What Did the Buddha Do?
Did Sakyamuni Buddha practice kaihogyo?
No!
Did he burn goma?
No!
Did he say prayers?
No!
Did he recite mantra?
No!
Did he speak the lotus Sutra?
No!
Was he a vegetarian?
No!
What did he do?
He practiced what he taught.
Taking Responsibility for the Mind: When Meditation Gets Difficult
Artist — Lim Chung Hee When we sit in meditation, thoughts arise. That’s not a problem—it’s natural. Thoughts, feelings, and sensations are the raw material of our practice. They are not interruptions; they are the very field in which mindfulness and insight develop. Often, a practitioner has a session that feels clear, balanced, even luminous. There may be a sense of accomplishment, ease, or emotional release. Then, perhaps the very next day, the mind shifts. A wave of negative emotions appears—anger, jealousy, anxiety, irritation, or despair. The contrast can be jarring: “Yesterday I was calm. Today I feel poisoned.” And then comes the fork in the path. The Habitual Move: Projection For many, the default response is projection. Instead of meeting these inner states directly, we unconsciously look outward for a cause. The discomfort is disowned and relocated onto someone or something else: “It’s because of her.” “He made me feel this way.” “They are the problem.” This is no...
