Sangha of Auspicious Companions

WHAT IS PRAJÑA?

Prajña does not refer to passive knowledge, such as knowing facts from the Guiness Book of Records or knowing how to get from Seattle to New York. Rather, prajña is the active inquisitiveness of mind, its basic curiosity of wanting to know and wanting to find out how things really are. If we look at the Buddha’s own career, this is exactly how he started. He did not start with the answers or by following some religion, tradition, or code of behavior. He started with questions.

This is the hallmark of the Buddhist path—trying to find out what is really going on in every moment, what is going on in our mind, what is going on in our environment, and what is going on with other people. In this way, prajña entails basic intelligence, intelligence in its original meaning, which is deep insight and the ability to finely discriminate and distinguish things.

June 17, 2012

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Five Letters of Fatherly Advice

In honor of Father’s Day, celebrated blogger Maria Popova takes, “a moment to pay heed to some of the wisest, most heart-warming advice from history’s famous dads. Gathered here are five timeless favorites, further perpetuating my well-documented love of the art of letter-writing.” { read more }

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Wish a father Happy Father’s Day and ask him for his life advice.

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June 16, 2012

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How to Speak More Wisely

“It had been three weeks since my throat started to feel sore, and it wasn’t getting better. The pain was most acute when I spoke. So I decided to spend a few days speaking as little as possible. Every time I had the urge to say something, I paused for a moment to question whether it was worth irritating my throat. This made me acutely aware of when and how I use my voice. Which led me to a surprising discovery: I spend considerable energy working against my own best interests. And if my experience listening to others is any indication, so do you.” { read more }

Be The Change

As you speak today, consider whether what you are saying is true, kind, and necessary.

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The Opposite Of Poverty Is Justice

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June 15, 2012

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Infinite Family

Amy Stokes uses the internet to connect South African teens affected by HIV/AIDS and poverty with volunteer mentors from around the world. She is the founder of Infinite Family an effort in South Africa — where nearly two million children have been orphaned by AIDS. A diverse and growing team of Infinite Family’s mentors have stepped forward “to fill the void of adults — to teach, discuss, encourage, challenge, befriend, and love.” { read more }

Be The Change

Learn more about Stoke’s efforts and how to get involved through the Infinite Family website. { more }

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THE NOTION OF SELF

When we talk about the notion of self in Buddhism, it is important to bear in mind that there are different degrees or types. There are some types of sense of self which are not only to be cultivated but also to be reinforced and enhanced. For instance, in order to have a strong determination to seek buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings, one needs a very strong sense of confidence, which is based upon a sense of commitment and courage. This requires a strong sense of self. Unless one has that identity or sense of self, one will not be able to develop the confidence and courage to strongly seek this aim.

June 14, 2012

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Rickshaw Puller Starts Clinic for the Poor

Joynal Abedin still remembers the rainy and windy night when he saw his father die because there was no medical treatment. His village in a northern district of Bangladesh did not have any medical facility at the time, and the nearest hospital was about 12 miles away. The death of his father, about 30 years ago, changed the life of Abedin, a rickshaw puller. He vowed to establish a basic medical centre in his village to save the impoverished from untimely deaths. { read more }

Be The Change

Do a small act of service today with a full heart.

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HOW DO WE REACT?

When someone blames us, how do we react? When we’ve lost something, how do we react? When we feel we’ve gained something, how do we react? When we feel pleasure or pain, is it as simple as that? Do we just feel pleasure or pain? Or is there a whole libretto that goes along with it?

When we become inquisitive about these things, look into them, see who we are and what we do, with the curiosity of a young child, what might seem like a problem becomes a source of wisdom. Oddly enough, this curiosity begins to undercut what we call ego pain or self-centeredness, and we see more clearly.

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