Silver Linings

20 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Salisbury CathedralIt’s Friday evening and the weekend is here. The drive up to Bristol started rather slowly. The rain we have been waiting for has arrived at last, and it was really pouring down as I set off from the office. Something told me that the journey was going to be difficult.

Driving up the A36 was going well, the rain stopped and the traffic was light, maybe my fears would be unfounded. Then I came round a bend a couple of miles outside Salisbury and saw a queue to end all queues.

The progress was painfully slow, no sign of the cause, maybe just the Friday rush hour at it’s worst. But then, coming over the crest of a hill, I was treated to an amazing sight. The magnificent Salisbury cathedral, across the fields, so beautiful.

I’ve seen the view many, many times, but tonight I was sitting in stationary traffic, so I had time to take a photograph. And although I don’t agree with all aspects of the Christian religion, they have given us some of the most amazing architecture.

So as with all challenges in life, every cloud has a silver lining. The trick is to keep an eagle eye open for it, and make the most of it when it appears.

All Bugged Up

19 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , ,

Chant Yourself BetterThe morning had started so well, that pesky virus that the boss had brought into the office had appeared to have been defeated and I was feeling great. My morning auto chant had been followed by a short phone call to Bumble and all was right with the world.

But as the day wore on I started feeling sniffy and my throat was getting sore again, curse you pesky virus. It was clear that the infection had just taken the morning off but was now back with a vengeance, just in time for my annual appraisal.

So the boss and I coughed and sniffed our way through, what turned out to be a rather positive, dissection of my last twelve month’s of effort. It looks as though my bonus will fall well short of that of the bankers, so short in fact, that it will be non-existent, but times are tight.

By the time it came to wend our way home, I was feeling hot and cold, had a runny nose and just felt like going straight to bed, so I did. But by nine, I was wide awake and needed to take the fight to these invaders. So I put on some warm clothing, had a hot drink, and settled down in front of my Gohonzon.

Who knows what the neighbours thought, because I’m usually quite quiet when I chant, but tonight I let rip and kept it going and going. With my hands pressed together against my chest, I could feel the vibrations coming from my solar plexus and that’s always a good sign.

After forty minutes of chanting, my nose had stopped running, my temperature felt normal and most surprising, my sore throat has gone. Now I’m not claiming any mythical healing powers for chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, but my life-energy was definitely on the up.

All I know is, that chanting works for me. Whether I’m feeling down, or stressed, or in this case, a bit sick, it works. It’s actually a pretty good work out if you do it with some gusto, a bit like a gentle jog or a bike ride, nothing too strenuous. But it allows me to focus on my self-awareness and to let whatever is ailing me drift off into the background.

So next time to get the sniffles, forget the Night Nurse, the Beecham’s or the paracetamol, give yourself a huge dose of extra strength NMRK and feel better instantly.

Anger – Good And Bad

18 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , ,

AngerNichiren wrote that wrath can be both good and bad. Self-centred anger generates evil, but wrath at social injustice becomes the driving force for reform. Strong language that censures and combats a great evil often attracts adverse reactions from society, but this must not intimidate or deter those who believe they are right.

Remember, a lion is a lion because he roars.

Having said all that, anger that is misdirected or caused by illusion or misconception is a wholly bad thing and can be very damaging. So before you vent such anger on an unsuspecting victim, take stock and let that anger fade. Compassion is far more positive and will achieve far more in the long run.

Doing The Right Thing

17 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , ,

Justice For AllFurther developments in the Abu Qatada extradition story must be giving others the same troubled thoughts as I am having. Cleric Qatada is, without doubt, a dangerous man, extolling, as he does, acts of terrorism and killing on behalf of the mujahedeen. His release from Long Lartin jail in mid February caused outcry in the UK.

He has been accused of being one of the UK’s most dangerous extremist preachers as well as the spiritual head of the mujahedeen in Britain. Many, many people in this country would be very happy to see him sent back to Jordan, where he has been charged with terrorist activities in his absence.

But the fact that he is clearly a dangerous influence and potentially a risk to UK security does not give us carte blanche to put him on a plane and send him off to a country who make little effort to hide their use of torture to extract ‘evidence’ for legal cases.

We like to pride ourselves on our British characteristic of fair play, to extol the virtues of our democratic society and our belief that everyone is equal under British law. So it is beholding to us to extend those qualities to everyone, even if that person is undeniably an unsavoury and potentially dangerous character.

We must do, and be seen to do, the right thing by cleric Qatada. We must abide by the decisions made in the European Court of Human Rights regarding the terms and conditions of his extradition to Jordan. We must also make full use this high profile case, to exert pressure on Jordan to stop the use of torture under any circumstances and to press them to respect the United Nations Human Rights Treaty.

The reports today from Westminster, that Qatada can be removed from the UK ‘in full compliance of the law’ is meaningless if he is removed to a country that flouts international treaties and tortures confessions out of people. If we remove him in the wrong circumstances, we will bring more trouble upon ourselves in the future, so let’s get it right.

Relationships And Renovations

16 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Relationships And RenovationsThe title sums up my life right now, well not quite, but there’s a lot of both going on at the moment. Strangely, there’s a deal of similarity between the two in some ways.  So you think I’ve been breathing in too many undercoat fumes lately? Ok, let me explain.

A new relationship is brilliant, it’s exciting, challenging and can occupy all your spare time. Renovation is rewarding, it’s exciting, challenging and can also occupy all your spare time. But let’s look at it a different way.

When you decide to renovate a property, you prioritise the projects and work through the rooms, one by one. There’s no point starting with the decor if the roof needs fixing, pretty dumb to install a new bathroom suite if the drains need sorting.

There are important milestones in the project. Roof sorted, electrics and plumbing finished, floors fixed, walls plastered. Then you decide on a certain room you want to concentrate on, and you live with the others until the important one is done, then you move to the next and the next and so on.

Say you sort out the kitchen, get it really nice, smart, efficient and install the appliances. You enjoy the fruits of your labour, but you wouldn’t give up on the renovation just because you got a glimpse of the lounge, or the bathroom. You go onto the next stage, deal with the problems and enjoy the progress as it comes along.

As relationships grow, mature, there are times when you discover aspects, core beliefs or character traits that test the strength of the bond at that point in time. That’s how relationships develop. You learn about each other, you agree about some things, you may have to compromise about others, it’s a learning process.

You learn about new aspects all the time. Together, you agree, you compromise or agree to disagree about them and so the relationship grows. But just like the renovation, you don’t give up on the whole project just because there is a little more work to be done in the next room. And just like renovations, the more effort you put in, the more satisfaction you get out of them.

Energy To Burn

15 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Nam-Myoho-Renge-KyoLife is punctuated by a series of  problems and challenges, but what is the real difference between them? Generally speaking we call situations we can deal with, challenges, and those we fear we cannot deal with, problems. But actually, the difference is in our own heads and depends more on our life-state at the time the situation arises.

If we are in a higher life-state, we look upon the situation as a challenge. We concentrate our energies to resolving the situation and pride ourselves that we rose to the challenge. If, on the other hand, we are depressed and in a lower life-state, we tend to get further depressed by the situation, our life-energies are reduced and the problem, as we now call it, becomes insurmountable.

So the question is, how do we keep our life-energy, and hence our life-state, as high as possible in order to enable us to confront situations with confidence. That’s where chanting comes in. When I chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, I can feel my life-energy increasing.

The more I chant, the louder I chant, the higher my life-state rises, so when situations arise, as they always will, I am in a better position to deal with them. It works for me, and it works for millions of people across the world, so why not give it a go and see whether it will work for you, I’m sure it will.

An Alternative View

14 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , ,

An Alternative ViewAs you might expect, my Gohonzon has it’s own special place in my apartment and although that isn’t the only place I chant, it doesn’t come with me when I travel around. Although chanting isn’t always done alone, being in a strange place, as in new to me,  requires me to seek out a little secluded spot to practice.

Last night, through all the thunder and lightning, B and I headed off to her aunt’s house in a little village just outside Totnes in Devon. We arrived late and the place was as dark as could be, no street lights and no moon because of the clouds, so I didn’t get to see the view until this morning.

To say that it was breath-taking would be an understatement. Beautiful rolling countryside as far as the eye could see, and all bathed in beautiful sunshine. I was trying to be a little quiet and so had delayed my morning practice until I could slip quietly away. After breakfast, B and her aunt went out into the garden to inspect the plethora of unusual plants growing there, and seeing the opportunity, I made my getaway.

The South facing picture window in our bedroom was the perfect vista to substitute for my absent Gohonzon, so while the ladies were outside, I stood and looked at the view and chanted. They say that variety is the spice of life, and I can concur with that view. Chanting in new and interesting places is fun, energy-giving and powerful, and as usual, I felt my life-energies rising as I chanted. So much so, that I am even tempted to start a new section of the blog, dedicated to photos of my experiences.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Just Be Grateful

13 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , ,

Just Be GratefulWe all know one. The person you dread meeting by the coffee machine. The one who never has a good word to say about anything. Who when you ask them how they are, gives you a list of all the things wrong with them, never a positive word about anything or anyone. A proper drain on your energies.

We’ve got someone here at work, a lady who’s been here for ages, who’s part of the furniture, who thinks that she’s the cog that keeps the whole place running. She’s in sales, and when I was introduced to her a while ago said ‘Always remember, I’m the one who pays your wages’. I’m sure you know the sort.

As you might expect, she not the most popular member of staff, the one who is missed when she’s on holiday because the atmosphere in the office is that much more joyful. Nobody has a good word to say about her, and she’s avoided by everyone if at all possible.

But it got me thinking. She’s unhappy most of the time, unless she’s just made a large sale, and she’s intent on bringing everyone else down to her level. So there’s an expectation set, that she’ll be grumpy, or rude, or both when I have to deal with her. So I have decided to get my infinite compassion ray ready, to try to make her feel better about whatever she is complaining about. I smile when I’m talking to her, and always try to leave the conversation on a positive note.

I look at it this way. I have to cross her path once in a while, and that can be challenging. But she has to live with herself all the time, and she’s unhappy, so how does she feel about things? So I’ve been quietly putting the compassion idea around to see if we can’t all help her, help herself, to be a little more jovial, and with me at least, it seems to be working.

If you have someone you know who fits the same mould, maybe you might try a little compassion too. You never know, it might just change the way they view you, given the principle of oneness of self and the environment. A little extra love never goes amiss, so give it a try and be prepared to see the change, and just be grateful that it’s not you I’m writing about.

Walking The Walk

12 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Walking The WalkWhether it was the early night and the extra couple of hours sleep that made me a bit dopey, or whether it was the difficult topic of conversation I was having on my Bluetooth headset I don’t really know. But I wasn’t very proud of the way I dealt with the situation when a chap didn’t stop at the road traffic calming ‘chicane’, forcing me to mount the kerb to avoid hitting him in his bright green Honda Civic.

It’s easy to sit here, in the quiet of my living room, and pontificate about staying calm and dealing with challenges in a nice controlled manner. Being able to deal with real life situations is so different from the theory, but it does give you a really good measure of how well you are doing on your journey to enlightenment.

I did manage to stay fairly calm, helped possibly by the fact that I didn’t find any damage to the car when I stopped to take a quick look. The traffic down to Canford Bottom roundabout was slow and that gave me a few moments to compose myself further. I then chanted my head off all the way to Ringwood, so by the time I got into the office I was chilled and in the right life-state to tackle the usual pile of emails waiting in my inbox.

So when you read some of the topics on my blog, and think ‘I could never be like that’ or ‘I would like to give that a try, but I just can’t see it working for me’ remember that I’m only human and that even though I do practice what I preach, it doesn’t always work all the time. Still I was quite proud that I managed to ‘get it together’ though chanting and mindfulness. Learning, through a little slip, is valuable and just goes to prove that we do need challenges to make us stronger.

Unconditional Love

11 Apr 2012 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Unconditional LoveLoving, and being loved is really great isn’t it? There is little to compare with the feeling one gets from being part of a loving relationship, but there are two types of love, unconditional and conditional. Unconditional love is about giving without limits, about being happy for the happiness of others. Conditional love, on the other hand, can be painful for both parties. Elements of jealousy, or the need to be loved in order to love, can lead the way to a painful end of the relationship.

Buddhism defines love as an action. It is that force that motivates people to become better, to improve themselves in order to reach eternity and happiness. Love brings out the best in people, as when they love, the target is not themselves but the beloved one. This wish to serve the other is a reflection of an innate knowledge that everyone is connected through the same principle, and therefore, it is an illusion to believe that one can achieve true happiness while those around haven’t attained it . So, love is the action that makes people forego their own ego and concentrate their efforts on the other in a search for fulfilment.

Personally, I have been criticised for suggesting that, if my partner would be happier with someone else, that I would not stand in their path. That feeling, I believe, shows that I love them unconditionally and, arguably, more than someone who wants to control or confine them. It does not mean that I want them to go, just that I want them to be happy, and that my happiness is found through their happiness.

Achieving unconditional love is hard. So many people feel that they need to be loved to be happy. In fact, the most happiness comes from loving another, and the need to be loved is often a sign of insecurity. Loving unconditionally requires a totally unselfish attitude to the other. Being happy when they are happy, being happy for them when they succeed, rather than feeling jealous of their success. Keeping those negative feelings in check requires constant effort, but the happiness gained from so doing is unbounded.

So take a look at your motives next time you tell that special someone that you love them. Will you still love them if that love is not reciprocated? Are you happy for them when they find pleasure in something that is of no interest to you? Would you sacrifice the relationship if that added to their happiness? If the answer to any of those questions is no, then you are not loving unconditionally.

It is not the end of things if you are not, there is always time to change. Loving everyone, in the broadest sense of the word, is a very rewarding way to lead your life. Being concerned for the happiness of someone who clearly has no time for you is tough. Going the extra mile to ensure that the happiness of another at the expense of yourself is not necessarily a natural thing to do, but the rewards for doing so are great indeed.

So next time you say ‘I love you’ to someone, try mentally tagging on ‘no matter what’ to that phrase and see how that makes you feel inside. If you can honestly say that it makes no difference to you saying it, then you have reached the state of unconditional love and that will reward you every time you say it.

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