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The power of prayer in the face of tigers and impermanence

dfnj

Well-Known Member
I've always been fascinated with the way Tibetan Buddhists create the most beautiful sand mandalas as a form of deep prayer and meditation. And after it's all done the sand mandala is destroyed as a symbol or experience to remind us of the nature of our existence, and that is, not to have any delusions over the impermanence of our existence.


This idea of life is a moment of clarity coming from a deep prayer or meditation is profound to me.

We also have all kinds of tigers chasing us throughout our lives. Right now we have the coronavirus growling at us ferociously. So I think it's important that in spite of all the tigers chasing us to be open and be able to appreciate any brief moment of clarity that comes our way before the sand mandala of our lives is brushed away. Consider the following story:

"A man traveling across a field encountered a tiger. He fled, the tiger after him. Coming to a precipice, he caught hold of the root of a wild vine and swung himself down over the edge. The tiger sniffed at him from above. Trembling, the man looked down to where, far below, another tiger was waiting to eat him. Only the vine sustained him. Above him, he noticed two mice, one white and one black, little by little started to gnaw away the vine. Just then, the man saw a luscious strawberry near him. Grasping the vine with one hand, he plucked the strawberry with the other. How sweet it tasted!"

Don't forget to appreciate your strawberries!!
 

Howard Is

Lucky Mud
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Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
One of my favorite scenes in Little Buddha was at the end when they destroyed the sand mandala. It made for a fitting conclusion of the film.
 

dfnj

Well-Known Member

I find it kind of fascinating how Christians have virtually no interest in Eastern religions. I think which threads become popular on RF is telling of something about people's characters.

I guess I am more open minded than other people. Although I am not ready to commit to anyone else's dogma but my own.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
If I'm facing a tiger in the wild, my prayer is very simple.

Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad.
 
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