The Introduction to the book

is now ready to listen to…

So…

as within the Lotus buds in Dewachen ,

we may delight to listen to

the dharma

which facilitates

our blossoming….

our opening,

in life

to light

as light

You’ll find it, with other recordings, under the Audio and Video tab at the top of the page… or go directly to the recordings page : )

James writes in the Introduction ‘At this time of great change and increasing anxiety the calming clarity of Dharma could be of great benefit to many…’
May that great benefit be realised by many in this New Year!
Fascination with what’s depicted in the news and on social media is absorbing the life energy and vitality of many people I know. The dharma teachings are not known so in shouting at the telly, not sleeping well, and filling up with judgment, hatred and fear…their on-going upset also impacts those with whom they live and interact. It’s so sad.

In the attraction to, and absorption into, a particular dramatic presentation both eyes are mesmerised, both ears are filled with the commentary and opinions of others… and, in the time away from that, ‘thinking about’ all this stuff takes over… as if such activity were helpful or would lead to some veridical conclusion.

In this way life’s energy follows and flows with attention, binding into a blinding and exhausting vortex of limited and limiting thoughts and feelings…
And with that level of preoccupation the capacity to receive and respond to those with whom we interact in attuned way is blocked……we are already ‘filled to bursting’… our sense of connectivity with our actual lived situation is minimal.
The sun has gone in, the senses ignored in favour of thoughts…there seems no way out…

The tension in this distressed isolation can build to levels where it is manifestly harmful, whether turned inwards or outwardly and radiates dis-ease.
So often, despite inhabiting relatively fortunate external circumstances, lives which have so much potential can vanish miserably – tuned into samsara hour after hour.
The decompression of spaciousness, openness awareness, emptiness, is sorely needed.

Although different distractions are available and many activities can bring a sense of healthy connectivity and ease provided we can relax enough to become available to open and participate…
making a shift to listening, even with just one ear to the dharma and the other to samsara, cracks open a window so that…
playing through the staleness…
this different tune, of freshness, can be also be heard…
and then maybe we listen 50% to dharma and 50% to samsara – this is progress…and we can check… Which feels like it does us more good ? Which seems to help us be with life as it presents?
and turn up the volume appropriately.
Old habits die hard, but freedom is worth the effort…for ourselves and others.

In the Dhammapada, hatred is addressed by the wise words of the good Buddha, doctor to our troubles, thus:
‘In this world hatred is never pacified by hatred. It is by the absence of hatred that hatred is pacified.’ Around 500 years B.C he explained this as ‘the ancient truth’…so for thousand of years access to this truth has been available but now, as then, not so many listen to the truth and take it to heart.

For those who do the pacification of hatred is possible. The equanimity required for this arises from wisdom and is an achievable fruit of dharma practice.
This ‘equanimity’ does not at all mean to become oblivious to the many impactful and ongoing conflicts and problems in the world. Quite the contrary as having a different and wider perspective – not caught in bias and reactivity – it allows for seeing and fully appreciating the poignancy of situations without becoming overwhelmed and submerged.

The dharma’s many methods invite us in different ways towards this radical re-orientation… away from duality’s push-pull of aversion and desire… towards the wisdom of the truth of all of us which holds no tension, and a connectivity which is intrinsically and inclusively compassionate…

So opening wide the window… and immersing ourselves in the deep and encouraging wisdom of this Introduction and the texts, which will follow as completed…is a method for breathing increasingly pure air… as we follow this ‘progressive path for freeing ourselves from the sorrow-inducing delusions of being a separate entity burdened with inherent existence’.

‘Even as beginners our love and kindness can fuel the flames of Dharma which burn up all obscurations.’ … and this, for a change, is very very good news!
These words are found in the Introduction, along with an explanation of the deep value, depth, and scope of the texts. It’s a treasure imho!