ var/ken/ föds/ el/ler/ för/gås,
är/ var/ken/ fläck/ad/ el/ler/ ren,
var/ken/ kom/mer/ el/ler/ går.
Så/, i/ tom/het/ ing/en/ form,
ing/en/ kän/sla/, tan/ke/ el/ler/ for/mer/ing,
ing/et med/vet/an/de.
Ej/ öga/, öra/, nä/sa/, tun/ga/, kro/pp/, sin/ne
ej/ färg/, ljud/, lukt/, smak/, kän/sel,
ell/er/ det/ som/ sin/net/ hål/ler/ fast/ vid,
inte/ ens/ för/nim/mel/sen/ som/ såd/an.
Ing/en/ o/kun/nig/het/ eller/ dess/ upp/hör/an/de,
Ing/et/ ål/dran/de/ och/ ing/en/ död,
ing/et/ slut/ på/ ål/dran/de/ och/ ing/en/ död.
Ing/et/ li/dan/de, or/sak/ till/ li/dan/de/
eller/ upp/hör/an/de/ av/ li/dan/de
Ing/en/ väg/, ing/en/ vis/dom/ ing/et/ upp/nå/en/de.
Ing/et/ upp/nå/en/de, så Bod/dhi/satt/vas/ lever/
det/ta/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/*
Be/fri/ad/ från/ il/lu/si/on/ens/ hin/der
Be/fri/ad/ och/ där/i/gen/om/ be/fri/ad/ från/ räd/sla/
Bort/om/ all/ il/lu/si/on, nir/va/na/ är/ här
Al/la/ ti/di/ga/re/, nu/va/ran/de/ och/
fram/tida/ Bud/dhor,lever/ det/ta/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/*
och/ kom/mer/ till/ hel/ och/ full/änd/ad/ ins/ikt/.
Vet/ där/för/ att/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/
Är/ det/ hel/iga/ man/trat/, det/ lys/an/de/ man/trat/,
det/ ena/stå/en/de/ man/trat/,
det/ o/jäm/för/li/ga/ man/trat/
Ge/nom/ vil/ket/ allt/ li/dan/de/ blir/ klart/
Det/ta/ är/ ing/et/ an/nat/ än/ san/ning.
pro/kla/me/ra/ där/för/ praj/na/ pa/ra/mi/ta man/trat/
pro/kla/me/ra/ det/ta/ man/tra/ och/ pro/kla/me/ra
Gate! Gate! Paragate! Parasamgate! Bodhi! Svaha! *

And here's the original...

INO ONLY =

The Heart of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra*
(Maka Hannya Haramita Shin Gyo in English)

EVERYONE =

A/vo/lo/ki/tes/va/ra/, A/wa/kened/ One/ of/ Com/pas/sion/,

In/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/, the/Deep/ Prac/tice/ of/ Per/fect/ Wis/dom/*

Per/ceived/ the/ emp/ti/ness/ of /all /five /con/di/tions/,

And/ was/ free/ of/ suf/fer/ing/.

O/ Sha/ri/pu/tra/, form/ is/ no/ o/ther/ than/ emp/ti/ness/,

Emp/ti/ness/ no/ o/ther/ than/ form/;

Form/ is/ pre/cise/ly/ emp/ti/ness/, emp/ti/ness/ pre/cise/ly/ form/.

Sen/sa/tions/, per/cep/tions/, for/ma/tions/ and/ con/scious/ness/ are/ al/so/ like/ this/.

O/ Sha/ri/pu/tra/, all/ things/ are/ ex/pres/sions/ of/ emp/ti/ness/,

Not/ born/, not/ des/troyed/, not/ stained/, not/ pure/;

Nei/ther/ wax/ing/ nor/ wan/ing/.

Thus/ emp/ti/ness/ is/ not/ form/; not/ sen/sa/tion/ nor/ per/cep/tion/,

not/ for/ma/tion/ nor/ con/scious/ness/.

No/ eye/, ear/, nose/, tongue/, bo/dy/, mind/;

No/ sight/, sound/, smell/, taste/, touch/, nor/ ob/ject/ of/ mind/;

No/ realm/ of/ sight/, no/ realm/ of/ con/scious/ness/;

No/ ig/no/rance/, no/ end/ to/ ig/no/rance/;

No/ old/ age/ and/ death/,

No/ ces/sa/tion/ of/ old/ age/ and/ death/;

No/ suf/fer/ing/, nor/ cause/ or/ end/ to/ suf/fer/ing/;

No/ path/, no/ wis/dom/ and/ no/ gain/.

No/ gain/ – thus/ Bod/dhi/satt/vas/ live/ this/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/*

With/ no/ hin/drance/ of/ mind/ –

No/ hin/drance/ there/fore/ no/ fear/.

Far/ be/yond/ all/ de/lu/sion/, Nir/va/na/ is/ al/rea/dy/ here/.

All/ past/, pre/sent/ and/ fu/ture/ Budd/has/

Live/ this/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/*

And/ re/al/ize/ su/preme/ and/ com/plete/ en/light/en/ment/.

There/fore/ know/ that/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/

Is/ the/ sac/red/ man/tra/, the/ lu/min/ous/ man/tra/,

the/ sup/reme/ man/tra/, the/ in/com/pa/ra/ble/ man/tra/

by/ which/ all/ suf/fe/ring/ is/ clear/.

This/ is/ no/ o/ther/ than/ Truth/.

There/fore/ set/ forth/ the/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/ man/tra/.

Set/ forth/ this/ man/tra/ and/ pro/claim/:*

(1x)
Gate! Gate! (Already Gone, Gone)
Paragate! (Already Gone Beyond)
Parasamgate! (Already Fully Beyond)
Bodhi! Svaha! * (Awakening, Rejoice)

Mtfbwy
Fugen

firefoxaddon...

Hi.

I've come across this addon i'd like to share.

consciousness bell
At a given (or random) time interval, it plays a bell chime, inviting you to stop & sit for a while. From the website:

The Consciousness Bell is intended to introduce mindful awareness into everyday life.

A soft Tibetan bowl chime will play at random points throughout the day. When it does, take a few moments off. Stay still, and be mindful.

Notice your body. Your sensations. Your breath.
Where are you? What are you doing right now? What are you feeling?

After a few conscious moments, take a deep, relaxing breath. Smile. And return to normal life...

Allowing yourself these few daily seconds of mindfulness will grant you moments away from the rush. Being more aware and less automated in your actions, and introduce calmness and ease to your daily routine.

Enjoy.

Mtfbwy
Fugen