Fasting in the monastic community is considered an ascetic practice, a “dhutanga” practice. Dhutanga means “to shake up” or “invigoration”. The Buddha, as is well known, emphasized moderation, the Middle Way that avoids extremes, in all things. Fasting is an additional method that one can take up, with supervision, for a time.
A man’s value depends upon his courage and resolution, his veracity depends upon his traits of nobility and self-respect and his chastity depends upon his sense of honor.
As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.
Rain down your wisdom in sacred streams to carry me like an upturned leaf through the currents of this grey day.
