A Wonderful New Beginning

01 Jul 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

New BeginningNever forget, that making a decision is only the beginning, and not the end of a process. In many ways starting something is the easiest part, seeing things through to their conclusion takes far more determination, effort and patience as well as wisdom, courage and compassion.

Whilst many opportunities need courage to grasp, rarely is it that courage that sees them through to the end. Sometimes it means relinquishing control into someone else’s hands which can prove to be quite a frightening prospect.

Having determination, and the patience to allow others to realise that your chosen path is the right way to proceed is never an easy thing to accomplish. But the alternative is to reverse the decision, fail in the quest, and be prepared to stomach the bitter taste of defeat. That path can only lead to more pain and heartache, be resolute and see it through.

Nobody ever received kudos for starting something, only to quit half way to their goal. So once you have started something, have the courage and determination to see it through to its satisfactory conclusion, you will feel all the better for it.

Gone, But Not Forgiven

09 Apr 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Wolfie SmithThe news, this morning, that Maria Miller had finally taken the hint and resigned from her position as Culture Secretary was good news indeed.

In keeping with many other public servants who have abused their positions of privilege, she incurred the wrath of the public and media alike for her insincere apology in regard of the scandal surrounding her MP’s expenses.

She has resigned, but did she jump, or was she pushed? Even David Cameron, who prides himself on supporting his colleagues, could not have been comfortable with her actions, or lack thereof.

Amongst a stream of bleating excuses, she has finally gone because, as she said, the controversy “has become a distraction from the vital work this government is doing”. Never mind the controversy, you stole over £45,000 from the people of this country Miller.

So she has gone, albeit until her Parliamentary cronies feel the smoke has cleared and they can reintroduce her to their elite little club. Isn’t it about time the whole picture surrounding MPs was flipped on its head? They are supposed to be representing us, the electorate, in the mother of Parliament, not making as much money out of the role as they possibly can. Gone but not forgiven.

The MPs expenses scandal has really changed nothing. There must be an independent body to oversee all monies given to MPs, and one comprising a representative cross section of the UK society, not a bunch of toffee nosed knobs.

As Citizen Wolfie Smith, of the Tooting Popular Front used to say … “Power to the People”

Honesty – Always The Best Policy

07 Apr 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Maria MillerWhen you find yourself in a situation where you have to decide what happens next, you must be completely honest, with everyone concerned, including yourself, no matter how painful that process may be.

And yes, this is aimed directly at you Maria Miller.

20-20 Vision?

02 Mar 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

As one of my recent posts said, having the wisdom and courage to make a difficult decision is to be admired and saluted. Even though that decision might be painful, if it is made for the right reasons, it should never be regretted.

At times, we follow the same path as others for many years, sometimes our paths cross very briefly. Either way, the outcome can be beneficial for both parties and have deep and far reaching results.

Karma works in ways we sometimes do not understand.

So do not regret those decisions that might have left you in a slightly unsettled situation. Think rather about what the outcome may have been had you not used your wisdom, courage and compassion, at that time, and remember that hindsight is always 20-20 vision.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could run our lives through a ‘what if’ machine, where we could input every situation and foresee the outcome of each and every decision. Would we always make the right decision, given that circumstances change over time? I somehow doubt it.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

New Shoots

16 Jan 2014 Leave a comment

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

Two roads diverged in a yellow woodFunny how Nichiren Buddhism, and the principle of Cause and Effect, keeps proving itself over and over again.

Having decided to take a completely different tack, career wise, once my time at Stanley Gibbons is over, you will know that I’ve already started my teacher training.

Giving up 40 years of IT experience, for a new, though exciting new path is, on the face of it, a bit of a gamble. But just as I should have expected, causes put in place some little while back are just now beginning to take effect, and opportunities with amazing possibilities are already starting to make themselves known.

Mulling it all over and over in my mind, knowing that whichever way things turn out, I 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)

Determined Resolve

01 Jan 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

New Year ResolutionsI don’t know about you, but I gave up making New Year resolutions many years ago. In fact, deciding to stop making them may be the only one I have ever actually kept in the long term.

Resolutions usually involve stopping doing something we feel we shouldn’t do, like smoking or eating too much, or starting to do something we feel that we should, like taking exercise, but while they may be a laudable idea, most of us give in within weeks or even days of making them.

If you are one of the many millions of people who have made a resolution or two, I hope you can find the determination to be able to keep them. My only question would be, why, if you have something so important, that it becomes the subject of a resolution, did you leave it until New Year to decide to do it?

Splish Splash

27 Nov 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Causing RipplesOne 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. The idea of getting a teaching certificate with the idea of going off to far away lands to teach others to speak English may cause such ripples.

No man is an island. Family, friends and acquaintances will all be affected to some degree if I up sticks and wander off to the far side of the planet. That’s why it is so important for me to ensure that if and when I do go ahead with plans, that my Wisdom, Courage and Compassion are used in equal measure, so I can make sure the ripples are all good ones.

Decisions, Decisions

27 Oct 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Fork In The RoadLife is a journey full of possibilities, for which we have to make decisions, and for which in turn, we are all accountable.

Wouldn’t it be marvellous if there was a What-If machine, which you could use to play out each possible choice, see which one worked out best, and then make your decision based on that outcome?

Sadly there isn’t, nor will there ever be. So it is left up to us to make the best decision at the time, and then live with the consequences.

Of course, many of the decisions we make are of little consequence, tea or coffee, red or white wine, vote or abstain etc. none or these will, in all probability, change your life. But there are some decisions that, whichever way you decide, change the course of your life irrevocably. Not only that, but whatever you decide, you will never, ever know how things would have turned out had you made the opposite choice.

When I find myself faced with such a conundrum I chant, and chant and chant, until the possible outcomes are clear in my head, as well as all the reasons for why I might make each of the choices available, that I have identified all the pros and cons, I make the choice, and it is made with wisdom, courage and compassion. Once it’s made, there should be no going back. There is nothing worse than flip-flopping between decisions. It does no good, and can do a lot of harm, so stick to your guns.

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.

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.

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