Clearing The Decks

28 Nov 2013 2 Comments

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

Clearing The DecksSometimes we need to wipe the slate clean, take a deep breath, and start anew. With my decision to change career, this might just be the perfect time to do so. Having new goals, new horizons and renewed vigour is just the ticket.

I know that some people fear change, are loath to relinquish all the effort put into a particular path, even if that path may be taking them in the wrong direction. I am not one of those people, I embrace change.

Setting sail on a new career, I intend to make the most of each and every day, and when change does arrive, I will enjoy the excitement of being reborn into a new and exciting experience.

Who The Kutai

23 Nov 2013 Leave a comment

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

Dr WhoI saw the very first episode of Doctor Who, way back in November 1963, sitting on the sofa in my Nan and Grandad’s lounge at 50 Ryland Road, Erdington, Birmingham. Watching The Day Of The Doctor tonight was awesome, it was brilliantly written, performed and produced and brought many of the intervening years together in a very clever storyline.

The amazing thing is that the program also brought back memories and images from half a century ago. The whole family sitting around a black and white telly, watching William Hartnell, my Doctor, in a brand new series on the only BBC channel, BBC2 didn’t appear till 1967.

Such vivid memories. Only I could see them, but they were as real as were the original experiences. So they exist and they don’t exist all at the same time, and Nichiren Buddhism calls this Ku, short for Kutai. All they need are the right conditions to become manifest, in exactly the same way our own potential does.

The human brain is an amazing thing. On the one hand I can remember people and events from fifty years and more ago. On the other, I can walk from the lounge into the kitchen and forget why I went in the first place, and I know we’ve all been there.

Amazing stuff that grey matter, a hugely complex system of neurons and synapses awash in a cocktail of serotonin, dopamine and countless other magical neurotransmitters, all busy doing their own thing, but all in sync. And all it needs, to switch on some memory buried deep in time, is a handful of images or a series of electronic notes in a particular sequence.

Mixed Emotions

19 Nov 2013 Leave a comment

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

More Happiness Anyone?

On the day I learned that I was being made redundant again, and coincidentally also reached the ripe old age of 59, it’s been one of mixed emotions, to say the least …

What do we mean by happiness? There may be as many answers to that as there are stars in the sky, everyone has their own idea of what makes them happy, and what doesn’t.

Maybe it is the love of a partner, being part of a family, the pay cheque at the end of the month or that new car you had always promised yourself. Whatever your idea of happiness, we all crave more of it.

We can probably agree that it is all too often a transitory state, punctuated by periods where we are unhappy, or at least a bit glum. So what would you give to have more of this illusive life-state, and how can you go about achieving a happier life?

Well speaking personally, I can almost guarantee happiness from my Buddhist practice. That might sound a little trite or even rather far-fetched, but for me it is true. My practice helps me see life from all angles, the ups and downs, from my view-point and from that of others, and it ‘smoothes’ out the emotional bumps we encounter each and every day.

The idea at the very core of Buddhism is the removal of suffering, and that in itself helps us to be happier. Seeing the beauty in nature, the best facets of another’s personality, the joy in helping others, happiness is there for us all, all of the time and all around us. Living a life that is more concerned with others than ourselves, giving more than we take, and so on, will also bring feelings of happiness. All we have to do is look out for it.

Living in a society that is more concerned about what we own, than who we really are, we all struggle to put those ideas into action. We hear about people earning ridiculous sums, whilst providing little by way of return, and wonder how they can live with the guilt. If society valued the good in people more than the goods of people, the world would be a much fairer, happier place.

Whatever flavour your own happiness comes in, I wish you more of it, now and in the future. And when it arrives, please make sure that you share it around. That way you will find it grows and grows, and that it lasts just that little bit longer.

Mud Everywhere

10 Nov 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Atop the Purbeck, before the worst of the mudThe morning was bright and crisp, the torrential rain of the last few days had been blown away, but even the wind had abated.

Perfect for a trip over the Purbecks. By eleven I was on the chain ferry with a friend and we were on our way to an appointment with Old Harry.

Apart from a few puddles, the roads were dry and the beautiful sunshine had brought out dozens of cyclists, all togged up against the single figure temperature. The bite in the little breeze there was reminded us that autumn is well and truly here.

Passing the Banks Arms, we took a left, up the interestingly rough uphill track towards the coastal path. There were a lot of people walking, their kids, their dogs, just themselves and everyone was trying to skirt the huge muddy puddles left by the recent rains.

It was about this time I wished I had invested in a set of mudguards. Even staying back from my friend’s back wheel didn’t stop the mud flying around my ears. MTB knobblies are particularly adept at digging through soft mud, and flinging it up at the hapless rider.

The ride up the spine of the Purbecks was just awesome. The stunning views of Swanage Bay on our left was matched by the sight of Poole and Bournemouth bathed in autumn sunshine, over to the right. It’s a good job there’s very little to run into up there, neither of us were really watching where we were going.

That became evident when I suddenly realised that we had ridden straight past the turning off down the Heritage Trail into Swanage. We made a scenic detour down the side of the hill and picked up the trail just before the steep descent of the chalk section.

Having negotiated the chalk got to the dirt path that leads down into the farmyard. Normally the surface is firm and dry, not today. It’s also a bridle path and it was clear that quite a few horses had churned it up … more mud.

The road from Swanage to Corfe Castle was dry, initially, but then as we got into the undulations the troughs were wet, the peaks dry, so we had a series of bespatterings as we went along. Getting to the castle, we stopped for a drink of water and got a few funny looks. It was only later that I found that I had bits of mud stuck all over my face, ears, hair, you name it, I had it covered.

By the time we got back to the ferry I think a lot of it had dried and fallen off, but I still found lumps of mud, I say mud, but there were a few cows along the way, so who knows, in some very interesting places later in the shower.

All in all, a brilliant day. Lots of fun, lots of chat, beautiful scenery, nature at its best. All that’s needed now is a nice soft brush and a hosepipe to get the remaining mud off my pride and joy … my bike I meant … behave!!!

Always There 4 Us

25 Oct 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

I Love My MomDoes it sound a bit sad to say that my Mom is my best friend? I don’t think anyone would describe me as a mommy’s boy, but speaking to her virtually every day, shows me that she is just that, my very best friend.

We have a similar outlook on life, albeit that we are a generation apart, and the changes in life between those two generations are vast. She doesn’t always agree with the things I say or do, and will tell me so, but she doesn’t tell me what to do, or how to live my life either.

She has always been there when I have needed support, and that is true for my brothers too. She tells me that I am her golden boy, but I’m sure she says the same to the other two too. She always tries to see both sides of a situation, and puts her point across with wisdom, courage and compassion. We always know where we stand, and we know that she will always stand by us in times of trouble.

So yes, my Mom is my best friend, and I feel very fortunate to be in that position. As someone who has lost her best friend in this lifetime, namely my father, I would like to think that I can, in some small way, reciprocate, and be her best friend now, in his absence.

If it wasn’t for the fact that she is a committed Methodist Christian, she would make a marvellous Buddhist. We talk about the differences between our beliefs, though neither of us would try to impose those beliefs on the other. We both take comfort from the other having a faith on which to base their life. I love you Mom, thank you for always being there, and I hope I can support you in any less happy times as much as you have supported me when I have needed it.

Measuring Happiness?

24 Oct 2013 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

HappinessHappiness, as my friend and I discussed recently, is connected to everything, and connected to nothing. It cannot be bought or sold and it cannot be measured against any physical scale. It is determined by a combination of our circumstances and the way in which we are controlled by, or are controlling, those circumstances.

To be concerned only with one’s own happiness is egoism. To claim you care only about the happiness of others is hypocrisy. Genuine happiness is becoming happy together with others. Josei Toda said: “Just becoming happy oneself – there’s nothing difficult to that. It’s easy. Helping others become happy is the foundation of our faith.”

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.

Boys, Boys, Boys

12 Oct 2013 1 Comment

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

Boys, Boys, BoysSpending time with my grandsons is blooming hard work, and absolutely brilliant at the same time. Talk about a barrel load of monkeys, even Oliver, the two year old, run on some form of perpetual motion engine. They just don’t stop, which is awful and wonderful at the same time.

I really don’t see enough of the boys. Partly because of the geographical separation and partly because as families, they are always doing something, going somewhere, busy, busy, busy. The trouble is, they don’t stop growing, maturing, learning, simply because I’m not around. So when I do get to see them, they are almost different, although lovely, little people.

So this morning was a real pleasure. Watching the boys interact with each other, while we watched Ice Age for the Nth time and blew up balloons for Rob’s 40th birthday party this evening, was great fun. Letting the balloons go flying around the room, scattering boys in all directions, caused much amusement, even though some of them got a bit soaked in spittle after a while.

The morning flew by and all the exertion was a bit too much for Ollie, who went off to bed for a nap. The east of us continued the fun until Charlotte and Rob returned and set about making lunch for the assembled throng. I’m making silent promises to myself to be back up here very soon. Jake will be 8 in a few days time, then it will be Christmas, so there are lots of reasons to return, it just takes a bit of arranging.

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.

Simply Caring

19 Sep 2013 1 Comment

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

Caring HandsIn this world of ours, where it sometimes seems like looking out for anyone but ourselves is frowned upon, here is a lesson from Daisaku Ikeda as to the reasons why we should care …

The misfortune of others is our misfortune. Our happiness is the happiness of others. To see ourselves in others, and feel an inner oneness and sense of unity with them, represents a fundamental revolution in the way we view and live our lives.

Therefore, discriminating against another person is the same as discriminating against oneself. When we hurt another, we are hurting ourselves. And when we respect others, we respect and elevate our own lives as well.

~ Daisaku Ikeda

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