Noble Sharing

Reflecting Views

Wat Sok Pa Luang, Vientiane, Laos - enlarge The dog can't realize Dhamma.

Humans have great potential.
It can be used for good or evil.
An evil person may even destroy a whole nation,
but we never hear of a dog destroying a country.
A good person may attain ultimate freedom,
but the dog doesn't have this potential.

(Ajahn Chah)

Rare opportunities.

Hard is it to be born as human being.
Harder is the life of a mortal.
Even harder is to be able to hear Dhamma.
Hardest of all is to attain Nibbana.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 182)
Bhante Dhammagawesi teaching in Vipassana-Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands - enlarge

Paksong, Champasak, Laos - enlarge A badly roofed house.

As rain makes its way into a badly roofed house,
so passion makes its way into an unreflecting mind.

As rain does not make its way into a well roofed house, so passion does not make its way into a reflecting mind.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 13)

Entering the caves.

Neither in the sky nor in the middle of the ocean,
nor by entering the caves of mountains,
is there known a place on earth,
where a person can escape from bad action.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 127)
Kong Lor cave, Laos - enlarge

A group of monks and novices amidst irrigation pipes at the beach of Kep, Cambodia - enlarge Irrigating water.

Irrigators regulate the water,
fletchers straighten the arrow shaft,
carpenters shape the wood,
the wise mold themselves.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 80)

A fire like lust.

There is no fire like lust.
There is no grip like hatred.
There is no net like delusion.
There is no river like craving.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 251)
Wat Sok Pa Luang, Vientiane, Laos - enlarge

View from "Nilambe Meditation Center" (website), Kandy, Sri Lanka - enlarge Gone for refuge.

People driven by fear go for refuge, to mountains and forests, to sacred groves and shrines.
That is not a safe refuge, it's not the supreme refuge.
After having got to that refuge, a person is not released from all suffering.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 188/189)

Leaving home after home.

The mindful ones exert themselves.
They are not attached to any home.
Like swans that abandon the lake,
they leave home after home behind.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 91)
Tiny homes for children at Wat Opmaa, Savannakhet, Laos - enlarge

Walking meditation at "De Stille Kracht", Westdorp, The Netherlands - enlarge Awake and aware.

If a person is awake, aware, mindful, pure, considerate, self-restrained, and lives according to duty, that person's glory will increase.

By awakening, by awareness, by restraint and control, the wise may make for oneself, an island which no flood can overwhelm.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 24/25)

Little satisfaction.

There are no satisfying lusts,
even a shower of gold pieces will not satisfy.
For sensual pleasures give little satisfaction,
and much pain.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 186)
Looking for satisfaction, Vang Vieng, Laos - enlarge

Katu people are used to prepare their coffin at young age and store it under their house until that day they will die, Thateng, Laos - enlarge Only death is certain.

Life is uncertain,
Death is certain.

(The Buddha)

Unshaken.

As a solid rock is not shaken by the wind,
so the wise are not shaken by blame and praise.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 81)
Unshaken rock and a unshakable Buddha, Grolloo, The Netherlands - enlarge

View from rock temple, Didenya, Sri Lanka - enlarge Neither mother, nor father.

Neither mother, father,
nor any other relative,
can do a greater good,
than one's own well-directed mind.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 43)

Friends.

Do not have wrong-doers for friends,
do not seek the fellowship of the wicked.
Associate with virtuous people,
seek the fellowship of noble friends.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 78)
Four friends at the temple of Paksong, Champasak, Laos - enlarge

Johan on an elephant, Tad Lo, Laos - enlarge The wandering mind.

This mind of mine used to wander,
as it liked, as it desired, as it pleased.
I shall now control it thoroughly, as the rider holding the hook controls the elephant in rut.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 326)

Empty the boat.

Empty the boat, O monk!
When emptied it will go quickly.
Having got rid of lust and hatred,
you will go to freedom!

(The Buddha, dhammapada 369)
Two children and a bamboo boat, Tad Lo, Laos - enlarge

Rice fields in Preysbaht, Takeo, Cambodia - enlarge Weeds harm the fields.

Weeds harm the fields,
hatred harms humanity.
Offerings given to those free from hate,
bring great reward.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 357)

Illuminating the world.

Whoever, even as a young bhikku,
applies oneself to the path of the Buddha,
illuminates this world,
like the moon when free from clouds.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 382)
Two bhikkus (right: Bhante Dhammagawesi) in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka - enlarge

Young novices shooting in the internet cafe, Savannakhet, Laos - enlarge The young Bikkhu.

Easily seen are the faults of others,
but one's own are difficult to see.

(The Buddha, dhammapada 252)

Going for alms at night

Monk begging at market at night - Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - enlarge

6am - women waiting for alms round of monks, Savannakhet, Laos - enlarge Morning alms

The end.
Most photographs by Johan Knol, 2007-2010.

Wat Sok Pa Luang, Vientiane, Laos - enlarge	The dog can't realize Dhamma. Humans have great potential. It can be used for good or evil. An evil person may even destroy a whole nation, but we never hear of a dog destroying a country. A good person may attain ultimate freedom, but the dog doesn't have this potential. (Ajahn Chah)
Rare opportunities. Hard is it to be born as human being. Harder is the life of a mortal. Even harder is to be able to hear Dhamma. Hardest of all is to attain Nibbana. (The Buddha, dhammapada 182)	Bhante Dhammagawesi teaching in Vipassana-Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands - enlarge
Paksong, Champasak, Laos - enlarge	A badly roofed house. As rain makes its way into a badly roofed house, so passion makes its way into an unreflecting mind. As rain does not make its way into a well roofed house, so passion does not make its way into a reflecting mind. (The Buddha, dhammapada 13)
Entering the caves. Neither in the sky nor in the middle of the ocean, nor by entering the caves of mountains, is there known a place on earth, where a person can escape from bad action. (The Buddha, dhammapada 127)	Kong Lor cave, Laos - enlarge
A group of monks and novices amidst irrigation pipes at the beach of Kep, Cambodia - enlarge	Irrigating water. Irrigators regulate the water, fletchers straighten the arrow shaft, carpenters shape the wood, the wise mold themselves. (The Buddha, dhammapada 80)
A fire like lust. There is no fire like lust. There is no grip like hatred. There is no net like delusion. There is no river like craving. (The Buddha, dhammapada 251)	Wat Sok Pa Luang, Vientiane, Laos - enlarge
View from "Nilambe Meditation Center" (website), Kandy, Sri Lanka - enlarge	Gone for refuge. People driven by fear go for refuge, to mountains and forests, to sacred groves and shrines. That is not a safe refuge, it's not the supreme refuge. After having got to that refuge, a person is not released from all suffering. (The Buddha, dhammapada 188/189)
Leaving home after home. The mindful ones exert themselves. They are not attached to any home. Like swans that abandon the lake, they leave home after home behind. (The Buddha, dhammapada 91)	Tiny homes for children at Wat Opmaa, Savannakhet, Laos - enlarge
Walking meditation at "De Stille Kracht", Westdorp, The Netherlands - enlarge	Awake and aware. If a person is awake, aware, mindful, pure, considerate, self-restrained, and lives according to duty, that person's glory will increase. By awakening, by awareness, by restraint and control, the wise may make for oneself, an island which no flood can overwhelm. (The Buddha, dhammapada 24/25)
Little satisfaction. There are no satisfying lusts, even a shower of gold pieces will not satisfy. For sensual pleasures give little satisfaction, and much pain. (The Buddha, dhammapada 186)	Looking for satisfaction, Vang Vieng, Laos - enlarge
Katu people are used to prepare their coffin at young age and store it under their house until that day they will die, Thateng, Laos - enlarge	Only death is certain. Life is uncertain, Death is certain. (The Buddha)
Unshaken. As a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, so the wise are not shaken by blame and praise. (The Buddha, dhammapada 81)	Unshaken rock and a unshakable Buddha, Grolloo, The Netherlands - enlarge
View from rock temple, Didenya, Sri Lanka - enlarge	Neither mother, nor father. Neither mother, father, nor any other relative, can do a greater good, than one's own well-directed mind. (The Buddha, dhammapada 43)
Friends. Do not have wrong-doers for friends, do not seek the fellowship of the wicked. Associate with virtuous people, seek the fellowship of noble friends. (The Buddha, dhammapada 78)	Four friends at the temple of Paksong, Champasak, Laos - enlarge
Johan on an elephant, Tad Lo, Laos - enlarge	The wandering mind. This mind of mine used to wander, as it liked, as it desired, as it pleased. I shall now control it thoroughly, as the rider holding the hook controls the elephant in rut. (The Buddha, dhammapada 326)
Empty the boat. Empty the boat, O monk! When emptied it will go quickly. Having got rid of lust and hatred, you will go to freedom! (The Buddha, dhammapada 369)	Two children and a bamboo boat, Tad Lo, Laos - enlarge
Rice fields in Preysbaht, Takeo, Cambodia - enlarge	Weeds harm the fields. Weeds harm the fields, hatred harms humanity. Offerings given to those free from hate, bring great reward. (The Buddha, dhammapada 357)
Illuminating the world. Whoever, even as a young bhikku, applies oneself to the path of the Buddha, illuminates this world, like the moon when free from clouds. (The Buddha, dhammapada 382)	Two bhikkus (right: Bhante Dhammagawesi) in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka - enlarge
Young novices shooting in the internet cafe, Savannakhet, Laos - enlarge	The young Bikkhu. Easily seen are the faults of others, but one's own are difficult to see. (The Buddha, dhammapada 252)
Going for alms at night	Monk begging at market at night - Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - enlarge
6am - women waiting for alms round of monks, Savannakhet, Laos - enlarge	Morning alms