From cgimian at suchns.com Mon Oct 2 07:01:18 2006 From: cgimian at suchns.com (Carolyn Gimian) Date: Mon Oct 2 07:01:43 2006 Subject: [OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Make the First Move Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.0.20061001174701.015d6c48@206.47.199.40> Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week October 2, 2006 MAKE THE FIRST MOVE Usually we are in a stalemate with our world: "Is he going to say he is sorry to me first, or am I going to apologize to him first?" But in becoming a bodhisattva [a Buddhist who takes a vow to help others and put them before oneself] we break that barrier: we do not wait for the other person to make the first move. We have decided to do it ourselves. People have a lot of problems and they suffer a great deal, obviously. and we have only half a grain of sand's worth of awareness of that suffering happening in this country alone, let alone in the rest of the world. Millions of people in the world are suffering because of their lack of generosity, discipline, patience, exertion, meditation, and transcendental knowledge. The point of making the first move by taking the bodhisattva vow is not to convert people to our particular view, necessarily. The idea is that we should contribute something to the world simply by our own way of relating, by our own gentleness. From "The Bodhisattva" in the SHAMBHALA SUN magazine, November 2006, page 52. Of interest to our readers: Today's quote is excerpted from Chogyam Trungpa's presentation of the bodhisattva ideal in the November issue of the SHAMBHALA SUN. This issue also contains excerpts from DRAGON THUNDER: MY LIFE WITH CHOGYAM TRUNGPA by Diana J. Mukpo with Carolyn Rose Gimian and features an interview with Diana. Would you like a trial subscription to the SHAMBHALA SUN magazine? The SHAMBHALA SUN is North America's most widely-read Buddhist magazine, bringing a contemplative view to the important issues in life. You can contact the SHAMBHALA SUN to begin a trial subscription, and they'll send you the upcoming November issue as your first copy. Visit www.shambhalasun.com/subscribe or toll free 1-877-786-1950 or e-mail subscriptions@shambhalasun.com. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 4,728 subscribers. Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com. Carolyn Rose Gimian Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources. TO SUBSCRIBE visit the Chogyam Trungpa website by clicking on the following link: http://OceanofDharma.com From cgimian at suchns.com Thu Oct 5 07:57:05 2006 From: cgimian at suchns.com (Carolyn Gimian) Date: Thu Oct 5 07:57:15 2006 Subject: [OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Taking a Big Chance Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.0.20061005085213.01770530@206.47.199.40> Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week October 5, 2006 TAKING A BIG CHANCE Taking the bodhisattva vow [to help others and put them before oneself] implies that, instead of holding our own individual territory and defending it tooth and nail, we become open to the world that we are living in. It means we are willing to take on greater responsibility, immense responsibility. In fact, it means taking a big chance. But taking such a chance is not false heroism or personal eccentricity. It is a chance that has been taken in the past by millions of bodhisattvas, enlightened ones, and great teachers. So a tradition of responsibility and openness has been handed down from generation to generation, and now we too are participating in the sanity and dignity of this tradition. From "The Bodhisattva" in the SHAMBHALA SUN magazine, November 2006, page 53. This article is compiled from a number of sources, based on remarks made by Chogyam Trungpa when he gave the bodhisattva vow to students. Of interest to our readers: Today's quote is excerpted from Chogyam Trungpa's presentation of the bodhisattva ideal in the November issue of the SHAMBHALA SUN. This issue also contains excerpts from DRAGON THUNDER: MY LIFE WITH CHOGYAM TRUNGPA by Diana J. Mukpo with Carolyn Rose Gimian and features an interview with Diana. Would you like a trial subscription to the SHAMBHALA SUN magazine? The SHAMBHALA SUN is North America's most widely-read Buddhist magazine, bringing a contemplative view to the important issues in life. You can contact the SHAMBHALA SUN to begin a trial subscription, and they'll send you the upcoming November issue as your first copy. Visit www.shambhalasun.com/subscribe or toll free 1-877-786-1950 or e-mail subscriptions@shambhalasun.com. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 4,737 subscribers. Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com. Carolyn Rose Gimian Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources. TO SUBSCRIBE visit the Chogyam Trungpa website by clicking on the following link: http://OceanofDharma.com From cgimian at suchns.com Mon Oct 9 11:56:31 2006 From: cgimian at suchns.com (Carolyn Gimian) Date: Mon Oct 9 11:56:49 2006 Subject: [OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Be Grateful to Everyone Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.0.20061009124818.046cb610@206.47.199.40> Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week October 9, 2006 Thanksgiving in Canada BE GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE Without this world, we cannot attain enlightenment. Without this world, there would be no journey. By rejecting the world we would be rejecting the ground and rejecting the path. All our past history and all our neurosis is related with others in some sense. All our experiences are based on others, basically. As long as we have a sense of practice, some realization that we are treading on the path, every one of those little details, which are seemingly obstacles to us, becomes an essential part of the path. Without them, we cannot attain anything at all -- we have no feedback, we have nothing to work with, absolutely nothing to work with. So in a sense all the things taking place around our world, all the irritations and all the problems, are crucial. From "Point Three: Transformation of Bad Circumstances" in TRAINING THE MIND AND CULTIVATING LOVING KINDNESS, pages 88-89. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 4,750 subscribers. Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com. Carolyn Rose Gimian Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources. TO SUBSCRIBE visit the Chogyam Trungpa website by clicking on the following link: http://OceanofDharma.com From cgimian at suchns.com Wed Oct 11 08:18:52 2006 From: cgimian at suchns.com (Carolyn Gimian) Date: Wed Oct 11 08:19:05 2006 Subject: [OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: More Dragons Thunder Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.0.20061011090356.05149190@206.47.199.40> Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week October 11, 2006 Please see information below on October book events, starting tomorrow, in connection with the publication of DRAGON THUNDER: MY LIFE WITH CHOGYAM TRUNGPA DRAGONS THUNDER Dragons thunder Steeds gallop Trees bow Dharmic mind flashes. In this world of awakened milk ocean We enjoy the play of indestructible vajra dance. Unshakeable throne Gentle smile Tender touch. We accomplish the disciplines of the three yanas [stages of the path]. Welcome, welcome. Excerpted from an unpublished poem composed February 19, 1979. Of interest to our readers: OCTOBER EVENTS: Diana J. Mukpo and co-author Carolyn Gimian will be in Boston tomorrow evening, October 12, at 7 pm for a book signing at Trident Booksellers, 338 Newbury Street. The bookstore is offering dinner with the author after the signing. Sign up at their website. Friday October 13 Diana will give a talk and sign books at the Shambhala Center in Boston at 7 pm. Saturday the 14th at 2 pm, Diana will be at the Brown Bookstore in Providence, RI. Next week, both Diana and Carolyn will be in Boulder, Colorado for the Ocean of Dharma conference on the life and teachings of Chogyam Trungpa, being held by Naropa University. Friday the 20th, Diana will deliver the opening keynote address for the conference and sign books. This is co-sponsored with Boulder Bookstore. Admission is $15. Saturday and Sunday, the author and co-author will attend the conference and speak on several panels. Many other senior students of Chogyam Trungpa will be attending and presenting. On Wednesday, October 25, at 5:30 pm, Diana will be in Seattle at the Elliott Bay Bookstore. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 4,763 subscribers. Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com. Carolyn Rose Gimian Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources. TO SUBSCRIBE visit the Chogyam Trungpa website by clicking on the following link: http://OceanofDharma.com From cgimian at suchns.com Sun Oct 15 06:47:22 2006 From: cgimian at suchns.com (cgimian@suchns.com) Date: Sun Oct 15 06:47:33 2006 Subject: [OceanofDharma] A Superhuman Instinct Message-ID: <20061015104722.PTTJ29039.simmts12-srv.bellnexxia.net@smtp8.sympatico.ca> Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week October 15, 2006 [I'm on the road and not able to use my regular e-mail program today. Hoping the formatting comes across ok -- Carolyn Gimian. See note on new website and blog below.] A SUPERHUMAN INSTINCT The usual human instinct is to feed ourselves first and only make friends with others if they can feed us. This could be called "ape instinct." But in the case of the bodhisattva vow, when we agree to put others first, we are talking about a kind of superhuman instinct which is much deeper and more full than that. Inspired by this instinct, we are willing to feel empty and deprived and confused. But something comes out of our willingness to feel that way, which is that we can help somebody else at the same time. So there is room for our confusion and chaos and ego-centeredness: they become stepping stones. Even the irritations that occur in the practice of the bodhisattva path become a way of confirming our commitment. >From "The Bodhisattva" in the SHAMBHALA SUN magazine, current issue, page 55. A website describing the CHOGYAM TRUNGPA LEGACY PROJECT is available at chogyamtrungpa.com. There is a blog by Carolyn Gimian on this site, which details the current book tour for DRAGON THUNDER and will also have some coverage of the OCEAN OF DHARMA conference at Naropa University next weekend. To join Ocean of Dharma quotes of the week, go to oceanofdharma.com All quotations by Chogyam Trungpa are used by permisison of Diana J. Mukpo. From cgimian at suchns.com Wed Oct 18 23:55:37 2006 From: cgimian at suchns.com (cgimian@suchns.com) Date: Wed Oct 18 23:55:44 2006 Subject: [OceanofDharma] The Family of Buddhas Message-ID: <20061019035538.GHBJ21960.simmts5-srv.bellnexxia.net@smtp8.sympatico.ca> Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week 18 October 2006 THE FAMILY OF BUDDHAS There is a tremendous sense of celebration and joy in finally being able to join the family of buddhas. At last we have decided to claim our inheritance, which is enlightenment. From the perspective of doubt, whatever enlightened quality exists in us may seem small scale. But from the perspective of actuality, a fully developed enlightened being exists in us already. Enlightenment is no longer a myth: it does exist. It is workable and we are associated with it thoroughly and fully. So we have no doubts as to whether we are on the path or not. It is obvious that we have made a commitment and that we are going to develop this ambitious project of becoming a buddha. >From "The Bodhisattva" in the Shambhala SUN, the current issue, page 57. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is used by permission of Diana J. Mukpo. To subscribe to Ocean of Dharma quotes of the week, go to OceanofDharma.com. For information about the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project, go to ChogyamTrungpa.com From cgimian at suchns.com Sun Oct 22 09:23:36 2006 From: cgimian at suchns.com (cgimian@suchns.com) Date: Sun Oct 22 09:24:05 2006 Subject: [OceanofDharma] Teaching Concerns Actual Experience Message-ID: <20061022132336.MNGJ25660.simmts6-srv.bellnexxia.net@smtp8.sympatico.ca> Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week October 21, 2006 TEACHING CONCERNS ACTUAL EXPERIENCE I decided to give up the robe, which I feel stood as a subtle obstacle to the formulation of my teaching in the West. The monk's robe confused many as a glorious image of spirituality. However, my teaching concerns actual experience. I don't feel that I need to hide behind something, though some people are critical of me for coming out and showing myself as a human being....But my role is a far deeper one than a mere cultural mission, a representative of the East to the West. I am not Tibetan but Human and my mission is to teach others as effectively as I can in this world in which I find myself. >From a letter by Chogyam Trungpa written in 1970. The excerpts appear in DRAGON THUNDER: MY LIFE WITH CHOGYAM TRUNGPA. This excerpt was read by Diana J. Mukpo in her keynote address at the OCEAN OF DHARMA conference at Naropa University, now ongoing. To hear the speech, go to www.chroniclesproject.com. For a blog about the DRAGON THUNDER tour and Naropa conference by Carolyn Gimian, go to ChogyamTrungpa.com All material by Chogyam Trungpa is used by permission of Diana J. Mukpo. From cgimian at suchns.com Sun Oct 22 09:23:41 2006 From: cgimian at suchns.com (cgimian@suchns.com) Date: Sun Oct 22 09:24:06 2006 Subject: [OceanofDharma] Teaching Concerns Actual Experience Message-ID: <20061022132341.YMPH1835.simmts8-srv.bellnexxia.net@smtp8.sympatico.ca> Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week October 21, 2006 TEACHING CONCERNS ACTUAL EXPERIENCE I decided to give up the robe, which I feel stood as a subtle obstacle to the formulation of my teaching in the West. The monk's robe confused many as a glorious image of spirituality. However, my teaching concerns actual experience. I don't feel that I need to hide behind something, though some people are critical of me for coming out and showing myself as a human being....But my role is a far deeper one than a mere cultural mission, a representative of the East to the West. I am not Tibetan but Human and my mission is to teach others as effectively as I can in this world in which I find myself. >From a letter by Chogyam Trungpa written in 1970. The excerpts appear in DRAGON THUNDER: MY LIFE WITH CHOGYAM TRUNGPA. This excerpt was read by Diana J. Mukpo in her keynote address at the OCEAN OF DHARMA conference at Naropa University, now ongoing. To hear the speech, go to www.chroniclesproject.com. For a blog about the DRAGON THUNDER tour and Naropa conference by Carolyn Gimian, go to ChogyamTrungpa.com All material by Chogyam Trungpa is used by permission of Diana J. Mukpo. From cgimian at suchns.com Thu Oct 26 12:15:00 2006 From: cgimian at suchns.com (Carolyn Gimian) Date: Thu Oct 26 12:15:17 2006 Subject: [OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Be Friendly Toward Problems Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.0.20061026130700.0165cf58@206.47.199.40> Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week October 26, 2006 BE FRIENDLY TOWARD PROBLEMS To develop ahimsa, or the nonviolent approach, first of all you have to see that your problems are not really trying to destroy you. Usually, we immediately try to get rid of our problems. We think that there are forces operating against us and that we have to get rid of them. The important thing is to learn to be friendly toward our problems, by developing what is called metta in Pali, maitri in Sanskrit, or loving-kindness in English translation. All of these problems and difficulties are fundamentally generated from the concept of duality, or separateness. On the one hand, you are very aware of other and also very aware of yourself, and you want to do something to work with and make use of others. But you are unable to do this, because there is such a big gap between other and yourself. So a sense of threat or separation develops. That is the root of the problem. From "The Martial Arts and the Art of War," in Volume Eight of THE COLLECTED WORKS OF CHOGYAM TRUNGPA, page 414. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 4,802 subscribers. Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com. Carolyn Rose Gimian Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources. TO SUBSCRIBE click on the following link: http://OceanofDharma.com. The Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project is now at ChogyamTrungpa.com. From cgimian at suchns.com Sun Oct 29 12:54:18 2006 From: cgimian at suchns.com (Carolyn Gimian) Date: Sun Oct 29 12:54:45 2006 Subject: [OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Questioning the Meaning of Life Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.0.20061029134427.045cc028@206.47.199.40> Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week October 29, 2006 QUESTIONING THE MEANING OF LIFE Buddha nature is not regarded as a peaceful state of mind or, for that matter, as a disturbed one either. It is a state of intelligence that questions our life and the meaning of life. It is the foundation of a search. A lot of things haven't been answered in our life -- and we are still searching for the questions. That questioning is buddha nature. It is a state of potential. The more dissatisfaction, the more questions, and more doubts there are, the healthier it is, for we are no longer sucked into ego-oriented situations, but we are constantly woken up. From "Awakening Buddha Nature," in GLIMPSES OF MAHAYANA, page 19, published by Vajradhatu Publications. For a copy go to shambhalashop.com. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 4,813 subscribers. Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn@shambhala.com. Carolyn Rose Gimian Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources. TO SUBSCRIBE click on the following link: http://OceanofDharma.com. The Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project is now at ChogyamTrungpa.com.