What about the Preliminary Exercises?
Is the preliminary practice stage essential?
What to do with resistance to undertaking this section of the path?
Where is the training in calm abiding (Samatha) in these exercises?

Dharma roadside dialogue

20240224_Dharma roadside dialogue #2 February Common Preliminaries

Vocals: Jaydeep Vaidya, Backing Vocals: Namrata Mahabal, Keyboard: Devendra Bhome, Tabla: Ketan Pawar. 

Lyrics: these are songs of realisation, written by the great mahasiddha (mystic)Saraha. Some of the verses have the rhythmic meter of Dohas. Hindi Translation is by the great scholar Pandit Rahul Sanskrityayan. 

Saraha, was known as the first Sahajiya and one of the 84 Mahasiddhas. His spontaneous songs of realisation are called Dohas and Vajra Geetis. He is also often referred to as The Great Brahmin. Saraha was originally known as Rāhula or Rāhulbhadra. Born in eastern India, into a Brahmin family, He studied at the Buddhist monastic university Nalanda. Saraha is known for being a wandering yogi and avadhuta (Tib: nyönpa) engaging in behaviours that overturned the social norms of caste, social class, and the oppressive normative gender roles and hierarchies of the time. Two of Saraha’s important teachers and consorts were women who were technically lower than him from the stand point of caste, class. and gender. Yet, each of these nameless women met Saraha as an equal on the path of spiritual practice and each of them had realization that led Saraha further in his own spiritual development

ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF VERSES BY SARAHA:

Saraha: 
Namo Manjushri, Homage to Him, who has conquered Mara and his Powers

Just as when the wind blows,
and still water is turned into moving waves,
So the appearing Saraha is just one, 
Yet the king creates diverse aspects.

The ignorant press their eyes
and see one lamp as two. 
Like this, in (Mind’s nature) where seer and seen are not two,
Alas! The mind appears as two things.

Though many lamps are lit throughout the house,
Those with no eyes to see remain in darkness. 
Like this, though spontaneous wisdom is all-pervasive and nearby,
for the ignorant it is far, far away.

Though diverse, rivers are one in the ocean.
Though myriad, lies are overcome by a single truth.
Though darkness is manifold,
The rising of a single sun clears it away.

By entering into emptiness but devoid of compassion, 
One will not find the supreme path. 
By meditating upon compassion alone, 
One will not attain liberation, but remain in samsara. 
The one capable of apprehending the unity of the two, 
will not remain in samsara nor abide in (personal) nirvana.

That with which one is born, is same as that with which one dies.
It is with that, one attains supreme bliss. 

Saraha says,” what do i do?” 
The world of brutes do not understand this.

Mind is one, Mind is the seed from which Samsara & Nirvana bloom. 
Take care of the mind, and Like a Wish-Fulfilling Jewel it will produce the fruit of all desires.

Tied down, one runs in the ten directions, Free, one remains immovable. 
Friend! look at the camel; this paradox appears evident to me.
 * Camel is a conventional metaphor for the mind.

In engaging with the world, one does not get entangled in it.
take the lotus without touching murky water. 
So, the Yogi who takes refuge in the root, 
he is not bound by the world, even while enjoying it.

I dont differentiate ‘One’ or ‘Two’ or make a big deal of ‘Duality’. 
I paint with one colour, the three worlds in entirety.

Songs Of Saraha

Vocals: Namrata Mahabal, Violin: Anup Kulthe, Sitar & Backing Vocals: Jaydeep Vaidya, Keyboard: Devendra Bhome. 

This is a traditional gatha (song) based on the eight victories of Buddha. Sung in Pali language, the composition is traditional.

Based on the Book of Protection (Paritta Sutta) from the Pali canon, the Jaya Mangala Gatha proclaims the 8 major victories of the Buddha which are:
Victory over Mara, demon Alavaka, wild elephant Nalagiri, serial killer Angulimala, the evil intentions of Cinca who sought to defame, the arrogant brahmin Saccaka, the Naga   king Nandopananda, and the false views of Brahma Baka

Jaya Mangala Gatha

Recorded live at Study of Mind Lecture Series, Pune. Vocals by Ms. Namrata Mahabal, Text & Editing by Raji Ramanan (Original version sung by Vidya Rao in Dharma Nada.

Manjushri Naam Sangeeti - Ch. 10

How to lead a wholesome life

Our body decays and will die, but mind's activity will perdure. It will be driven by habits or by aspiration.

Sunday Talks

Mind Activity Driven by Habits or Aspiration

Resident Dharma Teacher at the Bodhipath Buddhist Center in Natural Bridge, VA

20240224_Dharma roadside dialogue #2 February Common Preliminaries

Lama Tsony

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