The Buddhist Blog

Obama Shouldn't Meet with Burmese Dictator Thein Sein.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:53:00 +0000

PHOTO CREDIT: Reuters News Agency via the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) (link)

US Campaign for Burma (link):

(Washington DC, May 15, 2013) – Today the U.S. Campaign for Burma (USCB) expresses its dismay over President Obama’s decision to welcome Burma’s President Thein Sein to the White House on Monday, May 20, 2013, just days after President Thein Sein failed to effectively manage the multiple dangers Rohingya internally displaced persons (IDPs) face from the oncoming cyclones and security forces, ignoring months of warnings about the danger they face in low-lying areas during cyclone season, and not holding security forces accountable for their role in attempting to ethnically cleanse the Rohingya from Burma.

This trip follows a troubling downward trend in Burma: hundreds of new political prisoners, ongoing war against the Kachin, breakdown of several ceasefires, ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya, escalating anti-Muslim violence, denial of humanitarian aid, pandemic land confiscation, and a complete lack of justice and accountability.

JAMES: Inviting Thein Sein to the White House is like inviting Saddam Hussein. By visiting with Thein Sein, Obama is legitimizing a man who kills, tortures and imprisons innocent, non-violent, Buddhist monks. I vehemently disagree with Obama on this one.

~i bow to the buddha within all beings~

Buddhist's Should Reject Fanatical Monk Saydaw Wirathu's Hatred and Anti-Muslim Teachings.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:35:00 +0000

By Gianluca Mezzofiore, IB Times, March 26, 2013

Yangon, Myanmar -- Buddhist Monk Saydaw Wirathu, the self-styled "Burmese bin Laden", has called for a national boycott of Muslim businesses in Myanmar in a controversial video that emerged on YouTube. Your purchases spent in 'their' (Muslim) shops will benefit the Enemy," says Wirathu. "So, do business with only shops with 969 signs on their facets".

James: Saydaw Wirathu goes on to call Muslims "savages." He calls himself the "Burmese bin Laden" which is ironic considering Osama bin Laden was Muslim. This man may call himself a disciple of Buddha but he is a charlatan, an impostor. All he does is inject the poison of hatred into the minds of impressionable followers. Buddha taught that hatred is a poison that only creates greater suffering for both the hated and hater. A wise saying states, "Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." The Buddha himself said, "Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned."

Buddha did not teach antipathy between opposing groups. One day the Buddha was in discussion with King Pasenadi, the king of Kosala, which is in the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about love. The Buddha advised the king to love even those not within his kingdom. "The prosperity and security of one nation should not depend upon the poverty and insecurity of other nations. Majesty, lasting peace and prosperity are only possible when nations join together in a common commitment to seek the welfare of all." Quote from the book "Old Path, White Clouds" by Thich Nhat Hanh.

Saydaw Wirathu should also head the example of Buddhist ruler, King Ashoka. Ashoka was a powerful ruler in ancient India who fought many wars against his enemies and imposed his rule upon them with force. After awhile, however, the king became vexed by war and realized that it only fueled further war and hatred. It was in this time of great contemplation that Ashoka embraced Buddhism--soon he was transformed from a warrior to a man of peace and reconciliation. In embracing a spirit of co-operation with his enemies, he found that his kingdom thrived as he realized war not only brought death and poverty to his enemies, but to his own people, as well.

Saydaw Wirathu is not a Buddhist--not in practice. He may wear the robes of a bhikku, but he is not spreading the Buddha's message of inclusion, compassion and tolerance. He knows that the Burmese people are desperate for leaders in a country where the government is more of an enemy than a friend, so he exploits that disillusionment. He is exploiting the Burmese reverence for monks to spread his dark campaign of terror. In his twisted mind, Saydaw Wirathu understands that it's easier to sow the seeds of hatred for immigrants and minorities groups in times of poverty. He understands that in times of extreme poverty, it's easy to get people to blame others for their predicament, which history shows is usually directed at minority populations.

It is my hope, that his power and influence will wane as people become aware of his true intentions. The best way to heal ignorance and fear is through awareness and education. Please, speak out and warn your fellow Buddhists of this charismatic yet dangerous man. Ask them to compare his teachings and pronouncements with those of the Buddha. They will quickly find that Saydaw Wirathu is the more like Mara than Buddha. I do not wish ill upon Saydaw Wirathu. My heart aches for him because he is clearly suffering, but I will not stand silent while he attempts to drag others down into his pit of pain.

PHOTO CREDIT: AK Rockefeller website...read more about this racist monk at AK Rockefeller (link).

~i bow to the buddha within all beings~

A Cute and Smart Sentient Being to Make You Smile on a Friday!!

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:10:00 +0000

The intelligence displayed in this video underlines a major reason why I'm a vegetarian. If we would not eat a dog then how can eat other animals? Pigs, for example, are eaten world-wide yet they have the intelligence of a 3 year old human!!
If you could not slaughter an animal to eat yourself then how is it right to ask something to do it for you? I don't like to be confrontational about animal rights since it just turns some people off but I do think there are ways to put the issue forth for consideration.
I realize that Buddha didn't say vegetarianism is "mandatory." I understand that some areas of the world aren't suitable for vegetable growth, and therefore, meat consumption is necessary. I only ask that people who can avoid eating meat consider the ramifications of meat consumption. It is also less healthy a diet and creates a greater "carbon footprint" on Earth than eating vegetables and grains.
~i bow to the buddha within all beings~

The Sanctuary of our Breath.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 19:46:00 +0000

Our breath keeps us calmly anchored each day as we weather the chaotic seas of modern life.

~i bow to the buddha within all beings~

Meditating after a Back Injury.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 22:43:00 +0000

***The following post is about my personal experiences meditating after a back injury. I am not a meditation teacher, but if something I write within this post helps you, then wonderful. I realize that the meditation described below isn't "approved" by all Buddhists. However, if you are here to lecture everyone that this technique isn't accepted by your tradition, or to criticize those who use it as misguided, then I merely ask that you refrain from commenting. This isn't a post suggesting that everyone should follow this meditation technique. Nor, is it a post meant for the average practitioner. This is a post about how to maintain a meditation practice after a severe back injury. I thought it might interest fellow meditation practitioners who suffer from chronic, back pain.*** -James

A year ago, I tore a spinal disc while changing a flat-tire. Ever since then I have endured chronic back pain, which has hindered my mediation sessions. In my personal experience, sitting in meditation has never been free of some physical discomfort, and such sensations are to be expected. In the past, I've been able to mindfully view the aches as normal reactions from a frail body, and usually, the intensity and level of distraction of the pain diminished with a return to deep breathing. I was usually able to view it as simply another sensation that came and went throughout meditation.

It's a different story now. Today, if I attempt meditation on the cushion my back screams with extreme pain. At the same time, folding my legs triggers severe, sciatic nerve pain down my right leg. Obviously, this isn't an average ache that can be dealt with by deep breathing alone to relax the muscles of the body. Thus, I had to stop meditating for awhile, which was discouraging, until I read something from my teacher, Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh in his book Peace is Every Step about aches, pains and meditation. "If you prefer, you can sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your hands resting in your lap."

So, today, I tried sitting in a straight-back chair on a memory foam cushion (link). In addition, I added a contoured, lumbar support pad for my back that people often using driving (similar to the red one in the image below):

It was a break-through!! It enabled me to maintain a straight, stable and balanced bodily position without the excruciating pain. I kept my legs firmly planted on the floor with my hands folded in my lap, positioned in the classic, meditation mudra position, which helps engender balance and a feeling of oneness.

I didn't have to cut the session short either. I was able to roughly sit for 20 minutes without experiencing the excruciating pain that has recently been hindering my practice. I am just so thrilled to be able to meditate again!! Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to continue my practice.

I think the most important part is keeping a straight back. To quote Suzuki Roshi from Zen Mind, Beginners Mind, "the most important thing in taking the zazen posture is to keep your spine straight." Otherwise, slumping or hunching over seems to constrict a free-flow of breath, and for me, meditation just isn't as beneficial if I can not breath freely and normally. In my experience, it is the breath that melts away the obstacles to mindfulness that my mind and body often impose. If I need to sit in a straight-back chair to achieve this aim, then so be it. It has the blessing of my teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, whose expertise and wisdom is unquestionable.

It's not for everyone, but chair meditation has been a lifesaver, and I didn't feel it was any less helpful. If fact, I felt a greater sense of connection to my body than I have felt in awhile. Usually the only feeling I felt when meditating recently was breath-taking pain. For the most part, that is gone and I'm finally free again to simply sit and breath. I think this type of meditation would be very beneficial to elderly practitioners who can't sit on the floor but want to continue their meditation practice. However, like I said, I'm not a meditation teacher, so what works for my injury might not work for others.

~i bow to the buddha within all beings~

Meditation: The Door to Freedom.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 03:50:00 +0000

Just finished a deep meditation. The tethers of the ego give-way with each breath until full transcendence of the mind dawns. Gone are the petty concerns of society and the unrealistic expectations of the "self." No longer can the mind hide in the cul-de-sac of delusion. That is all shattered until there is nothing but your true nature...boundless and free. Those are true moments of freedom where there is nothing left to do but bask in the perfection of being at one with all....nothing to add, or subtract. No agendas...no places to hide...just being. Pure and true. All is one...and one is all.

~i bow to the buddha within all beings~

The Freedom of the Present Moment

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 03:22:00 +0000

“There is surely nothing other than the single purpose of the present moment. A man's whole life is a succession of moment after moment. There will be nothing else to do, and nothing else to pursue. Live being true to the single purpose of the moment.”

-Yamamoto Tsunetomo from Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai

The Great Buddhist Blog Book Give-Away: Results!!

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 23:30:00 +0000

The results of the book give-away have been tallied and those whose names were drawn will be contacted. Thank-you to everyone who entered the drawing!!

~i bow to the Buddha within all beings~

Meditation is Like Draining Your Ego from the Bathtub That is Your Mind.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 23:50:00 +0000

This is one of my favorite metaphors for how meditation sometimes works when I'm emotionally frayed. Imagine you're in a deep bathtub and you can only barely keep your head above water to breath. That would make anyone stressed, anxious and irritable. So, the water is the chaos of samsara and the bathtub is my mind.

What meditation does for my troubled mind is drain that dirty bathwater out. As it drains, it takes with it all the grime and grit my confused mind accumulates in samsara--greed, hatred and ignorance. In these moments, gone is the static noise of life that usually prevents me from hearing the Buddha within.

It is then that I follow my breath deeper to release all the labels, boundaries and tethers placed upon my mind by the ever cleaver, yet misguided, ego. It is the ego that Christians label "Satan." As a Buddhist, however, I believe that we are the only one's to blame for being influenced by the aforementioned ego. Perhaps that's disconcerting to learn, but that also means we can be our own saviors and chart out own destiny. We don't have to accept the limitations of ego, we can be our own saviors. This is liberating to me.

Those precious, moments of meditation enable me to simply "be." In those moments I am at one with all things in the universe, which grounds my spirit and makes me feel whole again. Once all the artificial limits are stripped away, the oneness of the universe envelops me with such joy and freedom that it often brings tears of peace to my weary eyes.

Thank-you, dear Buddha, for taking the leap to teach your inspired wisdom on meditation, and the Dharma. Did you know that Buddha almost decided not to share what he learned during his enlightenment within the forests of India? It is out of honor and respect for such an unselfish and generous man that I bow before Buddha statues. It's not worship. It's showing gratitude. It is also bowing to the Buddha within all of us. We practice the Dharma to grow our Buddha within, until it will finally breach the muddy depths of life to open atop the water and bask in the sunlight of awakening.

~i bow to the buddha within all beings~

Pain, Suffering and Suicide.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 21:02:00 +0000

A man went to a Zen master and asked him how he can be free of suffering.

The Zen master answered: Accept pleasure and accept pain. To be free of pain the pain has to be accepted and it is inevitable and natural, pain is pain, a simple painful fact.

Suffering however, is and always is the refusal of accepting pain, the claim that life should not be painful, it is the rejection of the fact, denial of life and the nature of things.

James: As someone who has endured much suffering due to a psychological disease (schizoaffective disorder), I can appreciate this point. I say that because despite the hardships, I have learned so much because of it. I struggled for a time with suicidal thinking, and still do in rare moments, but what keeps me from going down that dark tunnel is the Dharma.

The Dharma has taught me interconnection and interdependence, which necessarily means that killing myself would, in a sense, also be killing my family members and loving friends. It might seem that suicide would end your suffering, but in reality it only creates more suffering. Not only have you robbed your family and friends of someone they love dearly, you have also wounded them for the rest of their lives. These are wounds that some don't survive. It isn't uncommon for grieving parents to suddenly die natural deaths from unbearable loss. In addition, when one person commits suicide in a family, it increases the chances that someone else will meet the same fate. Don't pass your suffering onto someone else.

Be brave, and reach out for help from them and others who have shown a willingness to help. Telling others that you are struggling with suicidal depression isn't admitting weakness. It means you are strong enough to ask for help. They can't help you if your dead, but in killing yourself, you can hinder their happiness for their entire lives. If you can't muster love for yourself to continue living then do it for those who care about until you do have that love inside you because you'll leave them with unbearable pain. You don't want others to suffer unduly because of your disease, do you? I know I don't want to cause my mother that heart-ache. She told me that if I ever did commit suicide that she'd do the same out of extreme grief.

It's hard to think clearly when you are suicidal because it's irrational behavior brought on by delusional thinking that is triggered by a diseased brain. So, to over-come that powerful biological impulse, you have to do some exercises, so-to-speak, such as ingraining the Buddhist teaching on interdependence into your mind. It's not enough, however, to think about it once or twice in the abstract. That's not powerful enough. I have found that success increases immensely when you couple the abstract idea of interdependence with a strong and happy memory of someone you love (mother, sibling or friend). It reminds us that there are reasons to live and survive.

Thus, when you begin to sink into that deep suicidal depression, it will have to compete with the love you have for that person(s). It's nearly impossible to hold thoughts of love and hate at the same time. Then you begin to turn the energy around to a positive, pro-active kind where you don't want to cause them harm by killing yourself. This leads to action, and measures undertaken to climb out of that hole. It's necessary to contemplate it though over and over until you've trained your mind enough, so that suicidal thinking triggers thoughts of those loved ones. Meditation is a great way to do this because it filters out the background noise of society to better enable mental training. It's especially effective if you can conjure an image in your head of a picture of those people smiling or embracing you.

I learn the most when I go through pain and suffering because it is in those moments of desperation when I'm most able to "let go" of thinking and behaviors that were harmful to myself. It's not unlike lifting weights. Your muscles hurt when they are growing. These are "good pains." This often leads me to consider the "good" that comes out of having a psychological disease. For example, because I've had to face death in the eyes due to suicidal thinking, I am not afraid of death, and that is liberating. Please, if you are feeling suicidal...reach out to someone. My email: jaymur@gmail.com

~i bow to the buddha within all beings~

1 MILLION VISITS TO THE BUDDHIST BLOG!!!

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:23:00 +0000

When I started this blog, I never imagined that people would be interested in it enough to come back, but you did, and you brought a lot of friends with you!! The blog has now logged over 1 MILLION visits since its inception in 2005!!!!

I'm truly humbled. It's been so wonderful to get to know so many of you via: comments, emails and sometimes even in person!! I truly feel like this blog is my sangha where I commune with my readers. You have given me so much joy over the years and I feel so humbled that some have turned to me in their times of need. I'm not a monk, a leader, a teacher or anything special but I do love deeply and have great compassion for all beings. Hopefully something I've said helped your life for the better and not the worst. I apologize for all my failings and while I admit that I am hopelessly imperfect, I will always try to do better.

So!! I want to reward your loyal readership by announcing, "The Great Buddhist Blog Book Give-Away!!" In honor of you, dear readers, I have chosen 3 Buddhist books from my collection to give-away. The books being offered are the following:

1st Book: Rebel Buddha by Dzogchen Ponlop -- This was my favorite book in 2010, and I still refer back to it. It's a book that will appeal to those looking for a bit of a modern spin on their Buddhism. Don't be afraid of being a rebel, so was Buddha!!

2nd Book: The Best Buddhist Writing 2011, edited by Melvin McLeod, and the editors of the Shambhala Sun. The beauty of this book is that it's several books combined!! You get some of the best writing from Thich Nhat Hanh, Dzogchen Ponlop, Jack Kornfield, and the Dalai Lama.

3rd Book: The Lankavatara Sutra: Translation and Commentary by Red Pine. -- Red Pine is one of the best English translators available for Asian texts. A lesser known sutra to some, the Lankavatara Sutra is "the holy grail" of Zen Buddhism. It is essentially the "manual" on Zen Buddhism. Zen's first patriach, Dogen Zenji handed this text to his successor and told him everything he needed to know was in there.

Unfortunately, due to limited finances, I can not ship to international readers. I'm so sorry. I can only afford to ship books to readers in North America. If you are interested in tossing your name into the hat then simply type your name (first name is fine) into an email and send it to: jaymur@gmail.com --

I will then write your names out onto pieces of paper, place them in a hat and have my wife, an impartial, third-party, draw the names out of the hat. I will draw three winners. The first name pulled from the hat will get first pick. Pick 1 book from the three highlighted above. Second place will get to pick from the remaining two books, and third place will get the last book. Trust me, there are no losers here...all the books are excellent. I specifically chose three of the best one's in my collection.

I will draw the names from the hat on 3/8/2013

That's it! I wish everyone luck, and thank-you, again, for your loyal readership!!

~i bow to the buddha within all beings~

Stop Buying Ivory. Stop the Ivory Trade.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 21:20:00 +0000

By Jean Rovys Dabany for Reuters: Poachers have killed more than 11,000 elephants in Gabon's Minkebe National Park rainforest since 2004. "If we don't reverse this situation rapidly, the future of elephants in Africa will be compromised," Lee White, executive secretary of Gabon's national parks agency, said in a statement issued by Gabon's presidency.

James: If elephants go extinct, my heart will forever weep. To lose such an icon of the animal kingdom would be a scar on our collective consciousness. We can not continue to slaughter animals, nor their environment, and believe that we can avoid responsibility. The collective karma from these actions is going lead to our own environmental extinction. That is the undeniable reality of interdependence, whether you believe in Buddhism or do not.

The largest markets for ivory are in Asia (especially China and Japan). Thus, since a lot of the readers of this blog live in that part of the world, I beg you to speak-out against the ivory trade. It is virtually impossible to know the difference between pre-ban ivory and poached ivory, therefore, you should assume all ivory is poached. Why would any Buddhist want ivory anyway? Ivory is essentially a dead elephants teeth and often those elephants killed are mother's who leave babies behind to starve to death in the scorching-hot, African sun.

What would Buddha think about killing animals purely to please our aesthetic desires? It is not enough to avoid purchasing ivory ourselves. By remaining silent, we condone the death of animals for materialistic desires. In Buddhism, the idea of rebirth says that any animal could have been our mother in a past life. So, please, ask yourselves this question, "Would you allow someone to kill your mother so that you could wear her carved teeth around your neck as a necklace?" If not, then I would kindly ask you to speak-out against buying ivory. Thank-you.

~i bow to the buddha within all beings~

The Dangers of Organized Buddhism.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 23:29:00 +0000

This, from "The Buddhist Channel:"

many [...] lament the state of Thai Buddhism as being corrupt, power hungry [...] A series of scandals has turned up recently, including senior monks sexually abusing their novices. Many monks have been accused of the commercialization of the faith including fraudulent fund-raising. Between accepting donations and chanting ancient Pali incantations that many in the congregation don’t understand, the monks thumb at their cell phones or ask their personal attendants to grab them refreshments.
Corruption within the Thai clergy has not been an uncommon or even recent phenomenon. In 1999, The Associated Press carried a story stating: “At its core, Buddhism is a religion that teaches the renunciation of desire for material comforts is the way to relieve suffering and find the path to wisdom. But instead of shunning material comforts, some senior monks live in plush quarters and drive Mercedes Benzes.”

This is why I personally believe it is important to have a healthy skepticism of organized religion. I am a very happy and devoted Buddhist, but I don't believe everything taught by organized Buddhism, or any religion. In the end, no organization can do the work for us. No amount of "blessings" or donations can help us in those quiet moments alone when our ego declares war upon our peace of mind. While I am thankful for temples and monasteries, we are on our own.

I find that freeing because it empowers us to directly impact our lives without relying so much upon imperfect organizations and leaders. People will disappoint us and lead us astray if we put all our faith in them alone. There is definitely a place for temples and monasteries, but for me, direct experience is where the progress happens. Amulets can not prevent bad things from happening in our life, but the purpose of Buddhism is to teach us methods of behaving that enable us to experience the inevitable pains of life with less mental anguish.

As for the money involved in these corrupt temples, I believe in dana, or donating, but the Dharma is not for sale. The idea of making money off donations beyond caring for the basic needs of monks and their temples is shockingly antithetical to the dharma. Monks driving around in Mercedes Benzes corrupts the dharma to nothing other than a business gimmick. No one expects monks to be perfect but they set the example for novice Buddhists. They are the caretakers of the dharma who are supposed to best embody Buddha's work. They represent what is possible when the Buddha's methods are practiced on a regular basis. They are the teachers who pass on the knowledge of finding the path to true spiritual freedom.

There is, however, the tendency to deify monks on the other extreme. This is why I have a healthy dose of skepticism of organized religion. It's not that the Dharma is flawed but that we humans are flawed, so putting all our trust in any human being is falling into the trap of delusional thinking, which is one of the three poisons that Buddha taught create suffering. After all the teaching, chanting and reading, no one can walk the thorny path of samsara for us, and it can not be any other way.

There are no short-cuts. We can believe that trinkets and donations will ease our suffering but they merely distract us, so when the delusion wears off, we're back in our hole of suffering. In the end, it's up to us to put one foot in front of the other and climb the steps toward realizing enlightenment. We can walk with friends and guides for a time but they can not carry us to liberation because the path to enlightenment isn't a physical journey. It's a journey of the mind.

Being carried the whole way could never work because our mind is where the problem rests and if you don't fix the mind first then you're simply trying to drain water out of a boat before fixing the leak first!! Trying to fix the mind through charms is like trying to heal a broken bone by reading the doctor's manual on how to heal broken bones aloud to the damaged leg hoping that alone would cure the problem. Thus, for me, my practice is a balance of following experienced, Buddhist, teachers while continuing to think for myself and use common sense. In the end, isn't balance the middle-path that Buddha taught?

~i bow to the buddha within all beings~

Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh on Rebirth

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:42:00 +0000

At first, we might think of reincarnation as a soul entering a body. The body is seen as impermanent and the soul as permanent, and when we get rid of one body, we re-enter another. You might be surprised to know that people in Buddhist Asia are not fond of reincarnation. They want the circle of birth and death to end because they know it represents suffering without end.

The Buddha taught that a so-called "person" is really just five elements (skandhas) that come together for a limited period of time: our body, feelings, perceptions, mental states and consciousness. These five elements are, in fact, changing all the time. Not a single element remains the same for two consecutive moments.

Not only is our body impermanent, but our so-called soul is also impermanent. It, too, is comprised only of elements like feelings, perceptions, mental states, and consciousness. When the idea of an immortal soul is replaced, our understanding of reincarnation gets closer to the truth.

But if we observe the things around us, we find that nothing comes from nothing. Before its so-called birth, the flower already existed in other forms -- clouds, sunshine, seeds, soil, and many other elements. Rather than birth and rebirth, it is more accurate to say "manifestation" (vijñapti) and "remanifestation." The so-called birthday of the flower is really a day of its remanifestation. It has already been here in other forms, and now it has made an effort to remanifest.

Manifestation means its constituents have always been here in some form, and now, since conditions are sufficient, it is capable of manifesting itself as a flower. When things have manifested, we commonly say they are born, but in fact, they are not. When conditions are no longer sufficient and the flower ceases to manifest, we say the flower has died, but that is not correct either. Its constituents have merely transformed themselves into other elements, like compost and soul.

-Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh, Living Buddha, Living Christ (New York: Riverhead Books, 1995), pp 133-135 (Source: http://karmicdragonfly.livejournal.com/244117.html)

BOOK REVIEW: "Essential Chan Buddhism: The Spirit and Character of Chinese Zen."

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 21:35:00 +0000

One day, the Buddha asked his disciples: "How long is life?"

"Maybe fifty years?" replied a disciple.

"Wrong," said Buddha.

Another disciple said, "Months."

"No," Buddha said.

"Days? Weeks?" another disciple suggested.

"Wrong. Wrong," said Buddha. "Not years, not months, not weeks, not days."

Then they asked, "How long is one life?"

"Our life is only as long as one breath."

---

Thus begins the insightful book, Essential Chan Buddhism: The Spirit and Character of Chinese Zen. It is a collection of some of the vast wisdom from Chan master, Guo Jun. The book is easy to read but not simplistic. Each chapter is relatively short, so it is a great way to begin a book on Buddhism since it prepares the reader to absorb the teachings one at a time, without rushing through. Thus, staying in the present moment. At times, I would break after only reading a paragraph to simply breath and reflect on what I just read. Too often I rush through books without taking breaks to let what I read seep into my heart to be reflected in my actions.

This leads the reader to experience the wisdom personally, through study and contemplation, rather than being told simply what to believe. Master Guo Jun reminds us that true wisdom comes from personal experience and not simply memorizing teachings. That is knowledge, but knowing a lot doesn't mean that we have absorbed the lessons of that knowledge toward changing the way we act. I know some people who are amazingly smart at memorizing the sutras or knowing all the rules but are personally very difficult to interact with because the knowledge has fed their ego. Whereas experiential wisdom is reflected less in what we say and rather in what we do. To quote Master Guo Jun in the book, "Wisdom is expressed in every action, by mere presence."

I have experienced this first-hand with Thich Nhat Hanh. The minute he walks into the room, you feel the energy in the room change. You feel him teaching through his mere presence. His slow and deliberate movements evoke living solely in the present moment. His soft spoken speaking style imparts the wisdom of thinking before you speak, so as to only speak essential words. This teaches me to choose my words wisely, so as to avoid or reduce harmful words.

The book offers much for those new to Buddhism, and insight to long-time Buddhists looking to return to the "Beginners Mind" of Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki. The book doesn't necessarily have to be read front to back. It's easy flip to a random chapter in the book and learn a quick lesson, which is great if you are pressed for time. Overall, I'd recommend this book to beginners, long-time practitioners and especially those looking for direct lessons from the Chan tradition of Buddhism.

~i bow to the buddha within all beings~

Dealing with Anger.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 23:41:00 +0000

Over the years, I have wrestled with anger and felt it's sting every time. A lot of times I get angry for reasons that I feel are justified, but even so, I pay a price for letting someone's rude actions disturb the calm waters of my mind. One example being rude drivers on the roads, but getting angry at them doesn't do any good for my mental health. I might feel justified, like I sometimes do, but striking-out at other people is like a bee stinging you when you try to take their honey. They strike-out in anger by stinging you, but in the process they are hurt worse because in the process of stinging you they die.

I'm learning through Buddha that there are other ways to react to problems, solve disagreements or process disappointments than through anger. There are other ways to resolve differences without lashing out in rage. People are less likely to compromise with you or change their behavior if you yell at them with angry words and insults. They simply yell back and you're even further away from resolving your problem with them!!

I'm trying to do meditation in the car to lessen my anger while driving. I simply try to focus on my breathing and remember that mistakes happen but how I react determines how much those mistakes will affect me in a painful way. Another method I try to use is seeing the rude drivers as people suffering greatly. They are unhappy inside, so they lash out at others because they don't know how to handle their pain. They are like a wounded animal that tries to bite you even though you aren't trying to hurt them. They are confused and don't know how to solve their problems, so they blame everyone out of ignorance and delusion. It helps me have compassion toward them instead of anger, which calms my mind rather than succumb to the ego's desire for vengeance.

~i bow to the buddha within all beings~

Meditation, Medication and Psychological Disorders.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 03:01:00 +0000

The mind is likened to a pond of water. Restless thoughts are like pebbles thrown into the water. They send out a ripple of activity, disturbing the tranquil surface. When the water is constantly agitated with restless thoughts, we cannot see clearly to the bottom of the pond, which represents our inner wisdom. When we stop the restless thoughts, we calm the waters, enabling us to see clearly to the bottom—where our wisest, most enlightened self resides. -Dr. Neal F. Neimark, M.D.

James: Meditation calms the waters in my mind like a powerful medication, and unlike some of my psychiatric medications, meditation has no negative side-effects!! That does not mean, however, that someone should stop taking their doctor-prescribed medications. Meditation should be an augmentation of your current psychiatric medical plan, not a replacement. Unless otherwise advised by a medical professional.

We would never recommend a cancer patient stop their medication for a "meditation-only" treatment plan! Yet, I hear some well-meaning Buddhists advise people to stop their medications. That is dangerously short-sighted. I think the confusion stems from confusing the mind with the brain--both are interconnected, and need attention in the psychiatric patient, but should be treated differently. Medications aren't very useful in changing the mind. If so, drug addicts would be enlightened Buddhas!!! The illicit drug changes the brain chemically to give the impression of nirvana-like bliss, but when the drug wears-off, the user is left, once again with his harmful habits and cravings.

Consider this example:

The brain is like a computer, and the mind is like the screen or monitor. The screen/mind, will only project what the computer/brain feeds it. In this example, psychiatric medications wouldn't change the mind's karmic habits anymore than replacing computer screens will change the content being projected by the computer/brain. In the mind of someone with a psychiatric disease, the computer/brain is infected with a "virus" or disease, which spits-out jumbled-up imagery and sound (psychiatric symptoms). Being someone with a psychiatric disease, I know how helpful and vital psychiatric medications are for these medical conditions. However, the medications aren't a cure, there was something missing. I didn't feel like I had a complete treatment plan until I found Buddhism.

This is where meditation is most effective in aiding those with psychiatric conditions. It's the answer to the "What now" question. A lot of people suffering from medical conditions such as bipolar and schizophrenia know that medication alone isn't giving them relief from their suffering. Unfortunately, many believe that there is nothing else that can help them, which is why I often recommend Buddhism to fellow sufferers, so that they can get that extra help to assist their mental stability.

Meditation can be difficult for some patients with psychiatric disorders, especially if you have attention deficit disorder (A.D.D.) or difficulty concentrating. If you're first starting to meditate and find it difficult to concentrate then I recommend chanting meditation. It's also good for meditators without psychiatric disorders, especially on days when they are particularly agitated or distracted. It will help calm the mind while focusing it on something positive and ease distraction. The repetition will clear your mind to enable spiritual insight. An added bonus is that the resonating sound will relax your body to ease the tension and stress from the day built up in your muscles.

I'm not an ordained monk or meditation teacher, but as someone with a psychiatric disorder I've realized that chanting meditation is a great way to meditate on days when your thoughts are simply racing too much.

-i bow to the buddha within all beings-

We Are Recycled Consciousness.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 07:12:00 +0000

We are recycled consciousness expressing itself in infinite forms. Science tells us that we are social creatures. We need others to survive in this world of suffering. Buddhism explains this bond as interconnection and co-arising. We are all one. To quote the Heart Sutra, "form is emptiness and emptiness is form." Thich Nhat Hanh uses the example of waves in the ocean.

We are all apart of a great, infinite, ocean of consciousness. In other words, we all share a similar human consciousness that interconnects us. As individuals, we are the wave that arises from the wider ocean of consciousness. We are both the wave and the ocean. We are both individuals, and a collective consciousness. This is the Buddhist belief of co-arising. To quote Buddha, "All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else."

In each new birth, our karma determines the particular form of our wave rising from the greater ocean of consciousness.

~i bow to the buddha within all beings~

Buddhism for Returning Veterans of War

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 02:17:00 +0000

UPDATE: According to Claire Michalewicz, with "Shambhala Sunspace" the British military is not sending 4,000 of its soldiers to Bodh Gaya, as was reported in "The Daily Mail" news publication. "It’s completely untrue,” an army spokeswoman told me, explaining that the Ministry of Defence had no official plans to send troops to Bodh Gaya, the religious site in India where Gautama Buddha is said to have achieved enlightenment. A Buddhist army chaplain is arranging a pilgrimage there for up to 20 soldiers next year, but they’ll be paying for the trip themselves.

By Giridhar Jha, MAIL TODAY,
December 10, 2012 Patna, India

The British Army will send about 4,000 of its troops, who are followers of Buddhism, in a group of 100-150 people to spend a week at Bodh Gaya and Sarnath to seek peace after their prolonged involvement in the war zones in different countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq. They will all meditate under the famous tree at Bodh Gaya, where Lord Buddha had attained enlightenment in 6th century B.C.

JAMES: War is hell, as they say. There are never any winners. All lose something when war is waged, even the survivors. Physically, they might have survived and kept their limbs but mentally they have been traumatized and scarred for life. Modern medicine has never been better at fixing broken bodies but the mind is harder to heal. A lot of mentally traumatized people find that there are gaps in the kind of psychiatric care available. Yes, medications help but they aren't a cure-all.

This is where spirituality can make the difference. Buddha was often described as "the great physician" since his teachings can bring such mental relief from suffering. The Buddha diagnosed the sickness of human suffering through a four-part experiment called the "Four Noble Truths." He then diagnosed the remedy as regular meditation following Dr. Buddha's "Eight-fold Path" to realize the cure (enlightenment). Thus, in many ways, Buddha was one of humanity's first psychiatrists.

I haven't been to war, thankfully, but I do struggle with my own mental illnesses (schizoaffective disorder and PTSD). I can't say it enough, meditation is another medication in my regiment. And, the side-effects are all positive unlike the medications I need. Still, the best success I've found in dealing with my psychiatric issues is the trisection of three things: mediation, medication and therapy.

It is no surprise then, that a lot of veterans of war find relief in Buddhism, so I think it's perfect that these British soldiers are visiting Bodh Gaya for some mental rehabilitation. Too often we focus on the physical wounds and not, treat the mental wounds of war. Thus, the silent epidemic of U.S. veterans of war committing suicide. The tragedy is compounded by a society tainted by the poison of delusion. The delusion of believing that psychiatric disorders are simply the behavioral "weaknesses" of "weak people" rather than true diseases. Why commit to such denial? Our collective egos would rather blame the victim, or, deny the problem exists, than enact the changes to our way of living, and thinking, needed to combat the epidemic of suicide, and other psychiatric crises.

In years past, the testosterone-fueled pride, within the military, saw psychiatric trauma as "weakness". So, It warms my heart to know that the British military is embracing the demand for mental healing, within their ranks. I rejoice that they are helping these wounded heroes find the healing they deserve. It is my sincerest hope, and wish, that these wounded heroes can benefit from the solace and healing that is at the heart of Buddhism.

PHOTO: Thomas Dyer, the first Buddhist chaplain in the United States military.

~i bow to the buddha within all~

Sandy Hook Elementary Massacre: A Buddhist's Response.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 21:46:00 +0000

As the horrible mass shooting of children in Connecticut echoes around the world, millions are trying to fathom such senseless violence. Of course, the initial reaction is to ban assault weapons in America for the average citizen, which I support. No one needs a machine gun to hunt for food. In places like Europe that have strict gun control laws, you just don't see the kind of mass shootings and rampant violence that you do in America. Sure, there are a smattering of examples but they are few and far between:

The FBI's Uniform Crime Reports for 2009 list 10,224 homicides [in U.S.] that involved a gun [...] Mamoru Suzuki of Japan's National Research Institute of Police Science e-mailed us that there were seven gun murders in Japan during 2009. For the United Kingdom and Germany, we had to extrapolate, taking firearm murder rates per 1,000 people, then, using population statistics, calculate the number of firearm murders. The data, from a United Nations survey of crime trends, cover 1998 to 2000, the most recent available for firearms deaths. We found that the United Kingdom had 63 firearm murders, and Germany had 381. Experts we consulted said the figures sounded about right.

I think, however, it is bigger than just guns. The United States has one of the most stressed populations in the world, which stems, in large part, from the worship of greed. The worship of money is one of the major poisons to our peace of mind that Buddha warned against. It breeds class resentment having to work longer hours for less pay because of greedy bosses. It fuels anger, which never leads to anything beneficial. It also creates stress for families, while at the same time government is cutting health care benefits that include mental health care.

Other countries invest in their workers, so that they can focus more time with their families and each other; such a policy reduces stress and makes for happier people, happier workers. And that means a less violent society. They have a better social safety net to catch and help the most needy individuals deal with mental trauma, that if left untreated, can lead to disastrous results.

I am a firm believer in meditation, and I think it would greatly help Americans reduce stress. I know it does because it helps me, and I suffer from a psychiatric disorder. It's a wonderful way to deal with anger, as well. Perhaps if we taught a secular version of meditation to our kids in school, they'd have some tools to help them deal with the stress and complicated emotions of youth, without having to resort to violence. If our police officers knew how to meditate then perhaps they'd be better able to handle the stress of such a job. Imagine a less stressful job-place if companies did morning meditations for about 10 minutes each day before work!! Perhaps it would prevent people from being over-worked until they mentally snap and show up with a gun to work.

The Buddhist teaching of oneness is also helpful in preventing violence. If we can realize that we are one with all beings then compassion for others is easier to realize. It's harder to hurt (either verbally or physically) someone that you see as apart of you. If can learn to see one another as apart of us, rather than as competitors, then patience is easier to achieve, which helps reduce the chances of conflict arising.

Then there is the Buddhist idea of attachment. When we attach to the idea of ourselves being separate and apart from others, it breeds selfishness and disdain for people not like ourselves. Attachment leads to an unending cycle of "wants" which propel us to justify anything in the name of trying to satisfy the "hungry ghost" of the ego. In turn, we resent people who have what we want, and that poison can eat away at our sense of morality until we blame others for our perceived lack of happiness. And, just like in war, once the violence begins it breeds further violence from retaliations and so on.

All of these issues, and more, must be apart of the solution. No one issue can solve the epidemic of violence in American society. Tighter gun laws are needed, yes, but we need a holistic approach encompassing numerous reforms in vast and diverse areas of modern life. We need to teach our children not to bully fellow students. Bullying in schools leads to rage, depression and isolation. That kind of harassment can easily lead them to commit violence either against themselves or others. We can no longer pretend that such problems don't affect us. As Buddha proved, interconnection demands we pay attention to the troubles of others. By ignoring them, we might delude ourselves but sooner or later we will suffer the consequences, too.

~i bow to the Buddha within all beings~

President Obama Visits Wat Pho Monastery in Bangkok, Thailand.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 21:53:00 +0000

The above image is one of my favorite pictures of late. U.S. President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of State Clinton recently visited Wat Pho monastery and head-monk, Chaokun Suthee Thammanuwat in Thailand, Bangkok (link). The American leaders both observed the Buddhist tradition of removing shoes before ending a temple. In the blue trousers is U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The one wearing socks and dark blue slacks is President Obama. The head-monk is the one wearing orange.

I find this image so striking and full of lessons. The photo is poignant reminder that regardless of our station in life, we are all sentient beings having the same worth and importance. If I didn't mention the names, we'd never know who those feet represent. In this angle, President Obama isn't the most powerful man in the world but simply another sentient walking the path of life.

The picture evokes letting go of our egos and the self-important images we sometimes display. This photo transcends their lofty titles of president, secretary and monk to expose them as being just like the rest of us. They must walk the path of samsara like all of us. They have weaknesses, attachments and set-backs like any other human being, regardless of their importance. How wonderful a lesson it is to view life from alternative perceptions and angles. In this case, literally!!

~i bow to the buddha within all beings~

The Most Buddhist Cities in America.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 20:12:00 +0000

According to the study, [by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB)] close to 75 percent of Buddhist congregations are located in metropolitan areas with population greater than a million. Of these metro areas, the researchers found San Jose to be the most Buddhist city with approximately 1.25 percent identifying as a Buddhist adherent. The researchers found the greater area of Birmingham, AL to be the least Buddhist city with only 0.006 percent identifying as a Buddhist adherent.

The list includes 50 cities, so I'll post the top ten and rest you'll find in the full article (link):

1). Metro area: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
2). San Diego, CA
3). San Francisco, CA
4). Seattle, WA
5). Los Angeles, CA
6). Sacramento, CA
7). Las Vegas, NV
8). Oklahoma City, OK
9). Denver, CO
10). Raleigh, NC

Being from the Denver area, I was interested to see it listed in the top 10. It makes sense considering the strong presence of the Tibetan Buddhist, Shambhala tradition here. There is a Shambhala shrine known as "The Great Stupa" in the mountains northwest of Denver. In addition, the city of Boulder is home to the Buddhist university, Naropa. There are also a lot of Vietnamese-Buddhist immigrants in the Denver metro area.

I was surprised that Oklahoma City made the list, and I was shocked that New York City didn't make the top 10. It came in at number 17--just below Salt Lake City!! The following is the how they came up with these rankings:

The researchers define adherents to be those with an affiliation to a congregation including children, members and attendees who are not members, and believe that the adherent measure is the most complete and comparable across religious groups. Congregations are defined as groups of people who meet regularly at a pre-announced time and location.

The least Buddhist cities include: Birmingham, Alabama and Cincinnati, Ohio.

~gassho~

Meditation Guilt.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 18:45:00 +0000

(gassho)

As I'm sure you've noticed, I've been away. I needed a break. I took some time to empty my mind of everything Buddhist and simply live my life. I was holding onto Buddhism too tightly and needed to let go for awhile, so that I didn't loose perspective. It was a great reminder that even Buddhism itself can be an attachment. The time-off has reinvigorated my mind, my writing and commitment to the Dharma.

Today I wanted to write about meditation guilt. What do I mean by "meditation guilt?" Well, often the perception in western society of Buddhism is a religion centered upon meditation. Hollywood gives the impression that Buddhists are epitomized by a statuesque monk sitting endlessly for hours. While that is partly true, most can not maintain the commitment and practice of monks--they are essentially the professional athletes of meditation. If we expect to meditate like the monks do then we are surely setting ourselves up for disappointment, disillusionment and failure.

Traditionally, meditation hasn't been as central to the average Buddhist's life as is often the case in America. Kusala of the "Urban Dharma" blog elaborates:

For the most part, laity in immigrant Buddhism, like laity in Asia, don't engage in meditation -- a practice for the ascetic monks who are imitating the Buddha's lifestyle of renunciation. They don't expect to become enlightened beings like the Buddha.

Yet it seems a lot of "American Buddhists" are obsessed with meditation. I think some feel that meditation is a bit like prayer in Christianity. The perception being, if you aren't meditating daily then you are somehow "failing" as a Buddhist. The truth, of course, is that expecting to meditate daily like the monks is like expecting yourself to run a marathon without the time, body and training that regular runners can afford to give to their fitness. Monks have the luxury of not having a job and living in an environment where all worldly burdens are stripped, enabling the kind of focus and dedication needed to maintain a steady, meditation regime.

Does that mean meditation is pointless for non-monks? Or, that we shouldn't meditate? No, not at all. I think any monk would encourage meditation but I think we have too many expectations about meditation. We have to be realistic if we are going to stay committed to the Dharma, long-term. We expect ourselves to live up to a standard that few can do, and when we can't do it we punish ourselves with guilt. The guilt is truly unnecessary when you simply accept that you don't need to worry so much about enlightenment in this lifetime. Unless you are a monk, most of us Buddhists are just trying to be a better person for not just family, friends and strangers but for ourselves, too. Meditation is a wonderful way to re-calibrate and remind ourselves to stop and enjoy the moment. As well as the beauty and peace of being alive, in this moment, together--as one.

If a lay Buddhist finds they can, and want to meditate daily then by all means continue. I encourage meditation as a beneficial tool in dealing with the chaos of societal demands for greed, hatred and delusional thinking. However, don't expect yourself to be the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh or even the average monk. I am of the belief that the number of monastics is low compared to the general population because their karma has prepared them for this moment for countless lifetimes. We don't have to become monks or "marathon meditation masters" to benefit to be faithful Buddhists.

Use this life to become better people, so that perhaps in a future life we will be ready, able and willing to reborn into better circumstances. The beauty, compassion and optimism about Buddhism is that we can be reborn anew each lifetime, so that we have plenty of opportunities to develop along the path of enlightenment. I think a lot of convert Buddhists (who are former Christians, like myself) still harbor the absolutism of that belief system. We haven't fully abandoned the subconscious fear of "not getting it right" in this one lifetime. In Christianity, of course, there is only this lifetime to "get it right" and if you "fail," that's it--no more chances. I think we still harbor that "all or nothing" mentality as newly converted Buddhists, which is often carried over into our expectations of meditation practice.

If you can meditate daily then obviously you'll get more from such a regular practice, but even irregular meditation can bring benefits. The key is to not feel guilty because you can't meditate like the monks--not many can. You aren't a "bad Buddhist" if you can't formally meditate daily. Besides, there are numerous forms of meditation, such as walking meditation. As you walk, you focus on your breath to be fully present in the moment and aware of the oneness between yourself, the natural world and those you encounter upon your walks. As well as being aware of how we are apart of the greater family or sangha of humanity. It is an active form of meditation that the physically restless often find easier and more beneficial. If you need other suggested ways of meditation, look into the writings and teachings of Zen master, Thich Nhat Hanh.

~I bow to the Buddha within you all~

Obama Karma by Russell Razzaque.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:21:00 +0000

Greetings, friends and soon-to-be friends!! It has not been my intention to have been away for so long, but some trying times engulfed my wife and I this summer, which kept me away. Things are improving now and much better, so I am officially back!!

I was recently sent an interesting book titled, "Obama Karma: Lessons on Living Inspired by the 44th President" by Russell Razzaque. I don't normally talk politics on here (I have a separate blog for that) but this book intrigues me.

I voted for President Obama in 2008, but what I admire about him most isn't his politics necessarily, though many I do support. I admire him greatly for being calm under pressure, ability to listen and for his poise. Those are qualities that I can connect to from my Buddhist practice. Irregardless of his political beliefs, he is a wonderful example on how to calming deal with challenges in life, which is something I lack at times.

Mr. Obama is Christian, but he has qualities of a Buddhist who has experience with mindfulness. He seems to approach issues with an open-mind, willing to listen to other viewpoints before sharing his personal opinions. This speaks of a natural ability to practice "right speech" which hinges upon being able to listen, and truly listen, which means not just waiting for your turn to speak again. It means being mindful enough to truly absorb the intention behind each word, rather than just the words themselves. If we are listening but get caught up in our own thoughts at the same time then we miss vital pieces of information that could be gleaned from body language and intentions behind words. Being able to perceive these other signals can only come when we are truly present and aware of our partner in discussion.

This are some of but a few thoughts and lessons I learned from reading the book, "Obama Karma." The book also includes practical exercises on how we can ingrain similar traits into our personal lives. It's a book that straddles the political and spiritual without drowning in the overly political. It's a nice, short, read but deep with insights. I'd really recommend it. I'd give it 4 1/2 stars out of 5. A good gift idea for your political friends, Obama supporters or just people looking for lessons on how to be more mindful in political discussions.

Bowing,
-James

~I bow to the Buddha within all~

Notes from Tibet by Haven Tobias.

noreply@blogger.com (They call him James Ure) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 06:01:00 +0000

James: I'd like to introduce you all to my dear friend Haven Tobias who will be guest posting today. Haven has been a wonderful friend to myself, and The Buddhist Blog, so I was thrilled to read about her recent visit to Tibet. Especially given the recent turmoil. I believe that the best sources of history and news come from first person accounts. Her first hand experience of details on the ground in Tibet riveting. May you all find Haven's travel post as insightful as I did:

I arrived in Lhasa, after 44 hours on the train from Beijing, on May 2, 2012. I knew not many tour groups had been granted the special visa needed to travel to Tibet since the crack-down after what the Chinese had identified as “unrest,” but still I was unprepared for our “welcome.” Unbeknownst to us, the railroad station was cordoned off, and our guide was being kept a block away. So, there was no one to assist us when we were swarmed by several members of a SWAT team (so their helmets and jackets read), who seized not only our Tibet-entry papers, but also our passports.

Either none of them spoke English, or they preferred not to speak English. There were only six of us, and our average age was about 70, and it is hard for me to believe we posed any particular threat to warrant the gruff treatment. We seemed to be at an impasse as to what would happen next. Our leader was brave enough to just walk off to find our tour guide. He told her he could not accompany her back to us, but that she need not worry. Our passports would be returned to us and he had an extra copy of our entry papers. After a while, our passports were returned to us, and we were allowed to leave the railroad station and meetup with our guide.

Even that “welcoming” did not prepare me for what I was to see in Tibet. I gradually became aware that there were military everywhere. They were posted on the rooftops; they were at every intersection in several-man formations, looking in all directions. They were at the entrance to monasteries, and they were handling the security at the Potala Palace,(the former Winter Palace of the Dalai Lama), including again taking possession of all passports. They were driving convoys of military vehicles on the roads, bearing bumper stickers that read: “Listen to what your government says. Do what your government tells you.”

I am not a China expert, and I am not a Tibet expert. I am commenting only on what I saw, but not interpreting the policy implications. (I am not a fool, however, and I am very aware of the environmental and geographical reasons why China would assert control over Tibet at whatever cost.)

The reason why I think my experience is an appropriate topic for The Buddhist Blog is different from the political and social ramifications. There is a tender and delicate balance between Thay’s call to Engaged Buddhism and Thay’s exhortation: “Don’t just do something, sit there!”

I practiced law for 4 decades. I tend to want to solve problems. I ask: ok, what can I do about this problem? I ran through the whole list of practical solutions. Organize a debate over whether to boycott tourism in Tibet or to encourage tourism in Tibet. (This, by the way, is no longer up for discussion. After two more people immolated themselves in early June, China closed the doors to Tibet again.) Petition our government to impose economic sanctions on China. (Ok, I’m waiting for the laughter to subside…) Flood China with social media comments about what’s going on in Tibet. (Perhaps they couldn’t all be blocked.)

But it wasn’t because I couldn’t come up with a practical plan that I had a lightening change of focus. I just suddenly realized how very right Gandhi was when he said “Be the change you want to see” and how very right Thay is when he says “Peace in oneself, peace in the world.”

I didn’t suddenly realize this as an intellectual premise, or as a last resort. I realized in a visceral manner to my very core that what I could do for the Tibetans was to hold them in the heart of my meditation, and what I had also to do was to hold the Chinese soldiers, so young, and probably so scared, in the heart of my mediation. Both “sides” are held hostage to greed and hate and delusion.

I am not saying that there are no situations, in Tibet, or elsewhere in the world, where there aren’t real victims. But I am saying what Thay said a long time ago in his brilliant poem “Please Call Me By My True Names”:

-- if we look deeply we see that the “victimizers” are also victims, and
that we ourselves are both victims and victimizers. We have no more
worthy deed to do for this world, no greater gift to give, than to cultivate a
heart that is open to peace and understanding and compassion, without
exceptions.

May all beings find refuge in a heart that has grown big enough to hold all who suffer.

-Haven Tobias