February 2012
84 posts
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give...
In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you. Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. - 2 Cor 5
Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. - King David (Ps 51)
A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. - King David (Ps 51)
For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always: ”Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight.” - King David (Ps 51)
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned - King David (Ps 51)
The earth in its devotion carries all things, good and evil, without exception. In the same way the superior man gives to his character breadth, purity, and sustaining power, so that he is able both to support and to bear with people and things - I-Ching, “The Receptive” (Wilhelm/Baynes)
Why did the ancient Masters esteem the Tao? Because, being one with the Tao, when you seek, you find; and when you make a mistake, you are forgiven - Lao Tzu
When desires are dissolved in the primal presence, peace and harmony naturally occur, and the world orders itself - Lao Tzu
Silence is a true friend who never betrays.- Confucius
The world is dazzling, I alone am dull. Others strive for achievement, I follow a lonely path - Deng Ming-Tao
Just as the sand is constantly being washed, so too should we keep our minds free of lingering impressions - Deng Ming-Dao
Footsteps in the sand / Quickly washed away / The seashore mind - Deng Ming-Dao #haiku
Those who know don’t talk. Those who talk don’t know. - Lao Tzu
Which is more precious, fame or health? Which is more valuable, health or wealth? Which is more harmful, winning or losing? - Lao Tzu
People age because they indulge in emotions and passions-a hundred worries affect their minds, myriad affairs weary their bodies - Liu I-Ming
Even at the age of seventy or eighty, as long as you still have one breath left in you, restoration is possible - Liu I-Ming
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Do not get excited by what is old, do not be contented with what is new. Do not grieve for what is lost or be controlled by desire - Buddha
A person of wisdom should be truthful, without arrogance, without deceit, not slanderous and not hateful. The wise person should go beyond the evil of greed and miserliness - Buddha
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We are what we think - Buddha
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Speak or act with an impure mind And trouble will follow you - Buddha
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Speak or act with a pure mind And happiness will follow you - Buddha
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Your worst enemy cannot harm you As much as your own thoughts, unguarded - Buddha
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When the original vitality is undiminished, the body is complete. When the original energy is undamaged, life is secure. When the original spirit is unobscured, the essence is clear - Liu I-Ming
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The original vitality, original energy, and original spirit of human beings are the well spring of essence and life - Liu I-Ming
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Most people, however, do not know enough to preserve and maintain the fundamental; instead they act on the out growths, imagining falsely that they will thereby attain the Tao. This is like looking for fish in a tree-it will turn out to be in vain after all. Is this not foolish - Liu I-Ming
Cleverness, after all, has its limitations. Its mechanical judgments and clever remarks tend to prove inaccurate with passing time, because it doesn’t look very deeply into things to begin with - Benjamin Hoffman
A fly can’t bird, but a bird can fly - Benjamin Hoffman
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When you know and respect your own Inner Nature, you know where you belong. You also know where you don’t belong - Benjamin Hoffman
Unlike other forms of life, though, people are easily led away from what’s right for them, because people have Brain, and Brain can be fooled. Inner Nature, when relied on, cannot be fooled - Benjamin Hoffman
quite often, the easiest way to get rid of a Minus is to change it into a Plus - Benjamin Hoffman
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When did the Ugly Duckling stop feeling Ugly? When he realized that he was a Swan - Benjamin Hoffman
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For within the Ugly Duckling is the Swan, inside the Bouncy Tigger is the Rescuer who knows the Way, and in each of us is something Special, and that we need to keep - Benjamin Hoffman
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with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings, suffusing the whole world with unobstructed loving-kindness - Buddha
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It is important that differences in social rank should not be arbitrary and unjust, for if this occurs, envy and class struggle are the inevitable consequences. If, on the other hand, external differences in rank correspond with differences in inner worth, and if inner worth forms the criterion of external rank, people acquiesce and order reigns in society. - I-Ching (Wilhelm)
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Pleasant manners succeed even with irritable people - I-Ching (Wilhelm)
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Great people develop themselves and develop others; everything they say has a reason. Like the wind getting into everything, they can open up people’s knowledge and wisdom; like the earth nurturing everything, they can save people from calamities. - Liu I-Ming
wchjones asked: I love looking at your page for inspiring and natural passages, I am currently reading the Tao te Ching and am learning great philosophies from it, do you recommend any other spiritual works of literature for me to dabble in to??
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Zen To-do List
Pay attention
Watch step
Stretch
Exercise
Wash the dishes
Wipe the mirror
Weed the garden
Do good work
Call Mom and Dad
Study
Practice
Follow through
- from Zen 24/7, by Philip T. Sudo
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Awakening is important for the Way. If you do not awaken, how can you set out? - Liu I-Ming
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Violence, even well intentioned, always rebounds upon oneself - Lao Tzu
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If people fear your power, then you don’t really have any - Lao Tzu
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The sage knows herself, but doesn’t dwell on herself; Loves herself, but no more than she loves everyone else - Lao Tzu
The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence. - Confucius
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Being flexible and constantly adjusting to the times is one of the secrets of Tao - Deng Ming-Dao
No matter what circumstances life may present, we must adapt exactly, whether we think the situation is good or bad. Resistance is useless - Deng Ming-Dao
I had rather one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. - Psalm 84
dandelion-parachutes asked: Thank you for the follow. Your blog has been a big help to me recently as I've been struggling with, I guess you could say, my 'religious identity' perhaps. I'm sixteen and have been brought up a strong Catholic but also identify with a lot of Buddhist philosophy and that of other religions and have been very confused about all of it, I suppose. So thank you :) My other blog is...
My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God - Psalm 84
Love Without Fail
We must consistently give with love and forgiveness if we want to know real peace in our hearts and see God at work in our homes
- from Embracing Motherhood http://goo.gl/l7mFJ