One Coin, Two Sides

08 Sep 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Good and BadBuddhism teaches that our lives are endowed with both good and bad aspects simultaneously. The human mind switches between ten individual conditions, The Ten Worlds, and as we know, each World contains the other nine.

The lowest three Worlds are those of Hell, filled with suffering, Hunger, which is dominated by greed, and Animality, characterised by fear of the strong or powerful and contempt of the weak.

The two highest worlds are those of Bodhisattva and Buddhahood, states of mind in which people strive to help others to eliminate their suffering and attain happiness.

Good and bad, happiness and sadness exist together, they cannot be separated and are integral parts of life. In fact it could be said that to try to describe one without the other would be meaningless.

Buddhist practice cannot remove bad things from our life nor the sadness, but it can help us deal with them (Poison into Medicine), and by doing so, help us and those around us promote the good and the happy aspects.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

Much Pomp And Circumstance

07 Sep 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Last Night of the PromsI’ve been watching the Last Night of the Proms since I was a little lad, and it’s a wonderful and enduring spectacle. With the people watching around the world I imagine the audience must run into the tens of millions. Of course it’s a very British event, but seeing so many people united, by the pure joy of the evening, lifts the heart.

How wonderful the world would be if we could unite people in love, compassion and respect for each other. That is the aim of Kosen-Rufu, to transform the political and religious differences into a mutual love and respect for all living beings.

If it can be done on a small scale by the Henry Wood Promenade concerts, surely there is hope that it can be done on a world-wide basis.

A Light At The End Of The Tunnel?

06 Sep 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Flames Of WisdomSo many of the ills in modern society are driven, if not caused, by our insatiable desire to earn, to own, to use, more and more.

Companies spend millions creating adverts to reach our deepest psyche and flick on the basest of urges, often I suspect, without us even realising the manipulation we are undergoing.

Aside from our own mental suffering, our cravings are having consequences in third world countries, the recent collapse of the clothing factory in Bangladesh being an indirect result of our desire for cheaper garments.

Nichiren spoke of earthly desires being used as fuel for the flame of Wisdom.

Buddhism teaches the converting of personal ambitions and desires, even base ones, into good traits like Wisdom, through altruistic living. A Buddhist doctrine that earthly desires are enlightenment, indicates that greed, anger through violence, and egocentricity can be transformed into altruistic traits such as compassion, trust and nonviolence.

The underlying delusions that drive our desires, including the desire for the development of science and civilisations, can be essentially transformed in a way that changes selfishness into altruism, violence into nonviolence and suspicion into trust.

The Western exploitation of emerging countries, for cheap labour and materials, simply to satisfy an ever growing market is totally unsustainable and must change. Until we can stop enriching certain groups at the expense of others, and concentrate on enriching all people by our actions, there will never be a sustainable peace, economy or even happiness in the world.

Young At Heart

05 Sep 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

YouthWe all strive to remain as young as possible, as long as possible, though aging disgracefully is something I am concentrating on too at times.

Youth has so many positives. The opportunity, the enthusiasm, the endless potential. Here are a few thoughts about youth in general, from people who can express themselves far better than I.

I hope you enjoy them …

Youth is not a time of life, it is a state of mind.
it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees
it is a matter of will, a quality of imagination, a vigour of the emotions
it is the freshness of the deep springs of life. Samuel Ullman (poet)

— + —

That we take pains to protect weapons while we expose children –
the future of the race – to peril is impermissible.
To ignore this absurdity will spell defeat for humanity.
We must not live to destroy.
We have the spiritual power to create peace and happiness. Daisaku Ikeda

— + —

Let me be more mother than the mother herself
in my love and defence of the child who is not flesh of my flesh.
Help me to make one of my children my most perfect poem
and leave within him or her my most melodious melody
from that day when my lips no longer sing. Gabriela Mistral (teacher)

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Testing Times

04 Sep 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Testing TimesEach day brings us joys and challenges, all of which have the potential to alter our life-state in some manner. Joys tend to raise our life-state, challenges may lower it if we let them, and there lies the conundrum. We need to be vigilant, to observe our life-state from moment to moment, but in doing so, we affect that life-state.

Just as in quantum physics, the mere act of observation affects the phenomenon being observed, self observation of our life-state can, and most likely will affect that too. Imagine a situation where you become angry because something has not gone the way you would like. Initially you may be reacting instinctively, in an animalistic fashion. But as soon as you realise that you are reacting in such a manner, in other words, you observe your life-state, there is a fair chance that you will change to that of a more calm and reflective mood, even into a state of tranquillity.

So we have this little test for ourselves. We must be, as far as possible, aware of our life-state. Ideally we want to be in one of the higher states, not grubbing around in the worlds of Hell, Hunger, Animality or Anger, but in Learning, Realisation, Bodhisattva or even Buddhahood. The act of testing can help us raise our life-state through awareness, which is a good thing. But be warned, when the results come back, and you find you are in one of the lower worlds, that can be a sobering moment, when you realise that you are not as far along the path to enlightenment as you would like to be.

Shorter Days

03 Sep 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Lighting The WayCycling to and from work is doing me a power of good, though I am beginning to wonder just how much longer I can do it before the ever darker mornings force me to change my route, or invest in some serious lights.

This morning, although sunrise was officially 5 minutes before I set off, it was still quite gloomy and there was also a light sea mist, so it was blinking lights front and rear, all the way to the office.

Whilst the current lights do a very fine job of signalling my presence to other cyclists and road users, the front light won’t provide sufficient illumination to ride safely up the Castleman Trailway, the beautiful tunnel of trees that takes me from Creekmore, all the way to the top of Gravel Hill.

Even the cycle path alongside the A31 has its fair share of interesting challenges. Tree roots, raised manhole covers, lumps, bumps and wonky kerbs all serve to keep the riders attention, even though it is a great deal safer than jousting with the traffic. In daylight, they are inconsequential, but in the deepening gloom, they could present a problem.

So do I succumb to the shortening days, put the bike away until next spring, or make the necessary purchase to allow me to continue? The Dark Passenger, my fundamental darkness, is telling me that it will soon be much colder, wetter, that the car would be so much more comfortable. He’s right, of course he is, but I am determined to stay fit and not reverse any of my hard-earned weight loss, so where’s that Wiggle website?

I’m Saying Nothing

02 Sep 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Keeping QuietThere are times when, unwittingly, we become involved in other people’s problems, whether we want to be, or not. At times like this, Wisdom, Courage and Compassion are needed, but in a slightly different way than when we have our own problems. We may often need the Wisdom to step back and look at it in a dispassionate way.

We will certainly need the Compassion to determine our feelings, from that detached viewpoint, and the Courage to offer help if required, knowing that our offer may well be rejected. Just try being there with an open heart and a calm mind. There will be people on the periphery who feel the need to state their opinions, whether that helps the situation or not. These opinions may well be founded on sound principles and deeply held beliefs, but they are not generally of any help, they are just their own opinions.

If you find yourself in such a situation, you must be prepared to wait to be asked for your help. Staying detached, objective and silent, may in fact be all the help you can offer at that time. But remember that time is a great healer, often the best healing medium we have, so be prepared to extend your Wisdom, Courage and Compassion over the long term.

Wakey, Wakey !!!

01 Sep 2013 4 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

A Bright IdeaSometimes I surprise myself, or rather something, that in all truth should be totally ingrained by now, suddenly permeates my grey matter and comes as a bit of a shock. I’ve been writing my blog for nearly three years now, and over sixty thousand people have visited it in that time, but it is important that the whole purpose behind it is not to get attention, is to help me, and others, to reach a state of enlightenment.

Daisaku Ikeda says this of enlightenment, or the state of Buddhahood:

If we attain the state of Buddhahood in this lifetime, that state will forever pervade our lives. Throughout the cycle of birth and death, in each new lifetime, we are endowed with good health, wealth and intelligence, along with a supportive, comfortable environment, and lead lives that overflow with good fortune. Each of us will also possess a unique mission and be born in an appropriate form to fulfil it.

Quite a statement, but how amazing would that be? That was the shock. That my practice and my musings about it each day, are actually helping me, and hopefully you, along the path to the most amazing goal.

Maybe I am a bit dim, maybe I should remind myself more often, but I hope that my posts help others, even if it is only a simple thought that strikes a chord.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

A Real Pride

31 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

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

Godlingston CemeteryYou may remember my post about seeing cemeteries during the course of my cycling trips. Well it’s happened again.

Godlingston Cemetery in Washpond Lane near Swanage holds 15 Commonwealth war graves from World War II.

Maintained by the War Graves Commission, it is a credit to the town, to the Commission and more importantly, a credit to the brave servicemen who gave their lives in the service of their King.

This evening, whilst looking at the boats in the Quay, I heard a very familiar sound, that of four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines droning overhead. It was the Lancaster from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, having done a fly-by at the Bournemouth Air Show, but that sound and the memories it conjures, left a real sense of pride to be British.

When other countries are been blamed for injuring and killing their own people, it is a great thing that we still hold those men, and machines, who fought for our freedom between 1939 and 1945, so dear.

Coincidentally, one of the graves in Godlingston is that of Michael Giles Homer DFC, a Pilot Officer, who while flying with 44 Squadron was decorated for his actions during a bombing raid in 1940. The citation reads:

“In April, 1940, this officer was pilot of an aircraft carrying out a high-level bombing attack on two enemy cruisers anchored in Christiansand Bay. In the face of intense anti-aircraft fire and attacks by enemy fighters, he successfully pressed home his bombing attack and his air gunner shot down an enemy fighter which burst into flames and crashed into the sea. Although his aircraft had been damaged he skilfully piloted it back to his base, which necessitated a sea crossing of more than 400 miles.”

Although it is unlikely that Pilot Office Homer flew the Avro Lancaster, as 44 Squadron was only equipped with them in late 1940, after his demise, it is a fitting link and further goes to illustrate the ‘connectedness’ of all things.

Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster

A Little Common Sense, At Last

30 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Cameron DefeatedAfter the disgraceful tissue of lies that allowed Tony Blair’s Labour government to take us to war with Iraq back in 2003, it was heartening to see David Cameron get his comeuppance in the Syrian vote last night.

Whilst none of us want to hear about the atrocities going on in Syria, arming the rebels, or targeting the government forces will not solve the underlying problem.

Like taking a paracetamol for a toothache, addressing the symptoms will not solve anything in the long run, you must get to the root of the problem. Now it is clear that the ‘evidence’ of these incidents is anything but clear. Who did what to whom is open to conjecture.

So rushing in, John Wayne like, with all guns blazing is a recipe for making things a whole lot worse, not better. The tiny ray of light, which became visible last night, is that finally the government is listening to reason, and the people, and has been forced to resort to common sense and take stock.

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