INSPIRATION: full moon - Tuesday 7th October 2025

While in the midst of those who hate,
to dwell free from hatred
is happiness indeed.

DHAMMAPADA v. 197

The teachings we receive from the Buddha and the great disciples can serve to inspire us. Feeling inspired leads to feeling energised. Then we are encouraged to skilfully apply this energy in the process of purifying our hearts and minds from habits of resisting reality. In reality most of us do still suffer from becoming lost in aversion, in sadness, in disappointment. And we probably do still feel challenged by our compulsive tendencies to resist the pain of life. Skilful effort in practice means we are neither in too much of a hurry, nor are we are too tardy. Although it can be tempting to grasp at the desire for difficulties to end, if we wish to follow the teachings of the Buddha, we recollect how he also taught about modesty and patience.

PRAISE and BLAME: full moon - 24th March, 2024

"There never was,
nor will there be,
nor is there now,
anyone who is only blamed
or wholly praised."

_{DHAMMAPADA v. 228}

Apparent reality is one thing; actuality is something else. On the apparent level, receiving praise is good and receiving blame is bad. From a practice perspective, both are useful. If, when we are praised, we become inflated with self-importance, we suffer. We might not notice it at the time, but we will later on. Perhaps we will have to wait until we are blamed and become deflated and experience that sort of suffering. It is useful to learn to see that it is not the praise or the blame that causes our suffering, it is the way we meet them. Are we still identifying as the activity taking place in our hearts and minds, or are we remembering our refuge in the Buddha, in just-knowing awareness?