Sun, 20 Aug 2006
Been Busy
My apologies for not posting much lately. I've been working on two other projects. The first was getting the talks Lama Gursam gave last week online. They're now on his web site. Here's an excerpt from his talk on buddha nature.
The essence of enlightened mind is like space. Space has always been there. When we fly above the clouds, the blue space is always there, isn't it? But we do not always see it. The reason practice is required is like dispelling clouds. Clouds are only there temporarily, but they obscure the blue sky. Within ourselves is this buddha nature, the essence of the Buddha's enlightened mind. But we do not see it without practice. It is important to be introduced to it, so we see the true awakened mind. We always look outside ourselves. But our ability to see outside is limited.
Rather than looking outside, we should look inside ourselves and open another eye that sees much more than outside. You will see something amazing that you have never seen before. By resting naturally without accepting or rejecting, you will see your true nature. So this is the reason for practicing.
My other project is Lola, the code that will replace Blosxom in running this weblog. The advantage will be real metadata, not the Unix filesystem fakery that Blosxom employs, and comments. I've been busy testing and revising the code.
The Songsten Library got a mention in an online travelogue, Lost in the Himalayas.
The library aims to have a comprehensive collection of important books as well as rare manuscripts on Tibet and the Himalayas. Of particular interest is the collection of books on the Dunhuang documents, one of the earliest written sources on numerous subjects including history, literature, religion, law, astrology and medicine. The original manuscripts date from around the 6th to the 10th century and were discovered in the early part of the 20th century at various caves on and near the famed Silk Route in Central Asia. Another important collection will be the publications in various languages of the Buddhist Kagyur and Tengyur, the Bon Kagyur and commentaries of great scholars.
The library is presently working to make these texts as well as others available online as part of the library's development of an electronic library. The library would use advanced technology to provide visting scholars with access to see images of original manuscipts and images of Tibet online through a "digital image server" which is installed in the library itself Also, If you are interested in pursuing a short-term meditational retreat, Songtsen Library has various facilities to provide for you. There are suites with sitting room, bedroom and kitchens as well as simple single rooms -- all with private baths -- for you to choose from.
I rate it as the best place in Dehradun. Quite, serene with absoltely no honks, no pollution. There is a lush green valley to soothe your eyes and great books to captivate you in an idle afternoon. Doesn't that sound like your ideal summer retreat.
