Pictures of revered teachers, places, rupas, temples, bhikkhus, shrine rooms etc. that bring inspiration to our members. Pilgrimage advice, devotion etc.
{This request has no connection to the recent metta request for Dhamma Wheel member Stephen K - this is a different Stephen, not personally connected to Dhamma Wheel.}
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Greetings,
This is a request to dedicate merits to Stephen, who passed away tonight.
He leaves behind a son who lives in Ireland, his girlfriend and her three children, two brothers, and his mother.
May Stephen have a fortunate rebirth, and may his family be at peace and free from suffering.
Metta, karuna and noble deeds of body, speech and mind are greatly appreciated.
Metta,
Retro.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
All things are impermanent.
They arise and pass away.
Having arisen they come to an end.
Their coming to peace is bliss..
I dedicate my merits to Stephen. May he reappear in a happy realm with access to the Dispensation of the Buddha.
In my heart I hold Stephen's family and friends. May the pain of grief be assuaged.
May they realize the truth of the three marks of existence and progress on the path of liberation.
With metta,
Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Thankyou everyone. It was my brother who killed themselves last night.
Unfortunately word has gotten around faster than I can inform everyone. It is abit surreal.
He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form. John Stuart Mill
"If beings knew, as I know, the results of giving & sharing, they would not eat without having given, nor would the stain of miserliness overcome their minds. Even if it were their last bite, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared."
Iti 26
Here are my words at Capt. Ste Spenser's funeral from Wednesdays funeral. We pick yo the ashes tomorrow morning.
I loved and am thoroughly proud of my big bro, we did not have an easy relationship, partly because he gave me something to rebel against, and other reasons. However, the passing of my brother Stephen has emphasised to me that our minds do need trained, as we can look at things and grasp them as real, certain, and fixed, instead of the transient nature all of our minds have. It has been a stark reminder of how little we can be concerned with each-other simply because someone seems strong. The biggest lesson I have taken from this is that we all need support, and I am deeply moved and grateful for the support all my family have received from friends and family far and wide.
As Stephen knew well, we do not master skills by getting things handed to us, but by working hard to become a true master of the craft. Or as Epicurus said “Do not pretend to love and practice wisdom, but actually love and practice wisdom; for we need not the appearance of health but true health.” So please do not mistake what you see in others or any other state of being, for what you believe it shows.
He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form. John Stuart Mill
"He, the Blessed One, is indeed the Noble Lord, the Perfectly Enlightened One;
He is impeccable in conduct and understanding, the Serene One, the Knower of the Worlds;
He trains perfectly those who wish to be trained; he is Teacher of gods and men; he is Awake and Holy. "
-------------------------------------------- "The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One,
Apparent here and now, timeless, encouraging investigation,
Leading to liberation, to be experienced individually by the wise. "
