the darkerside to rants

DER SPIEGEL (or SPON for SPiegel ONline) is now also available in English

For decades, English speakers haven’t had access to Europe’s leading newsmagazine. DER SPIEGEL and the award-winning Web site SPIEGEL ONLINE, with their second-to-none news coverage, rich story mix and clear, sharp European view, were obscured by an unbreachable language barrier.

Until now.

We’ll see how much they really are going to make out of this, they already had some smaller parts before…..

These ten are specific guidelines for the Buddhist life, as undertaken by the Zen trainee. When they become our blood and bones, we are a true child of Buddha. When we deliberately ignore any of them, we create a separation between ourselves and the family of Buddha.

1. I will refrain from killing. Since all beings are one within the Buddha Mind, how could I willingly cut off the life of any creature?

2. I will refrain from stealing. Since it is my true wish to give up all attachments, how could I willingly grasp after anything which is not freely given?

3. I will refrain from abusing sexuality. Since physical affection is a deep expression of love, and love is an aspect of the Unborn, how could I willingly debase this sacred love by merely gratifying my desires in a way which uses, harms, betrays, or abuses anyone?

4. I will refrain from speaking untruthfully. Since my heart’s desire is to be one with truth, how could I willingly deceive anyone by any means whatsoever?

5. I will refrain from selling the wine of delusion. Since clear awareness is the door to enlightenment, how could I willingly hinder the Way for anyone by enticing them into partaking of substances, ideologies, false beliefs, or anything whatsoever which befuddles or intoxicates?

6. I will refrain from speaking against others. Since it is my wish to live by the compassion within my heart, how could I willingly speak hurtfully or disparagingly about anyone?

7. I will refrain from being proud of myself and belittling others. Since the false notion of self is the very thing I seek to abandon, how could I willingly inflate it with pride, much less do so through seeking to denigrate others?

8. I will refrain from holding back in giving either Dharma or wealth. Since charity is the first sign of enlightened action, how could I practice stinginess in any form whatsoever?

9. I will refrain from indulging anger. Since it is my heart’s wish to let the love within it flow forth unboundedly, how could I hold onto and nourish angers and resentments which may arise, much less act openly upon them to cause harm?

10. I will refrain from defaming the Three Treasures. Since these are my true refuge and the very Way, how could I turn from them myself, much less cause doubt about them to arise in others?