True Friendships

20 Sep 2014 Leave a comment

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

True FriendshipsWe had a really nice meeting of the Bournemouth veggie/vegan group today, great food at the Mad Cucumber and scintillating company as always, and some blossoming friendships however you care to measure them.

You cannot judge the quality of another’s friendship by superficial appearances, especially when things are going smoothly.

It is only when we have experienced the worst, most crushing of times, when we have plumbed the depths of life, that we can truly experience the joys of genuine friendship.

Only a woman or man of principle, of resolve, a person who stays true to their chosen path, can be trusted and a true friend, and have real friends in turn.

Balance Restored

11 Aug 2014 1 Comment

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

Balance RestoredThere are times when we need to be reminded of the important things in life. When distractions come along it’s all too easy to get side tracked and let our practice slip. It isn’t that we forget, it’s just that sometimes life can get in the way, albeit temporarily.

When everything comes along at once, it can all be a little too much to cope with. So being reminded that our practice is the one constant that keeps us on the straight and narrow is a very good thing. When we remember that our faith is central, our honzon, and the very thing that makes us who we are, we can take steps to realign ourselves.

Whilst it is no excuse, as life has been both hectic and delightful in the past few weeks, I admit to having let things slide a little. So being mindful of the situation, normal service has resumed and the balance of life restored. The most important things in life need a solid foundation, and my practice is the foundation that will allow those things to grow, blossom and flourish, way, way into the future.

Debugging Life

09 May 2014 2 Comments

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

Debugging LifeThere seems to be a nasty bug going round, both at work and at college, so I was looking around to see how Buddhism concerns itself with illness and healing that illness. I found these wise and thought provoking words …

Buddhism teaches that illness is one of the four sufferings which cannot be completely avoided in life, whether directly or through the experiences of close family or friends.

Buddhism takes a holistic approach to the treatment of sickness, stressing both the importance of finding the best and most appropriate medical treatment and care, and also that using our Buddhist practice will enable us to summon the energy and courage needed to fight our illness.

Often facing illness can lead us to deepen our understanding and appreciation of the profound principles of Buddhism, and we find that it is possible to create something valuable out of the experience.

As Nichiren wrote:

“Life is the most precious of all treasures. Even one extra day of life is worth more than ten million ryo of gold.”

Namaste ~ Anupadin

The Wonderful World Of Weird

19 Jan 2014 2 Comments

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

Wonderful World Of WeirdThere was an amusing end to a dinner party last night, where I was told by one of the other guests, that I was the weirdest person they had ever met. She did soften the message by saying I was lovely, but she reiterated the fact that I was well weird.

She had earlier been giving me the benefit of her advice regarding relationships, albeit through her rather alcoholic induced sense of self confidence. I think some of the others were amused by the whole thing, and I was happy to let her continue to tell me I was too thin, given her inebriated state.

The evening ended pleasantly, with the usual cordial goodbyes, but on the way home I got to thinking about just how weird I really am.

Given that I turned up with my own food, my own drink and on my own, that set me apart from most of the others. I was the only Buddhist, the only vegan, the only one drinking fruit juice and water and one of only two who didn’t smoke, but does that make me weird?

Now eating meat, cheese or puddings that are full of fat, drinking wine, beer or spirits and smoking doesn’t make anyone a bad person, but is it really that wise, considering all the evidence of the harm to which they all contribute?

The changes I had made to my own life have resulted in me being as calm, as fit and healthy, as trim and as happy as I have ever been. I am well aware that that makes me different to many others, but if that’s how it must be, I am really pleased that I am weird.

Two Parts Of The Whole

08 Nov 2013 Leave a comment

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

Yin and Yang, Good and Bad, two parts of the wholeSo many things in life, although they may seem very different, are actually the opposite sides of the same coin. Good and evil, love and hate, passion and obsession are so close to one another when we look at the causes behind each of them.

Buddhism teaches that our lives are endowed with both good and bad aspects simultaneously. The human mind switches between ten individual conditions, The Ten Worlds, and as we know, each World contains the other nine.

The lowest three Worlds are those of Hell, filled with suffering, Hunger, which is dominated by greed, and Animality, characterised by fear of the strong or powerful and contempt of the weak. The two highest worlds are those of Bodhisattva and Buddhahood, states of mind in which people strive to help others to eliminate their suffering and attain happiness.

Good and bad, happiness and sadness exist together, they cannot be separated and are integral parts of life. In fact it could be said that to try to describe one without the other would be meaningless.

Buddhist practice cannot remove bad things from our life nor the sadness, but it can help us deal with them (Poison into Medicine), and by doing so, help us and those around us promote the good and the happy aspects.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

Wise Words

07 Nov 2013 Leave a comment

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

ReflectionsSome days we are strong, some days not so strong.

When water is clear, the moon is reflected. When the wind blows, the trees shake. Our minds are like the water. Faith that is weak is like muddy water, while faith that is brave is like clear water. Understand that the trees are like principles, and the wind that shakes them is like the recitation of the sutra.

                                                   ~ Nichiren

When we realise that we are weak, we must continue to be guided by our principles and chant with all our might, that we may become stronger.

Setting The Pace

09 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

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

The Tortoise & The HareAfter watching Chris Froome and Team Sky  showing the rest of the teams how to take the lead in the Tour de France, it started me thinking about just how they make it all look so controlled and simple. Ok, they are a really amazing set of riders, but they also have a brilliant tactician at the helm.

Sir Dave Brailsford became the team principal at Team Sky three years ago, after taking British cycling to heights never dreamt of a few years before. By all accounts, he is a driven, focussed and demanding man, but he is also highly principled and has spoken out vehemently against doping, which has been rife in the sport for years, as evidenced by the Lance Armstrong debacle.

His team of professional riders are perfectly prepared for each and every stage, with Brailsford’s backroom staff leaving nothing to chance in terms of everything from food to equipment, training to recognisance of the route for that day.

Having managed Bradley Wiggins’ amazing victory in the lasts years Tour, he is doing another brilliant job of setting up another win, this time with the hugely talented Chris Froome.

What wins on the road, also wins in life, knowing the route, the highs and the lows of the road to come, and setting a steady, constant and unwavering pace. Taking your time to plan ahead, being constant and steady in your quest for a goal, and working as a team will give you the best chance of success in anything you do.

Remember the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. The Hare raced off into the distance, at the start of the race. The Tortoise set off at a slower, but steady pace. In the event, the Hare went too fast and had to stop to rest. By the time he was ready to continue, the Tortoise had caught and passed him, and went on to win the race.

So let’s all take a leaf out of Dave Brailsford’s and the Tortoise’s training manual. Be prepared, do the right things, be steady and be a winner. Trying to rush things through, to force the pace, is a recipe for disaster, so slow things down, take your time and be there at the end.

The Truth Will Out

04 Feb 2013 1 Comment

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

The Scales Of JusticeWith the final admission today, by ex-MP Chris Huhne, that he has been attempting to pervert the course of justice by lying to police about a motoring offence that happened over ten years ago, we can see that the lack of honesty can bring about anyone’s downfall .

Lying, or even being economical with the truth can swiftly get badly out of control. One lie leads to another, to another and so on, as the purveyor of untruths attempts to cover each falsehood with the next. How much better would it be for all concerned, in the long run, if the truth were told from the outset?

We might feel a modicum of compassion for Huhne, given that he has been described by colleagues as a very hard working MP. However, I think it only right that he serve a custodial sentence, bearing in mind the position of responsibility he held at the time, the number of people he has let down by his attempted deceit and the length of time he has taken to admit to the offence.

The court will decide his fate shortly, but it has already been mooted that he will serve time inside one of Her Majesty’s prisons. Sadly, like many other of his parliamentary colleagues over the last few years, he has been found to be a downright dishonourable member. Oh how the mighty are fallen, hoist by their own petard.

On The Up – A Little

22 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Healing Chakras - click here for the full size imageHaving successfully navigated the doctors appointment yesterday, with the simple prognosis of a chest infection, I was looking around to see how Buddhism concerns itself with illness and healing of that illness. Those nice people at the SGI had this to say …

Buddhism teaches that illness is one of the four sufferings which cannot be completely avoided in life, whether directly or through the experiences of close family or friends.

Buddhism takes a holistic approach to the treatment of sickness, stressing both the importance of finding the best and most appropriate medical treatment and care, and also that using our Buddhist practice will enable us to summon the energy and courage needed to fight our illness.

Often facing illness can lead us to deepen our understanding and appreciation of the profound principles of Buddhism, and we find that it is possible to create something valuable out of the experience.

As Nichiren wrote:

“Life is the most precious of all treasures. Even one extra day of life is worth more than ten million ryo of gold.”

So the healing process can itself be a good case of turning poison into medicine, and the combination of chanting and modern medicine seems to be doing the trick.

Namaste ~ Anupadin

SGI – An Overview

23 Oct 2011 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

SGI - An OverviewBeing a member of the SGI (Soka Gakkai International) sometimes raises questions about who we are, what we do, and why. Soka Gakkai is Japanese for Value Creating Society, and the organisation is dedicated to helping communities and individuals to create value and happiness in their lives.

Trying to explain this to people who ask can be a little tricky, so I was pleased to see a simple video, posted on Facebook by Jayne this afternoon. To get a better understanding, and to see a cameo appearance by Ken Hawkins, simply click on the image below …

A very smiley Ken Hawkins (click to view the SGI video)

The video is only a couple of minutes long, but it encapsulates the spirit of the SGI and explains a few of the principles behind the organisation.

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