A Buddhist practice session with readings on enlightenment, extended chanting of Om Mani Padme Hum, and refuge vows. Participants share reflections on birth and death, including stories about a 100-year-old grandmother and a newborn, with incense offerings and informal discussion.
Chapters
Hello, thank you for coming and joining us, so we're not alone.
And hello to Fee and Philip who's just arriving. This evening we have the Dharma Glimpse by Dzarmey, which—
would you, Caspar, read that?
Enlightenment by Dzarmey Dunsby. Somebody asked me recently about the nature of enlightenment. I had to think quite hard before I answered, because it's quite a complicated question, and the answer has layers and nuances. Of course, what I associate most strongly with enlightenment is the image of Shakyamuni Buddha deep in meditation underneath a tree, glowing with the Dharma, radiating out wisdom and compassion. Or Amitābha Buddha, arms outstretched in a gesture of warm unconditional acceptance. But I don't think that's necessarily the whole story. I think that for some, enlightenment can be a momentary clarity, can be momentary clarity, clarity, or temporary understanding, a glimpse of some depth in the world which normally escapes their attention. It's not reserved for the pious or erudite, and is arguably in better hands in the ordinary person for whom it offers a unique perspective on life, the universe, and the way things really are. For me, regular spiritual practice is key to understanding the nature and importance of enlightenment. I would say that given the balance of deep positive change in my life and the persistence of my human nature, I only really know enlightenment to the extent that I've understood the importance of spiritual practice. Enough that I have put it at the center of my life and my priorities. So maybe for me, enlightenment and practice are inseparable. Enlightenment is practice, and practice is enlightenment. Maybe this is as simple or as complicated as it ever needs to be. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om mani padme hum hri! Oh mah nee paab me hunh ri... oh maanee paad mee hoong reeyy— omahnee pooobmeh honkreeyyiiimmmomani paaabd meyhoon goooyyyyummaaaneepaad memhungry yuiyummi ummaneee poombmey hungrey? Oohmahneepadmayhongroyouuumami-paab-may-hung-uy-yoom Om yoomeemooomyooyaam ey oof-oop-a-way-blah-bluh-lululu-uwaiuwa-wahaha Um monepaadmeh hungry— OM MANI PADME HUNGRY— OMG!!!
That was so good guys?!
I love that song Thank you for watching this video until here.
If it helped your spiritual awakening journey please like share subscribe to my channel below if not yet done because there's more coming up soon thank you very much bye! <LYRICS>Om Mane Padme Hungry.</LYRICS> Mani Padme Hum Hui! Om Mani Padme Hum Hui! Om Mani Padme Hum Hui! Om Mane Padme Hungri— Oh mané padmé hungry... oh máné páb mé hungh ri?
Homani Pabmehung Rieh?!
Ooh my God I'm so bad at this one right now...
Ummane Pap me hum huy...
um mane pap me hoom huwi...
Om Mane Padme Hum. Om Mane Padme Hum. Om Mane Padme Hum. Om Mane Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum Hri! Om Mani Padme Hum Hri! Om Mani Padme Hum Hri! Om Mani Padme Hum Hri! Um—
um... Oh my God?
I'm so sorry for that one guys. Sorry about this.
Okay, here we go again.
Ooh man, it's just like 10 minutes into recording already?! That was really fast.
So let me try to do better on these next ones now.
Let us begin our mantra practice today by chanting together "Om." Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om mani padme hum hri! Om mani padme hung ri! Om mani padme om hri! Om mani Padme Hung Hri... Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme hum.
For refuge I go to the Buddha—
for Refuge I Go To The Buddha Nam myohodaya!
For Refuge I go to Dharma—
for Refuge I Go To The Dharma Namo dharmaya!
For Refuge I go to Sangha— for Refuge I Go To The Sangha nam-myho-sanghaye? With faith in the Three Jewels— With faith in the three jewels I pray that I may not take life—I pray this time they don't say one—with faith in the Three Jewels—in fact it's pretty cool—I pray that I may not steal—I pray so many of us still—with faith in the Three Jewels—with faith in the three tools I pray that I may not fall into sexual misconduct—I pray that I may not call them to sexually misconduct; With faith in the Three Jewels— With faith in the Three Jewels— I pray that I may not fall into wrong speech. I pray this time they don't fall into one's speech. With faith in the Three Jewels—
With faith in the Three Jewels—
I pray that I may avoid intoxication.
I pray this time to avoid intoxication.
No blame. No blame. Be kind. Be kind. Love everything.
Love everything. Innumerable are sentient beings. We vow to save them all. Inexhaustible are deluded passions. We vow to transform them all. Immeasurable are the Dharma teachings. We vow to master them all. Infinite is the Buddha's way.
We vow to fulfill it completely. Namaste.
A couple of weeks ago, my 100-year-old Nana died, and this week Casper's sister had a baby. Just really thinking about those two things together tonight, the two edges of a century, that, um, brand new life and my Nana having been around in 1921, I guess, 1922. Amazing. Yeah, yeah. Um, and we're all guaranteed the being born bit, but not many of us, I imagine, will quite live to see a century. But we're definitely guaranteed a death at some point. One of the reasons that we're sat together here in this room is that Shakyamuni Buddha, when he was a prince, escaped from the palace and saw a sick person, an aging person, a corpse. And was struck by the unavoidability of suffering and wanted to work out what he could do about it, how he could live with the fact that everything passes away. For me, the answer that, that comes through him and his teachings and through other teachers, other spiritual traditions, it's very difficult to put into words, but it has something to do with leaning in and trusting that if we We let go of the tension in our bodies, in our thoughts, that somehow we will be held, we will float. And that even in the midst of suffering, when things do feel difficult and things are difficult, when we're in physical pain or emotional pain or confusion or despair, But even then, we can just relax a tiny bit. We can see that we are held with all of that stuff that's going on inside us. We're held by love, we're held by the ground underneath us, we're supported, we're nourished. We're loved. I don't have much more than that to say this evening, but holding in mind Thiago, our nought-year-old friend, and thinking of my Nana who made it to a century, and all of us in between. Namaste.
Namaste. Namaste. Namaste. Namaste. We offer this incense to Buddhas and bodhisattvas throughout space and time. May it be as fragrant as Earth herself, reflecting our careful efforts, our wholehearted awareness, and the fruits of understanding slowly ripening. May we and all beings be companions of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. May we awaken from forgetfulness, realize our true home.
Do you unmute?
Blessed by Amitabha's grace, may we pray for all living beings and never worry. Now maybe to Pu, blessed by the grace. It's quite nice, isn't it?
