Tag Archives: Dhammapada in Light of the Unborn

Gnostikos—The Text

Posted on October 1, 2017 by Vajragoni

The full title of Evagrius’ Gnostikos is The Gnostic: To the One Made Worthy of Gnosis. In this context, a “Gnostikos” is a form of exegete and teacher who empowers others on the contemplative path to add as one of their resources for inner-growth and development pertinent scriptural passages. In a comparative context, for example, a Gnostikos within Unborn Mind Lankavatarian Zen  searches Buddhist sutras and other pertinent texts for sharing Buddhagnosis. The intent for both paths is to meet the adept “where they are at”: read more

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Contemplative Pedagogy?

Posted on August 27, 2017 by Vajragoni

This blog will address a contemporary expose on “Contemplative Pedagogy” written by Peter Kaufman of the sociology department @ Suny New Paltz, USA. Professor Kaufman asserts that there is a need to synthesize Contemplation with a critical pedagogy, one that is devoted and directed towards radical social transformation. While he maintains that contemplation is an “inner-directed practice of helping students find balance and wholeness in their lives”, it also needs to be linked with a Critical pedagogy, one that is “generally viewed as a form of education that is outer-directed and attempts to foster radical social change.” We will argue that placing Contemplation in such a context holds it hostage to the radical agenda of socialized-propaganda whose mission is not to foster authentic-Contemplative awareness and development, but rather to create a churning-sea of mindless-monads who are at the beck and call of leftist-leaning agendas. read more

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Avīci Hell

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Vajragoni

Perhaps the best known hell-realm within Buddhism is Avīci Hell. It’s the most ferocious and unrelenting dominion that houses the most grievous perpetrators such as those who commit matricide and patricide, rapists, in particular one Ananda (not to be confused with Gautama’s cousin)—who raped his own cousin, the Theri Uppalavanna, heinous murderers (certainly serial murderers have a special place reserved for them in Avīci) and overt slanderers against the Buddha and the Buddhadharma—most notably Devadatta from our last blog. Even though Devadatta eventually becomes liberated from Avīci, whose time is measured in kalpas (a unit of time that describes how long it takes the universe to destroy and recreate itself), he’s still therein suffering from its fire and brimstone.* read more

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The Long Night of the Mind

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Vajragoni

The Blog-series, Ascending the Noble Mountain of Primordial Perfection, could well be subtitled from the closing refrain of the last verse of the previous blog in this series: “[This] prajñā (wisdom) is for those who are willing to abandon the ‘long night’ of the mind and its characteristics.” Without the dreamy eye lifting its veil, it shall forever be plunged into the darkness, as Wŏnhyo says, “Since one does not achieve the cause of awakening, there is a “long night”; this is because the deceptive conceptions, which are beginningless, are a great dream.” That’s why it’s all about abandoning this long-night of the mind. Today’s accompanying image portrays a lonely streetlight on a long and foreboding dark night. Its inner-flame is barely visible—but for two tiny sparks—yet these lively embers continue to brave all the elements of the composed. There is a verse from my Dhammapada in Light of the Unborn which reads: read more

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