The US Continue To Drone On

11 Dec 2012 Leave a comment

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

Another US Drone over PakistanThe BBC Panorama program last night about drone attacks over Pakistan, painted a rather ugly picture of covert operations, run by the C.I.A., against supposed al-Qaeda operatives in the province of Waziristan.

According to the latest data compiled by the New America Foundation from reliable news reports, 337 C.I.A. drone strikes in Pakistan have killed an estimated 1,932 to 3,176 people since 2004, of which 1,487 – 2,595 were reported to be militants.

This means the average non-militant casualty rate over the life of the program is 18-23 percent. In 2012 it has been around 10 percent, down sharply from its peak in 2006 of over 60 percent.

Putting a Buddhist slant on these operations, it can clearly be seen that they are rather lacking in Wisdom, Courage and Compassion. I find it difficult to see any courage in attacking defenceless people, from the safety of a remote control centre, from an unmanned robot aircraft.

There is certainly little or no compassion felt for the innocent bystanders and citizens who are caught up in these lightning strikes, some of whom have been seen to be women and children. And where is the wisdom, when even the most moderate Pakistanis are turning against the U.S. purely because of these cowardly and seemingly often misdirected attacks.

It is past time for President Obama and his advisors to have a serious rethink. The war on terror was never really a war, it was the enforcement of an ideology, and the current methods and operations are only serving to stir yet more hatred, and encourage greater numbers of young Islamic men to rise up against their common foe.

Please have the courage to enter into dialogue with al-Qaeda, the wisdom to see that the emphasis must change from causing destruction to promoting development, and the compassion to stop these terrifying drone attacks on populated areas, no lasting peaceful outcome can ever be found down this path.

Ultimate Responsibility

10 Dec 2012 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Ferdinand InjuryIf ever there was a salutary lesson in being responsible for our actions, it has to be the very sad outcome of the prank phone call made by two DJs from Sydney Radio 2DayFM, which resulted in the suicide of Mrs Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse who transferred the call.

Whilst it is very clear that Michael Christian and Mel Greig had no intention of causing such a terrible outcome, they have to bear the responsibility of their actions. In a statement on Australian TV, they both expressed remorse at her sad death.

Yesterday’s incident at the football match between Manchester’s City and United, in which Rio Ferdinand was struck above his left eye, by a coin thrown from the crowd, resulted in a nasty gash and a little spilt blood, but it could have left Ferdinand with a career ending injury and blind in his left eye.

We are all responsible for every thought, word and deed through our karma. That might sound like too much to bear, but it also gives us total and ultimate control over ourselves and our lives. Next time you feel the urge to do something, to say something, even when you think something, remember, you are ultimately responsible for the outcome.

Open To Suggestions

09 Dec 2012 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Open-MindedYesterday’s post about karma elicited a comment from Frank King, giving us an alternative viewpoint. Whilst it might be tempting to stifle arguments that counter my view of life, I feel it is more honest to embrace and offer them for discussion.

When open and engaged, we are experiencing the greater self. When closed off, we are putting forth our “lesser self.” The lesser self is a deluded condition, while the greater self is synonymous with the Buddha nature.

To live for the greater self means to recognize the universal principle behind all things and, thus awakened, rise above the suffering caused by awareness of impermanence. A belief in something eternal is needed to enhance our quality of existence.

By believing that this lifetime is the be-all and end-all of existence, we will miss out on living a truly profound life. When our viewpoint expands beyond the boundaries of our present existence to include the entire, eternal universe, we can live deeply fulfilling lives.

Good Causes

08 Dec 2012 3 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Making The Right CausesBuddhism, which is founded on the law of cause and effect, stresses the concept of karma. This principle explains that life at each moment is subject to the cumulative effects of causes made in the past.

What we do, what we say and what we think are all causes. And according to Buddhism, the moment we do something, say something or think something, an effect is registered in the depths of our being.

Then, as our lives meet the right circumstances, the effect becomes apparent. Personality traits are strongly connected to our karma.

The good news is that, unlike fate, our karma can be changed by causes we make from this moment forward. In fact, the practice of Buddhism is essentially the practice of continually changing our karma.

Do Not Fear Change

07 Dec 2012 3 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

A Clean SlateSometimes we need to wipe the slate clean, take a deep breath, and start anew. With the New Year just around the corner, this might just be the perfect time to do so. Having new goals, new horizons and renewed vigour is just the ticket.

I know that some people fear change, are loath to relinquish all the effort put into a particular path, even if that path may not be taking them in the right direction. I am not one of those people. I embrace change in all its forms, and look forward to a new start.

Similarly, Buddhism looks at death in same way as sleep, it is not the end of something, it is a period of rest before the beginning of something new. In the case of sleep, it is the beginning of a new day. Death, on the other hand, is the beginning of a whole new life. So I do not fear death, though I do not wish to hasten its coming.

I intend to make the most of each and every day, and when death does arrive, as it will, I will enjoy the rest before being reborn into a new and exciting experience.

Who’s Next?

06 Dec 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Children Are PreciousYesterday it was Stuart Hall, today it’s Max Clifford, taken into his local police station for questioning over allegations of sexual abuse. Who’s going to be next? Those of us who are normal, listen to these stories and wonder what on earth is wrong with these people.

Whether it’s a power trip, a deviancy or some form of mental illness, the real point is that children, some as young as eight, have potentially had their lives ruined by people who are, but arguably should no longer be, in positions of power and trust.

Daisaku Ikeda summed up the way children should be regarded and treated in order to blossom to their full potential, not to be stunted or damaged.

Every child is precious. The Lotus Sutra tells the parable of the three kinds of medicinal herbs and two kinds of trees. There are many different kinds of plants; their shape, size and nature come in myriad varieties.

Some plants grow fast while others take time to mature. In this parable, however, the heavens rain upon all the plants equally, nurturing their growth. And the plants blossom and bear fruits according to their own unique character.

This parable symbolizes the Buddha’s vast compassion to nurture all living beings despite their differences. All children are different; each possesses his or her wonderful unique quality. We must pour upon all children our great love and compassion so that each child can blossom, true to his or her unique quality.

Nichiren Works For Me

05 Dec 2012 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Nichiren BuddhismSo many of the World Religions base their beliefs on a God, a Supreme Being, a Creator or an Entity whose existence is the focus of the religion’s belief.

As a confirmed Atheist, that focus never sat comfortably in my psyche. I don’t think anyone really believes in a white haired old man sitting in the clouds these days, but there are millions of people who base their faith on a Being whose existence cannot be proven. In fact, many religions actively seek to dissuade followers from even trying to prove that existence.

I was schooled in the Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology as well as Psychology, and those sciences demand proof for each and every hypothesis. So when I stumbled, and that is the right way to describe it, upon Nichiren Buddhism, I was overjoyed to find that there was no supreme being and that every part of Practice demands we examine the results of that Practice as proof of it’s validity.

Nichiren Daishonin said that we should seek proof of the effectiveness of our Practice in the results it brings. He also says that if the results do not support the practice, that we should desist.

I don’t want anyone to think that I am putting Nichiren Buddhism above or before any other religion, I am only saying that, for me, it fits my thinking and for me, it works.Although I have been practicing for a little while now, I am still learning new things every day, and the results have been amazing so the proof is there for me, and others to see.

Indestructible Happiness

04 Dec 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Nichiren DaishoninThere is an expansive life-state of profound, secure happiness, that transcends any material or social advantage.

It is called faith; it is called the life-state of Buddhahood.

As Nichiren reminds us:

“It is the heart that is important.”

It is in the heart of faith that Buddhahood resides and boundless and immeasurable happiness shines forth. Happiness is not something located far away.

We must realise that it exists within our own lives. Nichiren Buddhism teaches this and shows us how to attain indestructible happiness.

~ Daisaku Ikeda

Taxing Times For Starbucks?

03 Dec 2012 4 Comments

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

Starbucks looking to buck the trendI was pleased to hear, on the radio today, that Starbucks the US coffee chain, are in conversation with the UK tax authorities (HMRC) with a view to restructuring their business in order to pay, what is deemed to be, a reasonable amount of corporation tax on their UK based operating profits.

Whilst it should be stressed that Starbucks are not breaking the law, their methods of doing business, using tax differentials across Europe, through which they can actually post an operating loss in the UK, has been seen by many to be wholly unethical.

Naturally, the accountants and tax planners employed by Starbucks are actually only doing the job for which they are paid. So a degree of the blame for this situation must fall on the HMRC and the Treasury for the way they have structured UK tax law.

With other companies such as Amazon and Google also falling under the ‘tax-dodging’ spotlight, it is heartening that the bad publicity, combined with a drop in customer figures and brand respect, has actually forced the company to think again about their social responsibility.

Whilst these companies undoubtedly bring a significant number of service related jobs to the UK economy, this is no excuse for allowing them to shirk their responsibilities when it comes to paying their fair share of tax. As customers, we have a very powerful lobby against these companies, by voting with our feet, and must keep up the pressure until justice is seen to be done.

It would be fun to be a fly on the wall at the meetings going on in Starbuck Central right now. You can bet that one of the phrases being used is ‘how little can we get away with’ and not ‘won’t it be great to pay our share’.

Having two brothers in the accountancy game, I’m loath to question their motives. But it would be really great to think that this dose of ‘enforced responsibility’ might ripple down (or up) into other areas of society whose ethics fall too close to ‘poor’ on the social responsibility scale.

Charity Open Season

02 Dec 2012 3 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Charity Calendar?Being stuck indoors all weekend, still trying to shift this cold, I have to admit that I have watched more TV than is good for me. I must say that those old X Files still make for good viewing and that Gillian Anderson is rather more appealing as Dana Scully than she is as Miss Havisham in the recent BBC version of Great Expectations.

Anyway, I digress. What really struck me was the propensity of adverts promoting charities. Here in the UK, we seem to have an unwritten rule, that there are no adverts for summer holidays until after Christmas Day.

Clearly no such rule exists for charity adverts. Everything from Save the Children telling me that 20,000 children die every day, to the World Wildlife Fund saying that the equivalent of two football fields of the Leopard’s habitat is felled each hour. The strange thing is, that £2 a month will fix both of these sad situations.

Now I like to think I am as generous as the next person when it comes to donating to charity, but being bombarded by these unconvincing messages really isn’t going to persuade me to give more. With money being tight for everyone at the moment, I really feel we need to be shown the truth, not just peppered with emotive images and fed heart-rending sob stories.

We all know that there are deserving causes out there, and that our charities are seeing reducing donations as a result of the recent economic downturn. It may well be, that research has found that £2 a month is the optimal amount to ask for, when analysing conversion figures, but it all sounds so hollow and I just find I don’t believe their message.

Just to put the lid on the argument, I am told that the 2013 Countryfile Calendar costs £9, £4 of which will be donated to the BBC Children In Need charity. That means that £5 will not be donated. Now that is fine, but they put such an emphasis on the charity side of it, whereas, actually, it’s just another BBC product. To my mind, charity and advertising just do not mix, so please don’t try to pull the wool over our eyes.

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