h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Sitting under a bodhi tree.
Resting in great natural peace.
Breathing in and out.

Some prefer to meditate with their eyes shut.
The tibetan buddhists meditate with their eyes open.

No grasping, no aversion.
Observe your thoughts passing as clouds before your mind's eye.
Allow them to be.


I do believe my answers will come to me with time, and I have learned how not to be impatient, to trust.

Hi PE! I recommend Herman Hesse's works. "Journey to the East" and "Siddartha". Both are about Buddhism and searching for truth. I want to slip in another apology here. Ox and I were just doing some "male bonding". SORRY! I know it was inappropriate to do such on your Buddhist posting. I want to stress my own peaceful nature. I have NEVER harmed a living creature or struck anyone in my life, not even in self defense. Please don't abandon me! I need all the friends I can get whether cyber or corporeal. The test of friendship is truth: you never lie to friends. I never lie. I believe Jesus said, "The Truth Shall Set You Free." Am I forgiven for one offense? I promise never to allude to violence in any on your postings! Please? Terry/MM

Terry/MM,

No apologies needed, don't feel concerned. I understand about the 'male bonding' - and that people sometimes use these terms without really meaning harm.

I feel you are a kind-hearted person. You know, of course that the Buddha of Infinite Compassion was actually helping you out?
Whatever you call it - good will, loving-kindess, metta - these things really do exist. That is something I have been learning - a lesson I had almost forgotten, but which I now believe to be true.

Of the books you mentioned - have only read Siddhartha, but hope to read the other some day. There is nothing to forgive. There was no offense, please don't worry about it. Friends, of course!

Thank you gentle one. Yes, the Buddha was teaching me. One of the lessons of the Eight Fold Path is "correct speach", meaning to keep in mind what you are saying lest your words lead you from the Eight Fold Path. Wish I could attend those classes. Hope you go since it is only four blocks away! Take notes for me! MM

Hi again,
Sorry I haven't answered you before today - but when you mentioned 'right speach' - I started to think about so many things, and I never found a good answer for you.

The lessons began today, but I couldn't attend, sorry to say.

There are a few minor corrections I must make, though. The first is that it appears the course is being given in a space that is actually rented - and does not belong to the Tibetan Buddhist Center. They do have a regular meeting place in another suburb. And their official center is actually in another small town in our state. I know I owe it to them to correct this error.

Namaste

Hi PE! Glad to hear from you! Confucious said: "If you meet a wise person and do not speak with them you have missed your mark. If meet an unwise person and speak with them you have wasted your words. The worthy person neither misses the mark nor wastes their words." If I had failed to hear from you I would have felt as an unworthy person. Sorry you missed the lectures. Hope you have another chance. I attended the local "chant" here a few days ago. The sect here is dedicated to Amitoba (Amedia), the compassionate Buddha. I know I have the spelling wrong but it's Soka Gakki. The chanting was beautiful and very uplifting. I must attend more often. I lean more towards a Taoist approach to Buddha which is more individual (as is Zen if I understand it correctly). But group chanting somehow seems more effective at evoking the Buddha spirit in me. I meditate quite often and have been able since a very young age to achieve almost total moksha. Very restful and peaceful! The Third Noble Truth is sure a hard one to achieve! Have to keep it in mind all the time (one of the 8 fold path). Stay in touch gentle one, its always good to hear from you! MM