7th Generation Products

Maybe you are familiar with these biofriendly products and hopefully you have some of them in amongst your cleaning products. We have always wanted to buy these products but since we do not have much money we always thought that they were out of our price range. Well, today while shopping at the local grocery store we decided that an extra $2 was worth being able to help support eco-friendly companies. We decided that we should buy everyone of their products when available instead of getting the Showtime movie channel. We need to set our priorities straight. We do not need Showtime and we can make a difference in buying these products and that makes us feel better about our ecological foot print. Buying Showtime does very little to nothing in helping our environment.

The product that we bought today is liquid fabric softner which is biodegradeable and non-toxic as well as non-petroleum or animal product based. These are the only ingredients: Soy, lavender oil, preservative (less then 0.05%) and water. That's it!

The 7th Generation company has other products such as paper towels, dish detergent, house hold cleaner and non-toxic bleach. If you can afford it I urge you to buy at least one of their products. You can even find some dollar off coupons for everyone of their products @ their website. Go HERE.

Every little bit helps!

-Peace to all sentient beings-

Change and Compromise

In true dialogue, both sides are willing to change.

~Thich Nhat Hanh

James's Comment: I am always amazed at how many people are unwilling to compromise. A lot of us cling to our own agenda so much that we are unwilling to bend in any way and that is dangerous i think.

-Peace to us all-

Governments Need Enemies

In order to rally people, governments need enemies. They want us to be afraid, to hate, so we will rally behind them. And if they do not have a real enemy, they will invent one in order to mobilize us.

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Truth: A Pathless Land

But truth is not (an accumulation); it is really a pathless land; it may be at the next curve of the road, or a thousand miles away. You have to keep going and then you will find it beside you.

There is no path to reality. Reality is a pathless land, and you must venture out and discover it for yourself. It is because you are frightened inwardly that you depend on something, on the priest, or on a belief, and so you get caught in the net of an organized religion.

~Krishnamurti

The Meaning of Life

I saw a bumper sticker the other day that I thought was really thought provoking. It said:

"The meaning of life: Live it."

-Peace to us all-

A World Is Not a World

A name is imposed on what is thought to be a thing or a state and this divides it from other things and other states. But when you pursue what lies behind the name, you find a greater and greater subtlety that has no divisions. Atoms of dust are not really atoms of dust but are merely called that. In the same way, a world is not a world but is merely called that.

-Visuddhi Magga

From "Buddha Speaks," edited by Anne Bancroft, 2000. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Boston, www.shambhala.com.

James's Comment: This is so true and brings me so much peace and relaxation whenever I think upon this quote. "We" always seem to make our lives so much more complicated then they reall are.

The Sharp Diamond of Infinite Truth

I feel that no one can lead another to truth, because truth is infinite; it is a pathless land, and no one can tell you how to find it. No one can teach you to be an artist; another can only give you the brushes and canvas and show you the colours to use.

You cannot discover the path, because there is no path, Truth is a thing that is living, and to a living thing there is no path - it is only to dead things that there can be a path. Truth being pathless, to discover it you must be adventurous, ready for danger; and do you think a guru will help you to be adventurous, to live in danger? To seek a guru obviously indicates that you are not adventurous, that you are merely seeking a path to reality as a means of security.

~Krishnamurti

James's Comment: I need to read more Krishnamurti!! He speaks like a diamond. Cutting through the bull sh*t and getting straight to the matter. These two paragraphs remind me of my master Thich Nhat Hanh saying, "There is no way to happiness, rather happiness is the way." In the end we have to leave the security and predictability of our masters side and see with our own eyes the infinite truth. We need to remind ourselves that we are all interconnected at all times thus we will always have our master inside ourselves. This frees us up to see the world (existence) for it's true nature of interconnectivity and creates chances for us to touch all beings with our compassion and engaged practice.

-Peace to us all-

Happy Contiuation

A wave on the ocean has a beginning and an end, a birth and a death. But the wave is empty. The wave is full of water, but it is empty of a seperate self. A wave is a form which has been made possible thanks to the existence of wind and water. If a wave only sees its form, with its beginning and end, it will be afraid of birth and death. But if the wave sees that it is water, indentifies itself with the water, then it will be emancipated from birth and death. Each wave is born and is going to die, but the water is free from birth and death.

-Thich Nhat Hanh
Thich Nhat Hanh: The Essential Writings With an Introduction by Sister Annabel Laity.

Universal Responsibility

Adopting an attitude of universal responsibility is essentially a personal matter. The real test of compassion is not what we say in abstract discussions but how we conduct ourselves in daily life.

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama, "Imagine All the People"

Copyright Wisdom Publications 2001. Reprinted from "Daily Wisdom: 365 Buddhist Inspirations," edited by Josh Bartok, with permission of Wisdom Publications, 199 Elm St., Somerville MA 02144 U.S.A, www.wisdompubs.org.

James's Comment: Right action. This is something for me to work on because I often like to talk and philosophize rather then act.

Cultivate Love Without Measure

A mother, even at the risk of her own life, protects her child, her only child. In the same way should you cultivate love without measure toward all beings. You should cultivate toward the whole world--above, below, around--a heart of love unstinted, unmixed with any sense of differing or opposing interests. You should maintain this mindfulness all the time you are awake. Such a state of heart is the best in the world.

-Majjhima Nikaya

From "Buddha Speaks," edited by Anne Bancroft, 2000. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Boston, www.shambhala.com.

-James's Comment: This perfectly explains the beautiful way that I see existence. Love is indeed the way and the light. The garbage is just as lovely as the rose as they are interdependant upon one another as all things. Such balance and harmony is bliss and brings a big, peaceful smile to my face and eyes.

-Peace to you all.

Non-meditation

The Buddha said that all sentient beings possess Buddha Nature. Because of that we have this natural purity, peacefulness and power. We can rest the mind naturally because we are already in possession of these qualities. If one can rest the mind naturally, that's the best meditation. Non-meditation is the supreme meditation.

~ Mingyur Rinpoche

James's Comment: I am learning to rest my mind in the qualities of Buddha Nature so that I might be in a state of meditation at all times. This seems to me to be the best way to live life in this world. We can formally meditate but at some point we must stop that type of meditation and move on with our day. However, carrying the idea that we have Buddha Nature always with us helps us keep the benefits of meditation with us at all times.

-Peace to us all-

Live 8: Aid

Send a message to the G8 and sign the petition to help end poverty in Africa and the rest of the world. Go HERE or HERE. Also stop by www.one.org to help out.

I'm watching the Live 8: Aid concert right now and it is really cool to see all these musicians and actors coming together to help influence the politicians and end poverty.

Happy 4th of July to the Americans.

-Peace to us all-