BISPIRIT - A BUDDHIST PERSPECTIVE: The Way and the Path, Happiness, and Compassion Dec 13

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1 NAMASTE! Yes, this is another BISPIRIT work that employs picture quotes heavily. This time, we have a different focus one that comes primarily from Buddhism. The vast majority of the quotes are attributed to Buddha. Originally, we intended to focus on three topics happiness, compassion, and love. We were able to find many picture quotes pertaining to happiness and compassion, but nearly none pertaining to love. We found that interesting but unexpected. Personally, our path has been one of the HEART. Love, especially UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, is crucial to that path. We made a real time decision to substitute picture quotes on The Way and the Path for those on Love, and address these first in this work. We would like to dedicate this particular work to our dear friend and spiritual sister TuyNhu. In many ways, her presence in our life has renewed our interest in Buddhism. Though, we did not grow up in this faith, or any faith for that matter Buddhism seems to be the closest path to the one that we have discovered and followed on our own. Though, if you ve explored our works at BISPIRIT or Beyond Imagination, you know that we are open to TRUTH from wheresoever it would come in our life. It is 2 Dec 13 as we write this. We started collecting the picture quotes for this work yesterday. We hope to complete this work before Christmas. That would be a fitting time to have another BISPIRIT gift available to the world. This is FUN for us. There is something about knowing that you are producing and sharing a creative work that has the potential to inspire and even change the lives of others that gives meaning to your life. As with all of our BISPIRIT and Beyond Imagination works, this is a labor of LOVE. Also, this is the expression of spirit through us. We have never 1

2 claimed to be other than an instrument through which SPIRIT expresses. This becomes more and more evident as our life continues to unfold. I AM THAT I AM THAT YOU ARE! ENJOY!!! We offer special thanks and gratitude to the creative souls who generated these quotes, the artists who generated the images, and the creative beings who paired these two into the picture quotes that are such a prominent part of this work. We are also grateful that all of this information is so readily available on the WWW. If you ENJOY or are otherwise moved by what you find here, we encourage you to share the works with whoever you feel might benefit from them. NAMASTE! 2

3 THE WAY AND THE PATH Indeed, this picture quote conveys a grand truth. Everything is perfect everything. It is all of God, of SPIRIT. As such, it can be nothing other than perfect ever. When we realize that, truly realize that, the only response is to LAUGH. Laughter is such a wonderful thing. This image depicts this perfection, not only in nature but in terms of mankind s place in the scheme of this as well. Such clear and concise wisdom! This is how we stay on the path. We face in the right direction and we keep on walking. We know the direction is right by how we feel inside. The eightfold path is prominent in Buddhist teachings. Note that belief is NOT a part of this framework. For the most part, Buddhism is a way of life, not a religion. As such, it is inclusive of and compatible with many of the world s religions. There are no Gods or Deities in Buddhism. There are only beings who have awakened and reached different levels of enlightenment. 3

4 Anyone can incorporate the eightfold path into their personal spiritual path. It is simply a matter of understanding the eight principles and practicing them in one s life. Though, as we follow the path, our understanding of the principles evolves as well. That is OK. It only means that we need to continue to learn and grow throughout the course of our lives. 4

5 Reading this, I just had to LAUGH. Such a simple truth expressed so simply. This is so obviously true. Yet, so many people make these mistakes. Either they don t start the journey, or they don t follow the path to its end. The advice is to avoid making either of these mistakes. If you observe yourself making either of these mistake, make a different choice. I can vouch for this. The spiritual is more important that the physical, the emotional, or the mental. There is a saying: we can live three weeks without food, three days without water, and three minutes without air but no more than three moments without spirit. Yet, many do not seem to know this or live this way. We call such people asleep. It is not for us to wake such people from their slumbers. That will happen in its right time in appropriate way. 5

6 Something about this picture quote touched my soul. It is extremely spiritual. Many over the ages have looked towards the sky and the heavens for God. But, the ultimate path is the way of the HEART. What moves the heart is love and compassion. Those can always be found within. Yes, that is the KEY, seek within. This is how we protect ourselves from all storms. We fortify ourselves by becoming an island. Then we take refuge in the truth. These two things keep us safe and secure through anything that we might encounter. 6

7 This picture quote strikes home personally as well. In my 55 years to date, I call no man or woman Master. Nor do I bow to any Gods. Though, I do bow to the SPIRIT within every being. Until recently, I did not have a close friend. So, my travels on my spiritual path were alone. Indeed, they still are. The image reminds me of the 28 card in the Tarot. That card has God holding the world in his hand. This image is a variation of that, with the world of the traveler held in a hand. As above, so below comes to mind. The large hand seems to belong to the oversoul of the traveler. There is no quote here. When I saw the image, it simply came to me that this was a beautiful depiction of what the path can be once we awaken and become fully aware of who we, and once we begin to fully express our spiritual nature. 7

8 Once again, we are advised to seek within. Ultimately, that is where we discover our connection with our spiritual source. We need to beware of fear and attachment. These can rob us of our freedom if we allow them to. Right living leads us to great joy. This is the WAY that Buddhism promotes. PEACE. So many Buddhist teachings focus on this, on living peacefully not just with other humans, but with the earth and all creatures. Indeed, it is possible for ONE WORD, the right word at the right time to bring peace. 8

9 Ultimately, this teaching reflects much of Buddhist teaching. There is a strong focus on meditation and the practice of inner disciplines that allow us to get in touch with the spirit within. Peace is never found without. Though, once we find it within, we can indeed find ways to express it in the world. WOW! Indeed, these three questions could cut out on a lot of harm that is done by speaking out in the world. Untruths eventually take their toll. If something is not necessary, there is no need to speak it. If it is unkind, it will hurt someone so we should reconsider what we are going to say and either find a better way or remain silent. 9

10 HAPPINESS Buddha was a grand teacher. He has a way of eloquently getting to the heart of the truth. In the picture quote, note how HAPPY this child is. It seems that we are all this way when we come into the world. Somehow, in the course of growing up, we lose touch with this natural state. Ego and desire are indeed major blocks to experiencing happiness. Both of these are things that we develop as we grow. In the west, our society indoctrinates us into materialism into desiring things, feelings, and experiences. It can be very difficult to disassociate ourselves from this. 10

11 This is another basic truth. Here, happiness is linked directly to our thoughts. Buddhism places great emphasis on mindfulness and controlling thoughts. To me, it is not yet clear how to reconcile this with the way of the heart. We typically do not think of the heart thinking. The heart feels and the heart LOVES. This is not the same as thinking at all. Beyond Imagination and BISPIRIT speak of this often, though not in the context of happiness. Meaning, satisfaction, and achievement in life come when our work and words are of benefit to ourselves and others. We need to make a difference for our having lived. Buddha s promise is that the result of living our life in this manner is HAPPINESS. We can attest to that, at least to some degree. Personally, we are happiest when we are most engaged with our spiritual path and expression. When we are creating new works, especially when we are particularly inspired, our consciousness is truly able to soar. Soaring in consciousness was the closest experience that we had to happiness for the past two decades. Within the past few years, that has been augmented by periods of unconditional LOVE. Those experiences by far exceed anything that has come in work and words. Hmm it seems that this quote illustrates one way to achieve happiness. That is indeed a way that I have experienced firsthand. But, clearly that is not the only way. Working and speaking in a manner that is of benefit in this way, is indeed a way to make happiness a path. Here, it is a matter of finding the appropriate path or paths for us and realizing that this may evolve over time. 11

12 It is not having a lot of things that makes us happy. Indeed, there are many people that have much material wealth but are miserable, or at least far from happy. What counts is not what we have, but what we give. The more that we are able to give, the better. The greatest thing that we have to give is who we are. There are many ways to give. Those that are most effective are those that employ your greatest gifts in activities that you are passionate about. Never underestimate the multiplying power of PASSION. It makes a huge difference in the amount of giving that we are able to do and the impacts of that giving. Having a lot can also result in an overattachment to the things that we have. It is one thing to appreciate and be grateful; however attachment can get us into trouble, especially when circumstances result in losing some of the things that we are most attached to. That does not mean that we can t have things and enjoy the things we have. Indeed we can, and that can facilitate our pleasure and happiness. We just don t want to make the possessions prerequisites. 12

13 Here, the picture quote ties Buddhism to the Tao. The guidance provides another way of happiness. This particular way is simple. All that we have to do is speak or act with a pure mind. As is typical of Buddhism, the focus is on how we employ our mind and our thoughts in actions. Speaking is an action. The words that we speak have the potential to impact others in profound ways even in ways that make a difference. Through proper speaking and action, happiness is assured. In this case, as assured as our very shadow. The only time that we have no shadow is when we are in complete darkness. 13

14 This is important enough that we found four very different picture quotes for the same quote. In this case, the message is profound. Happiness is NOT some DESTINATION that we can get to by following a path. Rather, HAPPINESS is the path. My spiritual friend TuyNhu is clearly on this path. She is always HAPPY. It seems that this is more than her nature. Indeed, it is her choice. This four picture quotes are so different. The only real thing in common is the words themselves. And, even then, the arrangements and the fonts have nothing whatsoever in common. Once we know that happiness is the path, we still have the challenge of finding that path within us. While we have ruled out the illusion that happiness is something outside of us that we have to traverse some path to find; that is not enough. Somehow, we have to realize that we are HAPPY NOW. 14

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16 Yes, these are three very different picture quotes that say the same thing. But, the images are as different as night and day. The teaching is crystal clear. Just as how the fire from a single candle can literally light thousands or maybe even millions of candles so the happiness of one person can be shared with others without being diminished in the least. This is not only true of happiness; it is also true of LOVE. Indeed, it is also true of consciousness and spirit. Be kind. Do good. Keep doing good over and over again and your life will be filled with great JOY. Yes, it is that simple. Being kind, good, considerate, and compassionate go a long way in life. These things are the essence of spirituality as applied in practical ways in our daily lives. At some point, we may find that such is not enough. We may find ourselves drawn to something more, to something that is missing from our lives. We may awaken and find that there is far more to us than we knew there was. When this happens, our true spiritual quest begins. In my case, this happened in 1974 when I was 16. Then, in 1993 a major spiritual awakening occurred. It is not clear that it was a result of anything that I did in particular. Rather, it seemed to correspond to a timing that was destined. Here we are over two decades later. I would not say that my life is filled with happiness and joy. But, there is a strong sense of satisfaction, accomplishment, fulfillment, and appreciation for what I have been able to do especially with regard to Beyond Imagination and BISPIRIT, the spiritual arms of my work. 16

17 No, this one did not come from Buddha. Nor did it come from the east. Though, this quote from Aristotle is indeed in the same spirit. It seems that wisdom knows no such boundaries as east and west. Actually, I have never read this quote before. While I loved Plato, I hated Aristotle so for the most part I avoided reading his works. Now, I understand that this comes from a strong preference for synergizing things into wholes rather than breaking things down into parts. So much for first impressions. This quote brings a whole new light on things. That Aristotle would give happiness such meaning and place it in such high esteem is refreshing. This is not my experience to date, not even close. Further, I am not even sure that I believe it. Then again, I don t have a context for what Aristotle means by happiness. Though, if it is similar to the Buddhist one revealed in many of the picture quotes in this work, then HAPPINESS does indeed have a grand role in LIFE in the lives of all of us. 17

18 This is an interesting way to define HAPPINESS. But Mahatma Gandhi was a great soul, clearly an enlightened one. Here the formula is simple. We simply need to harmonize what we think, say, and do. This is always within our power. It is a matter of choice. That means that it is always possible for us to BE HAPPY. This seems so obvious. But, it is not so easy as it sounds. To make such a choice, the one making the decision must be able to assess which is the lesser and which is the greater happiness. In my experience, this often involves the unknown. It is 18

19 not a certainty. As a result, there is a chance that we may actually become less happy when we think that we will become more. There is something special about this image. Though, it is not clear how it reflects this particular quote. That doesn t matter. The association makes a connection within us even if it is an other than conscious one. This, too, is obvious when you think about it. Others do not possess this power over you. This is something that is completely under our own control. Though, how many people live believing the others or even possessions have such power over their happiness. 19

20 This is expected as an expression of the Buddhist way. There is a strong emphasis on the mind and on thinking. Given that focus, this quote expresses a truth relative to this way, this path. My perspective and experience differs from this. Indeed, my earliest writings were called Beyond Mind. For me, I had to go Beyond Mind to find Consciousness and Spirit. Perhaps that is a matter of my own path and the definitions that I have given to various spiritual terms. Within 9 months, my spiritual expression went from Beyond Mind to Beyond Imagination. I don t know how to put this later expression in Buddhist terms. As of April 2013, this has shifted once again. This time to BISPIRIT. One definition is two spirits. This is the first time that I have noticed that. The other definition is BE I SPIRIT. It is a declaration of what we truly are. Back to the quote. I agree that happiness does not depend on what we have though the appreciation of what we have can lead to happiness. Similarly, experiencing who we truly are can allow us to soar into the realms of happiness. Personally, I have not associated either of these with thinking. Also, missing from the quote is any association with what we do. Giving and doing things that are meaningful, of value, and beneficial to others keep us on the path of happiness. This is in accord with earlier quotes that say: Happiness IS the path. Thinking alone is NOT enough. 20

21 LET GO! How many teachings advise us to do this? Indeed, this is wisdom at its finest. In other places it is expressed as Let go and let God. I have expressed it as Allow what would be to unfold, Leave it to Spirit and the Universe, Do what you are moved to do and leave the results to Spirit, and the like. When we align ourselves with Spirit and live in accord with the essence of the eightfold path, if not the letter of it; then, it is Spirit that is expressing in our life directly. Once we are living lives of Spirit, the rules change. In many ways, life becomes easier but also far more productive. I cannot confirm from my experience that the result is necessarily happiness. But, there is a strong sense of fulfillment, of wonder, of magic, and of mystery. There is also greatly enhanced awareness, connectedness, ONENESS, and more and more experiences of unconditional love. 21

22 This is a wonderful realization. Even the thought of giving is enough to lead us to happiness. The process of giving takes us even further, takes us to peace. Once the act of giving is completed, we take another step and feel uplifted. There is something about giving that is truly special. However, if we expect anything in return, then it is not giving that we are doing, it is trading or buying and selling. There is nothing wrong in these things. They are a natural part of the economy. However, the prime experience that we seek is to feel uplifted. Whatever befalls you, remain unattached. I m not so clear that remaining untouched is wise council. In my experience, when things truly touch our heart, mind, soul, consciousness, and spirit positively; these are powerful experiences that facilitate awakening to expanded awareness. Why we would choose to remain untouched by such beneficial experiences just does not make sense to me. Then, I am not Buddha. Further, I have not studied or practiced Buddhism enough to be able to understand what Buddha meant here. That is OK. We are all still on whatever spiritual paths we are on. If our paths were complete, we would no longer be here. 22

23 COMPASSION Forgiveness is important. It is not meant for us to judge either ourselves or others. This can be very difficult to do very difficult indeed. This becomes easier to do when we realize that everything is the expression of spirit in flesh. Also, when we realize that everyone is doing the best that they can under whatever circumstances that they find themselves within. Still another constraint is that the creation is PERFECT at all times. Yes, it is always evolving. But, that does not change the fact that it is PERFECT nonetheless. The other point in this picture quote is that we are meant to be compassionate. Such is how we create a peaceful and loving world. Here, there is nothing to question. The universality of this spiritual truth is obvious. It is something that should apply to all spiritual paths. Note that this part does not involve the mind. This part does not involve thinking. Forgiveness and compassion come forth from the HEART. The heart is the seat of the SOUL. 23

24 This one is important enough that we need to capture it three times in completely different ways. Unless we are compassionate towards ourselves, it is difficult to be truly compassionate to others. We would have our compassion be complete. In so doing, we maximize the good that we can do for others in the world. It is interesting how varied these picture quotes are. There is a cumulative effect that comes from seeing the same thing from different perspectives. This is a great technique to apply to anything that we study especially spiritual truths. The value of images to convey and enhance meaning is undeniable. 24

25 This is not a quote about compassion. It is a DEFINITION of COMPASSION. Though, this is not a definition that is easy to live up to. Note the keys: deep awareness of suffering without the need to relieve it. Total appreciation of the value of suffering, and non-judgement. Suffering of others is not our responsibility to fix. Though, to the degree that we can, we need to live in a manner that does not cause others to suffer. However, even then, we do not control how others experience and interpret what we do. We need to realize that suffering has its place. We all suffer. This is a natural part of learning the lessons that we need to learn. That does not mean that we have to dwell on our suffering. Indeed, the four noble truths of Buddhism offer a way out, a way to go understand the causes of suffering and how to go beyond them of how to awaken to who we truly are. 25

26 Without bitterness or judgment, knowing neither good nor bad, right nor wrong, you nor me such is what characterizes compassion. But these express what compassion does not do and what compassion does not recognize. It is the final phrase that captures it all: the wish for all being to be happy. Indeed, from this perspective all that matters is HAPPINESS. 26

27 This expresses a grand truth. Indeed, separation is the cause of great misery throughout the world. But, separation is illusion. It is a matter of setting ourselves apart from God, from All That Is. Yes, this is something that is difficult not to do. However, that does not make separation any more real. There are many things that we experience that that are NOT REAL. That doesn t lessen their impacts one iota. If we follow the teaching of Buddha in this quote, there is a way out. That way is to practice compassion to be compassionate. This image I included for effect. In the form, clearly Buddha exemplifies the epitome of compassion. There is something about spiritual art, especially spiritual statuary that has the power to alter our state of consciousness and take us to a different realm. The 3D nature of such works is magical. Though, even the 2D form captured in this image is able to convey a great deal. 27

28 Compassion is something that we do. That is obvious from the definition that we encountered earlier. In that respect, it is much like love. Referring back to the definition, it is interesting that no part of it involved taking action to relieve or lessen it. This is quite different than what many consider compassion to be. Most would feel a need to help in some way. But, this definition appears to be more a matter of observing but in a precise and subjective way. Interesting. 28

29 This is a clear expression of Buddhist teaching from the pre-eminent Buddhist of our time. The Dalai Lama has said that his religion is Love and Compassion. Here, he reiterates that. It is the Love and Compassion that matter. We can develop this without believing in any religion at all. Actually, as religions go, Buddhism is more open than most. Buddhism is more of a way of life than a religion per se. As such, it has been able to coexist with other religions far more than most. How could anyone argue against practicing Love and Compassion? And, as the quote says, to practice these we do not need to believe in the precepts of any religion. We all suffer. Our level of wealth offers no immunity to this. So, the right thing to do is to have compassion for everyone regardless of their circumstances. 29

30 The final sentence of this expanded version of the quote is particularly interesting. It brings in the concepts of suffering too much and suffering too little. I don t know if or how Buddhism addresses balancing this. This is the essence of Buddhism in one relatively short quote. If we simply live our life expressing in this manner we truly demonstrate our humanity. The more of us that do this, the more examples there are of how to live peacefully and harmoniously. As others emulate our examples and embrace this way of life for their own, the whole world is uplifted and all of humanity is renewed. This is not difficult. Follow the path of the heart, speak kindly or do not speak at all, serve, and be compassionate. That is truly all that it takes. 30

31 The answer to the question posed here is obvious. Indeed, the world would be completely different. It would be a far better place for us to live in PEACE and express our divinity in FLESH. This is SO TRUE. Though, there are many who do not act as if this were so. Love and compassion seem to be absent or limited in far too many lives. But, as Buddha says, these are not luxuries, they are necessities. Without the expressing and experiencing of love and compassion, humanity is doomed. Yes, the very survival of humanity depends on this. 31

32 This quote expresses the importance and power of compassion to heal sorrows and wounds. In this case, it is not limited to our own sorrows and wounds but extends to all those to whom we extend our compassion. Indeed, COMPASSION is one of the tools in our spiritual arsenal. Perhaps, one of the grandest ones that we possess. Looking at the world today, it is clear that this is a tool that is desperately needed to lead us to a peaceful and harmonious world and show us just how interconnected and interdependent we are. The image is quite interesting. The interlinking of hands in this manner to create a heart that contains a light to form and frame the quote is ingenious. Clearly this came from spirit expressing creatively through a visionary artist. 32

33 Sometimes wisdom is expressed clearly and simply. Here, the truth is obvious. Though, I have an analogous experience where things are not so obvious. I have been the instrument through which spirit expresses a metaphysical stream of consciousness for over two decades. You might say that makes me the experiencer of spiritual truths that have come forth through me spiritual truths that I have generated so to speak. But, in this case, it is not clear as to the degree that I experience spiritual truths. My nature is such that I rarely communicate with others, especially metaphysically. So, it is difficult to tell whether what I consider to be true others would consider to be true as well. With compassion, the process is much simpler. Whenever we express compassion, we cannot but help to experience it. 33

34 This link between kindness and wisdom is crucial. It is easy to imagine a beautiful dove. But, without wings, we limit that dove needlessly. The quote goes on however, switching from kindness to compassion as if these two were the same thing. Perhaps, they are not the same thing. But, they are indeed kindred concepts. The guidance here is to apply our compassion with wisdom. Though, it is important to do the reverse as well to apply our wisdom with compassion, to apply our wisdom with LOVE. 34

35 Yes, this is another highly spiritual image without an associated quote. I chose to include it because it moved me deeply as a visualization of compassion. Here, it is clearly an imaginary image. This is not from a photograph. Every part of it was created in the mind of an artist. The white Buddha and the dazzling use of colors are particularly moving. WOW! What a deep realization. Indeed, we are all wounded and struggling. But, we do that in our own way. Each of us is unique. We should not expect others to experience things as we experience them. Actually, often it is not even close. The guidance is to SEE that COMPLETELY and accept it. When we do so, we create the opportunity to find unlimited compassion and love within us. When we apply this in our lives, both towards ourselves and others, we find our capacity for true forgiveness. 35

36 How better to finish our work than with the image of a lotus and a quote that truly challenges us to understand its meaning. In this case, I make no claim to understand it. Yes, the association of wisdom and compassion is powerful. Indeed we saw that earlier. The names of the beloveds of the Buddhas is not something that I have anything with which to relate in my experience. First, Buddhas in plural provides its own challenge. Sages flying is another image or concept that is beyond my understanding. I do have experiences of soaring in consciousness. For me, this is a form of flying. But, I cannot know if what Rimpoche is saying here is or is not connected to that. That is OK. Reconciling truths from different viewpoints is one of the most effective ways to extend our perspective and proceed towards increased understanding and wisdom. If you are reading this and can help us to better understand what it means, by all means contact us at the address on the next page. 36

37 If you want to create such works as these, the process is relatively easy. STEP 1: Pick some people and/or topics that you want to focus on. STEP 2: Use your browser in image mode and search for quotes from those people and/or on those topics. STEP 3: Review the picture quotes that come up and save the ones that move you or convey something that you want to express. STEP 4: Select all of the files for picture quotes that you saved and select Copy. STEP 5: Open a blank document in Word or equivalent, and select Paste. All of the selected images will be place in a single file. STEP 6: Arrange the picture quotes as you choose and add whatever commentary you want to add. One trick here is to open a second document where you capture your final work. That allows you to select, copy, and paste the picture quotes easily. STEP 7: Save as a PDF file, STEP 8: Post to a website. If the work is spiritual or metaphysical, consider becoming a member of BISPIRIT and submitting your work to be posted there. We urge you to check out our BISPIRIT family of sites on a regular basis. Personally, I ve been moved to be the instrument through which SPIRIT is generating frequent works. In the near future, I expect we will have other BISPIRIT members who are contributing works as well. If you would prefer, you can provide your address and we will notify you when new works are added. You can always reach us at: beyond@redshift.com FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED! bispirit.org 37