Growing up in America, it wasn't until the circulated book, Siddartha, came into my life that Buddhism's rigor too came into my life. Sanskrit terms too complex to even pronounce without a qualified Guru; places, concepts, and interpretations were mere terms memorized...they lacked heart, center.
One of the first times' i've ever herd the term "Rose Apple Island", in the southern contenant of Mount Meru, a decent place for the Dharma to flourish.
I was on Maui, and a Tibetan Lama kindly asked me to hold the Mt. Meru (Meru or Sumeru aka Kailash are the same thing) Mudra, this hand Mudra is a representation of the entire universe, and as the Lama leaned in he gently said that most are born in the south.
Living in a unDisclosed temple, I was listening to a podcast where a former monastic proff. from Berkely was giving lecture on "True stories from the Pure land" a collection of miraculous happenings from China such as people dying whilst sitting straight up, and telling their children not to cry or be sad, as she is going to the pure land, (as just one example); the proff noted that other conentants surrounding Mt. Meru are not conducive for the Dharma to Flourish, luckly all of the people on the Rose Apple Island, ourselves included, have just the right Karma to have been born here.
The third time was when The Prajna Paramita in 8000 Lines was introduced into my life. This text is a teaching from the Historical Buddha, as he was dwealing on Vulter Peak Mt. in Rajagriva. In the opening odes, it introduces a disciple of the Buddha, Subuti, and subuti's authority,
"The rivers all in this Roseapple island,
Which cause the flowers to grow, the fruits the herbs, the trees,
They all derive their might from the king of the nagas,
Draw their warmth from the Dragon in the lake Anopataptpa, his magical power."
--These occurrences in my life i needed to develop the proper faculties to memorize, and perhaps define these, like a College student... yet, it wasn't until I found this reading, The Tibetan Book of the Dead, that...well i wont spoil it for ya
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http://rapidshare.com/files/334949730/01.mp3.htmlhttp://rapidshare.com/files/334949739/02.mp3.htmlhttp://rapidshare.com/files/334949740/03.mp3.htmlhttp://rapidshare.com/files/334949742/04.mp3.html--
on demonoid,
http://www.demonoid.com/...details/2097241/3422573/let me know if you'd like this anywhere
• May all sentient beings have happiness and the cause of happiness. This is the
measureless love (metta).• May all sentient beings leave suffering and the cause of suffering. This is themeasureless compassion (karuna).• May all sentient beings not separate from sympathetic joy that is beyond happiness and suffering. This is the measureless joy (mudita).• May all sentient beings leave attachment to dear ones and aversion to others. This is the measureless equanimity of renouncing (upekkha).