My aunt decided to leave the home life. At first, I didn’t want her to, I did all that I could to stop her, to erase that idea from her mind. After a week of that, I started thinking from her point of view, and I saw that she was determined to leave the home life. Reluctantly, I let her go, even though it made me sad. I let broke the attachment that I had towards her, the want to have her near me at all times, for I knew that it was best for her, even though I am still sad and upset.

Have been watching over the patience paramita for many years now after I learned about it at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery with Rev. Master Heng Sure and nowadays when I meet people I am much more generous with them and there is not much prejudice, opinion or ideas about them. Try to act like a mirror and just reflect what they really are and relationships are awesome. Also try to avoid gossiping about people in general as a daily practice. Not sure if that is an act of kindness and if I deserve to download the Paramita CD but it was what came to mind as part of my current…

It all started when I heard a teacher in my school named Mr. Allen talking about trash on the playground. So I began picking up trash on the playground and after all of the trash on the playground was gone, I had a handful of trash! Then he gave me a speacial piece of paper called a Monarch Chafacter Counts slip and thats how I ended up typing this story.

I will do good things everyday like picking up trash at school, pick up recyclable items from the street, helping my mom with cooking, speak gentle words to my friends and not get angry, and recite the “Heart Sutra” everyday.I will also not to waste paper, water, and foods.

I’ve learned this lesson from my 7-year-old daughter. As I have released little bugs in my house, my daughter and husband start doing the same thing. I even say the triple jewels and recite the Amitabha Buddha 3 times before releasing them, and my daughter takes this habit after me. However, she is even more gentle with them than I do. I have a habit of blowing the bugs out of my hand, and when she sees that, she’d tell me, “Mom, you’ve hurted them, no one wants to be thrown down like that.” I often end up apologizing to the bugs and her. Not only she corrects me, but…

Hi everyone I just heard of someone who has recently been excommunicated from a community of monks becaus e he liked to play with girls a little. So I felt he may need a little help and thought of that wonderful Mantra of the Heart Sutra:Gone, Gone Gone beyondGone beyond the BeyondMay the Gone live !and I spend the whole day searching the internet for a nice song that includes that mantra so that I could mail it to him and help to enliven the essence of it deep within his soul. So I checked out various chantings, finally came across the great Paramita American buddhist folk song and immidiately…

Last week, I organized some fair trade awareness events which included: handing out free samples of fair trade coffee, providing information on fair trade, and going to an informational presentation on fair trade at a local business. I stressed out about getting all the supplies and getting the word out all last week, that I lost focus and what was important. But when I had faculty members and fellow students come up to me and tell me that they learned a lot and were going to start trying to be more aware of the things they buy, it all made sense again. It is amazing what pouring yourself out to…

I spent the last week being the steward or personal attendant for two Thai forest monks who were spending their rains retreat near Mosier OR. I prepared meals and tea, cleaned up and managed meal offerings.It was awesome.

Our neighborhood is very walkable and attracts many from apartments outside who like to come and walk their dogs through the shady streets. Unfortunately some people don’t clean up behind their dogs when they do their thing. We are also in a drought and have not had much rain in a long time which in a normal year would wash some of this a way. Consequently, much doggy doo has been deposited and left in the streets and in people’s yards and more or less public sections of the streets. I took a platic grocery bag with me on a walk with my dog and picked up all the dog…

I am a 5th grade elementary school teacher,with 33 students. Life is hectic for my students. Though they live in a nice area,and have all of their physical needs met,alot of their free time is spent with day care providers or after school lessons.Life is so rushed. This year, I have really slowed the pace down in our classroom. I talk about focus,and staying in the moment. I talk about our connectedness to each other,thus the need for mutual respect. My classroom has become a much calmer,kinder place to be today.The children feel safe,and calm,and are usually ready to learn.