The Five Great Dreams of The Bodhisatta

Prior to Buddha becoming the revered one we refer to today like all of us he too was on a journey of discovery. In pursuit of this wholesome knowledge he abandoned all worldly possessions and comforts. Over the course of five or six years he studied under many gurus of the day but either learned nothing new or quickly surpassed their teachings. 

Not long before his awakening he lived a solitary life which aided immensely to the extra-ordinary progress and strengthening of his mental concentration. 

Living in utter seclusion for fifteen days, the noble Bodhisatta (Sidharth Gautama right before his awakening into Buddhahood), dreamed five Great Dreams after midnight, just approaching dawn on the fourteenth waxing day of the month of Vesākha (the second month of the Buddhist calendar).

The Five Great Dreams and Their Interpretation

 1. When the Tathagata; worthy and rightly self-awakened; was still an un-awakened bodhisatta, this great earth was his great bed. The Himalayas, king of mountains, was his pillow. His left hand rested in the eastern sea, his right hand in the western sea, and both feet in the southern sea. 

This first great dream appeared to let him know that he would awaken to the unexcelled right self-awakening.

2. A woody vine growing out of his navel stood reaching to the sky. 

This second great dream appeared to let him know that when he had awakened to the noble eightfold path, he would proclaim it well as far as there are human and celestial beings.

3. White worms with black heads crawling up from his feet covered him as far as his knees. 

This third great dream appeared to let him know that many white-clothed householders would go for life-long refuge to the Tathagata.

4. Four different-colored birds coming from the four directions fell at his feet and turned entirely white. 

This fourth great dream appeared to let him know that people from the four castes: priests, noble-warriors, merchants, and poor, having gone forth from the home life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Vinaya taught by the Tathagata, would realize unexcelled release.

5. In the fifth dream the Tathagata walked back and forth on top of a giant mountain of excrement but was not soiled by the excrement. 

This fifth great dream appeared to let him know that the Tathagata would receive gifts of robes, alms food, lodgings, and medicinal requisites and that he would utilize them without any attachment and clinging to them.

And it was with these dreams and their interpretation that Sidharth Gautama was then given the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path that was became the Buddha or the Enlightened One we know today. And on this day, which is called Vesak Day, Buddhists all around the world celebrate.  

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

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The Five Precepts of Buddhism: A Path Towards Liberation

It seems that in modern life we are often pulled into many directions. Not knowing where to go. Who or what to believe. As a result we end up being a slave to our own superficial whims and desires. Our minds become filled with distractions and unwholesomeness.

But how do we free our minds from such trivialities we consider as important? 

We cannot achieve liberation without freeing the mind. And to achieve this liberation the Buddha teaches three valuable lessons, morality, concentration and wisdom.

Each of these teachings builds upon the other, like the concrete foundation of a home is made of cement, sand, and water. Each supporting each other to provide a solid area to build upon when solidified.

To develop our foundation we must give up what is evil and develop what is good. This process is referred to as sila.

In the Dhammapada (verse 183) this is summed up as:

Abandoning what is evil, developing what is good, purifying the mind – that is the teaching of the Buddhas.

The Buddha also tells us that the “Mind is the forerunner of all things, mind is their leader, they are made by the mind. When someone speaks or acts with impure thoughts, suffering follows, like the wheel follows the hoof of the ox.”

When we live a life founded in morality we live a life free from restlessness and remorse as a result of regret.

But what is moral behavior?

The Buddha gives us these five receipts or five virtues to develop: 

1. Abstain from killing
2. Abstain from stealing
3. Abstain from sexual misconduct
4. Abstain from wrong speech
5. Abstain from the use of intoxicating substances that cause inattention

1. Abstain From Killing

Picture a beetle on the road. At the same time you decide you're going for a walk. As you walk you encounter this beetle. Following this precept you go around the beetle. But let's now say you're driving a car and you don't see this beetle. If you did not see it and kill it, this does not result in negative karma.

Abstaining from killing also includes intentionally causing the death of another sentient being. For example, hiring someone to do this for you. You are still directly responsible.

The primary goal of no killing is to develop our compassion.

2. Abstain From Stealing

Wanting something that is not yours is an unhealthy desire and leads to suffering. This precept certainly includes taking what's not yours by theft or deception but this precept goes further than that. A more complete translation would be ‘abstain from taking what is not given’.

This precept presupposes a deep respect for the property of others. Don’t just assume that you can borrow something.

An interesting consideration of this precepts also includes wasting someone's time. This to may also be considered stealing.

 

3. Abstain From Sexual Misconduct

Sexual misconduct originates from sensory desire, physical or one of power. The desire for pleasurable experiences can be so great that you lose the ability to lookout for the wellbeing of yourself and the other.

The Buddha speaks out against sexual misconduct and offers multiple examples of what sexual misconduct is:

• sexual acts with someone who is under the protection of their parents
• with someone who already has a steady relationship,
• unwanted or punishable sexual acts (abuse),
• and prostitution

In essence, this precepts relates to any form of sexual act that harms the other person.

4. Abstain From Wrong Speech

Abstaining from wrong speech means:

• Not lying, even 'white lies'.
• Not speaking in a way that causes division among others
• Not using rude language
• Not gossiping

If we look even slightly closer at these examples we can easily see that much of what we witness on TV, from sitcoms, cable news, political speeches, or talk shows would fall under many of these examples.

5. Abstain From The Use Of Intoxicating Substances That Cause Inattention

The last precept is to abstain from using intoxicants that cause inattention. The piece ‘that cause inattention’ is essential inclusion too. This precept is specifically about abstaining from things that prevent or work against aware.

Alcohol is the most commonly used of these substances. Alcohol divides the mind and makes this awareness impossible. Whoever drinks alcohol irrevocably brings his mind into a state that is incompatible with the teachings of the Buddha.

But it's not only alcohol but also includes not taking any substances that causes one to lose conscience or conduct immoral behavior. For example, Marijuana, opium, amphetamine, sniffing glue, morphine, etc. The exception to some of these would be when they are prescribed by a physician for legitimate medical purposes.

The main purpose of this precept is to prevent your mind from becoming so weakened and losing control that you will break the other precepts.

Summary

In modern life some of these precepts may seem restrictive but when considered with the wisdom that which they were given we see that they are really freeing and liberating.

When our minds are occupied by alcohol or drug addiction are we free? No, of course not, One is then a servant to another master.

When we spend our precious time gossiping about another we are causing suffering to them, even if they aren't present, and suffering for ourselves. 

If we look at jails and prisons they are filled with people who have violated one or more of these precepts resulting in their incarceration. This too is suffering for that person as well as their family members.

When you follow these five precepts you will experience the freedom and liberation that all beings seek.

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

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Why I don't Use My 'PhD'.

Credentials. Some have them. Some do not.

Some are necessary. Some are not.

When we walk into a doctors or lawyers office, we often see all types of diplomas on the wall. From where they went to undergraduate school, graduate school, or even to some form of professional specialization within their respected field these pieces of paper are prominently on display. 

Doctors’ degrees such as the PhD, the Doctor of Philosophy, the M.D. the Medical Doctor, and the J.D. the Juris Doctorate, certainly all require a significant portion of one’s time and effort in graduate school and then successfully passing some type of state certification to be earned.

I fall into the first category, the PhD. But when you come to our meditation center, or look around our website, or even on any marketing material, you will not find any reference to doctor or PhD anywhere.

Why is that?

When I first obtained my doctorate, before I embraced Buddhism and mindfulness, I was very much a ‘title’ person. I even enjoyed the little perks that came along with it. Upon hearing ‘Dr. Zivkovic’ it inflated my ego, my sense of better than you, it was a thin protective shell for the ‘hey, look at me and what I did’.

Now as I look back with mindful reflection, for me, my title or degree has nothing to do with the quality of the messages I convey to you. My messages on the Dharma and mindfulness all originate from my heart and are transmitted with love, compassion, and wellbeing to each one of you. This is not something a certificate or degree will ever contain.

But doesn’t a PhD give you credibility when speaking to others?

No. For some, seeing these letters may offer some reassurance, but in my opinion these letters may get someone some initial attention but does the message they speak hold true. It very well may and I am pleased for them. But this is not how I prefer to transmit my message. If the letters offer you reassurance, I respectfully ask that you ask yourself ‘why’? Look deeply within yourself to find that answer.

As for me, when you come across what I say, I hope you find value in the words I say and not only because I have some letters after my name.

What is your PhD in? 

I have a PhD in Geology. But that’s not why I don’t use the ‘PhD’ in my message. It’s not that I feel unworthy or that it might be misleading in some way or even some form of ‘clickbait’’ to get attention. To me, doctor, or any other title is divisive. They promote divisiveness and not unity. An air of superiority instead of belonging. And as Dharma beings we are all connected as one. This is much the same as your little toe belong to ‘you’ as does a single strand of hair. Your toe is neither superior nor inferior to this singular strand of hair.

And you are neither superior nor inferior to anyone else. We are all connected with love, compassion, and empathy in the Dharma to all and you don't need credentials for this.

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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