Hello my friends and what a happy day to be returning to the publishing of The Daily Buddha!
The break was important as I and my doctors resolved my knee issues (no surgery) and did the yearly overhaul and update of the website. A big thanks to each of you for your support and encouraging words. If you have a moment visit the site (www.thedailybuddha.com) and enjoy the new format.
I personally consider The Daily Buddha and each of you as a community. In Buddhism, a community of practitioners is called a “sangha”. A sangha is a community of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen who practice together in peace towards the united “goal” of realizing greater awakening, not only for themselves but for all beings.
The sangha is a principle which much of the world can greatly benefit from. People come together in groups all the time, but it’s usually for the purpose of creating monetary riches or obtaining substantial power and rarely towards the united goal of attaining peace, happiness, and realizing greater wisdom.
The principle of the sangha can be expressed in your own life in many ways. The sangha is ultimately just one way of looking at life, through the lens of the individual “expressions” of the totality. By living in a way that we’re fully aware of the power of connecting with others, whether it’s one person or a group of 100, and seeking to nurture those relationships in the appropriate way, we can transform our life in ways that will pay dividends for years to come.
So my friends let our sangha re-open the doors and lets us move forward each in our unique ways. Let us embrace our strengths and understand our weaknesses. Buddhists hold a very deep understanding of the nature of giving, particularly in that life is a constant play between the act of giving and receiving. This doesn’t just help us find peace in understanding the way of the world around us but it helps us realize the amazing gifts we all have within us that we can give others in every moment, such as our love, compassion, and presence.
Peace and Love, Jim
