Taking The Rough With The Smooth

24 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Beautiful DorsetDorset is a beautiful county, and the ride from Poole to Weymouth by way of Wareham and East and West Lulworth allows you see the very best of it. Although there is no gain without a little pain, some of the hills on the route are not for the faint hearted particularly the 1 in 5 climb up Grange Hill.

Now if you ride a bike on the roads around Britain you’ll know how lovely it is to find yourself on a stretch of nice new smooth tarmac. The lumps and bumps of our older repaired roads really can rattle your bones, so the new surface is a real treat.

Life is very much like that too. It’s the lumps and bumps of everyday life that make you realise just how comfortable the smooth untroubled times are. But without the rough times, we would never recognise the comparison and enjoy the easier times when they appear.

We all know, that as we move through life, it is impossible to stay on the smooth untroubled path. The bumpy times are a simple fact, just as they are out on the road. So when they come along, just be determined, hold on tight, keep pedalling and look forward to the smoother times ahead.

Be The Sunshine

21 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Be The Sunshine

Life has it’s ups and downs, as we all know. Little things can make friends and family members unhappy or even depressed, so make it your job to make them feel better.

There are so many people, so many lives on this planet, too numerous, in fact, to count.

From this great multitude, we wondrously find ourselves together with those in our families, as parents and children, as brothers and sisters, as husbands and wives.

If we do not live joyfully and cheerfully with whom we share this profound bond, what is life for?

Should the atmosphere at home be sombre, you can be the ‘sunshine’. By being a shining presence, you can cast the light of hope on your mother, father, children and indeed all of your family and friends.

Be Grateful For What You Have

13 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

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

Be GratefulWe all have the ability to feel sorry for ourselves. Sometimes it seems we have problem after problem, and think the world is against us. But we can all take a step back and look at our situation compared to others, and be honest enough to see that there are other people in much worse circumstances.

In Buddhist terms, the effects in our lives are caused by the causes we make along our way, it’s called Karma. Whilst it is difficult sometimes, to reconcile ourselves with the fact that we have, in some way caused our own problems, it is important to remember that we are not being punished.

So when you have had enough of your troubles, and are ready to throw in the towel, just take time to look around and realise that there is always someone worse off somewhere.

Be grateful for what you have, and concentrate on making causes for the effects you need to improve the situation. To do anything else is to lack Courage and Wisdom and that doesn’t help anyone, least of all yourself.

Home Again, Home Again …

12 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Home Again, Home Again ...You know there feeling, you’ve got a closer look at a possible problem, and the closer you look, the more nerve wracking the challenge becomes. So it was with my ride back to Poole today. Having done the journey hundreds of times in the car, I got an ‘up close and personal’ look at all the hills on my way up to Bristol on Friday, so I knew what was now in store for me on my way home.

I had wondered about taking a slightly different route back, going via Salisbury instead of Shaftsbury and Blandford Forum. But upon reflection, that seemed a bit like cheating. I had enjoyed flying down the hills on the way there, so I would repay the ‘debt’ by cycling up them on the way back.

The more I thought about the route, the more I seemed to focus on the difficult sections on the ride ahead. But with my confidence buoyed by the ride on Friday I said my goodbyes to Hannah and Stanley and set off just before 8:00am.

The morning air was rather fresh, particularly on the downhill stretches, but the Bristol area is anything but flat, and soon I was nicely warmed by some pretty steep inclines into Keynesham. The ride through Saltford was busy but easy, then I came to Pennyquick Hill, leading up to Haycombe Cemetery.

Although it has a cycle path, the surface is rough and loose in places, and as Rob had mentioned, it is really rather steep. But I dug in, concentrated on the next meter, then the next, then the one after that, and pretty soon I was at the top.

Haycombe CemetryThe ride down the other side is a real treat, but then you hit Whiteway Road, and in trying to negotiate a grotty surface I lost all my momentum. The walk up to the cemetery, to a point where I could safely get myself going again was a real disappointment.

But, blowing my own trumpet a bit here, that was the only time I walked with the bike. Some of the hills on the A350 were really tough, but I was determined and my legs were working well. Even Midford Hill and the twisty lane through Kingsettle Wood leading into Shaftsbury were conquered.

Shaftsbury Bus StopEntering Shaftsbury I decided I deserved a short rest, so I made use of the bus stop I had sat in on the outward journey. A few swigs of isotonic drink, to replenish the salts I had lost, a post on Facebook to let people know I was still OK, then an Orange energy sachet, a couple more swigs to wash it down and I was off again.

Apart from a short shower at Blandford Forum, which was actually rather refreshing, the rest of the journey was rather uneventful. Anyone seeing me ride through Upton and into Hamworthy must have thought that I was some escaped lunatic, the grin on my face was from ear to ear.

The trip had taken me just over five and a quarter hours, three quarters of an hour less than Friday and although I am nicely tired, I am non the worse for the experience. Another example of defeating the doubts that The Dark Passenger puts in my head, and maybe another step further along the path.

Into The Unknown

09 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Into The UnknownIf you missed all the signs in the last few days, I embarked on a mini marathon of a bike ride today, cycling from Poole, in deepest Dorset, to Hanham in Bristol, partly to visit my girls, their men and my grandsons, but partly to test my physical and mental strength by riding a distance I haven’t attempted for years.

I’ve been riding a lot over the last few months, as you know, covering over 1100km since I started recording the data back in June. So I have a few miles under my belt and my level of fitness has risen, as my weight has fallen, and I was fairly confident that it wasn’t a ridiculous target.

But having faith in yourself and your ability, and knowing that you can reach your goal can be two entirely different things. So as I set off for Bristol, with all the preparations leading me to believe in myself, I knew that only reaching that destination would prove that my belief was founded on sound principles.

I made it, not without a fair amount of sweat, but happily no tears and my faith in myself proved to be well founded.

The parallel between this trip, and my journey along the path to enlightenment, to me, is really rather striking. Each hill, or challenge along the way, has to be confronted, each step takes energy and determination and there is always a degree of pain and maybe some doubt that the summit will be reached.

But with each challenge conquered, each hill surmounted, grows an ever stronger belief, that what you are doing is right, that the principles are sound, and that they won’t let you down.

My path to enlightenment presents me with challenges all the time, but as my confidence in my own strength and ability to ride a bike has increased with this little victory, so my faith in my Buddhist Principles grows each time they show me the way to overcome the next hurdle.

W.C.C … It’s Not Cricket You Know

22 Jul 2013 2 Comments

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

Cricket_BallHave you ever had a problem or situation that has been rumbling around for a while, but you can’t drum up the enthusiasm to fix? I know you have, we all have. Maybe enthusiasm is not the right word, maybe energy, or confidence is a better one.

Perhaps you should have made a phone call, written a letter, or gone to see someone, but you know they aren’t going to be too pleased to hear from you when you do.

When I say you know, it’s probably more accurate to say you imagine, you suppose, see what I mean? We all build up little scenarios in our heads, and the more often we think about the problem, the more convinced we become, that our imagined outcome is what will actually happen. Our fundamental darkness will also do its best to confirm our worst fears.

This is where we need a bit of W.C.C … Wisdom, Courage and Compassion.

We need the Wisdom to see that what we imagine is the version of events from our point of view, and may be way off. We also need to accept that any problem that is left to fester, will only get worse and never go away by itself.

We need a deal of Courage to put ourselves into a situation that may be awkward, embarrassing or painful (hopefully not physically). Picking up that phone, or ringing that door bell, when we are unsure of the reception, takes guts. But remember that the alternative may be even worse.

Now we need a huge dollop of Compassion. The fact that we have put off doing something about this issue probably means that we feel that we are in the wrong, in some way. So we need to steel ourselves for a potential tirade, whilst remaining calm and sympathetic. We need to understand the problem from the other persons point of view. That will take a dialogue of some nature, and maintaining a compassionate nature may help defuse the situation. We need to bite our tongue when we may feel like giving a little back. I don’t mean a complete capitulation, more a flexible approach to understanding their side of things.

I imagine that each and every person who reads this has an issue, be it large or small, that falls into this category. Only you know what it is, so gird your loins, take a deep breath, and get it sorted today. You’ll feel a lot better when you do, believe me, I know from experience.

Too Many Lumps And Bumps

13 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Saddle SoreIf you ride a bike on the roads around Britain you’ll know how lovely it is to find yourself on a stretch of nice new smooth tarmac. The lumps and bumps of our older repaired roads really can rattle your bones, so the new surface is a real treat.

Life is very much like that too. It’s the lumps and bumps of everyday life that make you realise just how comfortable the smooth untroubled times are. But without the rough times, we would never recognise the comparison and enjoy the easier times when they appear.

We all know, that as we move through life, it is impossible to stay on the smooth untroubled path. The bumpy times are a simple fact, just as they are out on the road. So when they come along, just be determined, hold on tight, keep pedalling and look forward to the smoother times ahead.

Determination

07 Jul 2013 2 Comments

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

DeterminedDetermination grows out of adversity. To accomplish an easy or pleasant task does not require determination, it is the difficult or unpleasant task that most definitely does.

Dreams don’t come true on their own. Determination is required to achieve the things we set out to accomplish and to keep things going in the face of discouragement.

The essential purpose of Buddhism is to make people happy. True happiness is the result of consistent effort and constant growth as a human being.

Remind yourself every day, why you are pursuing your goal. Self doubt and negative thoughts are the making of your fundamental darkness. Confront your inner demons and tell them that you are going to overcome them. Take heart and strength from your Practice, chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo will raise your life-energy and help you focus on the task in hand. Remember, nobody ever felt satisfaction from giving up on their dreams.

And keep this in mind when times get tough …

When your determination increases, everything else begins to move in the direction you desire. The moment you resolve to be victorious, every nerve and fibre in your being immediately orient themselves toward your success.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

The Road Less Travelled

04 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

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

Fork In The RoadThere are times in one’s life when a situation presents you with a ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ decision.

Such a dilemma has been around the family for the past few months, where no matter which way the outcome goes, somebody is going to be unhappy.

At such times it is all too easy to be lead by your heart, hoping that the happiness you gain will offset the unhappiness of others. On the other hand, the unhappiness you may cause to others could easily put a dark cloud over your own feelings, not just for the immediate future, but for eternity.

In this situation, the final decision will not even be in the individuals own hands, making it doubly difficult. We are all keen to having our destiny under our own control, so relinquishing it to someone else just adds to the feelings of angst.

My gut feeling, and my Buddhist teaching tell me that, in general, we should sacrifice our own feelings so that others do not have to, but time will tell how it is resolved.

Mulling it all over and over in my mind, knowing that whichever way things turn out, we will never know whether it was for the best, reminded me of the poem by Robert Frost.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost (1874-1963)

Life Is A Joy

03 Jul 2013 2 Comments

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

The Lotus SutraWe only have to watch the news on TV, listen to the radio, even simply talk to the people around us, to be aware of the challenges and sadness that can accompany the process of living our daily lives.

Buddhism has at it’s very core, the ultimate goal of removing suffering and promoting a state of happiness in all those with whom it comes in contact. Many may think that this is an unachievable target, and that those who strive towards it are deluded.

But the principles and method for attaining such a state are encompassed by teachings contained in The Lotus Sutra. That is not to say that there is any magic bullet or instant fix to alleviate our suffering, but striving to do so is surely a task worth undertaking.

Daisaku Ikeda summarised it thus:

What is true joy in life?

This is a difficult question – and one that has occupied a great many thinkers and philosophers.

Joy can quickly give way to suffering. Joy is short and suffering long.

Also what passes for joy in society is superficial. It cannot compare with the joy derived from the Mystic Law.

The key then lies in cultivating a state of mind where we can declare without reservation that life is a joy.

This is the purpose of our Buddhist Practice.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

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