This explains the current crises...

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This explains the current crises...

Linda is the proprietor of a bar. In order to increase sales, she decides to allow her loyal customers - most of whom are unemployed alcoholics - to drink now but pay later.

She keeps track of the drinks consumed on a ledger (thereby granting the customers loans). Word gets around and as a result increasing numbers of customers flood into Linda's bar.

Taking advantage of her customers' freedom from immediate payment constraints, Linda increases her prices for wine and beer, the most-consumed beverages. Her sales volume increases massively.

A young and dynamic customer service consultant at the local bank recognizes these customer debts as valuable future assets and increases Linda's borrowing limit. He sees no reason for undue concern since he has the debts of the alcoholics as collateral...

At the bank's corporate headquarters, expert bankers transform these customer assets into DRINKBONDS, ALKBONDS and PUKEBONDS. These securities are then traded on markets worldwide. No one really understands what these abbreviations mean and how the securities are guaranteed. Nevertheless, as their prices continuously climb, the securities become top-selling items.

One day, although the prices are still climbing, a risk manager (subsequently of course fired due to his negativity) of the bank decides that slowly the time has come to demand payment of the debts incurred by the drinkers at Linda's bar. However they cannot pay back the debts. Linda cannot fulfil her loan obligations and claims bankruptcy.

DRINKBOND and ALKBOND drop in price by 95 %. PUKEBOND performs better, stabilizing in price after dropping by 80 %. The suppliers of Linda's bar, having granted her generous payment due dates and having invested in the securities are faced with a new situation. Her wine supplier claims bankruptcy, her beer supplier is taken over by a competitor.

The bank is saved by the Government following dramatic round-the-clock consultations by leaders from the governing political parties (and vested interests). The funds required for this purpose are obtained by a tax levied on the non-drinkers.

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DDMBA - April 25 High Park Event

In case you are interested:


DDMBA Ontario April Community Event: Outdoor Month

When: Saturday April 25, 2009, 9:30 am – 1:30 pm
Where: High Park, across from Grenadier Restaurant
Website: http://www.toronto.ca/parks/highpark/map_highpark.pdf.pdf


Dear Friend,

With Spring finally here and flowers starting to bud, DDMBA Ontario is going outdoor this month to enjoy the wonderful nature.

For this event, we will venture to High Park, one of the most popular parks in Toronto and home to many wildlife species. The day will begin with some warm up stretching exercises, then a stroll along some of the most scenic routes in High Park. If the timing is right, we may even see cherry blossoms in full bloom!

Right before lunch, we will have a game with some yummy prizes to give away!

Lunch will be potluck style. Please bring a vegetarian dish to share. Also, please bring your own plates, mugs and utensils.

This event is open to everyone. Please feel free to invite all your family and friends. We look forward to seeing you!

In case of rain, please call DDMBA @ 416-855-0531 on the event day for information on alternative plan. Thank you.

Amitofuo!

DDMBA Ontario
Website: http://www.ddmba-ontario.ca

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Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche Toronto Visit from August 18–23, 2009

In case you are interested:

Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche Toronto Visit from August 18–23, 2009

The Program of Teachings and Empowerments

Padampa Sangye's "The Hundred Verses of Advice"

Padampa Sangye known as Kamalashila in India was born in the twelve century. He was an accomplished scholar and a highly realized yogi in India. He traveled to Tibet on three occasions and spent a considerable amount of time in the region of Tingri on the boarder of Tibet and Nepal.

The Hundred Verses of Advice is a spiritual testament of Padampa Sangye. These teachings were given a year before he passed into nirvana in Tingri at the request of one of his close disciples. These teachings offer great guidance to people of all walks of life, whether Buddhist or not, for trying to a make the best out of the ordinary daily life in accordance with the dharma.

Chod practice

Every one whether Buddhist or not can receive immense benefit by being present or participating in the chod practice led by the lamas during the visit of the Very Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche's visit in Toronto. Brief teachings will be given by the lamas before the practice. Chod is a vajrayana method to practice the essence of the "Heart Sutra" with the ultimate aim of attaining the realization of emptiness. Relatively, chod practice is an efficient way to dispel the obstacles caused by evil spirits or demons and to accumulate merits by offering one's own body.

Red Chenrezig Empowerment

Red Chenrezig is the embodiment of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the three times and ten direction carrying out compassion enlightened activities. His youthful emanation on a standing posture signifies his commitment and readiness to act on eliminating the sufferings of all the sentient beings in the six realms. He is the "stirrer of the pit of samara" The sadhana of this particular practice of Red Chenrezig is a relatively new discovered terma without any doubt of maintaining the purity of the unbroken lineage.

84 Mahasiddi Empowerment

This is the first time that 84 Mahasiddi Empowerment ever held in the West. The Very Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche is the main teacher of His Holiness The 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Orgyen Trinley Dorje and other lineage masters of the Karma Kagyu. With the advancement of his age, the activities and traveling of the Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche in the West will be limited accordingly in the coming years. It is therefore extremely fortunate and auspicious for people to treasure the chance of receiving this kind of empowerment.



AUGUST 18

10AM - 12 PM. TEACHINGS ON PADAMPA SANGYE'S "THE HUNDRED VERSES OF ADVICE"
2.30 PM - 4 PM TEACHINGS ON PADAMPA SANGYE'S "THE HUNDRED VERSES OF ADVICE"
4.30 PM - MAHAKALA PUJA
7 PM - CHOD



AUGUST 19

10AM - 12 PM. TEACHINGS ON PADAMPA SANGYE'S "THE HUNDRED VERSES OF ADVICE"
2.30 PM - 4 PM TEACHINGS ON PADAMPA SANGYE'S "THE HUNDRED VERSES OF ADVICE"
4.30 PM - MAHAKALA PUJA
7 PM - RED CHENREZIG EMPOWERMENT



AUGUST 20

10AM - 12 PM. TEACHINGS ON PADAMPA SANGYE'S "THE HUNDRED VERSES OF ADVICE"
2.30 PM - 4 PM TEACHINGS ON PADAMPA SANGYE'S "THE HUNDRED VERSES OF ADVICE"
4.30 PM - MAHAKALA PUJA
7 PM - CHOD



AUGUST 21

10AM - 12 PM. TEACHINGS ON PADAMPA SANGYE'S "THE HUNDRED VERSES OF ADVICE"
2.30 PM - 4 PM TEACHINGS ON PADAMPA SANGYE'S "THE HUNDRED VERSES OF ADVICE"
4.30 PM - MAHAKALA PUJA
7 PM - LONG LIFE AND PUJA FOR THE DECEASED



AUGUST 22 - 84 MAHASIDDI EMPOWERMENT

10AM - 12 PM - TEACHINGS ON THE EMPOWERMENT / PREPARATION
2.30 PM - 4 PM -TEACHINGS ON THE EMPOWEREMT/ PREPARATION
4.30 PM - MAHAKALA PUJA
7 PM - EMPOWERMENT



AUGUST 23 -84 MAHASIDDI EMPOWERMENT

10AM - 12 PM - TEACHINGS ON THE EMPOWERMENT / PREPARATION
2.30 PM - 4 PM -TEACHINGS ON THE EMPOWEREMT/ PREPARATION
4.30 PM - MAHAKALA PUJA
7 PM – EMPOWERMENT


For further information, please go to
http://www.ktzl.org/content/view/56/


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Happy Easter

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Happy Easter everyone!!


Everything I Need to Know,
I Learned from the Easter Bunny...

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.


Walk softly and carry a big carrot.

Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.

There's no such thing as too much candy.

All work and no play can make you a basket case.

A cute little tail attracts a lot of attention.

Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.

Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.

Some body parts should be floppy.

Keep your paws off other people's jellybeans.

Good things come in small-sugarcoated packages.

The grass is greener in someone else's basket.

An Easter bonnet can cover the wildest hare.

To show your true colors, you have to come out of your shell.

The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.

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People you NEED

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God doesn't give you the people you want, He gives you the people you NEED.

To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be.

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More on gratitude

Dear Stephen,

Thank you so much for sharing your learning experience with us. Yes we can all benefit by being more truthful to one another.

Talk is cheap. Practice is the only way to convince yourself that you can walk the walk. I am with you on this part.

Action is stronger than words. The problem is our actions can be very deceiving, in order to cover up our 3 poisons (greed, hatred and ignorance).

We can learn to be grateful, pretend to be grateful... The most important essence is "gratitude has to come from our heart"...

Those who recite the name of Amitabha everyday is not guaranteed a place in the Pureland. "How you do" it is more important than "What you do".

I am not challenging your statements, instead I am contributing my supports.

Am I making any sense?

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How to practise "gratitude"

Stephen wrote to me:

Talk is cheap. Practice is the only way to convince yourself that you can walk the walk.

Here is what I do:

In order to cultivate this habit, one must 'force' oneself to identify things/people around you that you really feel grateful about.

I started by dropping down on my journal at least 2-3 items per day that you are thankful of (and explain why).

Review your collections every week/month and put some after-thought or comments about them.

Track your own milestones. In a year's time, you'll accumulate over a couple of hundred gratifications.

Keep recording, refreshing & reflecting(3Rs). Until you become empowered, as if it's your second nature.

Hope this method will be helpful to you and others who are serious about this practice.

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