31 December, 2014

HAPPY NEW YEAR

30 December, 2014

State of mind...


“If the perfection of generosity were the alleviation of the world's poverty, then since beings are still starving now in what manner did the previous Buddhas perfect it? The perfection of generosity is said to be the thought to give all beings everything, together with the fruit of such a thought. Hence it is simply a state of mind.”

Shantideva
"Bodhicaryavatara"

28 December, 2014

Rekindled light...

Artist: Kirk Reinert

At times our own Light goes out and is rekindled 
by a Spark from another person. Each of us has 
cause to think with deep Gratitude of those who 
have Lighted the Flame Within Us…

Albert Schweitzer

25 December, 2014

On the existence of angels...

Artist unknown...

“Maybe they need to conform to our ideas 
in order to be, in order to exist. Maybe our 
believing in them and conceiving of them 
gives [angels] existence.” 

Rickie Lee Jones

24 December, 2014

On falling...



“When we fall on the ground it hurts us, 
but we also need to rely on the ground to get back up.” 

Kathleen McDonald
"How to Meditate"

23 December, 2014

Devas...


“The reason we bring holly and ivy into the house 
[in December] is to invite the devas into the warmth 
of our homes. By inviting the devas indoors we are 
ensuring that they will still be here to help 
us out during the next growing season.” 

Margaret Neylon





22 December, 2014

The life we live...


“True religion is the life we live, not the creed we profess.” 

J.F. Wright

19 December, 2014

Dhammapada


“You should do the work yourself, 
for Buddhas only teach the way.” 

Dhammapada

18 December, 2014

Craving...


“Encircled with craving, people hop 'round & around like a rabbit caught in a snare. Tied with fetters & bonds they go on to suffering, again & again, for long. Encircled with craving, people hop 'round & around like a rabbit caught in a snare. So a monk should dispel craving, should aspire to dispassion for himself.” 

Dhammapada
translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.


17 December, 2014

On Duality...


“What is meant by nonduality, Mahatmi? It means that light and shade, long and short, black and white, can only be experienced in relation to each other; light is not independent of shade, nor black of white. There are no opposites, only relationships. In the same way, nirvana and the ordinary world of suffering are not two things but related to each other. There is no nirvana except where the world of suffering is; there is no world of suffering apart from nirvana. For existence is not mutually exclusive.”

Lankavatara Sutra

16 December, 2014

Awaken...


“The dharma that is taught and the dharma
that is experienced are descriptions of
how to live, how to use your life to wake 
you up rather than put you to sleep. ” 

Pema Chödrön
"Wisdom of No Escape"

15 December, 2014

On Liberation...


“Liberation cannot be achieved except through perceiving the identity of the individual spirit with the Universal Spirit. Atman and Brahman are identical. Their essence is pure Consciousness.”

Sankara

13 December, 2014

Water of Being....


“Listen to the sound of water. Listen to the water running through chasms and rocks. It is the minor streams that make a loud noise; the great waters flow silently. The hollow resounds and the full is still. Foolishness is like a half-filled pot; the wise man is a lake full of water.”

Sutta Nipata

12 December, 2014

Conscience...


“The ultimate test of a man’s conscience may be his 
willingness to sacrifice something today for future 
generations whose words of thanks will not be heard.” 

G. Nelson

11 December, 2014

Koan...


“Birth is an expression complete this moment. Death is an expression complete this moment. They are like winter and spring. You do not call winter the beginning of spring, nor summer the end of spring.”

Genjo Koan

10 December, 2014

Buddhadasa Bhikkhu...

 

“In Buddhism, the essential meaning of the word "study" is the unceasing, dedicated observation and investigation of whatever arises in the mind, be it pleasant or unpleasant. Only those familiar with the observation of the mind can really understand Dharma.”

Buddhadasa Bhikkhu
"Heartwood of the Bodhi Tree"

09 December, 2014

On Grasping...


“A student asked: "For all the different people who have come to listen to your words, please tell us about the way you have found and known." The Buddha answered: "When you take things it is because of a thirst, a clinging, and a grasping. You should lose that and lose it altogether, above, below, around, and within. It makes no difference what it is you are grasping. When you grasp, you are losing your freedom. Realize this and grasp at nothing. Then you will cease being a creature of attachment, tied to the powers of death."”

Sutta Nipata

08 December, 2014

On giving...


“The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose. ” 

Hadia Bejar

Angels...


“Never give up, never despair! Your angel is 
always close by, 
willing to gently place its hand 
under your elbow and lead you forward.” 

Margaret Neylon

05 December, 2014

Self control...


“You can’t ever get everything you want. It is impossible. Luckily, there is another option: You can learn to control your mind, to step outside of this endless cycle of desire and aversion. You can learn not to want what you want, to recognize desires but not be controlled by them.”

Bhanta Henepola Gunaratana
"Mindfulness in Plain English"

03 December, 2014

The joy of silence...


“When a man knows the solitude of silence, 
and feels the joy of quietness, he is then 
free from fear and he feels the joy 
of the dharma. ” 

Buddha

On ego and love...


“What is commonly called "falling in love" is in most cases an intensification of egoic wanting and needing. You become addicted to another person, or rather to your image of that person. It has nothing to do with true love, which contains no wanting whatsoever.”

Eckhart Tolle

02 December, 2014

The foundations...


“Such human qualities as morality, compassion, decency, wisdom and so forth have been the foundations of all civilizations. These qualities must be cultivated and sustained through systematic moral education in a conductive social environment, so that a more humane world may emerge.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

01 December, 2014

On success...


“The first and most important step toward 
success is the feeling that we can succeed.” 

Nelson Boswell

28 November, 2014

Tao...


“The Tao does not act
yet it is the root of all action.
The Tao does not move
yet it is the source of all creation.”

27 November, 2014

Angels & Rainbows


“Hey, angel," Amarante called out in his dream. 
"What's a rainbow doing over our 
 on a sunny day like today?” 

John Nichols,
"The Milagro Beanfield War"

26 November, 2014

True!


“Each day we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.” 

Charles Swindoll

25 November, 2014

Blake...


“To see the world in a grain of sand,
and heaven in a wild flower.
To hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
and eternity in an hour.

We are led to believe a lie,
when we see with, not through, the eye,
which was born in a night, to die in a night,
while the soul slept in beams of light.”

21 November, 2014

VISIT US WITH BANGKOK AIRWAYS


For those of you that are now planning to visit us in Sukhotai I would recommend that you fly from Bangkok to Sukhotai airport with Bangkok Airways. Apart from being our friends and supporters, the airport operated by Bangkok Airways is very convenient for us, since it is by far the closest. It is also easy for us to arrange an airport pick up as there are more people willing to shuttle there and back.

The service has thus far been impeccable, the check in and processing speeds are amongst the fastest that I have experienced and you also get a little snack and free lounge service which today is unheard of. Although it is not a budget airline it is in the end the cheapest and easiest way to get to us.

The main airport in Phitsonluk is about 180 kms from here and transport to our remote area is not easy nor is it cheap.
We really like them...
And they do a great job of looking after their passengers...


20 November, 2014

The Sage...


“As a bee--without harming the blossom, 
its color its fragrance takes its nectar 
& flies away: so should the sage 
go through a village. ” 


Dhammapada, 
translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

17 November, 2014

Dignity...


“I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him.” 

Booker T. Washington

14 November, 2014


“Conquer anger with lack of anger;
bad, with good; stinginess
 with generosity; a liar, with truth.” 

Dhammapada 
translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

13 November, 2014

On Nirvana...


“The experience of nirvana is beyond the scope 
of human concepts, including our reified 
ideas of existence and nonexistence.” 

B. Alan Wallace
 "Tibetan Buddhism From the Ground Up"

12 November, 2014

Seek within...


“Go within. Use the inner body as a starting point for going deeper and taking your attention away from where it’s usually lodged, in the thinking mind.”

Eckhart Tolle

11 November, 2014

Reflection on happiness...


“Discontent, blaming, complaining, self-pity cannot serve as a foundation for a good future, no matter how much effort you make.”

Eckhart Tolle

08 November, 2014

Ego and Self...


“The ego and the Self dwell as intimate friends in the same body, like two golden birds perched in the same tree. The ego eats the sweet and sour fruits of the tree, while the Self looks on detached. For as long as you identify with the ego, you will feel joy and sorrow.”

Mundaka Upanishad      

06 November, 2014

At the Window of Tomorrow by Stuart Wilde (RIP)

At the window of tomorrow
I saw many a yesteryear.
It was easy to see where we’d come
In the intervening time–
How we’d grown, and struggled, and triumphed
Beyond the yesteryear was tomorrow’s future
It wasn’t much different than today
But a little more was added
–A little more light–
And in this way, we came to transcend
And the yesteryears moved up slowly
And the tomorrows moved down gradually
They joined in the middle and spun around each other
To become Heaven on Earth–
The one we’ve been promised.

Stuart Wilde www.stuartwilde.com

03 November, 2014

Sukhotai Loy Kathong festival

I was very fortunate to have been invited to accompany staff and students of Bangkeang Wittaya  to witness my first experience of Loy Krathong at the Sukothai's World Heritage Historical Park. This was truly a world class event that I would encourage everyone to try to see at least once in their lifetime. This spectacular show reflects the early days of the early Kingdom of Sukothai and the origins of this festival. I must congratulate the choreographers, organizers and artists for a truly spectacular experience. I have attempted to take some photos that I share with our friends and supporters who can tolerate my rather poor photographic skills...
For more info please see:
http://www.thaitravelblogs.com/2014/10/celebrate-loy-krathong-in-sukhothai-2-6-november-2014/

  Together with Staff and students...
 Who did a good job practicing English with me...
 and were quite cheerful about it!
 M1 - M3 students attended...
Light and sound show...  
 With elephant actions scenes...
 An amazing performance...




 



























A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE AND EVENT!