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.

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.

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.

Always Small Steps

05 Oct 2013 Leave a comment

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

The Climb To Grange HillMaking full use of the good weekend weather, I had decided to set myself a challenge and to ride up to the top of Creech Hill, via Old Harry Rocks, Swanage, Corfe Castle and Kimmeridge. On paper, or at least on the map, it looks very easy. On the road, it is a rather different matter.

I’m getting used to the undulations on my usual training route, so there were no surprises between home and the foot of the mount at Corfe Castle. But taking a left off towards Kimmeridge, instead of the right turn back towards Studland took me into a world of uncertainties.

The road to Church Knowle is very picturesque and does have a few ups and downs. St. Peters church, as you might expect, marks the high point of the village and The New Inn looked very inviting as I set off towards Steeple.

The real test, as I found out all too soon, was the climb out of Steeple towards the top of Creech Hill. It starts slowly, but gets steeper and steeper as you go on. I was encouraged on my way by a group of cyclists coming down the hill. They knew what the road had in store for me and urged me to press on.

The trick with tasks like this, for me at least, is to look at the next couple of metres before me. Looking up at the way ahead offers no real help, it simply serves to show you how much work is left to be done. Taking one step at a time is a far more productive method.

Although my legs will probably remind me of the trip in the morning, I completed the route at a reasonable pace and, of course, enjoyed the ride down the other side of Creech Hill, encouraging as I went, others who were making the reverse trip.

The title of this blog, The Search For Enlightenment, in so many ways, documents my own path to Buddhahood, a path that can be just as steep and difficult as the road up Creech Hill. The way to progress along this long and winding path is exactly the same as getting to the top of the hill, one step at a time.

The determination, perseverance and effort for both continue.

A Responsible Source?

30 Sep 2013 2 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Ripples In A PondIt appears that there are now over three hundred people following my blog, so I need to think even more carefully about the things I post.

Each topic will be, however small, a source for potential change in those who read it.

One of the principles of Nichiren Buddhism is that of the Oneness of Self and the Environment.

If you drop a pebble, no matter how small, into a pond, the ripples spread out in all directions and interact with everything in their path.

This principle states that there is a connection between the person and others around him or her. It is therefore clear that changes in our life-state, the way we relate or react to others and changes due to our Practice will affect those whose lives we interact with.

Some of these affects are very obvious. If we walk around with a happy demeanour, we find that people are more likely to be pleasant towards us. If, on the other hand, we walk around in a bad mood, with a scowl on our face, we find that people are less friendly and may try to avoid us completely.

Ok, so no rocket science there then, but there are more subtle ways in which changes can be felt. In my own case, my Practice has allowed me to stabilise my life-state, generally I am now more often in the higher Worlds than lower ones. The result of that is that I am better placed to create value, for myself and those around me.

My Practice has changed me and those changes are affecting others. That’s why it is so important for me to ensure that as these changes take place, my Wisdom, Courage and Compassion increases too, so I can make sure the changes are all good ones.

Testing Our Progress

29 Sep 2013 Leave a comment

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

Beach Huts At Hengistbury HeadThose of you who have followed my blog for a while will have seen posts about my cycling exploits over the past few years.

Just the same way we test the progress of our Buddhist practice, I have been monitoring my progress in cycling terms.

In some ways, comparing my training times is an easier process. Am I completing the distance more quickly, is my heart rate lower for the same effort, so many metrics to compare. But testing the progress of my practice is more obvious to me day to day.

Almost a year ago to the day, I rode to Hengistbury Head and back, a journey that really caused me a whole world of pain. So much so, that I blogged about the experience. Today I repeated the journey with ease, I even raced, and beat, a bunch of lads who were waiting at the closed Poole bridge on the way home.

The difference? Last year, I was so much less fit. This year, I have been putting my heart and soul into my training. Today’s trip pushed my monthly training distance over the 900km mark, and that has made a huge difference.

When we put all our effort into something, be that training, or our Buddhist practice, we see the results. My cycling effort is backed up by lists and lists of figures and statistics. My effort in Buddhist practice terms shows up in my self awareness, my life-energy and life-state and I can feel the progress each and every day.

And there is an added bonus. The fitter I get, the higher my life-state, the more I chant, the higher my life-energy and the fitter I can get … the ultimate positive spiral !!!

Making The Most Of Our Opportunities

28 Sep 2013 2 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Thunder Over The SeaI was really looking forward to getting out on the bike today, the first time in a few days.

So you can imagine my disappointment when the weather caused a rethink.

Thunder, lightening and heavy rain are not the best for a trip out over one of the highest points around here.

Every day we have highs and lows, wins and losses, good things happen, bad things happen, every single day.

Problems are an everyday reality, they are part of life and ignoring them will never make them go away.

So focus on what’s good, what’s going right, enjoy that brief spell of sunshine on an otherwise rainy day. Smile, laugh when you can, and always focus on the positives. Make the most of every minute, you will never have the opportunity to use that minute again, so don’t waste it.

Make causes today, to make tomorrow better and never give in to the inevitable resistance that you feel when you are nearing your goal.

Don’t be afraid to speak your mind, never fear the truth, use the Wisdom , Courage and Compassion, we all possess, to help others to be positive, it will increase your own life-energy as you encourage them to increase theirs.

I waited for the rain to pass, the skies lightened and although the wind still blew as strongly as ever, it dried the ground. So by mid afternoon I was up atop The Purbecks, looking back over Poole and Bournemouth, being blown sideways by a strong easterly gale.

In fact, if anything, the wind helped my progress. Unusually, coming from the east, the wind was at my back for the ride up to the top of the high ground. The rain stayed away and my journey was made all the more enjoyable by the discovery that I had beaten my previous best time by some margin. Poison into medicine if ever I saw it.

What Does The Future Hold For You?

25 Sep 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Smart Phones Getting SmarterWith technology becoming smarter, at an ever increasing rate, it is difficult to see where it will take us in the coming decade or two. Who would have imagined, even thirty years ago, that we could all carry a smartphone in our pocket or on our wrist, a device that can connect us with other people and places, anywhere on the planet?

In Buddhist terms, the causes we make today, will shape our future life and lives, as Sensei points out:

What will the future be like? No one knows the answer to that question. All we know is that the effects that will appear in the future are all contained in the causes that are made in the present.

The important thing, therefore, is that we stand up and take action to achieve great objectives without allowing ourselves to be distracted or discouraged by immediate difficulties.

Be aware of your own responsibilities. You create the causes for the effects you see in your own life. Make strides to ensure that these causes will produce the effects you desire.

Ifs, Buts and Maybes

22 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Ifs, Buts and MaybesSometimes, we find ourselves in situations, or potential situations, were we are a little unsure of what the outcome may be.

Our minds race, we mull over the possibilities, the what ifs, the maybes, and it can be all too easy to form ideas in our minds as to how things will pan out.

That’s fine, and perfectly normal, as long as we don’t let these expectations run away with us. Having a a notional or preconceived idea is one thing, but pinning our hopes on that idea is a recipe for disaster. Things rarely, if ever, go exactly as we imagine.

So the trick is to keep a level head, let events unfold as they will, and be tolerant of the inevitable differences between what we expect, or would like, and what actually comes to pass.

But as someone once said ‘Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it’. Conversely it has also been said that ‘That thing you wished for, the thing you never got, might have been the most fortunate moment you could ever imagine’.

So muse away, daydream to your hearts content, but remember that at the end of the day, the truth of the situation will become clear soon enough.

Making A Splash?

20 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Ripples Around The WorldOne of the principles of Nichiren Buddhism concerns the Oneness of Self and the Environment and how that connection affects all of us in ways we sometimes fail to grasp.

If you drop a pebble, no matter how small, into a pond, the ripples generated spread out in all directions and interact with everything in their path.

This principle states that there is a connection between the person and others around him or her. It is therefore clear that changes in our life-state, the way we relate or react to others and changes due to our Practice will affect those whose lives we interact with.

Some of these affects are very obvious. If we walk around with a happy demeanour, we find that people are more likely to be pleasant towards us. If, on the other hand, we walk around in a bad mood, with a scowl on our face, we find that people are less friendly and may try to avoid us completely.

Ok, so no rocket science there then, but there are more subtle ways in which changes can be felt. In my own case, my Practice has allowed me to stabilise my life-state, generally I am now more often in higher Worlds (see The Ten Worlds) than lower ones. The result of that is that I am better placed to create value, for myself and those around me.

I think it is also important to be aware that the ripples, whilst being generally well accepted, can also rock the boat in some circumstances. I had to smile to myself when my post from yesterday caused a great deal of ripples, with pretty much everyone I hold dear ringing, texting or mailing to ask me what the decision was about.

My Practice is changing me and those changes are affecting others. That’s why it is so important for me to ensure that as these changes take place, my Wisdom, Courage and Compassion increases too, so I can make sure the changes are all good ones.

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