Asking The Difficult Questions

15 May 2014 2 Comments

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

Asking The Difficult QuestionsGoing back over your own mistakes, asking yourself those painful questions and giving honest answers is a difficult, but cathartic experience.

We’ve all made mistakes in life, some more serious than others, but thinking them through, trying to explain why you made that decision at that point in time, makes you re-examine your own values. In my case, having changed through my Buddhist Practice, it also becomes clear that I would have made different decisions in many cases.

Our history is set in stone, we cannot go back and make those decisions anew. But we can try to make amends, apologise for any hurt we have caused, and, above all, be honest with ourselves and others.

The changes in myself, that I see and feel, the way I view life, and my responsibility for events affecting me and people around me, have come about through my Practice and my study of Nichiren Buddhism.

As I have said before, once you see things in a different light, you cannot undo that change. Nor would I want to, because even though I know I will make other mistakes in the future, I know that those mistakes will be made despite honourable intentions, and with a great deal more Wisdom, Courage and Compassion.

Just Another Brick In The Wall

13 May 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Looking At A WallWith ever increasing mindfulness, our own feelings will change as we reflect on the causes for those feelings.

We know that acting in haste, motivated by anger, disappointment or desperation will result in the causes of unwanted effects.

So when you encounter what appears to be an insurmountable challenge, a wall if you will, you should tell yourself, “Since there is a wall here, a wide open expanse must lie on the other side.”

Rather than becoming discouraged, you should realise that the very fact you are encountering this wall is actual proof of the progress that you have made so far.

So if you find yourself facing such a wall, prepare to strive with all your heart, and you will surely find a way to get to the other side.

Good News, But When Will They Listen?

29 Apr 2014 Leave a comment

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

Good News, But When Will They Listen?The breaking news this morning, that half the people diagnosed with cancer will live at least another decade is good news indeed. But we are still missing the point when it comes to cancer.

It is great that treatment therapy for cancer is improving and is welcome news, but surely we should be ploughing money into finding a way to stop cancer forming in the first place, that way the treatments would not be needed.

Hang on a minute, isn’t that why we aren’t doing it? If all the cancers stop, the whole cancer industry stops, hundreds, thousands of people would have to find another way to earn their living. Do you think that might be why?

In fact, we already know how to stop cancer developing, science has isolated, and proven, that the ingestion of animal protein is the cause. The message is slowly getting out there, and whilst I am pleased that cancer sufferers can look forward to extended lives, these ‘good news’ messages only serve to prolong the error of our ways.

Summon Your Courage

22 Apr 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Summon Your CourageWe all have choices to make in life. Everything from whether to take tea or coffee to the major life-changing decisions regarding money, relationships, children and careers.

Whatever the choice you have to make, make it with wisdom, courage and compassion.

If you summon your courage to challenge something, you will never regret it. It would be so sad to spend your life wishing, “If only I had a little more courage.”

Whatever the outcome, the important thing is to take a step forward on the path that you believe is right.

Do not worry too much about what others may think. It is your life. Be true to yourself.

Take The Opportunities

20 Apr 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

RaindropsI was really looking forward to getting out on the bike again today, the weatherman had been promising sunshine over the whole holiday.

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

High winds and heavy rain are never the best for a trip out over some of the highest points around here, but there’s always tomorrow.

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.

On The Up And Up

18 Apr 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

The view from Rollington Hill - Click to viewWhat a perfect day it’s been for cycling around The Purbecks. Beautiful cloudless skies, gorgeous sunshine and a welcome cooling breeze, who could ask for more?Usually I tend to stick to the lanes and back roads, but not today.

Today was mainly off road and if we weren’t going downhill, we were climbing, Dorset is anything but flat. My accomplices on this picturesque mission were Mike and BJ, two fellow vegans and Mike’s mate, Mike, all keen cyclists.

Now the highest point on our route was the best part of 200 meters above sea level, 200 metres above the Sandbanks chain ferry where we all met up at 8:30. By 9:00 we hadn’t even covered the first mile of our quest, delayed by the first of four punctures we were to suffer en-rout.

As is the nature of things, the best views are situated at the summit of hills or mountains. To enjoy those views, one has to climb to the summit and our case, that meant cycling up some really interesting little inclines.

Anything that requires effort also requires determination in order to achieve it. Some of the paths we followed today were an excellent test of anyone’s determination. They had sneaky habit of disguising the apparent summit around a corner, and rounding the corner one was all too often confronted by a further climb.

The trick I employ, in such circumstances, is to focus on the next few metres ahead. Looking up at the remaining climb only serves two purposes, the first is to dishearten me, by revealing the extent of the effort remaining, the second is to distract me from the finer details of the path immediately ahead, important when it is strewn with loose rocks and gravel.

In fact, it’s very much like achieving anything in life. Your efforts require a determination in order to bear fruit, you have to be focussed on the next element of your goal rather than be distracted by the enormity of your task. With determination you can achieve anything, you just need to take it one step, or in the case of today, one pedal stroke at a time.

Embrace The Change

14 Apr 2014 Leave a comment

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

Embrace The ChangeThere are several changes afoot in the office, and a few people are finding that a way of life they have known for many, many years is coming to a rather abrupt end.

Now change can be a painful process, it can cause those who have allowed themselves to settle into a rut, and let’s be honest, it’s easy to do, to suddenly find that life has turned upside down and inside out.

Change is good. Change is the norm. Nothing lasts forever, no matter how much you wish it would. So embrace the change, look for the positives, rather than focussing on the negatives, and make your causes to promote a positive future.

Some of us are clearly doing just that. Steve is off to New Zealand with his family at the end of the month. Gordo is planning to do a bit of travelling, and I am busy getting my teaching qualifications so I can go to the Far East and teach English to the students with a Brummie accent.

At the end of the day, it’s about seeing things in a different way. Making the most of the situation rather than being consumed by the loss of a comfortable and convenient way of doing things.

All you need to do, is to see the glass half full rather than half empty. List all the things you could now be doing, rather than those you won’t be doing any more. Take responsibility for your own future and make the causes that will point you on an upward course. You know you can do it.

Go Compare

13 Apr 2014 Leave a comment

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

Go CompareMy trainee teacher colleagues are looking forward to a short respite from the weekly rota of lesson planning and assignment preparation.

Not that we don’t love what we are doing, but twenty weeks, non stop, would be a pretty tall order.

Although we still have plenty to get on with, and there are assignments due when we get back after Easter, we have a little time to sit back and take stock. Daisaku Ikeda has this useful advice, and it’s not just for teachers …

Do not compare yourselves to others. Be true to who you are and continue to learn with all your might. Even if you are ridiculed, even if you suffer disappointments and setbacks, continue to advance and do not be defeated.

Daisaku Ikeda

The Only Way Is Up

10 Apr 2014 3 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Harry PotterAs we discussed in previous posts, we can use our problems to make us stronger, by turning the poison of challenges into the medicine of learning and success.

Nichiren Daishonin said that ‘from sickness arises the mind that seeks the way’ meaning that when we are in Hell, we are in exactly the right place to find our way out of the situation that is causing our grief. The darker the Hell, the greater the motivation can be to take action to improve the situation.

We can all relate to this in one way or another. Imagine a situation or problem, that you allowed to go from bad to worse before you took action to put it right.

Let’s use a perfect example of this. J.K. Rowling, of whom I am sure you have heard, the author of the Harry Potter books, was almost destitute when she started to write the first book, and maybe it was that dire position that gave her the life-force she needed to make a start. Her success took her from being on welfare to being a millionaire within five years.

By chanting, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, we can raise our life-energy and that changes our life-state, making us feel better and more able to think rationally about the problems we need to solve.

So next time you are down, so down there is no way up, remember that you are in the perfect place to completely transform your life.

Failures Of Perception

03 Apr 2014 2 Comments

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

Failures Of PerceptionIt’s a well known Buddhist saying, that our problems are not the real problem, it is the way we perceive them that is the problem.

So don’t have problems, have a series of challenges. Challenges are just problems that we are confident that we can overcome. Our problems come and go, nothing lasts forever, so view them with an open mind, look on them as challenges and remember, you are turning poison into medicine.

Even places that have been shrouded in darkness for billions of years can be illuminated by a simple lit candle. Even a flint from the bottom of the deepest river can be used to produce fire.

Our present sufferings, no matter how dark, have certainly not existed for billions of years, nor will they linger forever.

The sun will definitely rise, in fact its ascent has already begun. With determination, we can all overcome our problems, so look on them as challenges and enjoy the victory when it arrives.

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