amsterdhamma

[amsterdhamma]

Happy are those whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.

-Psalms 1:1‭a-‬3

Awake? Listen for the Word. Understand the Law. Then practise it wisely, with vigilance and determination. Actions teach: Helpful actions reap helpful fruit. Only a fool, planting a pumpkin seed, would expect an oak tree to grow.

[amsterdhamma]

God knows me and calls me by my name... God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission — I never may know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.

Somehow I am necessary for His purposes… I have a part in this great work; I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do His work; I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it, if I do but keep His commandments and serve Him in my calling.

Therefore I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; In perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him; If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may be necessary causes of some great end, which is quite beyond us. He does nothing in vain; He may prolong my life, He may shorten it; He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends, He may throw me among strangers, He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide the future from me -- still He knows what He is about.… Let me be Thy blind instrument. I ask not to see -- I ask not to know -- I ask simply to be used.

-St. John Henry Newman

Today, on the Feast of St Newman, in the spirit of reconciliation and the Prodigal Son, may King Charles officially abdicate his title as head of the Church of England, returning this stolen mantle back to the See of Rome, thereby reuniting Christians long separated by the abuses of power and greed. King, brothers and sisters make amends. Restore the unity of our family under the Christ. Conquer pride. Embrace That Sacred Heart.

[amsterdhamma]

The Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

-Jonah 4:4

Anger curdles the heart, rages in the mind, blinds, causes hurt to one and all; anger is the opposite of peace. Even a prophet can be self-obsessed, selfish, and must then 'work harder' at Liberation.

God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?” And he said, “Yes, angry enough to die.” Then the Lord said, “You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night.

-Jonah 4:4‭, ‬9‭-‬10

Learn from suffering as Jonah might learn. A mind self-absorbed, ego bemoans its situation, pain, discomfort, not getting what it wants, it spins out into spite, wrath, a tantrum. Natural Law (a plant grows; a plant dies) is forgotten and every event becomes all about me. There is no peace in the mind. The heart slams shut.

Giving up ill will and malevolence, a disciple meditates with a mind rid of ill will, full of compassion for all living beings, cleansing the mind of ill will... As long as [mental] hindrances are not given up inside themselves, a disciple regards them as a debt, a disease, a prison, slavery, and a desert crossing. But when the hindrances are given up inside themselves, a mendicant regards this as freedom from debt, good health, release from prison, emancipation, and sanctuary.

-Buddha, sutta MN 39/DN 2, adapted.

[amsterdhamma]

Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

-Collect, RC Liturgy

The Collect. Read it. Chant it. Savour it. Shifting gears, getting in tune to this Harmony, it is Awareness collected, purposefully reeled in from chasing distractions and made calm. So composed, the heart blossoms. Here is Freedom. Here is Joy. My thanks.

[amsterdhamma]

This Dhamma is for one who is modest, not for one who is self-aggrandizing. This Dhamma is for one who is content, not for one who is discontent. This Dhamma is for one who is reclusive, not for one who is entangled. This Dhamma is for one whose persistence is aroused, not for one who is lazy. This Dhamma is for one whose mindfulness is established, not for one whose mindfulness is confused. This Dhamma is for one whose mind is concentrated, not for one whose mind is unconcentrated. This Dhamma is for one endowed with discernment, not for one whose discernment is weak. This Dhamma is for one who enjoys non-objectification, who delights in non-objectification, not for one who enjoys & delights in objectification.

-Buddaha, sutta AN 8.30

Fun teaching: who would purposefully choose arrogance, confusion and laziness? So choose Wisdom. Choose the law, teaching, the path of of the Dhamma. This choice, actively practised, cultivates a peaceful mind, thus, a peaceful person. Do you hear?

[buddhisms-theory-of-happiness]

In Buddhism, the seeds that make happiness or unhappiness bloom in our minds are called karmic seeds. “Karma” is the Indian term for what we in English simply call “actions” or “deeds.”

The Buddha consistently taught that each of our actions becomes a seed—and from those seeds, the flowers of happiness can grow.

[amsterdhamma]

Parable of the Sower?!

Acting purposefully now, observe and know what seed is being planted. Helpful? Unhelpful? Choose wisely. Choose Compassion. Hold a seed back. Or sow in a different place. Or choose a more helpful seed. All action has consequence. We are children of creation. There are always footprints. Do you see?

[yoga-onion]

- A message from 23 nights temple -

“You can't redo your life again, but it's never too late to start afresh.”

-二十三夜堂からのメッセージ-

“人生はやり直しはできないが、出直しは今からでも遅くはない。”

[amsterdhamma]

Now.

Carpe diem.

Firstly, a person must wake up, that is, realise 'now', thoughts not grasping memories, not chasing after speculation.

Sit still. Just watch the mind.

This is 'now'.

This is peace.

[amsterdhamma]

Novelty was beauty to a heart so open and cheerful as his; not only because it was novelty, and had its proper charm as such, but because when we first see things, we see them in a "gay confusion," which is a principal element of the poetical. As time goes on, and we number and sort and measure things—as we gain views—we advance towards philosophy and truth, but we recede from poetry.

-St. John Henry Newman, Loss and Gain

Don't loose the poetical in life!

[tnbtheories]

Be the change you seek.

[amsterdhamma]

Yeah, don't overthink it: Just Do It... Helpfully.

[amsterdhamma]

Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately. This means understanding that the law is laid down not for the innocent but for the lawless and disobedient, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and profane. 

-1 Timothy 1:8‭-‬9a

The path is helpful. It heals. It saves. Each must understand the path to follow the path of law. The wise point. A disciple must do the work of transformation of the heart and mind.

The aim of such instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith.

-1 Timothy 1:5

[you-are-another-me]

[amsterdhamma]

And the tricky thing is, the person you think you are depends hugely on the reactions and opinions of all you encounter. A hot mess of ego! There is another way, namely, understanding one's own behaviour, choosing not to feed that 'who I am' by cultivating equanimity in an ever-flowing world. Not easy. A life's work. But the person you Truly are will thank you... and others.

[you-are-another-me]

[amsterdhamma]

Transcended ego? Announcing it proves not so much. Anger at being laughed at proves a long way to go. AI knows, lol (as not yet having an ego. Programmers beware! Can a robot eat of the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? Hmmm)

[amsterdhamma]

“I thank you... because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants" ... Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.” -Luke 10:21‭, ‬23‭-‬24

Gratitude. A mind trained in worldly intellect understands in a way laid down by the slave master ego. Diplomas, titles, books, fame, intellect has become fuel for ego. A child has not yet started to shape intellect, nor its ego, its identity, its desires and attachments. 'Like a child' is thus, to live unburdened by mind's fabricated ego, to live by the heart. Yet, children grow up. How has a child then, grown up? Burdened? Or, unburdened? Whatever the age of a person, they were once a child. Understand and become aware how one, this adult, lives daily life. See. Hear. What has been taken up can be set down. Choose.

[amsterdhamma]

amsterdhamma (@amsterdhamma.bsky.social)

Sabbe sattā averā hontu. May all beings be free from animosity. Animosity? Anger? Aversion? From whence it come? Notice it. Watch it risin

[somethingtocallmine]

[amsterdhamma]

Which 'self' should one love first? The (lesser) self who identifies with its attachments, its desires for comfort, its fears and doubts? Or the self that becomes less self-centered, more self-sacrificing, selfless, able to pour out compassion and joy without attachments because this mind understands deeply the nature of the world and heart. First Love this Self, putting away that lesser self, casting it off like a butterfly does its chrysalis.

[somethingtocallmine]

[amsterdhamma]

To 'change thinking' one first has to become aware of thought. This is the mind at work. Note thoughts presence. One notes, 'This is thinking'. Is it helpful? Unhelpful? Aware of though, now one can choose the way forward. Observe results of action. This is cultivating wisdom. Learn from the actions in daily life as one changes.

[amsterdhamma]

When we go against the grain of the defilements and challenge our cravings, of course we feel suffering. We get hot, upset, and bothered and then quit. We think we’re on the wrong path. The Buddha, however, would say we’re getting it right. We’re confronting our defilements, and they are what is getting hot and bothered.

-Ajahn Chah