Faithfulness in Cultivation

Dear Fellow Cultivators:

Do any of you have any thoughts on not wanting to practice at home on a daily basis?  I am referring to the regular cultivation booklet
and any assigned "homework".      ???

I find it easy to practice at a temple, but not so easy at home.  Any ideas out there?


                                                     Saraswati

I am the opposite. In fact, I live in LA for 7 years and never join any group cultivation until recently. Group cultivation is long and take my entire evening. There are so many dharma brothers and sisters, I like to stay a low profile, so home is safetest place for me :-)

If you dont like to do it at home, there can be couple of reasons. do you have a comfortable place to cultivate?
are you familiar with the procedure? how long does it take for you to cultivate?

let's analyze the problem so we can help you

Mimosa

>>I find it easy to practice at a temple, but not so easy at >>home.  Any ideas out there?

Personally I much prefer to do my regular daily cultivation at home infront of my own shrine.  At home and infront of my shrine, I can decide what to practice or chant AND more importantly, WHEN to practice.

When it comes to completing homework assigned by a Master, then I feel a lot more at ease performing that home assignment at home then if I was at the temple.  At the local temple I visit, I would have to adjustment my schedule to accomodate their hours of schedule set by the temple.  This is not always convenient for me especially when my work schedule can conflict with the hours set by the temple.  Thus, for me practicing at home is more convenient.

Sarawati, if it is easier to practice at a temple and the Master and other do not mind, then why not continue practicing there?

Also, if you have a shrine at home and do not feel easy praticing at home, then why not invite a Master to your home to review your shrine setup and it's current location in your house?

Ronin.

<<Dear Fellow Cultivators:

Do any of you have any thoughts on not wanting to practice at home on a daily basis?  I am referring to the regular cultivation booklet
and any assigned "homework".  

I find it easy to practice at a temple, but not so easy at home.  Any ideas out there?


        Saraswati >>

Dear Saraswati,

First and foremost, here is a little background about myself before I will give you an honest answer in your questions herein because I have thought about it for myself.  

...Growing up in a family of 6 kids, with hard working and disciplined parents, most of my brothers and sisters are very good at what they do.  Whatever they do or whatever field they're in, the are the best of the best in the U.S. if not the top 5 percent in their field.  

...and as for myself, I am the true black sheep of my family -- I tend to float through life smelling the roses along the way and even in my work except for the so many hours that I needed complete, serious, and full concentration in my work to help others in dire need.  Sometimes is of one that would lead to life and death situation.

However easy going I am, once in while, I receive information or knowledge whether from afar or from within, but both echoed to solve a certain difficult problem in life.  It is a sword with two edges.  I realized I must be very cautious and using the knowledge for the general well beings of those I come into contact....

Back to your original question, I personally have experienced the same and have tried to analyzed my ordeal.  Although it took about 3 months with trials and errors to reach a conclusions:

1.)  I find that by going to the temple, you will learn things that you could not have by reading or done alone.  Therefore I go the temple to learn new knowledge and that I do not know.  :)

2.)  I find that it is nice to attend the 2-3 times in a year for the large/important ceremony because not only you mingle in with others, you will learn from others.  Most importantly, you will learn and feel the energy transmitted by the Varja Masters at these ceremonies.  :)

3.)  I find that you will gain so much merits from attending the Puja Fire Ceremony performed by a Varja Master or Masters and you as a participant.  I personally feel that the Varja Master is a "living Boddhisattva" taking into himself your negative energy and what not that you have created yourself in this lifetime or the many aeons ago.  If you will penetrate these practices, you will subtely feel lighter days after the Puja Fire Ceremony.  :)

4.)  I find I waste so much time at the temple on a weekly basis for group practice not to mention the time with the horrible traffic of coming and going to the temple living in a relatively large metropolitan area like myself here in Houston TX.  :-/

5.)  Therefore, from the premise #4 above, I find that by praciting at home, in front of your clean and comfortable shrine, I believe you will connect to what G.M. calls the "outer" and "inner" more profoundly.  Although, this may not always be the direct case in every practice, but from my experience, I have not find it otherwise.   ;D

6.)  On a final note, I also have experienced this that I wish to share with you too... speaking for myself here because it's what I know ok.  In the temple, when I feel that my vibration is very close to a TBS monk in the temple, while chanting together, I feel the vibration multiplies and with "his" Vajra skills and pure "heart" of his, I get to ride on his direct connection to infinite Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.  The chanting and the "unheard" sound within is the most profound experiences I have ever encountered.   :D

... and since life is fill with uncertaintly, what I have avail to me now may not be so in the weeks or months ahead.  Monks tend to go elsewhere when the time for him to leave, and I have no qualm about it; knowing that he must leave to help those in needs and perhaps much more at this time in life than my needs.

In conclusion, I pratise at home utilizing all the methods our Grand Master has taught.  I go the temple to learn what I don't know, I attend the Puja Fire Ceremony to connect with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas via Varja Master.  When praticing at home, I find that you must have "no fear".  No fear of death, no fear of the unknown.  In self cultivation, depend on no ones.  Our beloved Shakyamuni Budda has echoed before that take his teachings as the finger pointing to the moon and not the finger.  G.M. Lu is one with Shakyamuni Buddha.  :)  :D  :)

take care yourself,

Om Guru Lien-Sheng Siddhi Hum
Om Mani Padme Hum

John  ;)

Dear Mimosa, Ronin and John:

Thank you for replying to the question I posted.  I will consider your suggestions and perhaps ask more questions.
I had a string of dreams the most important part being that
Master Lu had just given an empowerment which I missed.
He had come out to ask if anybody else wanted the
empowerment.  I spoke up and heard myself in the dream,
but he passed my by.  That made me more anxious to
cultivate at home.



                                                   Saraswati     :) :) :)