The Buddha said "people are easily caught by four traps. The first is attachment to sensual desires. The second is attachment to narrow views. The third is doubt and suspicion. The fourth is false view of self" Old Path White Clouds, 414

I find this statement to be of great truth. So many of us on our quest for meaning in life stumble upon these four things and find ourselves lost. I also tend to get very stuck on my path and find that sometimes I am frustrated and filled with emotions for little reason. The Buddha adds to this the notion of co-dependant arising. He claims that "this is because that is as this is not because that is not" The root of this belief is that all things come from everything. That when looking at the one you can see the all and when looking at all we can see the one.

Now obviously most of us don’t live our lives in this way. We are so busy worrying about the self that we fail to see our connection to the lives of others and the very earth. Our ego keeps screaming for more: more things: more love: more attention: more recognition…'.. We are stuck in the trap of attachment to sensual desires. Filling our faces with food, our pockets with money and our minds with smut we cannot grow. What a life we lead when we allow our appetites to direct.

Moving to the second attachment we can clearly see how our ideas tend to bind us. Even those ideas which once seemed so fresh and challenging may someday become weights that bind us. In my life my mind has changed many times and I have entered many new levels of understanding. Though my journey is still near the start I have seen how many ideas have become outdated. I know how hard it is to reject earlier hypothesizes in favor of new better information…' Attachment to our thoughts is possibly one of the most difficult yet subtle challenges on the path.

Obviously we all know the dangers related to doubt and suspicion. Our world of material, positivistic science has grounded us to material facts. We are all so full of doubt that we don’t know what to trust. In our sophistication and advancement truth is becoming more difficult to observe. I myself and trapped with nagging fear that all my experience, knowledge and belief is just not factual and merely imagined.

The last I can’t really add much to. I see myself more often than not as an individual, as connected with my body. Maybe I identify with my body much more than I should. I am starting to see that I am not this mind or this body but I forget this more times than I remember. Maybe that is where fear comes from. If I am the body and the body dies than what happens to ‘me’. It’s a Big problem for most people.

I guess then it all leads to a life with suffering and pain. As I look around my friends and I see conflict and pain I don’t know what to do. I can’t solve my own problems yet and there is little I can offer to them. My hope is to continue on my path, that I will someday see the rise and fall of emotions as clearly as I can those of the ocean. I think that day is a long way off but my will is determined. Or so it seems at this moment.

I'm reading this very interesting book the secret teachings of all ages and thought this might be of interest to some. It is wisdom passed on from Pythagoras who according to the author Hall is one of the worlds greatest philosphers. He claims that the man was actually the first to use this label. The book also draws many connections between the life of Pythagoras and the life of Jesus.

The book is very long and at times confusing it has covered an intense amount of topics ranging from egyptian myths to astrology to the history of western philosophic development. Check it out if your interested!

I. Declining from the public ways, walk in unfrequented paths. By this it is to be understood that those who desire wisdom must seek it in solitude.
II. Govern your tongue before all other things, following the gods. This aphorism warns man that his words, instead of representing him, misrepresent him, and that when in doubt as to what he should say, he should always be silent.
III. The wind blowing, adore the sound. Pythagoras here reminds his disciples that the fiat of God is heard in the voice of the elements, and that all things in Nature manifest through harmony, rhythm, order, or procedure the attributes of the Deity.
IV. Assist a man in raising a burden; but do not assist him in laying it down. The student is instructed to aid the diligent but never to assist those who seek to evade their responsibilities, for it is a great sin to encourage indolence.
V. Speak not about Pythagoric concerns without light. The world is herein warned that it should not attempt to interpret the mysteries of God and the secrets of the sciences without spiritual and intellectual illumination.
VI. Having departed from your house, turn not back, for the furies will be your attendants. Pythagoras here warns his followers that any who begin the search for truth and, after having learned part of the mystery, become discouraged and attempt to return again to their former ways of vice and ignorance, will suffer exceedingly; for it is better to know nothing about Divinity than to learn a little and then stop without learning all.
VII. Nourish a cock, but sacrifice it not; for it is sacred to the sun and moon. Two great lessons are concealed in this aphorism. The first is a warning against the sacrifice of living things to the gods, because life is sacred and man should not destroy it even as an offering to the Deity. The second warns man that the human body here referred to as a cock is sacred to the sun (God) and the moon (Nature), and should be guarded and preserved as man's most precious medium of expression. Pythagoras also warned his disciples against suicide.
VIII. Receive not a swallow into your house. This warns the seeker after truth not to allow drifting thoughts to come into his mind nor shiftless persons to enter into his life. He must ever surround himself with rationally inspired thinkers and with conscientious workers.
IX. Offer not your right hand easily to anyone. This warns the disciple to keep his own counsel and not offer wisdom and knowledge (his right hand) to such as are incapable of appreciating them. The hand here represents Truth, which raises those who have fallen because of ignorance; but as many of the unregenerate do not desire wisdom they will cut off the hand that is extended in kindness to them. Time alone can effect the redemption of the ignorant masses
X. When rising from the bedclothes, roll them together, and obliterate the impression of the body. Pythagoras directed his disciples who had awakened from the sleep of ignorance into the waking state of intelligence to eliminate from their recollection all memory of their former spiritual darkness; for a wise man in passing leaves no form behind him which others less intelligent, seeing, shall use as a mold for the casting of idols.

Directions of the Mind

The last few days I have had far too much time to think. When I get periods like this I tend to use them for purposes that only thought can be used for, the examination of the past and imaginings of the future. In this case most of my energy was directed towards my future. See one of my problems in life relates to having too many options. There are so many different directions and topics in life that interest me, the next steps in life are quite unclear.

One option before is to go the academic route. Attempt to get into a masters program related to sociology, development or religion and work for a few years at that. See how that pans out and if I still like it go for a PHD and try to be a teacher. The other option that draws me is the healer path. I would love to study to be a Chinese medicine doctor or alternative medicine healer. There are so many people in this world with so many problems and I could direct my energy towards healing them and of course myself.

Now one of the big difficulties that I face is that a choice in one direction can often close doors in another. I am not sure which direction is right for me and I get caught up in the game of imagination. I spend hours looking over one option and than another. My mind gets caught up in this wild ride and I tend to just spin my wheels.

It came to me today that the choice at this moment does not mater. My choices in this place and time will have a much larger impact that my creation for the distant future today. There are so many things that will happen to me before I need to make the decision that it is not really a good use of my energy at this time. It would be better to spend this time studying the two fields and getting a better base of knowledge.

See that is the problem with the mind as I see it. We tend to get so carried away with our thoughts that we forget to ground them in reality. What does it matter if I make plans for two years from now today? Who knows what situation the world will be in that moment. The greatest crime of course is that in this exercise of creating the plan I have left this current moment unnoticed and it has passed without comment or observation. This moment that will never be again is now gone and I didn’t notice. See the two years away is just a fantasy it is something that will never be as planned and the moment that is I avoided. To me that does not seem like living fully.

I guess that is the way that most of us live day to day though. Always thinking about what was or what we hope will be. Craving something, feeling guilty for another and in this we are just filling our heads. Something keeps us out of the moment, we have been trained to live in our minds and don’t understand the limits to this mode of perception. I am just starting to realize the power of this moment and being here. Even still I think vast portions of my day pass me by as I am stuck in the day dream.

Gandhi The 10 Vows

Clearly we are not the first group to attempt a project such as this. There have been many efforts throughout history to create ideal typed communities. Some of which have been based on paper, The Republic by Plato and Utopia by Moore as examples, others have been attempts to create physical communities based on living working ideas, the Gandhi commune or ashram is a perfect example of this.

Gandhi’s community was based on his observations of life. He created a model community off of what he envisioned an ideal life to be. He decided to break down these ideals down into ten things that could be followed by both the individual and then the community at large. He saw these ten things as stepping stones towards an ideal life and thus at a larger scale towards the creation of an ideal community and school. The ten observances are as follows:

Truth- The very name of the ashram was Satyagraha. The word “Satya” can be roughly translated into truth and is derived from sat meaning being. Thus being is connected truth and in Gandhi’s mind God. The community was founded around the concept of truth, truth in thought, truth in speech, and truth in action. The belief was that all knowledge could be gained from truth. One could say that the key to the Gandhian community was truth.

Ahimsa or Love- Realizing that all things are connected in the world the community strove to treat all beings with love and respect. Gandhi explains that even a thief must be treated with kindness, it must be realized that he is human and that all humans deserve compassion. Through love one leaves their pride and ego behind. They become selfless and strive to serve others, dedicating themselves to the health and well being of all.

Chastity- A person dedicated to truth has no time for self gratification. In Gandhi’s community one must refrain from pleasure especially sexual pleasure. He takes it one step further and explains that a person must have control over all their senses. Thus they will not be tempted even for a moment.

Control of the Palate- Food must be taken as medicine. Taste and preference should not be consider, food is for nourishment. Self control, fasting and conscious awareness of what goes into the body. Gandhi’s community cultivated a simple vegetarian diet.

Non-Stealing. One cannot steal and love at the same time. One cannot take from anyone, that which belongs to an individual or the common good. In the community there is enough for everyone and all food is common, but if one takes for themselves beyond which is needed they become a thief.

Non-Possession. To own anything without needing it is consider to be stealing it in this community. Simple living, dedicated to self discipline and hard work. One does not need so many things for joy or happiness. If each took only what they needed there would be more than enough for everyone. There would be no need for hunger…' all would be equal.

Fearlessness Equals a freedom from fear of everything. To live without fear one is free to do as they should and follow their intuition. Fear of death is the biggest thing to overcome, once this is gone most everything will fall be the side.

Removal of Untouchability India is based on a caste system where some people are deemed impure. Our society is not so different though not as ridged or open about its class system. In the Gandhi society all inequality was removed. The highest caste member would sit and eat with the lowest.

Bread Labor All members of the community must work for their food. Each person is required to do a set amount of labor to contribute to the common stalk of food. Though each person has different skills and abilities all must contribute to the physical labor which forms the basis of the community. Bread Labor provides one with a connection to the earth and a sense of direct accomplishment.

Tolerance and Equality of Religion and Belief

Sawadeshi A persons obligation is to their neighbor. A person must help and support those around them as it is their duty. One must buy what they can from the local they exist in. Food and items should come from as close to home as possible. This helps to facilitate the development of community and village. It is also a better way for the environment

These ideas are based on the principles in Vows and Observances by M.K. Gandhi. This is not intended to represent the views of this community. It is merely an attempt to engage debate. What do you think of these ideas? I am sure some of you will have problems with more than a few. Think deep on them and attempt to discover that advantage that these may bring to a community and the individual.
If anything this is some food for thought.