Contemplating Disease – Cessation – Part 13c – January 15, 2019

Chih-I reminds us that when the lord of the castle is determined and hard as a rock, the guards are also strong.  When the lord is timid, then the guards will be busy, distracted, and possibly hasten to run away.  You are the lord and the castle is your body.  The guards are the two the gods of the same name and same birth as yourself.  When you are born it is said that there…

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Contemplating Disease – Cessation – Part 13b – January 15, 2019

When a child is born it is not normal that we say “Oh, the poor thing is going to die”, we don’t say to the parents, “I so sorry for the eventual death of your child.”  Instead we naturally celebrate the life and birth of the child, even though those two previous statements are completely accurate and honest.   What I am talking about is balance in all situations in life.  A balance between life…

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Contemplating Disease – Cessation – Part 13a – January 15, 2019

It is reasonable that a person may question how a practice of a religion that fundamentally does not believe in an external solution to the sufferings of life, how that religion could provide a source for support for living with illness.  In other words if we don’t pray to someone or something to assist us in our suffering then what is it we can accomplish through our Buddhist practice.  Since our experience of traditional medicine…

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Contemplating Disease – Ten Characteristics – Part 12e – December 28, 2018

Under the section which talks about Means Chih-I advises that you should skillfully employ healing methods as appropriate.  I take this to include the use of doctors and medicines which may be prescribed to you for your treatment and care.  Here I am going to reveal my prejudice to the use of Western medicine.   What informs my preference towards Western medicine would be a fair question to ask.  Mainly it boils down to the…

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