Gone Forth
Dear Friends
This week has held the Full Moon of July and is celebrated as Asalah Puja – a significant day within the Buddhist Calendar, when the Buddha soon after his Enlightenment – gave his first Teaching to the five yogi’s that he had previously been practicing with. Following this teaching, these five asked to become his students and thus began the Buddhist Monastic Order. These monks together with the Buddha then began the three-month ‘Rains Retreat’ which has been continued and practiced ever since.
This period of time beginning 16th July and ending 13th October can also be a special Retreat Time for all of us. A time to be more Mindful and Meditative; Wise and Reflective; Caring and considerate. This also allows us to take the practices and perspectives of this three month period into our ongoing life as a way of life and being.
In honour of those persons that have chosen to spend time as a monastic – past, present and future, I offer my verse below.
John B.
GONE FORTH
When the mind;
Has loosened, lessened or lost;
It’s ignorant identification with the ego- self;
Then there is not the meaning nor motivation;
For enabling and engaging into the ways of the world.
For such a mind;
There is not the buying-into or becoming;
Lost in the Eight Worldly Conditions – LOKA DHAMMA;
The Ways of the World that create and make;
SAMSARA, the ego-self, stress, suffering and sorrow!
This mind then;
Will see, seek and source;
The blessing of life lived as a SAMANA.
The simple life of one ‘Gone Forth’;
From the ways of the world.
For such a one;
Faith in the Buddha’s Teachings – the Buddha Dhamma
And the life of a SAMANA is steadfast.
Such a one may live a simple life in the world;
But be not of it!
Or maybe the mind of such a one will;
Move from the world into life ‘Gone-Forth’;
From ‘home to homelessness’;
From complications and confusion to calm and clarity;
To live be the Blessings of the Buddha.
