Dhammapada They go to many refuges: mountains, monasteries, forests, trees are not true refgugess...but to the Buddha, dharma (the truth), sangha...there you seek the true, secure refuge.
Buddha: the awakened one...taking inspiration in this historical figure.
dharma is the teachings of the buddha...4 noble truths...dhamma is also known as the 'truth', reality - the teachings are here which we can follow to attain freedom from suffering.
Sangha: community-- taking refuge in those who are learning to take refuge in the three jewels.
HOWEVER: These three are considered an 'outer' refuge...looking for inspiration outside ourselves. Safer places.
Buddha: the awakened one...taking inspiration in this historical figure.
dharma is the teachings of the buddha...4 noble truths...dhamma is also known as the 'truth', reality - the teachings are here which we can follow to attain freedom from suffering.
Sangha: community-- taking refuge in those who are learning to take refuge in the three jewels.
HOWEVER: These three are considered an 'outer' refuge...looking for inspiration outside ourselves. Safer places.
Hugh suggests we consider the refuges to be 'transformational' not 'inspirational'. Use these understandings to notice clinging...how we focus on the wrong supports in the wrong way. Use of this
Inner refuge is about transformation: these teachings help us understand the nature of the inner refuge...we all have the capacity to realize the untangling of our lives from suffering.
Be a lamp unto yourself... hold fast to your buddha nature...having capacity to wake up. The present moment allows us to wake up. Paying attention to our present moment selves is the doorway to awakening..turn the spotlight inwards. Turn the attention inwards...it's easy to get caught up in fear or other emotions. Eckhardt Tolle...what is brought to consciousness is reduced. Caught up in psychological fear... we turn our consciousness inward onto our own experience...to be able to end clinging in our lives.
REFUGE IN THE DHARMA: refuge in the present moment. Turning our attention to situation in the hear and now. Just be present with what is right now...turning attention to our experience. What's going in the body in our emotions, in our thoughts, our plans. nonjudgmental awareness.
we are welcoming our experience. 'The Guest House' -- welcoming the guests...eg. tightness, self-judgment, peace calm joy ... Say 'yes' to what is... this is my experience. this is how it is: Tara brach calls it 'radical acceptance' ...deep rooted acceptance. ...we are turning towards the truth..non denial, non-escaping, being here with our experience. --- Anthony Demello: complete awakening...absolute cooperation with the inevitable ... what obtains right now is unavoidable. what is here now is what is here now. Reb Anderson: once you realize there is no alternative to the present moment, you are on the path to buddhahood.
Meeting our experience wholeheartedly...not fight with our experience...this will bring on suffering. the gap btw what is and my wanting something different. the space btw the two is 'suffering'... we can make actual change from a place of acceptance. James Baldwin: not everything you face can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. this is the deeper meaning of taking refuge in the dharma...taking refuge in reality, in the truth, non-rejection of how things are...it's non-clinging, non-judging, non-resisting...'Via Positiva' -- pointing to the truth...how to take refuge in the dharma...what is ...what is right...we turn towards our experience. no clinging. the more we cling the more we resist. the suffering that leads to more suffering...drinking salt water which does not bring relief. if I get what I want, we still don't get relief. the hamster on the wheel. the wheel of samsara -> turn the spotlight to our experience. can I be with it just as it is? The doorway to happiness. come back to our experience....the direct path to liberation...mindfulness shines the light on our experience.
Nothing is permanent, freedom comes from the end of suffering when we ..dance with life...being in relationship fluidly... not try to pin life down. Life will be life. THE INNER REFUGE is finding peace in what is, in our present experience.
