Author Archives: tony

We Are A Patchwork Of Ideas We are a patchwork of ideas that never quite fit together. Because of events when we were young, we hold ideas about life, and then try to fit everything that comes along into those … Continue reading →

Complacency Complacency: a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements – self-approval – pride – I’m-alright-jack. Complacency is self-complacent, which is a very sad state to be in. Complacency describes our fitting into our own little world that has no room for improvement. … Continue reading →

Appreciating The Truth To realise the Buddha’s words in this world of chaos and confusion is both a relief and a comfort. To finally find a true meaning to life after spending decades in anger and frustration is the cause of … Continue reading →

Judging And Being Judgmental We all have to discern whether something is beneficial or harmful. It’s how we get through life; we recognise possibilities. When that judgement becomes a fixation, however, we become narrow-minded, and demons of our own making. … Continue reading →

Just Because Someone Says Something … Just because someone says something doesn’t make it true. Even if they say it’s true, it doesn’t mean it’s true. It is for us to decide, through experience, whether something is true or not. … Continue reading →

The Knock-On Effect Whenever something happens in the world, there is always a knock-on effect, which is the consequence of action. Could it be that the consequence was the aim? Hatred and division have been stirred up in the world … Continue reading →

Fight Or Flight … Really? Here is a perfect example of omitted information. A meme appears in society and, if not questioned, becomes a ‘fact’. Even at Buddhist retreats, I’ve heard the phrase “fight or flight” used many times, and … Continue reading →

The Opposite Of Absolute Is Limited The opposite of the word ‘absolute’ is the word ‘limited’. This is why we speak of absolute truth and relative/limited truth. One is our true reality, and the other is our conventional reality. An … Continue reading →

Beware Of The Exotic If we are looking for the truth about our reality, we cannot find anything simpler than pure consciousness. If we are mesmerised and obsessed by the exotic, we will make truth something that it’s not. Exotic: … Continue reading →

We Cannot Buy Truth Absolute truth comes from direct experience and realisation, both of which we have tested. If it isn’t tested, then we do not know. Information tested becomes knowledge, and gradually leads to wisdom and enlightenment. Absolute truth … Continue reading →

Acknowledge Thoughts, Don’t Follow Them When we acknowledge our thoughts and don’t follow them, we remain in equilibrium. Equilibrium is the relief/happiness of not being controlled by thoughts. Relief isn’t gain; it’s release. This is meditation in action. Finally, we … Continue reading →

It’s Worse Than You Think, And … it’s better than you think! At an ordinary level, things look very bad in the world. Stupidity upon stupidity, manipulation upon manipulation, reaction upon reaction, and more stupidity upon stupidity. Trying to keep … Continue reading →

Extremely Subtle Disinformation Disinformation: following the form, rather than the essence. Form: the visible shape. Essence: the essential nature.  We are encouraged to look at appearances, rather than what these appearances represent. Disinformation isn’t exactly a lie, but it is selective information. It … Continue reading →

An Embryo Of Consciousness Embryo: a thing at a rudimentary stage that shows potential for development. That is what is said to reincarnate at conception, and goes on reincarnating at every moment. Our potential depends on our understanding. Some think our potential is their … Continue reading →

Mind: A Perception And Recording Machine We may assume that it’s the mind which thinks. The mind is the software of information-programming that constructs our brain, which is the hard drive. It is consciousness that thinks, and relies on the … Continue reading →

Attachment = Loss Of Clarity When attachment arises, we do not have a clear view. It is biased by preconceived ideas. Attachment is the conceptual mind fixating on things. Our minds are therefore constantly preoccupied. As long as we have … Continue reading →

Transformation Of Being We are encouraged to be over-stimulated. Stimulate: from Latin stimulat- ‘to urge, goad’ Our minds are full of agitation, allowing no time for silent, relaxed contemplation. To realise our potential of enlightenment, the ability to focus our mind is essential. The … Continue reading →