A Worthy Goal

04 Oct 2014 Leave a comment

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

Buddhahood In This LifetimeOften we hear about the different attitudes of religious doctrine around the world, some we are happy to embrace, others we find unsettling. But whatever the doctrine, religion must teach us an ‘attitude to life’.

To live a life of true human dignity is certainly difficult. Life is change, it is continuous change. Nothing is constant. The  four sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death are an eternal theme that no one can escape.

Amid harsh reality, people yearn from the depths of their beings, to live with dignity, for their lives to have meaning, and they make efforts towards that end. The product of these human yearnings, these prayers, is religion. Religion was born from prayer.

What is Nichiren’s response to these prayers of human beings? What attitude towards life does he teach? The answer, in short, is the principle of attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime through continued practice.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

Hidden Truths?

17 Apr 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Pope FrancisI was dismayed to hear this morning, that the Catholic Church in England are refusing to publish the results of a recent survey of  sexual ethics of such subjects as contraception, cohabitation and homosexuality.

The German Catholic Church have published their results, but it seems that their English colleagues are sticking to Pope Francis’ request that they are not to be released until after further discussions on October.

What are they scared of revealing?  That their flock are completely at odds with the thinking of the clergy? It’s 2014 not 1814, the Inquisition is a thing of the past, people are allowed to have their own views, and have those views heard, aren’t they?

It’s none of my business, if I’m honest. I’m not, nor have I ever been Catholic, but I do strongly believe that honesty and openness are the way forward. If you don’t want to know the answer to something, don’t ask the question. But once it’s asked, let everyone know the outcome. To do otherwise simply encourages supposition and criticism.

Buddhism In Life

07 Mar 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Buddhism In Life

Buddhism does not ask “What religion does this person follow?” but “What is this person’s state of life?”

Buddhism exists to enable all people to cultivate and manifest the world of Buddhahood in their lives.

Society is a realm of discrimination and distinctions, but Buddhism transcends all superficial differences and focuses directly on life.

A Lifetime’s Goal

29 Jan 2014 4 Comments

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

Buddhahood In This LifetimeOften we hear about the different attitudes of religious doctrine around the world, some we are happy to embrace, others we find unsettling. But whatever the doctrine, religion must teach us an ‘attitude to life’.

To live a life of true human dignity is certainly difficult. Life is change, it is continuous change. Nothing is constant. The  four sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death are an eternal theme that no one can escape.

Amid harsh reality, people yearn from the depths of their beings, to live with dignity, for their lives to have meaning, and they make efforts towards that end. The product of these human yearnings, these prayers, is religion. Religion was born from prayer.

What is Nichiren’s response to these prayers of human beings? What attitude towards life does he teach? The answer, in short, is the principle of attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime through continued practice.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

Buddhahood In This Lifetime?

05 Dec 2013 2 Comments

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

Buddhahood in this lifetime?Religion must teach us an “attitude to life”. To live a life of true human dignity is certainly difficult.

Life is change; it is continuous change. Nothing is constant. The four sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death are an eternal theme that no one can escape.

Amid harsh reality, people yearn from the depths of their beings to live with dignity and for their lives to have meaning, and they make efforts toward that end. The product of these human yearnings, these prayers, is religion. Religion was born from prayer.

What is Nichiren’s response to these prayers of human beings? What attitude toward life does he teach? The answer, in short, is the principle of attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime.

What is needed to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime? Wisdom, Courage and Compassion and that comes from sustained, diligent practice.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Having Attitude

01 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

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

Buddhahood In This LifetimeWe hear about different attitudes to religious doctrine from around the world, some we can embrace, others we find unsettling. But whatever the doctrine, religion must teach us an ‘attitude to life’.

To live a life of true human dignity is certainly difficult. Life is change, it is continuous change. Nothing is constant. The  four sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death are an eternal theme that no one can escape.

Amid harsh reality, people yearn, from the depths of their beings, to live with dignity, and for their lives to have meaning, and they make efforts towards that end. The product of these human yearnings, these prayers, is religion. Religion was born from prayer.

What is Nichiren’s response to these prayers of human beings? What attitude towards life does he teach? The answer, in short, is the principle of attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

My Chosen Path

06 Jun 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

The Chosen PathSo many of the World Religions base their beliefs on a God, a Supreme Being, a Creator or an Entity whose existence is the focus of the religion’s belief.As a confirmed Atheist, that focus never sat comfortably in my psyche.

I don’t think anyone really believes in a white haired old man sitting in the clouds these days, but there are millions of people who base their faith on a Being whose existence cannot be proven. In fact, many religions actively seek to dissuade followers from even trying to prove that existence.

I was schooled in the Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology as well as Psychology, and those sciences demand proof for each and every hypothesis. So when I stumbled, and that is the right way to describe it, upon Nichiren Buddhism, I was overjoyed to find that there was no supreme being and that every part of Practice demands we examine the results of that Practice as proof of it’s validity.

Nichiren Daishonin said that we should seek proof of the effectiveness of our Practice in the results it brings. He also says that if the results do not support the practice, that we should desist.

I don’t want anyone to think that I am putting Nichiren Buddhism above or before any other religion, I am only saying that, for me, it fits my thinking and for me, it works.

I have been practicing for a while now, but I’m still learning new things every day. The results have been amazing so the proof is there for me and others to see. When it suddenly dawns on you, that you have the ultimate control, by making the causes for the results you wish to see, life takes on a very exciting hue.

Why Bother?

03 Dec 2011 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Blah-Blah-BlahIt really makes me laugh, the comments I get when I write something contentious about religion or religious issues. So today I’ve had a great time reading the ‘hate-mail’ I’ve received regarding yesterday’s post about the Bideford council prayer issue.

The thing that really tickles my funny-bone is the way they all, almost without exception, go on and on about what a waste of their time it is for them to be reading my blog, and what drivel it all is, when all they are doing is wasting yet more time commenting on it.

Fortunately, my spam filter blocks them all, so after a cursory glance I hit the ‘empty spam’ button, and consign them to the great waste bin in the sky. Of course, everyone has the right to air their opinion, but I would really like to thank every one of the contributors for giving me such a laugh and raising my already high life-energy levels.

The Right To Decide

03 Dec 2010 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: ,

In a quiet moment this afternoon, when our internet access had gone down due to some outage in Bristol, we got talking about religion.

Obviously, the guys in the office know that I am a Buddhist, they even jokingly (I hope) suggested that I should decline my invitation to the company Christmas do.

It transpired that the partner of one of the chaps has been attending the Alpha Course at their local church and although he has been totally accepting and supportive, he does not hold the same beliefs as her.

It turned out that he actually has no accepted spiritual beliefs, nor is he an Atheist. In fact he had some harsh words for them for trying to belittle or demean the beliefs of people who do believe in a god. He thought everyone was entitled to their own beliefs, or to hold no beliefs, if that was what they wanted.

I agree with him, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Unlike my old mate Billy Brown, whose favourite saying was ‘Everyone is entitled to my opinion’ and he wasn’t always joking.

Even though I believe totally in Nichiren Buddhism, I don’t see my role as some kind of evangelist. I am happy, even keen, to talk about my beliefs and the details of the Practice, but I don’t try to ‘convert’ people directly.

I guess deep down, I would like to think that I can extol the virtues of Buddhism in such a way that it might tempt someone into finding our more for themselves. But that’s where it ends. When you compare that to some religions, mentioning no names, who tend to turn up on your doorstep in the middle of the Sunday roast, or forcibly separate family members if one of them leaves their church, it’s pretty laid back.

At the end of the day, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, so remember that when you find yourself trying to ram your ideas, or ideals, down someone’s throat.

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