THE SMILE OF COMPASSION
THE SMILE OF BUDDHA SILENTLY EXPRESSES COMPASSION'S BITTERSWEET, SHEPHERDING EMBRACE OF US ALL!

True Wisdom is BEING Compassion!
(Bodhisunya)

LIBERATION (MOKSA)
"For freedom, Christ has set us free" (Galatians 5:1). If I am a Christian, I must ask myself, which Christ? The Christ of Paul? The Christ of the New Testament?

If I am a Buddhist, I must ask myself which Buddha? Which of the Buddhist "scriptures" do I know for certain can give me the true words of the historical Buddha and not some redactor's opinions?

The same can definitely be said for the Christ of the Christian "scriptures". Which images reflect the real Jesus Christ? How can we know for sure?

But THIS is just the point, isn't it? That is, IF we are in any way "enlightened".

Here, we have to understand the vast ocean of difference between the "pop" Buddhistic practice of intellectual gamesmanship and the "true" Buddhist practice of moksa, releasement from the fetters of the intellect's self-absorbing, suffering-inducing ways.

Liberation (moksa), and the peace that it brings, is NOT about intellectual endeavors to ascertain whether the scriptural portrayals of Jesus and Buddha are correct, or whether the "scriptures" themselves are true in any way, shape or form.

I suggest that from a "true" Buddhist understanding---that is, from an abiding EXPERIENCE of liberation (moksa)---all of the scriptures and sutras are EMPTY (sunya)!

They are irrelevant EXCEPT as a vehicle (yana) of orienting testimony pointing the way!

And, the scriptures and sutras are CORRUPT in the sense that they are NOT always reflective of the goal of freedom (moksa), but instead lead us to continue on the path of suffering (dukkha).

Moreover, what so-called Christians and Buddhists have or have not done to inflict abuse on their fellow creatures historically is NOT relevant to the EXPERIENCE of freedom that both Jesus and Buddha point to. Abuse does NOT correlate with the COMPASSION of Buddha and Jesus Christ!

It is only from the perspective of one's personal EXPERIENCE of the FREEDOM (moksa) that is COMPASSION (karuna) that we are given a basis to truly evaluate what in the "scriptures" of both Buddhism and Christianity is "true", in the sense of truly pointing the way to LIBERATION!

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17). For the “true” Christian, as well as the “true” Buddhist, it is not about intellectual dogma and rhetoric but the SPIRITUAL FREEDOM that only COMPASSION gives!


True Wisdom is BEING Compassion!
(Bodhisunya)

ONE ENLIGHTENMENT
If one understands that the essence of original Christianity is that Ultimate Reality is Love (1 John 4:16), and that the essence of Buddhism is that true wisdom (bodhi) is compassion (karuna), then one might say that the essential
power of the two is in fact one enlightenment.

The two historical religious traditions with their respective rhetorical, ritual, and dogmatic expressions, however, are quite different for many reasons.

To the enlightened, the distinction between teachings and teacher is empty (sunya), the distinction between Jesus and Buddha is
empty (sunya).

To seek to operate under these assumptions is the way of suffering (dukka).


True Wisdom is BEING Compassion!
(Bodhisunya)

THE ORIGIN OF NOTHING
Nothing as the ultimate truth of absolute emptiness (sunyatattva) (paramartha) is without origin.

Even relative nonbeing (or being for that matter) is without origin. Origin requires self-being, and self-being is a delusion (maya).

The distinction between "being" and "nothing" is empty (sunya) for the same reason.

All so-called opposites (yin-yang) are empty also. True reality is one (ekatva) as empty (sunya).


True Wisdom is BEING Compassion!
(Bodhisunya)
 

ABIDING BLISS
There is an all-pervading awareness(sunyata) that characterizes the Sunyasattva state of liberating releasement(moksa) into the power of No-Self(anatta)!

Sunyata is the all-pervading awareness that is true abiding bliss (sarvada-sukha)! It is the ever-flowing joy of TRUE BEING ABSOLUTE NO-THINGNESS (sunyatattva)!


True Enlightenment is BEING Compassion (Bodhisunya)

NIRVANA
Nirvana is Samsara devoid of false self distinction.

The truth of reality (tattva) is that there is no self (anatta), no this and no that.

Nirvana is infinite oneness empty of distinction (sunyata); in truth, absolute no-thingness!

There is no "I AM", only "AM"!


True Enlightenment is BEING Compassion (Bodhisunya)

EXAMINATION OF SPACE
Those who are mired in ignorance (avidya) and delusion (moha), see the world (loka) as finite (antavat)in its essential nature.

In fact, it is this false presupposition of the essential nature of reality that leads to bondage (baddha) and defilement (sasrava).

The true nature of being (saddharma) is empty of finite spatial-temporal contraints (sunyata).

It is an all-pervading (sarvatraga) oneness (ekartha), the intentional nature (sunyatartha) of which is compassion (karuna).

Where in Space or in Time am I not?


True Enlightenment is BEING Compassion (Bodhisunya)

EXAMINATION OF TIME
In Nagarjuna's examination of Time (kala pariksa), he concludes with these questions: If time exists in virtue of the relational structure of existence, where can it be without this structure? As any existential structure does not exist, where can time be?

Since the self-nature of the relational matrix of existence cannot ultimately exist, neither can time ultimately exist in itself.

Past, present and future are only phenomenal, relational constructs without ultimate reality.

The Truth (tattva) of Time (kala) IS Sunyata!



True Enlightenment is BEING Compassion (Bodhisunya)

DEATH AND NIRVANA
It is said, by those without understanding, that upon his death the Buddha attained parinirvana (full nirvana), complete releasement from the constraints of phenomenal conditioning.

How can nirvana be partial or full, incomplete or complete as experience?

Nirvana is sunyavedaka, the awareness of absolute emptiness, and experienced as SUCHNESS (tathata).

Nirvana is experienced as the enlightenment that is ultimate truth (tattva), and not as a phenomenal process!

Nirvana IS Sunyata!


True Enlightenment is BEING Compassion (Bodhisunya)

THE CAUSE OF NATURAL DISASTER
In the continuing wake of the horrific effects of the Southeast Asia earthquake and the killer tsunamis that it produced, what is to be said concerning the deep cause of this terrible event?
Indeed, what is the "ultimate cause" of natural disaster?

At first glance, this might seem to require a seemingly obvious answer expressable in scientific, geological terms. Yet, Science can only truly describe apparent causal connections based on relational origination. It does not display for us the ultimate depth structure of "intent".

Enlightenment (bodhi) allows us to understand that the absolute aim and intentionality of existence (sunyatartha) is Compassion (karuna). Compassion IS the flowing harmony of universal love (mettapanna).

All of existence is INTENT (tartha), whether it is expressed as Compassion or its opposite, selfishness (trsna).

Where there is the intentionality of selfish desire in any part of existence, from the microcosmic, subatomic levels to the macrocosmic galactic levels, there will be strife and suffering (dukkha).

All natural disaster is ultimately upheaval caused by STRIFE rooted in self-centered INTENT in the phenomenal structures of the relational universe.

In a Cosmos wholly released to compassion, natural disaster is non-existent.

True Enlightenment is BEING Compassion (Bodhisunya)