Dwelling as a Lamp unto Oneself – Attadipa sutta

“Therefore, Ānanda, dwell as a lamp unto yourself, refuge unto yourself, seeking no other refuge; With Dhamma as your lamp, Dhamma as your refuge, seeking no other refuge.” These words clearly show how the Way of the Tathagata is to be followed as a Way that goes beyond religion.

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The Raft, to be Left Aside

In Diamond Sutra and the Alagaddupama sutta, the Buddha taught that his teachings are like a raft, to be used for a purpose and to be left aside without clinging on to. The raft simile also summarizes the meaning of the three turnings into one line. Here, we shall see how the four types of clinging are utterly abandoned using the three turnings of the teaching.

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The Symbols of Living Dharma

The sacred objects of Buddhism such as statues and scriptures are aids for working with one’s own mind. Masters cautioned not to turn them into objects of conflicts and not to be upset by their destruction. The way to protect Dharma is by being a living lamp of peace, wisdom and compassion …

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Buddhism – a Path beyond Religion

At one level, Buddhism offers practical tools that anyone can use irrespective of their religion. Beyond that, to fully benefit, one has to break free from all sorts of religious clinging – theistic, atheistic and agnostic, to take an open journey of awareness – with reason and direct seeing. Here is an analysis on this crucial point to understand Buddhism.

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