Enough Is Enough

05 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

The Barn Of FollyIt’s a fairly well known fact that 90% of the wealth of the UK is in the hands of 10% of the population, which is a shocking state of affairs in my opinion.

Of course it’s fairly easy to be shocked when you aren’t one of the 10%, but it got me wondering whether I would be any more benevolent if I were.

You may remember the fable about the rich farmer who, having grown his crops, decided that he needed to store it somewhere safe, so that the peasants of the area couldn’t get their thieving hands on any of it. So he set about building a huge barn, and made it secure so it kept out the riff-raff.

It must have taken quite a while to build it, but finally it was finished, and he was happy that his crops would now be safe. Of course, there was far more than he could ever need himself, but he locked it all away and hoarded it for his old age. Ironically, the night the barn was finished, he died in his sleep.

So the adage that ‘you can’t take it with you’ is anything but new. So I suppose the lesson from the story is, if you have enough of anything, money, food, whatever, you are fortunate. If you have more than enough, you are more than fortunate, and you might consider sharing some of it with others less fortunate, particularly in these austere times.

Fanning The Delicate Embers

04 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Spreading The WordMy own experiences with Nichiren Buddhism have shown me how powerfully it can change your life.

Whether that is simply making you a happier person or helping you see situations from a different perspective, that may help you solve your problems in a better way.

As with all good things, you want to tell people about it, so they can share the benefits.

So the greatest feeling, for me, is when someone actually comes straight out and asks. At that point, it’s important to offer as much, or as little as they request. Force feeding them will kill that spark as surely as piling logs onto a smouldering ember.

So be enthusiastic, but be reserved as well. Let them set the pace, be there for them to ask for more, and just see what happens.

Giving people a gift is a great feeling, that shining smile you see when they open it and are delighted by what they find. Giving people the way to find Nichiren Buddhism is just like that, only a million times better.

Fulfilment

01 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

HappinessUltimately, happiness rests on how you establish a solid sense of self or being. Happiness does not lie in outward appearances or vanity. It is a matter of what you feel inside, it is a deep resonance in your life.

To be filled each day with a rewarding sense of exhilaration and purpose, a sense of tasks accomplished and deep fulfilment, when you feel this way, you are happy.

What is more, those who have this sense of satisfaction, even when they are busy and under pressure, are much happier than those who have nothing to do, all the time in the world, but feel empty inside.

Are You Prepared?

30 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Be Prepared For LifeNo this isn’t a question about the motto of the Boy Scout movement. It is about being ready to face whatever life may throw at you. Life challenges us daily. There are joyous days and days of suffering. Sometimes really unpleasant things happen, but this variety is actually what makes life so interesting. The dramas we encounter are part and parcel of being human.

If we went through life without change or drama, if nothing unexpected ever happened, we could simply live like robots, and our lives would be unbearably dull and monotonous. We must therefore develop an inner strength, so we can enact the dramas of our lives with confidence and poise, in the face of whatever challenges we may encounter.

Just as a footnote, my day today is rather joyous, how about yours?

Get A Life

29 Jul 2013 4 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Don't Just Sit There, Get A Life !!!A life that is lived without purpose or focus, the kind in which one never discovers the reason why one was born, is joyless and lacklustre. To simply live, eat, sleep and die without any real sense of purpose, surely represents a life pervaded by the life-state of Tranquillity or Animality.

On the other hand, to do, to create or to contribute something that benefits others, society or ourselves and to dedicate ourselves for as long as we live, to that challenge, is a life of true satisfaction, and more importantly, a life of value.

To live life with purpose through Buddhist principles is a humanistic and meritorious way to live, so don’t just sit there, get a life !!!

Time To Ponder

25 Jul 2013 2 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Cogs In A MachineProbably the best aspect of living alone, is that it allows plenty of time to let me find out who I really am.

Wisdom is rooted in the souls of human beings. One way to acquire it is to follow the simple advice of Socrates, to ‘Know thyself’.

This is the starting point for the establishment of a sense of human dignity, preventing the degradation of human beings into anonymous, interchangeable cogs in a machine.

Remember, the essence of true knowledge is self-knowledge.

W.C.C … It’s Not Cricket You Know

22 Jul 2013 2 Comments

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

Cricket_BallHave you ever had a problem or situation that has been rumbling around for a while, but you can’t drum up the enthusiasm to fix? I know you have, we all have. Maybe enthusiasm is not the right word, maybe energy, or confidence is a better one.

Perhaps you should have made a phone call, written a letter, or gone to see someone, but you know they aren’t going to be too pleased to hear from you when you do.

When I say you know, it’s probably more accurate to say you imagine, you suppose, see what I mean? We all build up little scenarios in our heads, and the more often we think about the problem, the more convinced we become, that our imagined outcome is what will actually happen. Our fundamental darkness will also do its best to confirm our worst fears.

This is where we need a bit of W.C.C … Wisdom, Courage and Compassion.

We need the Wisdom to see that what we imagine is the version of events from our point of view, and may be way off. We also need to accept that any problem that is left to fester, will only get worse and never go away by itself.

We need a deal of Courage to put ourselves into a situation that may be awkward, embarrassing or painful (hopefully not physically). Picking up that phone, or ringing that door bell, when we are unsure of the reception, takes guts. But remember that the alternative may be even worse.

Now we need a huge dollop of Compassion. The fact that we have put off doing something about this issue probably means that we feel that we are in the wrong, in some way. So we need to steel ourselves for a potential tirade, whilst remaining calm and sympathetic. We need to understand the problem from the other persons point of view. That will take a dialogue of some nature, and maintaining a compassionate nature may help defuse the situation. We need to bite our tongue when we may feel like giving a little back. I don’t mean a complete capitulation, more a flexible approach to understanding their side of things.

I imagine that each and every person who reads this has an issue, be it large or small, that falls into this category. Only you know what it is, so gird your loins, take a deep breath, and get it sorted today. You’ll feel a lot better when you do, believe me, I know from experience.

If Only …

18 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Rudyard KiplingThis poem by Kipling, encapsulates such wisdom, courage and compassion, and is one of my favourites.

As I read it again today, for the first time in quite a while, I was intrigued by the similarity of the statements within it, and those in Buddhist principles.

IF …

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, ‘
Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!

~ Rudyard Kipling 1895

Kipling was not a Buddhist. He was, from a very early age, a Freemason and a Christian, but I cannot help feeling that his time in India brought him into contact with Buddhism and the ethos of the poem has a Buddhist feel to it.

I hope you enjoyed reading it and that you might take a little of the wisdom contained within it away with you.

Right Thinking

14 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Right ThinkingOne of the most difficult things to do, personally speaking, is to remain in a constant life-state when confronted by the highs and lows of life.

One of the aims of Nichiren Practice is to smooth out the emotional highs and lows in life. through right thinking.

A Buddhist quotation says that “The Wise Man is neither elated by success nor deflated by failure”.

That is not to say that you cannot be happy when you succeed, or sad when you fail, it’s about the intensity of those feelings and trying to stay nearer the mid-point.

I find it tough at times, but I’m getting better.

Keep On Giving

08 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

A Giving HeartThe people who are closest to us are the people we can hurt the most. With the best will in the world and with the very best intentions, a wrong word or deed can sometimes cause them a whole world of pain.

Being in the position of being responsible for supporting someone is a full time role, there’s no time off, no period during which one can let things slide. So when a conversation suddenly goes awry because of a thoughtless comment or reaction, the disappointment can be felt by both sides.

The result is like someone who is distracted whilst trying to push a boulder uphill. They have worked tirelessly to get it higher and higher up the hill. But the instant they relax their effort, or take their eye off the ball, the boulder starts back down to the bottom again.

In the same way, the trust and relationship you have worked so hard to nurture can suddenly takes a U turn and you can find yourself back where you were. Not only is that disappointing, but it’s quite possible that the damage caused could change things forever.

So be mindful. If you are putting yourself in a position where your support is important, be aware of the responsibility it entails. Be self-aware, show determination, compassion and resilience and be prepared to keep on giving, no matter what the circumstances.

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