Water pouring over a classical stone fountain, turquoise, repaired end, column style, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

Water pouring over a classical stone fountain, turquoise, repaired end, column style, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

Stone statue of Vajra Guruda in prayer mudra, Yangleshö cave, Lower Pharping, Nepal

Stone statue of Vajra Guruda in prayer mudra, Yangleshö cave, Lower Pharping, Nepal, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

Snow Lion Decoration on Pharping Chorten Nepal

Snow Lion Decoration on Pharping Chorten Nepal, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

Serves Unselfishly, in stone, Seward Park, Seattle, Washington, USA

Serves Unselfishly, in stone, Seward Park, Seattle, Washington, USA, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

The living forest tree, ferns growing on a tree, Seward Park, Seattle, Washington, USA

The living forest tree, ferns growing on a tree, Seward Park, Seattle, Washington, USA, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

HE Avikritar Sakya, on his Dharma wheel and deer throne, orange kata and silks, Lam Dre, Tharlam Monastery, Bodhanath, Kathmandu, Nepal

HE Avikritar Sakya, on his Dharma wheel and deer throne, orange kata and silks, Lam Dre, Tharlam Monastery, Bodhanath, Kathmandu, Nepal, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

Tree shadows on a ridge at Greenlake, Seattle, Washington, USA

Tree shadows on a ridge at Greenlake, Seattle, Washington, USA, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

Front row of lamas and tulkus praying, while others hand out samaya substances, Tharlam Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism, Boudha, Kathmandu, Nepal

Front row of lamas and tulkus praying, while others hand out samaya substances, Tharlam Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism, Boudha, Kathmandu, Nepal, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

Young Tibetan Buddhist monks come bearing presents for the Lamdre Lama, HH Jigdal Dagchen Sakya, long Tibetan Buddhist books of prayer, Tibetan carpet, dressed in holy day orange, maroon robes, Tharlam Monastery gate, Boudha, Kathmandu, Nepal

Young Tibetan Buddhist monks come bearing presents for the Lamdre Lama, HH Jigdal Dagchen Sakya, long Tibetan Buddhist books of prayer, Tibetan carpet, dressed in holy day orange, maroon robes, Tharlam Monastery gate, Boudha, Kathmandu, Nepal, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

Artist monks working on completing the sand Kalachakra mandala inside the pavilion, stage, Kalachakra for World Peace, red light during a lighting change, Verizon Center, Washington D.C., USA

Artist monks working on completing the sand Kalachakra mandala inside the pavilion, stage, Kalachakra for World Peace, red light during a lighting change, Verizon Center, Washington D.C., USA, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

Nepalese graffitti, new construction, two women wearing red chubas, storm weather, Tibetan Monastery, road to Pharping, Nepal

Nepalese graffitti, new construction, two women wearing red chubas, storm weather, Tibetan Monastery, road to Pharping, Nepal, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

Village in the valley below, terraced fields, Himalayas, traveling to Pharping, on the paved road looking at rural Nepal

Village in the valley below, terraced fields, Himalayas, traveling to Pharping, on the paved road looking at rural Nepal, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

The long line to take the Amitayus - Hayagriva Long Life Blessing and Initiation, Tharlam Monastery gate, conversation while choosing a katag, Tibetan people, Red White Blue are the Sakya colors, Boudha, Kathmandu, Nepal

The long line to take the Amitayus - Hayagriva Long Life Blessing and Initiation, Tharlam Monastery gate, conversation while choosing a katag, Tibetan people, Red White Blue are the Sakya colors, Boudha, Kathmandu, Nepal, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

Star of Bethlehem, Magi - wise men or wise kings travel on camels with entourage across the deserts to find the savior, moon, desert, Holy Bible, Etching, 1885

Star of Bethlehem, Magi - wise men or wise kings travel on camels with entourage across the deserts to find the savior, moon, desert, Holy Bible, Etching, 1885, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

lightdragon

lightdragon, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

moroccan chair

moroccan chair, a photo by blueSkySunHigh on Flickr.

Parable of the Cobra Snake

A long time ago in ancient India there lived a gigantic cobra snake. And It was mean and it was bad – it went around biting everything and everyone – animals –dogs, cats, chickens, you name it - young people, old people, healthy people, sick people, rich people, poor people. It was bad and it was big.  

One day a great guru was walking through town and came up to the cobra and in its’ language – ‘cause you know gurus can speak all kinds of languages – said, “what are you doing? What what?” He just tiraded on this cobra. “What are you doing ? Don’t bite people – why are you biting people?”  

The cobra felt so bad, “I’m sorry, I am sorry holy guru…I’m so sorry.”  

And the guru said “look I’ll give you a teaching - Look just don’t bite anybody any more and everything will be just great.” So he left.

  

He comes back a few months later – and he was looking for the cobra to see how he was doing. And he asked the people in the town “What happened to the cobra?” And they start laughing, “Oh, he’s on the other end of town, you should see…” 

And the guru, surprised, went to the other end of town and there hiding in the bushes beaten to crap - broken bones, bleeding, bruises - is the cobra. And the guru said “what happened?”  

The cobra said “Well you told me not to bite anyone.”  

And the guru smiled, “Yah I told you - you couldn’t bite anybody but I didn’t tell you couldn’t hiss!”

Linda Lane in a courtyard with a Buddhist shrine, prayer wheel, and prayer wheels, bicycles, window, wood door, wearing a dark colored Tibetan Chuba, green silk blouse, and striped apron, in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 1990

Linda Lane in a courtyard with a Buddhist shrine, prayer wheel, and prayer wheels, bicycles, window, wood door, wearing a dark colored Tibetan Chuba, green silk blouse, and striped apron, in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 1990, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

Monks working, on top of Gelugpa Monastery in process of completion, near Guru Rinpoche's cave, overlooking the Pharping Valley, town and terraced fields, mountains in the distance, Pharping, Nepal in 1990

Monks working, on top of Gelugpa Monastery in process of completion, near Guru Rinpoche's cave, overlooking the Pharping Valley, town and terraced fields, mountains in the distance, Pharping, Nepal in 1990, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.

Statue of Vishnu supine, resting on a bed of nagas or snakes in a tank of water, with offering flowers, covered with a tent, Kathmandu, Nepal in 1990

Statue of Vishnu supine, resting on a bed of nagas or snakes in a tank of water, with offering flowers, covered with a tent, Kathmandu, Nepal in 1990, a photo by Wonderlane on Flickr.