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Faith As We See It

"If we sit down and close our eyes, we see that our mind runs around. Buddha said that our mind is like a monkey at first. It runs around and chatters and yelps in every direction, jumping from tree to tree, tree to tree. In meditation, we focus our mind, tame it. Then we find that we can use it to observe natural phenomenon, what we hear, what we smell, all the sense perceptions. Then we can learn." "It's a very important part of the teaching, that everything is impermanent. The more we have attachment, the more we suffer. That's why Buddha wanted his disciples and his monks to be detached from all the worldly affairs, all the clingings, as much as we can. That's why we have to shave our heads and are only allowed three robes. Whatever we are offered, we have to accept it. We have our daily meal in a bowl at the same time in the same place. Eventually, we find that we don't have to complain, ''Oh, I like this, I don't like that.' " "The Buddha can only show you the way. If you follow this way, you will get peace of mind, but you are the person who has to decide. If you are doing good things, you will get a good result. If you are doing bad things, you will get a bad result." "Buddha talked about two kinds of faith. There is a faith based in knowledge and reason, and there is a faceless faith, a faith that has no base in any kind of knowledge. Blind faith is dangerous. If you do not compare the teachings to your own experience, either of Buddha or of other teachers, and act simply upon customs of family or country, you run into a very dangerous situation. So we must always balance our faith with reason." --Comments from several Theravada Buddhist monks, who live at the Taungpulu Monastery near Boulder Creek. Pictured is the Venerable Bhikkhu J. Warasambodhi, who respectfully circles a stupa, which honors Burmese monk Taungpulu Sayadaw. Taungpulu Sayadaw made several visits to the United States in the '70s and '80s and inspired his followers to build this memorial and nearby Kaba-aye (World Peace) Pagoda. Continue the photo essay. [ Santa Cruz | MetroActive Central | Archives ]