@thatdawnperson This is a delightful revision.
#Mastodharma
#mastodharma
Also, this isn't the only chapter I've listened to that made me laugh. I listen, then consider how it relates to my world, listen more, relate, etc...
I see myself in characters discussed, whether in a parable or the broader narrative.
But even though identifying w/ some of these characters may feel unflattering, I don't feel shame nor reject the teaching. It feels like the words are weaving a safe space to explore in ways that otherwise might be too scary.
I'm a little late to the #Mastodharma party today, but glad to participate.
This chapter (3) had me constantly thinking about the meme of the cartoon dog sitting inside a house on fire, saying "this is fine".
In my mind, I kept changing the dog's statement in the meme to match the story as the parable unfolded, then laughing to myself.
I jest, but I'm struck by how gentle, slow, & measured the pace of the Lotus Sutra is structured. To me, it feels effortless to absorb & consider the material.
If you're participating in #Mastodharma today please make sure you use the hashtag. If you don't, your post wont be seen by those who are following the hashtag.
Thanks!
#Mastodharma @coriander :blobcatpeek:
@Mrfunkedude for some reason these aren't showing up in my pinned #Mastodharma tab. I almost missed them
My life was the house.
My thoughts were the children.
The fire is the delusion of the world.
The father is the Buddha.
The 3 chariots are the many paths to liberation.
The final chariot is the path of liberation that leads to revealing what has been inside of us all along, our own Buddha nature.
Anyway, those are my thoughts. What are yours?
I started to meditate thinking that it was just a way to relax, but little did I know that the "skillful means" of the meditation was to actually train my awareness so that I could wipe away the distractions and desires of the world and see my own true Buddha nature that waits for me.
That little glimpse was the way out, and the Dharma was the chariot waiting to show me the way.
For other it might be a different path that leads to the Dharma, and that's a good thing.
#Mastodharma
(p4)
Everyone gets to be a Buddha eventually! All they have to do is follow the path and realize their true Buddha nature.
For me, this whole parable represents my own journey. I was trapped in the delusion of the mind. Desire and distraction hid my own compassionate nature from me as well as the present moment. Then I read the words of the Buddha and the 4 noble truths and realized that there was an escape. So I started to follow the path of the dharma.
#mastodharma
(p3)
The three chariots that he lures them out with represent the different paths that the Buddha put his followers on to get them to a point in the dharma.
Then once they all come out, he shows them something better then the three chariots he offered. Instead it's a single chariot, which represents the one path towards Buddha nature.
He gave them the desire to reach a certain level, and then tells them that they haven't finished and that the reward is greater then they imagined.
#Mastodharma
(p2)
That feeling of being stuck in a cycle of playing mindless minigames on your rectangle when there are more satisfying and useful ways of being. One more level.
I don’t wanna. I want to but can’t. I know I’m stuck. I have no clue what’s going on.
Our environment, society, power structures nudge us toward accepting This Is Fine Dog as normal.
It turns out there are a lot of ways to leave the burning midden. Maybe that shiny one path thing shakes you up to awaken, and that’s okay. #mastodharma
1/2
Hush, gentle being, here is a a word:
Buddha’s gonna lead you to soar like a bird.
If that bird don’t make your soul sing,
Buddha’s gonna find you another thing.
If enlightenment won’t start
Buddha’s gonna give you a horse and cart.
If that horse and cart won’t pull,
Buddha’s gonna find you a cart and bull.
…
When that world comes crashing down,
Being will cycle around and round.
#mastodharma 2/2
#Mastodharma Chapter 3 of the Lotus Sutra.
My interpretation of "The Burning house parable"
So we have all of these kids that represent the chaos of distraction in our lives. It's the monkey mind in our brains that wont shut up long enough to know what's really going on around it.
So the father wanting to remove them from the burning house, uses "skillful means" to lure them out of their desire by giving them something to desire more.
(p1)
#Mastodharma we aren't given enlightenment. our Buddha Nature is innate. the Buddha's skillful means are just the motivation we need to stop playing with distractions and walk out of the fire of suffering on our own two feet
The house is on fire, the kids won’t listen, so the dad bribes them with goat carts
but the kids had the ability to leave the house all along
the dad didn't give them that power. he just activated it
okay chapter 3!
Trying to patiently wait for @Taweret to start #Mastodharma
#Mastodharma we start getting into the parables with chapter three tomorrow. i like the parables
A weekly, low-pressure peer-led Buddhist sutra discussion group for the Fediverse. It's not Buddhist school. Just a casual place for us to read and chat and share with each other
Each Saturday, we read and discuss one chapter of a Buddhist sutra starting with the Lotus Sutra
We’re moving on to Chapter Three: A Parable - the Buddha tells the parable of the burning house
How to Join
Read Chapter Three before or on Saturday Oct 11
Post your thoughts anytime on Saturday using the hashtag #Mastodharma
Follow and/or pin the hashtag #mastodharma so you can keep up with the discussion and boost others
Where to Read or Listen
text (html) https://sacred-texts.com/bud/lotus/index.htm
text (pdf) https://huntingtonarchive.org/resources/downloads/sutras/06lotusVimalakirti/Lotus%20Sutra.doc.pdf
audio (youtube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQppYgiTj3E
audio with on screen text
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yEbFt0QYTA
A weekly, low-pressure peer-led Buddhist sutra discussion group for the Fediverse. It's not Buddhist school. Just a casual place for us to read and chat and share with each other
Each Saturday, we read and discuss one chapter of a Buddhist sutra starting with the Lotus Sutra
We’re moving on to Chapter Three: A Parable - the Buddha tells the parable of the burning house
How to Join
Read Chapter Three before or on Saturday Oct 11
Post your thoughts anytime on Saturday using the hashtag #Mastodharma
Follow and/or pin the hashtag #mastodharma so you can keep up with the discussion and boost others
Where to Read or Listen
text (html) https://sacred-texts.com/bud/lotus/index.htm
text (pdf) https://huntingtonarchive.org/resources/downloads/sutras/06lotusVimalakirti/Lotus%20Sutra.doc.pdf
audio (youtube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQppYgiTj3E
audio with on screen text
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yEbFt0QYTA
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Server: https://mastodon.social
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