Preface

Every week in the Buddhistdoor website offices, editorial staff decide on volumes of content: text articles, news stories, audio/ video recordings and in-house produced programs. Material is produced with the mission that our audiences around the world will enjoy and benefit from the varieties in some meaningful way or another.  No matter which country the reader may live in, or which level of Buddhist understanding they may have, common themes that seem to resonate amongst humanity are the desire for some peace of mind and harmony in their lives. There are many facets to daily life and each person has concerns for different aspects and balance.  With Buddhistdoor International (BDI)’s first English-language print publication, we wish to touch readers’ lives with beauty, simplicity and inspiration. The creation of the Peace of Mind book project aims to offer simple thought-provoking phrases from various Buddhist sources coupled with photography to address these everyday concerns. The five categories presented: Business, Relationships, Emotions, Health and Spiritual, cover the major areas for personal focus and development.  As a non-profit organization, our working teams include many volunteers and material contributions from members of our worldwide community. We could not have produced such a rewarding book project without the collaboration of our many friends and colleagues. We expressly thank those listed in the Acknowledgements for helping us to make Peace of Mind possible.  A final word of thanks goes to the Spiritual Director of Buddhistdoor, Venerable Dhammapala, for his boundless enthusiasm, leadership and patient guidance along the path of discovery. Through his encouragement, the teams at Buddhistdoor continue to develop and share new content in the Internet realm and distribute material to benefit all who seek the Buddha’s wisdom.  We hope that you enjoy this first print publication and find some inspiration for transforming your own peace of mind.   Cathy Ziengs, Executive Coordinator Buddhistdoor International     

Introduction

To have peace of mind is to enjoy a rare and holistic blessing. We may feel successful in our study or work, but if our emotions are troubled or the health of our relationships uncertain, it is unlikely that we could genuinely enjoy tranquility. Authentic peace of mind needs to be whole, to suffuse each facet of our lives.  This photo-book (which will also be published as an e-book) invokes the aesthetic landscapes of Buddhism and combines their visual beauty with advice and proverbs from the Buddhist tradition. It unites these landscapes with aspects of human life that, for better or worse, define our happiness (business, relationships, emotional, health, and spirituality). The Buddha taught that practitioners need an inspiring atmosphere for meditation and practice. We hope that this book can go some way to encouraging that ideal setting, whatever your circumstances.  Motivation and encouragement are only part of the story. Only by learning about peace, and studying the complex mechanisms of our thoughts, can we truly enjoy peace of mind. This is therefore, of course, only the beginning.   Raymond Lam, Editor Buddhistdoor International Hong Kong