And Finally …

18 Oct 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

TGIFWell it’s taken a whole week to get here, but finally Friday has arrived again. I know what you are saying, you were going to fill every minute, of every day, with sixty seconds of gainful employment, and I have. But doing that doesn’t stop me being pleased that, arguably, the best day of the week has put in a much appreciated appearance at last.

The weather looks like it’s going to be a bit pants over the weekend, but that can’t stop us having fun if we are determined to make the most of our weekend. Hopefully a little cycling will supplement an eclectic mix of housework and socialising. I can feel the lure of Old Harry, Corfe Castle, Creech Hill and Studland calling already. There’s a fair chance that my bike and I will get a bit wet and muddy, but that’s half the fun isn’t it.

It has been a funny old week, with a few things going pop around the place, but having finally realised that I was wishing the days away, put me in a good place to boost my life-energies through chanting a bit more and that raised my life-state. Being in one of the higher worlds really does put a sunny outlook on everything and everyone, so I hope you managed to join me, and that you too are going to have a really great weekend.

A Moment Of Peace And Quiet

17 Oct 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Peace And QuietWith the trials and tribulations of the current infrastructure changes, by lunchtime I was in need of some peace and quiet.

Fortunately, the stream behind the office is exactly the right place to find such an environment, so while others sat and ate sandwiches or wrestled with the microwave, I took several long minutes to just stand and chant in the midday sunshine.

With all the summer foliage still standing, it’s perfect to hide myself away, watch the quiet waters flow past, and let my mind find its equilibrium as the trials and tribulations of the day drifted away with the lazy current.

If we are to deal with the challenges of every day life, it is important to take a deep breath, to inhale the quieter side of life, and release the stress that builds up inside. Next time you find yourself feeling agitated, stressed out, or getting submerged beneath the everyday strains that life puts upon us, find a quite spot, take time to stand still and just let those anxieties drift away.

Far from being a waste of time, they may be the most important minutes of your day.

Cracks Appearing?

16 Oct 2013 1 Comment

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

Cracks Appearing?Looking back at the events of the past few weeks, I have issued myself a warning not to rest on my laurels. Buddhist practice is like a dog, for life, not just for Christmas, and must be part of your very being.

I have not shirked my practice, but my tolerance of people has waned, so I know I must do more towards my goal. The difficulty is getting the balance right, treading a line between regular practice and learning, and an obsession with the challenges in life, like losing weight and getting fit.

Given the fact that the whole point of adopting Buddhism as a way of life is to gain a happier existence for me and those around me, I need to get this right.

Those of you who know me, know that I have an addictive nature and throw myself into new ventures wholeheartedly. The problem, in the past, has been keeping that going. I have been, I admit openly, in the World of Hunger, for most of my life, always looking for the next new thing.

I am certain that I am addressing that and making some headway, but self criticism is always healthy in this respect.

The reason for keeping this blog, apart from sharing the joy, is to prove to myself that I have changed, and that I have the drive and desire to keep my practice strong. You have my permission to tell me if you see cracks appearing, and I know a certain someone who will.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

Are You Writing Nice Letters?

15 Oct 2013 2 Comments

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

Creating Our Own DestinyThe law of cause and effect, action and reaction, applies to everything in life and forms the basis of our Karma.

The results of all the causes we have made in this, and previous lives, is precisely why we are where we are today.

The more good causes we create, generally speaking, the more good effects we see, and the happier we are with our lives.

Dora, in the book The Buddha, Geoff and Me, explains that Karma is a bit like letters we write to ourselves. Many of those letters were written so long ago, that we have forgotten all about them.

The nice letters are lovely surprises when they arrive. Nasty ones come as a bit of a shock, they may annoy us and we might even write another nasty one in response. Of course, in time, those responses get delivered too, so the cycle may repeat itself, time after time.

That is, of course, until you understand the way the process works. Once you realise that you create the causes, you can create causes for nice, or good effects, rather than going round and round forever.

I cannot imagine a more important lesson to learn, to know that your Karma, and hence your future, is determined by you? It is the most empowering feeling, to take control of your life and to have your destiny in your own hands.

Take A Look At Yourself

14 Oct 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Take A Look At YourselfWhen we become submerged in difficult situations, when the way forward looks bleak and less than inviting, it can be tempting to start pointing a finger at others in order to find a way to lay the blame at their door.

But there is an old Buddhist saying about pointing fingers at others. When you point, one finger points out, away from you, towards the one you are blaming.

But look at your hand, three fingers are pointing back, at you, towards the person who is also to blame. Meaning that for each inference you point at others, three will be pointed back at you. But there is another way.

If you are honest with yourself, really, truly honest, and you examine the situation from all angles, you will almost certainly find that you are indeed responsible for making some of the causes that, in conjunction with another or others, have contributed to the outcome in which you find yourself.

Rather than trying to apportion blame, take responsibility for your own actions, you will find it a very cathartic experience, I know, I’ve been there. The unsurprising side effect is that it will also change the way in which others perceive you. They will recognise the Wisdom, Courage and Compassion in your new found attitude, and will respect you for all it represents.

Choosing Happiness

13 Oct 2013 2 Comments

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

Happiness Is A ChoiceIt may seem to be a strange thing to say, but our happiness, or otherwise, is actually a choice we make for ourselves. It’s basically tied to the way we view the challenges that life throws at us.

When something happens, something we would rather hadn’t happened, we have a choice to make. Do we throw our hands in the air and go into a mood of depression, or do we face the issue head on?

If we take the former route, only seeing the bad side of things, the issue will seem to get bigger and worse than it actually is. Our depression will make things even worse, and a negative spiral ensues. This is not a good route to a positive outcome, and even if we were to conquer the problem, it would take us longer and require more effort in the long run. How often have you got into a state over something, only to realise, in the fullness of time, that it really wasn’t as bad as you thought?

The other way to approach things, is to remain calm, look for the positives, and there will be some, rather than focussing on the negatives. A calm mind works better than a frantic mind. Focussing on the positives actually raises our life-state, which makes us feel more energetic and more able to do what needs to be done and meet the challenges head on.

Enlightenment has been described as a state in which we are continuously happy. Now that might sound a bit far fetched, but if we make the right choices, consciously and subconsciously, we can maintain a state of happiness. To attain the ability to control our minds to such a degree that we make the right choices every time is no small matter, which is why the path to enlightenment is long and winding. But I know that I am further down the path each day, and the goal is worth every ounce of effort.

Boys, Boys, Boys

12 Oct 2013 1 Comment

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

Boys, Boys, BoysSpending time with my grandsons is blooming hard work, and absolutely brilliant at the same time. Talk about a barrel load of monkeys, even Oliver, the two year old, run on some form of perpetual motion engine. They just don’t stop, which is awful and wonderful at the same time.

I really don’t see enough of the boys. Partly because of the geographical separation and partly because as families, they are always doing something, going somewhere, busy, busy, busy. The trouble is, they don’t stop growing, maturing, learning, simply because I’m not around. So when I do get to see them, they are almost different, although lovely, little people.

So this morning was a real pleasure. Watching the boys interact with each other, while we watched Ice Age for the Nth time and blew up balloons for Rob’s 40th birthday party this evening, was great fun. Letting the balloons go flying around the room, scattering boys in all directions, caused much amusement, even though some of them got a bit soaked in spittle after a while.

The morning flew by and all the exertion was a bit too much for Ollie, who went off to bed for a nap. The east of us continued the fun until Charlotte and Rob returned and set about making lunch for the assembled throng. I’m making silent promises to myself to be back up here very soon. Jake will be 8 in a few days time, then it will be Christmas, so there are lots of reasons to return, it just takes a bit of arranging.

Instant 80’s Kutai

11 Oct 2013 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

SiouxsieIn a vain attempt to block out the distractions of the office, I’ve been listening to an 80’s compilation album this morning. Some of the tracks are fillers with no special meaning for me, but some are kutai-tastic and have all the memories flooding back.

Bands like Culture Club, New Order, Bronski Beat, Thompson Twins, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Blondie, Billy Idol, The Stranglers, the list goes on and on and on, and so do the memories.

All sorts of memories came flooding back as the lyrics and notes unlocked them, some good, some not so good.

Only I could see them, but they were as real as were the original experiences. So they exist and they don’t exist all at the same time, and Nichiren Buddhism calls this Ku, short for Kutai. All they need are the right conditions to become manifest, in exactly the same way as our own innate potential does.

Now the morning itself has been consigned to history, as indeed has typing this sentence, but all those memories will remain forever.

November 2013 – Global Meltdown?

10 Oct 2013 1 Comment

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

Radiation Effects - Click for detailsIn March 2011 I wrote a post asking for thoughts and prayers for Japan in the wake of the huge earthquake. Today I am asking for you to offer prayers for the team of experts who will, at the beginning of November, attempt the clean-up of the Fukushima nuclear plant.

In a horrific ‘damned if we do, damned if we don’t’ scenario, there is a pressing need to remove the spent fuel rods from the cooling pond of reactor no. 4 before another earthquake occurs. The task is unbelievably complex and dangerous and involves moving 400 tonnes of highly irradiated and damaged fuel rods.

The rods, of which there are over 1300, are 4.5 metres long, weigh about 300kg and contain Plutonium, amongst other highly radioactive components. Ordinarily, the process would be monitored by a sophisticated computer controlled safety system, but since the disaster destroyed this, it will have to be done using machines controlled by hand.

When you consider that the total radiation of the rods is equivalent to around 14,000 times that released by the Hiroshima atomic device used in WWII, the scale of the problem becomes clear. Coupled with the fact that there is no form of containment vessel to stop radiation escaping into the atmosphere, this becomes a truly global issue.

Whilst not trying to create any form of panic, I urge you to read an article describing the situation, and maybe share the information contained within it with your friends and families. It is important that the facts about the gravity of this challenging task are widely known. Our thoughts and prayers should be with all those concerned, for all our sakes.

Have Faith

09 Oct 2013 Leave a comment

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

The Lotus SutraBe resolved to summon forth the great power of faith, and chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo with the prayer that your faith will be steadfast and correct at the moment of death.

Never seek any other way to inherit the Ultimate Law of life and death, and manifest it in your life.

Only then will you realise that earthly desires are enlightenment, and that the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana.

Even embracing the Lotus Sutra would be useless without the heritage of faith.

~ Nichiren

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