Encyclopedia

Buddhist encyclopedia

And what, Monks, is Ageing? By Sylvia Swain

People who have a religion which provides for after-death welfare, such as in Tibetan Buddhism, are less troubled. But those without such beliefs, can trust to nature’s spiritual intentions for them, as they, like plants, struggle instinctively and unerringly towards the light…

Buddhist Wheel of Life

At the hub of the wheel are three creatures—a pig, a snake and a cock—each biting the tail of the other. These three represent the greed, hatred and delusion that dogs our lives. It is these which make the world go round. Remove one and the axis will collapse, bringing the wheel crashing down…

The outside of people is no clue to what is inside, by Trevor Leggett

There are two trains of instruction, which sometimes people notice. One is that in the highest consciousness, the highest awareness, there is no effort. And the other is, ‘You have to put your whole heart and soul into this.’ And some people will say, as one does when one wants to get out of something, ‘You’re told these things are effortless and you’re trying to attain them by making tremendous efforts. Isn’t it absolutely ridiculous? It’s a self-contradiction.’ So these people either go in for a type of meditation which practically is falling asleep, or else they go in for a furious sort of meditation, and never attain any calm at all.