The violin case

Violin Case (from AFB02: Awakening From Belief 00:48:54.80-00:50:02.90

(download into iTunes)

Well, for instance, a lot of people think of karma as a balancing mechanism in the universe. It's what makes the universe just. Well, that's just a projection of the human value of justice on the world. It's nonsense. It's totally unjust. When you really appreciate how karma operates, how this process operates, you realize you have about as much room to move as a violin in a violin case. Fortunately, it's enough. So the choice points, to go to your point that you're raising, are few and fleeting. That’s why mindfulness is so very very important. Because through the practice of attention, through the cultivation of attention in the practice of mindfulness, you actually create more and more choice points.

The Teacher

Important (impressive) section not only for me...

The Teacher (from TNE04: There is No Enemy (retreat) 00:49:44.00 - 01:01:46.00)

(download into iTunes)

Now, the usual sources of refuge are the three jewels, buddha, dharma, and sangha and I'll come to those in a minute.

In the Tibetan tradition great emphasis is placed on the teacher. And I've come to feel that's very very important, for a very unfortunate reason.

It doesn't matter what discipline, when you study with somebody, that person represents your aspirations in that discipline--is a symbol for your aspirations.

I worked for a very short time with a concert violinist. And he studied with a teacher who was a brilliant brilliant violinist. And he learned a lot from him. But he learned a few other things too. ...

...

He represents your own spiritual aspirations to you. So, our teacher is, like it or not, how we experience awakened mind. ...

...

The Violin Case

Violin Case (from AFB02: Awakening From Belief 00:48:54.80-00:50:02.90

(download into iTunes)

Well, for instance, a lot of people think of karma as a balancing mechanism in the universe. It's what makes the universe just. Well, that's just a projection of the human value of justice on the world. It's nonsense. It's totally unjust. When you really appreciate how karma operates, how this process operates, you realize you have about as much room to move as a violin in a violin case. Fortunately, it's enough. So the choice points, to go to your point that you're raising, are few and fleeting. That’s why mindfulness is so very very important. Because through the practice of attention, through the cultivation of attention in the practice of mindfulness, you actually create more and more choice points.