Personal growth through Acceptance and Surrender

One of the most useful concepts to grow spiritually and becoming happier is the method of acceptance and surrender.

I have personally found this method to be perhaps the most workable and useful in retaining my poise and staying happier as I go through life.

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Acceptance and Surrender

Letting go of Anger and Pride

Let go of anger, let go of pride

– The Dhammapada

Why it is so difficult to let go of anger and pride? And why is it important and necessary that we do so?

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Anger and Pride

Gaining Peace of Mind

How do we gain peace of mind? Or more to the point why are our minds so turbulent, why are we always so agitated?

It is because we are not the masters of the mind. The mind is our master. We do not use the mind; the mind uses us.

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Peace of Mind

Transforming Pain and Suffering - gaining peace

Pain and suffering are an integral part of our lives. We have come to accept them as a fact of life. We do not know that it is entirely possible to transform it into peace and joy and thus grow spiritually.

The first thing to realize is that living as we do in a world of duality we cannot escape either from happiness or unhappiness.

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Transforming Pain and Suffering

Right Thinking - Step 2 of the Noble 8 Fold Path

The second step in the Noble 8 Fold Path is Right Thinking.
There is a famous saying in Western Philosophy- “I think therefore I am”.

This is where Western Philosophy (as opposed to Western religions) and Eastern Philosophy diverge and go their separate ways.

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Right Thinking according to the Noble 8 Fold Path

Right Views - Step 1 of the Noble 8 Fold Path

The Noble 8 Fold Path is the last of the 4 noble truths propounded by Buddhism religion. The first aspect of the Noble 8 Fold Path is right views.

We must first recognize that attachment to the wrong views causes suffering.

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The Noble 8 Fold Path

The Bhagavad Gita - Part III

The Bhagavad Gita is a code of conduct, a form of practical spirituality that is based on a view of the world – a metaphysic. If we are to make sense of the code of conduct we must first understand the metaphysic.

In Europe and United States – for a time in the 20th Century – the Hedonistic view of life had for a time become popular...

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The world-view of the Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita - Part II

In the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita we come across a very important sloka. The situation is this – Arjuna is caught between his duty to wage war and revulsion at the prospect of killing his elders, kith, kin and family whom he has known all his life. A great trembling arises in him, he becomes confused and emotional and he resolves not to fight. He says as much to Lord Krishna who is with him on the battlefield.

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Karma Yoga - the message of the Bhagavad Gita

The path of action - The Bhagavad Gita

This is the first in a series of a 3 articles on the Bhagavad Gita – the song celestial – the sacred book of Hinduism religion.

Warren Hastings – the first British Governor General – wrote an introduction to the first English translation of the Bhagavad Gita. He said: -

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The Bhagavad Gita - the path of action

Religion of China

The main religion of China are Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism.
The religion of China have shaped the characteristic Chinese temperament.

The Chinese have been described by Bertrand Russell as perhaps the most cultured, the most tolerant and the most realistic people he had ever met.

Human nature - as understood by the Religion of China

How to Meditate

In this article I will not tell you how to meditate but give you some tips and advice on meditation. But please read on, what I have to tell you is important to your practice.

How to meditate - some important advice

Buddhist Meditation

This article describes and explains partly the Buddhist Meditation technique expounded in the Anapanasati Sutra.

This Sutra describes a practice that has come down to us from the Buddha himself.

Buddhist meditation as taught by the Anapanasati Sutra

A Path of Insight

The truth of suffering is one of the central concepts of Buddhism religion. The Buddha can be looked upon as a physician who diagnoses and prescribes the path leading to the end of suffering.

Buddhism is looked upon by some as a pessimistic religion since it stresses on suffering. What they forget is that that this is a philosophy that also prescribes a way out. My own view is that Buddhism is based on an understanding of human psychology and that it is very realistic and practical.

Buddhism religion - a path leading to insight

The 3 Dharma Seals of Buddhism religion

The 3 Dharma seals of Buddhism religion – the focal points on which the whole philosophy of Buddhism is based are that of Suffering, No-self and Impermanence.

Buddhism stresses the truth of suffering and the unsatisfactory nature of our normal lives. But it is not a pessimistic religion as it also offers a way out of suffering.

Buddhism religion - the 3 Dharma seals

A powerful technique of Meditation

In this article I want to mention again one technique of meditation that can completely transform your life. I had covered this concept in one of my earlier articles. But this technique of meditation is so powerful and beneficial that it bears repetition.

A great king once asked a Sufi mystic for some lesson in writing which would help him in any and all situations in life – in success or failure, wealth or poverty, illness, disease or death.

A powerful technique of meditation

Being a Witness

some of my earlier articles in this series I have stressed on the need to be a witness of your thoughts and feelings. Through this we dis-identify with the mind and obtain some rest from out fretful, anxious selves.

This act can be done at any moment during the day when we are with ourselves and not fully occupied in our work and other activities.

Being a witness - how it will help you meditate

How to Meditate

In this article I will give some guidance on how to meditate. But more importantly I will describe the attitude to be brought to meditation or awareness.

A story is told of a great sage and his disciple. The sage sent his disciple to the court of King Janak to learn how to meditate.

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How to meditate - the approach and attitude to meditation

Contemplating Death

All things in life are impermanent. We will have to face death one day.

We do not want to face up to the fact of impermanence because then we have to face up to our own demise. Yet impermanence is something that makes life possible. We would not have grown to be responsible adults had it not been for impermanence.

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Contemplating Death

Love yourself and Watch

To love yourself is the first step to developing spiritually. You may have been told to love others but not to love ourself. This is a very harmful piece of advice and we will get into trouble if we attempt to follow it.

Osho Rajneesh says that it is only if we love ourselves can we love others.

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Love yourself and Watch

Helping the dying

I have had no experience with death and dying. My grandparents and a few other friends and relatives died in my lifetime but I was too young and not skillful enough to help them at the times of their deaths.

A dying person at the time of death is in such a situation that he or she is leaving behind all that he has clung to and been familiar with all his life. Wealth, fame, prestige, family, friends, power all is being left behind. Rinpoche asks us to put ourselves in the place of the person who is dying ...

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Helping the dying meet their end peacefully

Being free

Being present in the Here and Now lends us a sense of solidity and freedom.

Perhaps I can illustrate this statement by describing what as happened today in my life. A few years ago I registered a criminal complaint against one of my colleagues who cheated me of a very large sum of money. This person was arrested in due course and subsequently released on bail. I strongly suspect that the Investigating police officer has taken money from the accused in order to mismanage the case.


With all these matters on my mind today, I found myself worrying and making myself miserable. A few years ago this miserable mood may have continued for days. But Eastern Philosophy has helped me to snap out of it.

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Gaining solidity and Freedom through the present moment

Transforming Anger - Part II

In an earlier article about transforming anger I had mentioned Thich Nhat Hanh's method of mindfully taking care of and transforming anger by caring for it the way we would care for a distressed child or baby. In this article I want to explain further how this method can bring us immeasurable benefits in our relationships with others, with our family and with ourselves.

Transforming Anger

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Transforming Anger

All of us feel anger and hatred from time to time. Eastern meditation and mindfulness techniques can help us mange and transform our anger so that the energy contained in the anger benefits us instead of spreading misery in others and ourselves.

Transforming Anger

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Overcoming the fear of Death

All of us are terrified of Death.

All our viewsabout death do not help us to overcome the fear of death. My grandmother lived to a ripe old age before she contracted lung cancer in her late 80s. She had always taken a keen interest in the Hindu religion and had written a book on the Bhagvad Gita.

Overcoming Death

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Mindfulness is daily life.

I am presenting in this article techniques that will completely transform the way you live your life.

Mindfulness in daily life

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Consciousness is Bliss

Eckhart Tolle, in his classic book, The Power of Now, guides us to experiencing the truth of a seemingly outrageous statement. He says that nobody has any problems at all in the Now, in the present moment.

Consciousness is bliss, Unconsciousness is misery

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We are not separate

The Buddha arrived at the gates of heaven and all was prepared with great fanfare to receive him. The gates were flung open, music was playing and angels were present to greet him with garlands. But the Buddha refused to enter heaven.

We are not separate

The foundation of Meditation - The Body - Part III

This is the last of a series of 3 articles on the purification
of the body as a preparation for meditation.

The body is an absolutely physical mechanism – however also the
mind and the body are completely interconnected. You cannot
distinguish between the body and the mind.

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The Body - the foundation of Meditation Part II

In my previous article about the foundation of meditation –
the purification of the body, I had given some tips to dissolve
the old blockages. In this article I will tell you how to
prevent new blockages from arising.

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Contemplation - an aid to Meditation

One of the aids to meditation is Contemplation.

I was reading Osho Rajneesh just now and he told the story of contemplation regarding the Buddha. It is a famous story and very meaningful. The Buddha was born a prince and he was so brought up that he had no conception of the suffering that exists in this world.

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Nikhil
The Eastern Philosophy Website

The foundation of Meditation - the body

This article deals with the foundation of Meditation – the Body.

The body is the tool for meditation and all our efforts to know the Truth. If your body is impure, it will not be helpful. The body is not the enemy, not is it something of a lower sphere. You are not your body; it is a wonderful tool given to you. Care for it and it will help in your efforts to meditate.

The first thing to know about the body is that there are many impurities or blockages in it.

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Nikhil
The Eastern Philosophy website

Starting your meditation practice

The subject of this article is meditation.

The question arises – why should we meditate? Attaining God or Nirvana is a very distant ideal. What are the benefits Here and Now?

The first benefit of meditation is relaxation.

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Nikhil
The Eastern Philosophy Website

The basics of Meditation

The subject of this article is the basics of Meditation.

I was reading Osho Rajneesh just now on Meditation and one thing he was stressing is that the attitude we have as we do the meditation is very important. He says that it is necessary to start with a very optimistic attitude. Whatever are your goals for doing meditation be optimistic that you will achieve them.

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Nikhil
The Eastern Philosophy website

The doctrine of Karma

The topic of this article is the concept of Karma, which is
common to most Eastern Philosophies be it Hinduism or Buddhism.

It is said that in the second watch of the night when the
Buddha attained enlightenment he gained a different kind
of knowledge, which complemented his knowledge of rebirth –
The Law of Karma.

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Nikhil
Eastern Philosophy and Meditation

This too will pass

This article is about one of the key concepts of Buddhism, Impermanence.

Vipassana meditation as taught by Mr. S N Goenka stresses on the experience of impermanence within our own bodies to attain Nirvana – the state beyond suffering.

The importance of impermanence and how it can be integrated within
our lives is illustrated by the following story: -

A rich old man died leaving two sons. They decided to separate
dividing all the properties between themselves – fifty fifty.

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Nikhil
Eastern Philosophy and Meditation

Eastern philosophy and Quantum Physics

Hi,

I recently read the book - The Dancing Wu Li Masters. The book explains the path breaking discoveries of Quantum Physics over the 20th century (the book ends in 1982). What is interesting from the viewpoint of Eastern Philosophy is that many of the conclusions reached by Modern physics regardig the nature of the world are the same as what Eastern philosophies have been saying though the ages.

Visit the website http://www.eastern-philosophy-and-meditation.com/ and sign up for the newsletter which explains these conclusions in greater detail. Better still read the book - The Dancing Wu Li Masters by Gary Zukhav. It is a book of popular science meant for laymen and very interesting. Shorn of mathematics Physics becomes pure enchantment - as the blurb to the book says. This is a book well worth reading

The Eastern Philosophy and Meditation blog

Hi,

Welcome. This is the blog about eastern philosophy and meditation. I also have a website on the same topic located at http://www.eastern-philosophy-and-meditation.com/.

Basically the website and the blog is regarding studying eastern philosophy and practice of meditaion in the eastern tradition can transform your life. These are messages which are very much needed by today's society as it faces up to its challenges. Together we can create a humane, just and happy society one human being at a time.

please visit the website. Your eyes will open as to what is possible.