Petersham, Massachussets

Beginning

The Threefold Lotus Sutra

Developing Mindfulness

Long after beginning the practice of the Buddha’s teachings with the Lotus Sutra, October 24, 1976, reading Ken Wilbur’s interview in Shambala Sun in 2005, these notes were taken, and include quotes from other sources as well. None of these contemplations would have come into the mind had it not been for the daily practice of reading, reciting, studying, copying, meditating on, The Threefold Lotus Sutra. It is important to mark this. With the Lotus Sutra as the source of practice, thus remaining open to the contemplations of other teachers, one gains seemingly endless perspectives and sources for inspiration. Attaining the “path Buddha” inevitably begins with the Lotus Sutra. Forty-two years of practice with this sutra has made this abundantly clear.

  No matter what “method” one uses to practice the teachings of the Buddha, we seek, ultimately, to transform our way of thinking—mindfulness—a perception of who we are in reality; to attain enlightened states of mind. . . To awaken, just as the Buddha did some 2500 years ago, devoting his life to teaching others.

  Recent review of these 2005 notes has enhanced daily “mindfulness” appreciably, leading me quite often to proclaim, Namas Buddha! as each day in closing morning meditation with the Lotus Sutra, and often repeated during the day when contemplating nature, or an especially poignant comment or entry by a friend at Face Book, or in encounters with others, friendly and otherwise.  Here is a sampling of 2005 notes. Perhaps they should here be given the title, DEVELOPING MINDFULNESS:

  Ken Wilbur’s “levels of consciousness” – ego level, biosocial level, existential level, transpersonal level.   At the end of the level of consciousness, the transpersonal bands merge into the level of mind. This is  the level of cosmic consciousness with which one identifies with the entire universe.

  One may perceive the ultimate reality at all transpersonal levels, but one becomes this reality at the level of Mind, which corresponds to the true mystical state.

  Mind – all boundaries and dualisms have been transcended and all individuality dissolves into universal, undifferentiated oneness. Identities associated with all levels of consciousness are illusory except for the ultimate level of Mind where one finds one’s supreme identity.

  One’s own mind is intrinsically one with primordial spirit, primordial force. . . energy.

► More to follow.

A most significant New Moon this Sunday, 9/9/18 11:03 am PDST 17°00 Virgo HOW TO VIEW THESE SYMBOLS, as to society in general – not exclusively in the United States, although certainly speaking to the current state of affairs, they suggest a crucial turning point has been reached, a violent or karmic confrontation – note symbol for Intent:  17° Virgo, a Volcanic Eruption, “the explosion of energy of long-repressed contents of the subconscious.”

Individually, and on a positive note, it is a time to release everything from the psyche and seek the “transcendent” state of mind – the calm assurance of our potential ability to attain freedom from this objective confrontation with images of the karmic past which have been replaced by a subjective irruption of repressed memories and primitive cravings.

It is indeed tragic that Donald Trump seems to lack (“seems? Madame, nay, I know not seems”) the capacity to face his demons, so in this regard the Intent of this full Moon could spell disaster, or some kind of reckoning:  Rudhyar:  “We are dealing here with the dramatic release of energies which have been kept in check by the outer shell of the ego-controlled consciousness.  It may be a spectacular catharsis, but it often takes paths of destruction.  Yet unless some form of purification by fire is experienced, the inner pressure of the karmic past or of more recent frustration would shake up perhaps even  more destructively the very foundations of the personality.”

For those of us, and that certainly includes all of my friends here at Face Book, who possess the capacity to work our way through these sometimes negative “karmic visitations” the symbol following Intent of this full moon, “Continuing – or ways of continuing with Intent” we find at 11° Aquarius (advancing 72° in the Zodiac) “During a silent hour, a person receives a new inspiration which may change his/her life.”

However, and unfortunately, that’s not the end of it.  The last symbol of the Five Realms in this new moon, “Constructing Intent – or building new ways of dealing with Intent – is found at one of the most negative symbols in Rudhyar’s Mandala:  5° Cancer – “At a railroad crossing, an automobile is wrecked by a train – the tragic results which are likely to occur when the individual’s will pits itself carelessly against the power of the collective will of society.

We can expect of ourselves, “karmic readjustment” but not, tragically, from Trump.