Awoke with many questions in my head about what to do for the day. Regardless of the uncertainty, I joined the Dao Zoom meeting at 5:00am, and that felt really good. I went for a walk afterward to wander a and get grounded and self-located. Breakfast at the hostel was small sweetbread sticks with chocolate, and some nice white rice – both made with love – the hostel owner is so lovely <3 I must learn her name. After the walk in the sweltering heat, I had tuned into the fact that I didn’t have much way of getting around the city, so I did some more laptop research to figure out what to do, and what was best.
The advanced Dao zoom covered the 15 rules for buddhahood, which I’m typing out for my own integration and study here:
1. Respect the immortals and Buddhas – about forming identity, there ARE ascended masters, and understanding that I don’t know everything;
2. Respect the predecessors and guide the successors – Be grateful and humble;
3. Decent presentation and just demeanor – this is propriety for good vibration transmission;
4. Obey the rules and regulations – So that you don’t get spiritually “hit by a car”;
5. Take up responsibilities – 9 balls principle, service to others and learning new principles solves the puzzle of daily life, eliminating self attachment, do auspicious activities;
6. Place greater importance in the sacred and look lightly on mundane affairs – The most important responsibility a human can take up is Thought Awareness;
7. Be modest and affable (amiable) – keep your temper and agitation in awareness always;
8. Do not discard sacred transcripts – not totally literal but the essence is treating the teachings as sacred and of utmost importance.
9. Do not be captivated by form and appearance – form is just energy in a momentary perception;
10. Procedures must be clear and without ambiguity – this is about being in integrity;
11. Inform when depart and report when return – Teachers and importance – teachers should be compassionate, non-judgmental, wise spaces to confess or reflect on – report when your awareness rises back after a departure from the path – also be aware of when you deal with mundane vs sacred modes of being;
12. Do not disorder the system – keep the golden thread of wisdom pure from the source it came from;
13. Treasure public property – you could be messing with someone else’s life if you mess with it;
14. Handle matters with flexibility – Don’t need to be strict on others unless they ask for it or agree to it – strictness with yourself is better but compassion is king;
15. Be prudent in making statments and careful in personal conduct – don’t entangle in further illusion or delusion.
I Then went to Shinshoji Naritasan Buddhist temple – a massive and amazing compound of structures on a spacious and beautifully cultivated grounds. participated in a burning ceremony with chanting, and the earth-shaking Air-breaking structure-quaking thunder of the largest drum I’ve ever seen, a taiko at least 3 meters tall. I was given a personal tour by a very wise man who spoke excellent English – he was Japanese but I didn’t get his name. The compound was all about the fire of the angry buddha, flames coming from his back symbolizing his energy to eliminate suffering when seen in others. The Phoenix was also present – symbolizing continuous healthy and prosperous society. The guide told me about how Bodhisattvas are often seen as gender-free, and that transgender individuals in ancient societies would have them to pray to and be accepted as under – he was quite eloquent about this topic which I was hugely grateful for. My Chinese Zodiac, year of the rat, means that my guardian Buddha is the 1000 hands buddha – each of the 12 years has one of 8 guardians – some guardians have 2 years they cove. So the eyes of the guardian I looked into called me forward to dedicate an devote myself. I called into question my life’s conduct, and that I still am undedicated, not having gone full send into devotion. I wandered the awe-inspiring grounds with a new friend, hours passed and went home after a bike ride and some food. night night.