I maneuver around office politics because I need to cari makan. But there is no reason for me to stand for holier-than-thou people squabbling about petty issues.
Er...... no. But there was one time when I had a serious issue at work that I considered going for one, in Kelantan. But never did.

Both are the same if you read more

and to NOSelf which it's equivalent

You dont need temple politics it if you are practicing noself.Just obey order , that simple.Dont go complicated

oh, nice speech.

If you could do it for your makan why not do it for Dharma? Same techniques, different motivations, different outcome. If you tahan politics in a temple you will be able to find Dharma. Consider the effort and the struggles an offering to the Buddhas.
you dont need temple politics if you're living alone in a cave somewhere in india or a forest somewhere in pahang. it's because you NEED the help of others in order to survive these days. Since you need their help it makes no sense to avoid them. Also, a community of practitioners is very important to help you practice the Dharma and so that you wont burn off due to lack of support.

wanna REALLY avoid politics? be a duthangga monk or go for solitary 12 year retreats where you wont be meeting another human in a cave for the next 12 years. tada no politics.

politics existed since the Buddha's time but i didint hear the Buddha go "okay we dont need temples already. everyone practice alone. no poltics. no sangha." but is that the case? hmm.

he just let it happen because it's part of human nature.

we're in samsara dearie, everything in samsara is 'complicated' in reality but just that we choose not to see that aspect of it.

if there is noself then where is the self that faces with all the poltics? if you attained noself isnt it even easier to face politics because those people cant hurt you; since the 'self' dosent exist? wouldnt it make sense to be part of it as well?

I didn't expect you explain that much .Thank you
As I mention "Just obey order , that simple.Dont go complicated" and forgot to add "Just smile when you see people" 

I dont understand much your reply , maybe I am stup|d or maybe I didn't explain much , i mean "dont need" doesn't mean avoid and "dont need" doesn't mean don't apply.
Don't need mean don't need to remember on having a temple politic.If temple politic comes , you don't need to tahan , you just need to accept , obey , leave it.
erm , and about the noself , you explain already so it concludes all.

Advice from Atisha’s Heart

When Venerable Atisha came to Tibet he first went to Ngari, where he remained for two years giving many teachings to the disciples of Jangchub Ö.

After two years had passed he decided to return to India, and Jangchub Ö requested him to give one last teaching before he left.

Atisha replied that he had already given them all the advice they needed, but Jangchub Ö persisted in his request and so Atisha accepted and gave the following advice.

How wonderful!

Friends, since you already have great knowledge and clear understanding, whereas I am of no importance and have little wisdom, it is not suitable for you to request advice from me. However because you dear friends, whom I cherish from my heart, have requested me, I shall give you this essential advice from my inferior and childish mind.

Friends, until you attain enlightenment the Spiritual Teacher is indispensable, therefore rely upon the holy Spiritual Guide.

Until you realize ultimate truth, listening is indispensable, therefore listen to the instructions of the Spiritual Guide.

Since you cannot become a Buddha merely by understanding Dharma, practise earnestly with understanding.

Avoid places that disturb your mind, and always remain where your virtues increase.

Until you attain stable realizations, worldly amusements are harmful, therefore abide in a place where there are no such distractions.

Avoid friends who cause you to increase delusions, and rely upon those who increase your virtue. This you should take to heart.

Since there is never a time when worldly activities come to an end, limit your activities.

Dedicate your virtues throughout the day and the night, and always watch your mind.

Because you have received advice, whenever you are not meditating always practise in accordance with what your Spiritual Guide says.

If you practise with great devotion, results will arise immediately, without your having to wait for a long time.

If from your heart you practise in accordance with Dharma, both food and resources will come naturally to hand.

Friends, the things you desire give no more satisfaction than drinking sea water, therefore practise contentment.

Avoid all haughty, conceited, proud, and arrogant minds, and remain peaceful and subdued.

Avoid activities that are said to be meritorious, but which in fact are obstacles to Dharma.

Profit and respect are nooses of the maras, so brush them aside like stones on the path.

Words of praise and fame serve only to beguile us, therefore blow them away as you would blow your nose.

Since the happiness, pleasure, and friends you gather in this life last only for a moment, put them all behind you.

Since future lives last for a very long time, gather up riches to provide for the future.

You will have to depart leaving everything behind, so do not be attached to anything.

Generate compassion for lowly beings, and especially avoid despising or humiliating them.

Have no hatred for enemies, and no attachment for friends.

Do not be jealous of others’ good qualities, but out of admiration adopt them yourself.

Do not look for faults in others, but look for faults in yourself, and purge them like bad blood.

Do not contemplate your own good qualities, but contemplate the good qualities of others, and respect everyone as a servant would.

See all living beings as your father or mother, and love them as if you were their child.

Always keep a smiling face and a loving mind, and speak truthfully without malice.

If you talk too much with little meaning you will make mistakes, therefore speak in moderation, only when necessary.

If you engage in many meaningless activities your virtuous activities will degenerate, therefore stop activities that are not spiritual.

It is completely meaningless to put effort into activities that have no essence.

If the things you desire do not come it is due to karma created long ago, therefore keep a happy and relaxed mind.

Beware, offending a holy being is worse than dying, therefore be honest and straightforward.

Since all the happiness and suffering of this life arise from previous actions, do not blame others.

All happiness comes from the blessings of your Spiritual Guide, therefore always repay his kindness.

Since you cannot tame the minds of others until you have tamed your own, begin by taming your own mind.

Since you will definitely have to depart without the wealth you have accumulated, do not accumulate negativity for the sake of wealth.

Distracting enjoyments have no essence, therefore sincerely practise giving.

Always keep pure moral discipline for it leads to beauty in this life and happiness hereafter.

Since hatred is rife in these impure times, don the armour of patience, free from anger.

You remain in samsara through the power of laziness, therefore ignite the fire of the effort of application.

Since this human life is wasted by indulging in distractions, now is the time to practise concentration.

Being under the influence of wrong views you do not realize the ultimate nature of things, therefore investigate correct meanings.

Friends, there is no happiness in this swamp of samsara, so move to the firm ground of liberation.

Meditate according to the advice of your Spiritual Guide and dry up the river of samsaric suffering.

You should consider this well because it is not just words from the mouth, but sincere advice from the heart.

If you practise like this you will delight me, and you will bring happiness to yourself and others.

I who am ignorant request you to take this advice to heart.

This is the advice that the holy being Venerable Atisha gave to Venerable Jang Chub Ö.

And now, some homework for you guys

I'd like to share with you one of the most illuminating texts: Advice from Atisha's heart. These pointers given by Atisha applies to anyone and everyone especially those that call themselves Buddhists. Perhaps it would give many of us a clue on how to further our own practices.

good morning.

life is so blissful. zzzzzz

40 objects of Samatha meditation
10 Recollections
10 Kasinas
10 Asubhas
4 Brahma viharas
4 Immaterial states
1 Foulness of food
1 Four Element

ANyone tried any of the above yet??

I might print this out next week when I reach the office.
Morning!

What's that

MEditation got 2 types

1. Samatha - calm meditation. Objective is to attain Calm and tranquility.  Got 40 types listed.

2. Vipassana - Insight meditation. Objective is to attain Insight into the nature of existence - Dukkha (suffering), Annata (nonself) and Anica (impermanence).
Most popular Samatha meditation are
1. Anapanasati (mindfulness of in-out breath on nostril) - this is ONE of the 10 types of Recollection

2. Metta (loving-kindness) - one of the 4 Brahma viharas (divine stations of the Brahma).

Confused liau bo?

Brother, even meditation got so many types? @@

for samatha meditation yea, got about 40 taught by the Buddha.

Not all of these meditations are suitable for everyone. It depends on your temperaments (past karma, tendencies, affinity, etc).

However, there are universal meditation such as MEtta (loving-kindness). This one is suitable for all types of temperaments, because deep inside all of us, there is a lot of hatred in our subconscious.

The effect of meditation is not something like a one-time fix.. but gradual. It has to be applied in daily life too.  Meditation serves as some positive reinforcement into the subconscious - everyday we tell ourselves to be loving-kindness to all being, slowly slowly over years, over decades,  you find your level of hatred reduces.....

For example, playing video games like dOta or Wow... They look harmless.. but if the individuals play those games, they got angry when TMNET down , or they got killed in Dota by their friends, they got angry..... on daily basis.  slowly, day by day , that person gets angry for about 10 mins everyday.... over the years... he finds himself become a very hostile person in real life... easily get irritated, angry, etc.

I am talking from real experience.

So this mental conditiioning is very gradual... if we want to become a good person , we need to do it daily, slowly... everyday throw away some bad habits.. over time, over years, over decades, we will succeed.

By the time of death, we will be a very happy person.....

for samatha meditation yea, got about 40 taught by the Buddha.

Not all of these meditations are suitable for everyone. It depends on your temperaments (past karma, tendencies, affinity, etc).

However, there are universal meditation such as MEtta (loving-kindness). This one is suitable for all types of temperaments, because deep inside all of us, there is a lot of hatred in our subconscious.

The effect of meditation is not something like a one-time fix.. but gradual. It has to be applied in daily life too.  Meditation serves as some positive reinforcement into the subconscious - everyday we tell ourselves to be loving-kindness to all being, slowly slowly over years, over decades,  you find your level of hatred reduces.....

For example, playing video games like dOta or Wow... They look harmless.. but if the individuals play those games, they got angry when TMNET down , or they got killed in Dota by their friends, they got angry..... on daily basis.  slowly, day by day , that person gets angry for about 10 mins everyday.... over the years... he finds himself become a very hostile person in real life... easily get irritated, angry, etc.

I am talking from real experience.

So this mental conditiioning is very gradual... if we want to become a good person , we need to do it daily, slowly... everyday throw away some bad habits.. over time, over years, over decades, we will succeed.

By the time of death, we will be a very happy person and calm person. At that time, our 'habitual kamma' is that of a person with very much reduced hatred/anger.. and this kamma will help to help us avoid those destinies associated with these hatred based kamma --> hells, demons who fight each other, animals.....

so i hope this helps you to get a brief idea on meditation.

No need to look very far or greedy... some people meditate they want to attain Jhanas (their sole intention), but when they cannot attain it (not realizing that practice of dhamma comes altogether with Good morality and dana too).. they got pissed with buddhism and dismiss it as 'false'  I met these types of people. Motivated by greed and hatred they approach buddhism.

We shouldn't go that direction.

good morning.

life is so blissful. zzzzzz

40 objects of Samatha meditation
10 Recollections
10 Kasinas
10 Asubhas
4 Brahma viharas
4 Immaterial states
1 Foulness of food
1 Four Element

ANyone tried any of the above yet??

MEditation got 2 types

1. Samatha - calm meditation. Objective is to attain Calm and tranquility.  Got 40 types listed.

2. Vipassana - Insight meditation. Objective is to attain Insight into the nature of existence - Dukkha (suffering), Annata (nonself) and Anica (impermanence).
Most popular Samatha meditation are
1. Anapanasati (mindfulness of in-out breath on nostril) - this is ONE of the 10 types of Recollection

2. Metta (loving-kindness) - one of the 4 Brahma viharas (divine stations of the Brahma).

Confused liau bo?

I usually do vipassana
actually vipassana is analytical meditation. we do it every day too just on other subjects like for example when we think about what are we gonna wear today: that's meditation as well but not one geared towards improvement.

a more intense or advanced form of meditation would be keeping track of every single  thought and intention that pops in to your mind and questioning and seeing where it comes from, why did it form in the first place, what is going to happen when actualized etc and then whether nor not it should be done... this way you can reduce the chances of performing negative deeds by a lot because you can see what you are doing and its effects. This kind of meditation is done every waking moment. It is part of the Lojong or mind training teachings. This kind of meditation allows you to not only look deep into your own mind but into the minds of others as well based on observation.

meditation is a very important tool but what is your intention and motivation to doing it? Whatever you do there has to be an intent behind it and a goal to achieve. insincere and selfish practitioners can meditate a lifetime and not see any results, while sincere practitioners can achieve various spiritual attainments with just a few hours.  The right motivations and intentions make sure that you can go far, the wrong ones can turn even the most virtuous of activity into something harmful.

If you could do it for your makan why not do it for Dharma? Same techniques, different motivations, different outcome. If you tahan politics in a temple you will be able to find Dharma. Consider the effort and the struggles an offering to the Buddhas.

Depends lo. Some got good karma can encounter good teacher and true dhamma, and the states can arise in him quite fast.  Some try entire lifetime cannot see any results, got a few explanation for that actually.

But any effort is not wasted, as there is this Dhamma that will actually lead us to Nibbana. Have confidence we must all in the teaching of the Buddha!

1 Kalpa down, a few billion more to go

SOS from Indon
Borobudur Theory