Revealing James Ure. Plus, "Buddha's Warriors."

For those wondering what I look like I've decided to reveal myself a bit more than I have before:

(Profile shot wearing my favorite hat, it's called a newsboy or cabby hat):(Relaxing in my Rockies baseball jersey):

(Here I am trying to look cool in a pair of sunglasses):(Here I am in front of our camping/backpacking tent):(These next two pictures are of me before I gained weight from my medications):

American cable news network is going to air a documentary titled, "Buddha's Warriors:"The program will be on t.v. this Saturday and Sunday 8 and 11pm eastern standard time here in the U.S. It will cover the following issues amongst others:

-Dalai Lama challenged by new generation of of Buddhist activists.

-Amanpour investigates split between Dalai Lama and his unruly flock.

-Buddhist monks risk arrest to march from India to Tibet.

-Inside the secretive world of Burma.

~Peace to all beings~

Hatred

I've been thinking about that church shooting of the other day, and the fact that the shooter went there gunning for "liberals" who, so he believes, are ruining this country. Curious, because I'm a twin to him in one respect: I happen to believe that conservatives are ruining this country.

I don't, however, have the slightest desire to kill them. I've been searching my soul to find out whether I "hate" them. I think not. I do stereotype them, which I suppose is a soft expression of prejudice--a form of hate; and I blame them for a lot of the bad things I see happening around me. I get enraged by what I judge to be their stupidity and short-sightedness, but I try not to forget that they judge me for what they see to be mine.

Who's right? I think I am. Bu then, I'm left.

In any event, I don't own a gun. I was taught to use a .22 caliber rifle by one of my father's parishioners, when I was just a lad, and I had fun smashing flower pots. But I don't think there's a single molecule in my body that wants to kill or maim another human being. Luckily, I have never been of an age at the right moment to be called to war, so I have never had to face the question of conscientious objection--at least in other than theoretical ways.

Back to the church, though. Aside from the fact that the poor fellow was clearly insane, I'd have to attribute his action to a mix of rage and hatred. I've had moments in my life when rage has erupted to the surface, so I know it's down there, hiding. I remember one moment, as a boy, then the two came together in a fist-fight with another boy at school, when rage and hate exploded in uncontrollable fury, and the experience is still hotly vivid in my memory. I carry it around with a sense of shame and humiliation (the other boy won! I came away with a bleeding nose.)

Anyway, these random thoughts, these troubling events, this odd memories...

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 7/31/2008

When ever Buddhism has taken root in a new land, there has been a certain variation in the style in which it is observed. The Buddha himself taught differently according to the place, the occasion and the situation of those who were listening to him.

~H.H. The 14th Dalai Lama

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma Compassion

The Present Moment - Thich Nhat Hanh

The Present Moment is a rare opportunity to learn ancient Buddhist practices directly from this living master of the tradition. Teaching in a way that addresses the spiritual challenges unique to our day, while honoring all faiths, Thich Nhat Hanh shares a treasury of detailed meditations to help listeners walk, breathe, communicate even cope with traffic more deeply and consciously. The Present Moment is a classic retreat that shares Buddhisms core practices for touching the energy of mindfulness we carry within, and opening to the joy that is always waiting to enter our lives.

http://www.demonoid.com/files/details/1399517/28735217/

http://www.fulldls.com/torrent-ebooks-1203366.html

I Have a Question...

... this morning. I'm in a bit of a quandary, and would love to hear the wisdom and experience of readers of The Buddha Diaries--most of whom, I assume, are fellow-bloggers.

Here's the context: I need to take a vacation. I started blogging shortly after the November, 2004 presidential election. I was in shock and disbelief that the American electorate had "re-elected" (I still don't believe Ohio) the current occupant of the White House, and wanted to "do something." Writing is the only thing I know how to do, and I fell into the blogosphere like Alice through the looking-glass. I started with The Bush Diaries, and when I tired of waking up with that man in bed with me every morning, I switched to The Buddha Diaries. Altogether, it has been nearly four years of almost daily entries.

And now I worry about taking a vacation. In part, it's the old, irrational writer's problem that I'm sure many of us are familiar with: if I don't get up and write this morning, will I ever be able to do it again? Will I lose motivation and momentum? Will I lose my thread? It's that compulsion, that fear, that insecurity about doing something so totally beyond the norms of profession and career, so much about the inner rather than the outer necessities. I recognize all that and live with it. You can't help me there.

The other part has to do with blogging, and there you might well have wisdom and experience that could be valuable, if you'd be willing to share it. My concern is about the momentum of the blog itself. I have been fortunate in putting together a wonderful readership over the years, and have this superstitious feeling that unless I continue to up the ante on a daily basis, I risk losing the interest and support of you good people out-there.

So here's my question: what's your experience of taking a long-ish vacation? I'm talking three-four weeks. As I've mentioned here before, Ellie and I are taking a road trip up north with George the dog, while work continues on our cottage down here in Laguna Beach. I'll likely be writing along the way--I'm thinking something along the lines of "On the Road with George." (John Steinbeck did something similar with Charley: I have his book on order from the library.) But I think I want to relieve myself of that sense of daily necessity, which those who follow The Buddha Diaries will know about from past travels, when I have dutifully made my entries every day that I find access to the Internet. I want, in a way, to liberate myself, to wake up in the morning and, er... lie in bed. Listen to the birds. Without needing to gather thoughts to punch into my laptop.

What's your experience? Did your readership lag? How did you set about building the blog again, on your return? Was it hard to get back? I'd love to know...

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 7/30/2008

It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.

~H.H. The 14th Dalai Lama

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma Compassion

Goenka. Vipassana Meditation Discourse

Goenka. Vipassana Meditation Discourse
Vipassanā (Pāli) or vipaśyanā (विपश्यना, Sanskrit) in the Buddhist tradition means insight into the nature of reality. A regular practitioner of Vipassana is known as a Vipassi (vipaśyin). Vipassana is one of world's most ancient techniques of meditation, the inception of which is attributed to Gautama Buddha. It is a practice of self-transformation through self-observation and introspection. In English, vipassanā meditation is often referred to simply as "insight meditation".

.For more info on Vipassana visit www.dhamma.org.


Day 1 - http://www.megaupload.com/pt/?d=MO6WJEP8
Day 2 - http://www.megaupload.com/pt/?d=U578B1DM
Day 3 - http://www.megaupload.com/pt/?d=9726HSN1
Day 4 - http://www.megaupload.com/pt/?d=9W3W1D3X
half is done
Day 5 - http://www.megaupload.com/pt/?d=X97BPJM3
Day 6 - http://www.megaupload.com/pt/?d=5MLLLT62
Day 7 - http://www.megaupload.com/pt/?d=5LNKFVOJ
Day 8 - http://www.megaupload.com/pt/?d=DXC2MF1H
Day 9 - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WQ5HOC4B
Day 10 - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KGKSABQT
Day 11 - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YHC0JVLC
Audio day's 1 to 11 - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=I3YCNHAZ

Intolerant Christians.

I recently read another article (see the previous one here) on The Buddhist Channel about predatory practices and bullying by Christians in predominately Buddhist countries.

I don't have the slightest intention to put one religion above another, to praise one and to blame another. I'm here writing about the attitude I'm expecting from somebody claiming to be a religious person, especially if he has much power in voicing his ideas. Then I came across Mr. Lothe's article in the UB POST and I did some small research about what the head of Eagle TV is writing about religions, and how much he cares about truth and mutual understanding – and I felt disturbed to see how he is trying to boast about his religion as being superior. Is this a way to solve the problems humanity is facing?

Mr. Terry is living in a country with a long Buddhist history (Mongolia) and where a majority of the people consider themselves Buddhists. He wrote on March 10, 2008: "Certainly I'm no fan of Buddhism. The teachings of Buddhism cannot hold a candle to the life of Jesus Christ. As I've written previously, Christianity is superior to Buddhism ethically, historically, and factually." Where is the respect?

In a previous article about corruption he wrote: "Mongolian society has primarily been informed by the world views of Atheism and Buddhism; but they don't seem to be able to affect the kind of character in society that makes corruption a source of personal shame. If these world views actually had that ability, then one would expect with such a long history here that corruption's acceptability would not be on the rise. The same is true in other nations primarily informed by these world views." Mr. Terry, December 15 2006 Then he wrote: "…they (Atheism and Buddhism) don't seem to be able to affect the kind of character in society that makes corruption a source of personal shame."

Only one remark: It's true that no religion and philosophical system can prevent people from unethical behavior. Just think about all the Christian priests abusing young boys (this kind of behavior can be found in any religion, unfortunately). And think about all the corrupt and cruel dictators, presidents and prime ministers, claiming to be a follower of their religion – for example Mugabe, being a Catholic.

The attitude of Mr. Terry is getting again very clear when he writes: "If a Mongolian wants to be a Buddhist and openly express his Buddhism, let him." What does this mean if he also wrote: "Christianity is superior to Buddhism ethically, historically, and factually." and "As one former Mongolian Buddhist said to me about why he finally rejected Buddhism in favor of Christ, 'In Buddhism there is no love.' Comparatively speaking, he is correct."

James: To say that there is no love nor ethics in Buddhism is to betray either 1). An extreme ignorance and misunderstanding of Buddhism or 2). A blatant disregard for the truth to disparage a beautiful belief system to manipulate people into following your own twisted version of another belief system. Sure you might get some people to follow Jesus but at what cost? Your zealotry has blinded you to the point of losing your spiritual integrity just to add a few numbers to the ranks for your religion. You are so blinded by your lust to prove everyone else's religion wrong and "save" them that you're willing to go against nearly every major tenet of that very religion you claim is so wonderful. Is it really that worth it?

In the end, who are you really at war with, the Buddhists or your own fears Mr. Terry? Somehow he's threatened by Buddhism and I'm not sure why. Maybe you're threatened that Buddhism doesn't believe in a "God" and that Buddhists seem very happy despite that belief. So maybe that shakes your foundation and forces you to face a profoundly deep fear that maybe there really isn't a "God" and that if such is the case that you wouldn't be able to control your unbridled desires/thoughts? But I'm not a psychologist and I don't really want to rip you away from your beliefs. All I'm asking is to be respectful and let people decide what to believe for themselves. If they want to know more about Christianity then let the come to you, they will if they want to know but please don't tear their families and society apart just to mark another "believer" onto your list. These people aren't numbers, they're people that want and deserve the same kind of respect that you want and deserve yourself Mr. Terry.

When Mr. Terry writes "let him be a Buddhist" it means 'let him be a Buddhist, but let him know that he is not that good as a Christian, and that he's completely mistaken.' This attitude is dividing human beings into higher ones and lower ones, into good ones and wrong ones. I think Jesus would be sad to see what kind of game Mr. Terry is playing – playing the 'competition game' with religion.

James: So what is that makes often makes Christians bullies? I know that every religion has them but there seems to be so many amongst the monotheistic faiths. It seems that the majority of religious strife in the history of the world has been caused by the three main monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism and Islam). Again, Buddhism has had its problems with bullying too but for the purposes of this post I just want to understand why the monotheistic ones are so often the most militant. I have my own views besides the ones I mentioned in the post but I'd like to read your views. Any insights?

~Peace to all beings~

A Movie...

... we just couldn't bear to watch, even though I suspect that it's a very good one: The Savages. It had been sitting on our Netflix shelf for a few weeks, neglected for reasons unknown to myself but better known to Ellie, who had read about it, and we took it down last night and slipped it into our DVD player. Twenty minutes later, we pushed the eject button on the remote. Too raw. Too close to the bone. It nettled all our fears about growing old and dependent on others for our care.

I understand that the movie is really about the brother-sister relationship between the younger characters, but the first twenty minutes, at least, were devoted to their aging father and his "girlfriend," who in one memorable early scene sits rigid in front of the manicurist who is pandering to the last vestiges of her vanity. "Very sexy," the manicurist declares, delighting in the color she has just applied to a fingernail and looking up at the wrinkled face in front of her... just as the old woman topples over and dies. Ah, eros! Ah, thanatos! The old man, her boyfriend, the father of the squabbling siblings at the center of the story, is rapidly approaching dementia. Incensed by the insolence of his care-giver in scolding him for not having flushed the toilet, he returns to the scene of the crime and smears the word "PRICK" in his own feces on the bathroom mirror.

We did not reach for the remote, however, until the scene where the old man is strapped by airline officials into a wheelchair to be loaded unceremoniously onto the airplane to return him from Sun City, Arizona, to the nursing home facility his son has chosen for him. (Great exterior shots, by the way, of the Sun City location: curiously symmetrical homes and landscaping, almost surreal, overly bright, and distinctly scary.) Caught short on the plane, the irascible old geezer preremtously yells "Bathroom!" at his accompanying daughter, and again, "Bathroom! Now!" Struggling with tiny, painfully slow steps down the narrow aisle in the crowded plane, both he and she are ignominiously shamed as his pants fall down around his ankles amid the pitiless stares of fellow passengers.

Well, it happens to be my birthday in a couple of days. Not a Big One--no zeros. But the first number in the double digit figure is higher than I'd like it to be. A friend pointed out yesterday at the gym that she still manages to feel young when the second digit is a low one, as mine is. A nice conceit. Still, I have been feeling the weight of years. I notice that my steps are sometimes slower, lacking the energy of youth, and I consciously make the effort to appear more sprightly. I notice with aggravation that those things I liked least about myself--my impatience, say; a tendency to testiness--become more pronounced, and harder to contain. I think much more often about the inevitable end of life. My greatest fear about growing old is the dependency depicted in that movie, the loss of simple dignity, the need for others to take care of me, prop me up when I walk, feed me, clean up after my eliminations...

Which is why the most meaningful part of my metta practice, the first and last moments of my daily meditation, is that line from the chant on the sublime attitudes that comes after "May I be happy" and "May I be free from stress and pain": May I look after myself with ease. It's not often that a film is just too intense for me, but this one was. I never even learned the end of the story--a loss that, as those familiar with The Buddha Diaries know, is a serious one for me. But at least a fine metaphor for the experience of life itself, whose end we are rarely privileged to know.

I'm sure I'm not alone in any of these feelings. I'm hoping you might share your own...

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 7/29/2008

If the love within your mind is lost and you see other beings as enemies, then no matter how much knowledge or education or material comfort you have, only suffering and confusion will ensue.

~H.H. The 14th Dalai Lama

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma Compassion

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 7/28/2009

The universe that we inhabit and our shared perception of it are the results of a common karma. Likewise, the places that we will experience in future rebirths will be the outcome of the karma that we share with the other beings living there. The actions of each of us, human or nonhuman, have contributed to the world in which we live. We all have a common responsibility for our world and are connected with everything in it.

~H.H. The 14th Dalai Lama

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma Compassion

True Meditation- Adyashanti

True Meditation- Adyashanti
Spiritual teacher Adyashanti invites listeners to reclaim the original purpose of meditation and to experience the "freedom of meditation beyond technique." Adyashanti points out that meditative practices themselves can become ritualized distractions. The first part of this program begins with an invitation to reconsider meditation and ends with thoughts on how to bring it into daily life; the second part explores the concept of meditative inquiry; and the third offers guided meditations to put these teachings into action. Adyashanti's ability to speak naturally, as though explaining his ideas, while remaining succinct is impressive. He's also blessed with a soothing, unassuming voice and the ability to put across his abstract ideas simply, in ways that return quietly to the mind later.

http://www.demonoid.com/files/details/1070663/12315093/

http://btjunkie.org/torrent/Adyashanti-True-Meditation/3770667e809340b0ffefdf663e53a22838b7b73b461c

Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill - Matthieu Ricard

Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill - Matthieu Ricard
Both the subject, happiness, and the author/narrator, an accomplished French scientist who's been a Buddhist monk for 35 years, are endlessly fascinating. Ricard's gorgeous accent and unique use of everyday words are totally beguiling. A translator for the Dalai Lama, he is renowned for his research and practice of cultivating a state of happiness. As he explains how to meditate and accumulate positive moods, his presentation is punctuated with quirky humor. For example, when a man confesses that he's afraid of what he will see when he looks within, the Dalai Lama observes that there's nothing more entertaining on TV or film than self-analysis. Just listening to Ricard is soothing and inspiring. This is a great choice for those seeking a calmer inner life.

http://www.demonoid.com/files/details/1565093/12315093/

RapidShare Part 1,
RapidShare Part 2

Lonely Planet - Nepal

Lonely Planet - Nepal
Traveller Ian Wright starts his journey in the bustling and expanding modern day capital of Nepal, Kathmandu. He visits the most sacred Hindu temple in Nepal, Pashupatinath Temple and the home of the young princess goddess.

Whilst in Kathmandu Ian takes the opportunity to sample some Nepalese food, and has a night out Kathmandu style. He then hitches south to the Royal Badia National Park where he goes looking for Bengal tigers with a local guide, astride an Indian Elephant. Unfortunately the rare and reclusive tiger is not spotted that day by anybody. Ian spends the evening in a small village nearby where he is introduced to some of the local families and witnesses a local celebration.

From the Terai region Ian flies to the Lukla, in the eastern Himalayas. Here he plans to make his way to the popular bazaar at Namche, before trekking along a section of the Everest highway. At Pangboche monastery Ian also catches a glimpse of what is alleged to be a Yeti skull. Avoiding the Yaks on the pathways, Ian continues his trek to Tengpoche Monastery where he witnesses a traditional Buddhist celebration.

Ian joins up with a sherpa guide who has been up Everest twice, and can offer Ian some insight into the nature of trekking in the heights of the Himalayas. Together they make a simple offering to the gods that are said to protect trekkers and climbers.

On the last leg of his journey Ian flies to Humla. This town is well off the trekkers track, and his four hour horse ride takes him even further into an area of Nepal seldom visited by tourists. Ian's last night is spent at a local wedding celebration. To Ian's surprise the wedding involves five grooms and one bride. Ian enjoys the ensuing party, which involves a fair bit of barley wine.

http://www.torrentportal.com/torrents-details.php?id=247197

Himal - Himalayan Meditative Music - Prem Rana Autari

Prem Rana Autari, born in 1957 in west Nepal, is among the three musicians of the group Sur Sudha.

http://www.demonoid.com/files/details/1520736/24630186/

Buddhism and Evolution.

While Buddha didn't have much to say about the origins of life and the universe I find the Dharma to be very open to evolution. Evolution says that we evolved from other life forms and are therefore just new models of previous models of life which means that we must have genes and DNA that are similar and we do.

We humans share some 96 percent of genetic material with chimpanzees which affirms my Buddhist belief that we are irrecoverably interconnected and dependent upon other life forms. We are merely different branches on a larger tree. The tree of evolved sentient life on Earth.

As Buddhists we believe in rebirth which in my mind is a form of evolution which are both based upon cause and effect. In Buddhism we know that the consequences of our actions and certain events will stay within our "spiritual DNA" and determine what form "we" will evolve into after this current stage that we find ourselves within. And in corroboration, physics tells us that "matter is neither destroyed or created. it can only be transformed from one form to another". Which backs up the Buddhist, evolutionary teaching of rebirth.

And as a Buddhist I believe that when we die our bodies will blend back into the larger plane of existence and live on in other forms of life such as food for flowers and trees via our ashes or nutrient rich bodies decomposing in the fertile Earth. This enables other forms of life to have the best chance at thriving and continuing the evolution of life on Earth. We come from stardust and will return to stardust as the universe expands outward, reaches a stabilising point, and then reverts its motion back toward a central point resulting in its destruction, (James: the big crunch) this process again to be repeated infinitely. All forms of life depend upon each other for success and evolution. I liken it to a track and field relay event. One runner starts the race and hands a baton off to another runner once he runs his distance and then that runner goes until he goes the distance and passes the baton on to another runner, etc.

Then there is the Buddhist concept of impermanence where nothing lasts forever. We know that 90-99% percent of all life on Earth that ever lived has gone extinct which upholds my relay race example. A certain species of life might exist for awhile (dinosaurs) and then as other beings and events evolve they are eclipsed and a new life form emerges to take their place. So while in Buddhism we believe that humans have the best chance at liberation from suffering we are still nothing more than a link in the long chain of evolving species and forms of life and I take comfort in being nothing greater and nothing less than any other other sentient being.

While researching this post, however, I found the following counterpoint:

While Cooper certainly makes a valid point in stating that Buddhism has never had the problems with Darwinism that monotheism has, it does not thereby follow that one can easily harmonize the two. Buddhism certainly does talk about evolution, but never at the level of populations. Buddhist notions of evolution involve the movement of an individual karmic stream through samsara, taking on different bodies in different environments according to regular laws of cause and conditioning. The process carries no certainty of progress from lower to higher or from simple to complex, and the overall context of this is the idea of rebirth, a topic that Cooper leaves out of an otherwise fairly complete account of basic Buddhist theory and practice.

James: While I do recognize that the scientific communities understanding of evolution and the Buddhist understanding are not exactly on the same page, I think in general they are in agreement. It is not entirely accurate in my view to say (as the counterpoint postulates) Buddhist evolution is only about the individual karmic stream as Buddhism teaches that there is no such thing really as an individual. As well as teaching that there is such a concept as collective karma.

Buddhism's teaching of interconnection and interdependence do harmonize with evolution of populations. I would argue that we (as "individuals") are slightly different, (depending on karma) single cell populations of a larger "being" that is evolving both on the micro level (individuals/sentient beings/populations) but also at the macro level (existence itself). It is difficult from my point of view to separate one sentient being from another therefore I believe that it can be argued that in a way, all life evolves together. The counterpoint goes on to say that the Buddhist idea of evolution carries no certainty of progress from simple to complex.

Yet I beg to differ as in Buddhism, beings go through "lower" stages of consciousness in births (animals for example) until we secure a human birth which is the vehicle to evolve into an enlightened being. There is regression yes, as a human might act in a way that would see them reborn as, oh I don't know, a slug or something. So, yes this process may seem haphazard but I think most Buddhists would be in agreement that eventually all beings will realize liberation from suffering and realize enlightenment. Thus, in the end it is basically a process of going from "lower" to "higher" to use such blunt, dualistic terms. Besides, there is no certainty of progress in purely science based evolution either. Suppose a massive comet hits Earth and destroys not only all life but our atmosphere and all water, not much life could progress from that point. The same goes for the day when our galaxy collides with the Andromeda Galaxy, not much will survive that disruption of sentient evolution!!

True there is not a linear advancement so to speak but the science only view of evolution isn't pure linear advancement either. It is more like a tree where a branch will grow out from the trunk of the tree in a spin off of the tree but might die out eventually. The main form of the tree (the trunk), however, keeps growing and evolving. It's not simply a matter of going from point A to point B. It's more like A branches off into A1 and A2 where A1 might die off but A2 survives to reach point B where it branches off again into B1, B2 and maybe a B3. And so forth and so on.

I think I'll stop here. I've probably confused you all but if I have try reading it again, maybe it will make sense the second time. If it never makes sense then no worries, it's just another branch dying out and something else will come along later that does make sense. :)

~Peace to all beings~

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 7/27/2008

I myself feel, and also tell other Buddhists that the question of Nirvana will come later.There is not much hurry. If in day to day life you lead a good life, honesty, with love, with compassion, with less selfishness, then automatically it will lead to Nirvana.

~H.H. The 14th Dalai Lama

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma Compassion

Le Tour: Suffering

It's a word that's constantly on the lips of every rider interviewed, every coach and trainer, every commentator on the television coverage. Suffering. It's hard to imagine how much suffering those men incur for twenty-one days on their high-tech machines, riding often over one hundred miles a day, and up mountainsides, day after day, any one of which would challenge the strength of most powerful of men on a single day. They must have been grateful, yesterday, to reach the finish line on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. The Spanish rider who won the race, Carlos Sastre, credited a former team manager for having "taught me to suffer."



All of which led me to wonder what the Buddha might have to say about the Tour de France. He didn't own a bicycle, of course--though I enjoy the image of the Buddha on a bike. He walked. He walked great distances, accompanied by his closest disciples, I suppose with many stops along the way to teach what he had learned. Walking such distances may have caused discomfort--the occasional blister, surely, and sore muscles in the legs--but nothing like the suffering incurred by choice in competitive sports events like the tour.

We suffer enough in our daily lives. Is it "right effort" to incur more suffering by choice? Or is it mere human vanity? No doubt but that it's a discipline requiring incredible focus and concentration--perhaps even an extreme form of meditation, and certainly an extreme test of the stuff we human beings are made of. The slightest weakness is laid bare, the slightest vulnerability exploited by the competition. There's no room for self-pity, no room for distraction, no room for excuses.

The Buddha himself completed a marathon of a kind, in the course of those years of ascetic wandering, when he was reputed to have survived on nothing but a grain of rice a day. (An irreverent aside: I've often wondered how that grain was prepared. He can't have eat it uncooked, can he?) His conclusion was that this form of self-inflicted torture was unnecessary to achieve the goal of happiness. It was not necessary, he discovered, to intensify the suffering in order to find the way to end it. On the contrary, suffering is intensified by what we add to it to satisfy our ego-driven needs.

Egos abound, of course, in an event like the Tour de France. It's a daily battle to win--to win the sprint, to win the stage, to win the daily awarded jerseys: white for the best young rider, green for the best sprinter, polka-dotted for the best climber, and the famous yellow for the overall Tour leader. The competition is intense, and it's easy to get hooked on it--as I have been, this year, for the umpteenth time. Team strategy and individual performance are intertwined in plots and patterns that get more complex by the day. Wild surprises and bitter disappointments alternate to compel attention and wrench the emotional response.

Hardly a Middle Way, then. Strangely, though, it's Buddhist values like concentration and persistence--and of course equanimity in the face of suffering--that pay off in the Tour as in any other challenge that life offers. Depending on how you look at it, it's all a teaching.

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 7/26/2008

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.

~H.H. The 14th Dalai Lama

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma Compassion

Pet Peeve

Sitting here in America. Specifically, outside a Starbucks at a massive outdoor mall in Tustin, California. The parking lot is lined with cars, its perimeters defined by martial lines of palm trees. The sky is grey. The coastal inversion layer has not yet moved out west, over the ocean. Young people at neighboring tables eagerly talk business. Behind me, a couple of Mexican workers pass the time of day in Mexican-accented Spanish. I have read the editorial pages of the New York Times. I have just finished my double latter and the lox-and-bagel sandwich I brought with me, and am contemplating the possibility of a second latte. I’m unable to get online. I thought that every Starbucks in the world was wi-fi’ed, but this one appears to need a “subscription” of some kind; so I write in Word, and will cut and paste later.

I am waiting for my Prius. I took it in to the Toyota dealership this morning for its 15,000 mile service, in preparation for our long road trip up north with George the dog. Ellie has been complaining, also, of a rattle, which she hears from the passenger seat and is a constant irritation. Also we want to get our Bluetooth voice command system activated, now that we can only use our cell phones hands-free in California these days. We want to be able to say, “Peter, Office”, and be connected right away. This is America. (Actually, we use our cell phones very little in the car, but you never know, do you? Best be prepared for that emergency when it’s absolutely needed!) And to think that it’s a few scant years since we all drove our cars (most of us, anyway) without needing to make or receive telephone calls… How rapidly things change.

Anyway, here I sit in America, wasting my time—and yours. Don’t you hate it when people call you from their car phones because they’re sitting in traffic and have nothing better to do than waste your time? Their assumption is that you, too, have nothing better to do than help them waste theirs. This is currently one of my most cherished pet peeves. I’m sure you-all have your own. Could I persuade you to share one with me? Or have you, unlike me, no time to waste?

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 7/25/2008

First one must change. I first watch myself, check myself, then expect changes from others.

~H.H. The 14th Dalai Lama

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma Compassion

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 7/24/2008

One has to try to develop one's inner feelings, which can be done simply by training one's mind. This is a priceless human asset and one you don't have to pay income tax on!

~H.H. The 14th Dalai Lama

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma Compassion

Images of Nepal - Sur Sudha

Images of Nepal - Sur Sudha
The Nepalese trio Sur Sudha came together in the late 1980s for what amounts to a national-cultural mission. They set out to document the varieties of music in Nepal, and, given the remarkable contrasts in the landscape, it's no surprise that Sur Sudha's musical evocations span large distances. The musical highs and lows, though, are all kept within close reach of each other, reminding that Sur Sudha is a spare ensemble, employing only flute (Prem Rana Autari), sitar (Bijaya Vaidya), and tabla (Surendra Shrestha). The tunes here are compact, ranging from just over 5 to around 16 minutes, much in contrast to traditional Indian ragas, which can stretch to near eternity in their balance of drones and cyclic tabla rhythms. Like Indian music, these pieces feature each instrument closely entwined with the others, developing melodic units that spiral at a moderate and measured pace and featuring the sitar in a not-quite-drone role that sponges up the flute tones and wrings them back out in resonating solo segments. Listeners who enjoy standout solos as much as collective improvisations off raags (a musical scale similar to Indian ragas) will enjoy the work Sur Sudha has done to keep the band's direction balanced on an axis of expressive play.

http://thepiratebay.org/tor/3399330/Sur_Sudha_-_Images_of_Nepal_-_Sitar_tabla_flute_music

Globe Trekker: North India - Varanasi to the Himalayas

Traveller Andrew Daddo begins his intense journey through North India with a dawn boat trip on the holy River Ganges in Varanasi.

He witnesses pilgrims bathing in the ghats along the river and bodies being cremated. He also meets a number of characters in the narrow, winding streets and alleys of Varanasi - Saddhus (holy men) smoking chillums, beggars and touts. A young boy introduces him to betel nut and a yoghurt drink called lassi.

An overnight train takes Andrew to Agra, home to the famous Taj Mahal. Just outside Agra is Mathura where a large Hindu festival takes place celebrating the birth of the Hindu deity, Krishna. From there, Andrew heads on to Delhi where he hires an Enfield motorbike for the next leg of the journey to Corbett National Park, where he goes on an elephant safari. He then drives to Rishikesh, where he joins an ashram (meditation centre) and meets the guru who oversees Andrew’s very first yoga lesson.

A narrow gauge railway takes Andrew to Simla, a former British Hill station at the foot of the Indian Himalayas, where he learns about Indian history and the British Raj in India.

Andrew continues his trip climbing higher into the Himalayas to enjoy the beautiful views of the Kulu valley, before taking a short bus journey to Manali. Here Andrew prepares for the climax of the trip, trekking from Manali to Leh.

His companions Chris and Bob take him up the second highest Pass in the world, the Tag Lang La, and past Buddhist gompas. After a grueling journey they finally arrive in Leh, a lost city populated by Tibetan refugees isolated from the world nine months of the year, perched in the Himalayan mountains.

http://www.torrentportal.com/torrents-details.php?id=241864

The music of Tibet & Nepal

The music of Tibet & Nepal
The World of Music is a twenty five album collection that takes us on a musical journey to the four corners of the globe. Featuring indigenous music and musicians, our journey takes us through the American continent, across Europe and the steppes of Russia, the rich and varied musical styles of the African heartland and the mysteries of the Orient. In between we are treated to the delights of India, the steel bands of the Caribbean and the flowing Latin influence of Cuba. This is one of the most compelling series ever undertaken.

All tracks are in FLAC format.

1. Jahm Jham Pareli (Binodkumar Rai & Nepali Group)

2. Temple Of The Clouds (Inishkea)

3. Sunana Sunana Saili (Binodkumar Rai & Nepali Group)

4. Essence Of Light (Inishkea)

5. Naini Tal (Binodkumar Rai & Nepali Group)

6. Khatmandu (Inishkea)

7. Asiadrum - Roof Of The World II (Inishkea)

8. Shangri-La (Inishkea)

9. Sera Tse (Inishkea)

http://btjunkie.org/torrent/The-music-of-Tibet-amp-Nepal-flac/40323df15eb19f09ac266e0d8bf7fe14303e8a2f9b81

The Best of Snatam Kaur

The Best of Snatam Kaur
With deeply-moving music composed jointly by Snatam Kaur and Thomas Barquee, Snatam's flawless voice dances over gentle flute, Indian violin, nylon string guitar and sublte keyboards.. Filled with songs of prayer..
spiritvoyage.com

"Day by day I began to realize that there is an energy in these sacred words. It was coming to me, passing to others through my voice, and would continue flowing after my physical body passes on, as it always has and as it will for eternity. This timeless, sacred energy comes to us by Grace. It is not about you or me, it is about Grace. And so, with this album called Grace, I honor and give thanks to my Guru, the Divine Sound Current that resonates within. By Thy Grace, with Love, for Peace, unto Thee, "

TPB

Pictures & Words

A propos of nothing in particular, some readers may remember our once-resident, sometimes curmudgeonly, always interesting Taoist, Carly. I miss his gadfly presence here on The Buddha Diaries, where he never failed to catch me on my frequent lapses in intelligence. I mention him because he recently sent me this link to some amazing pictures from space, reminding me of how awesome is this universe in which our Earth occupies such an infinitesimally tiny place. The pictures are so beautiful and so powerful that they speak for themselves, without the need for puny commentary from me.

And while I'm in the appropriation business, (I realize this is a lazy man's blog, this Thursday morning: forgive me) here's something I received yesterday from a friend. It's probably making the rounds, but I had not seen it elsewhere and it's smart and funny, and it gave me a few needed chuckles. Here goes:

The GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY is now in the planning stages, the Library will include:

The Weapons of Mass Destruction Room, which no one has yet been able to find.

The Hurricane Katrina Room, which is still under construction.

The Alberto Gonzales Room, where you won't be able to remember anything.

The Texas Air National Guard Room, where you don't even have to show up.

The Walter Reed Hospital Room, where they don't let you in.

The Guantanamo Bay Room, where they don't let you out.

The National Debt Room, which is huge and has no ceiling.

The Tax Cut Room, with entry restricted only to the wealthy.

The Airport Men's Room, where you can meet some of your favorite Republican Senators.

The Economy Room, which is in the toilet.

The Iraq War Room, after you complete your first tour, they make you to go back for a second, third, fourth, and sometimes fifth tour.

The Dick Cheney Room, in the famous undisclosed location, complete with shotgun gallery.

The Environmental Conservation Room, still empty, but very warm.

The Supreme Court Gift Shop, where you can buy an election.

The Decider Room, complete with dart board, magic 8-ball, Ouija board, dice, coins, and straws.

Additionally, the museum will have an electron microscope to help you locate the President's accomplishments.

Admission: Republicans - free; Democrats - $1000 or 3 Euros

A Dukakis Moment; and Who's the Boss?

A Dukakis moment for McCain? While Barack Obama was striding around the Middle East sounding very sane and looking very presidential--and being driven by the King of Jordan himself to his O-Force One jet--Republican hopeful Senator John McCain was getting his own joyride aboard a dinky golf cart, piloted by the aging (sorry, senioring) former President Bush (the nicer one.) I couldn't help but think of the image that so diminished then-presidential hopeful Dukakis, absurdly helmeted as he played solider on that tank. McCain, with a toothy grin that never fails to strike an off-key note, also managed to look more than a little absurd, old-boyish, golf-y, superannuated, out of touch.

And talk about whiners! The best McCain and his campaign have been able to come up with in the face of the wild Obama success in the Middle East is that whiny one-liner, "he'd rather lose a war than an election." Ouch! The media, of course, can hardly wait for the Obama gaffe. They had to settle, yesterday, for his slip in saying that "Israel is Israel's best friend"--or words to that effect. Intending, of course, to say that the United States was Israel's good friend. To call the slip a gaffe is to stretch the meaning of that word. (It did give me pause to wonder, though, how my own reaction might have been different had McCain made that same slip. Would I have been jeeringly condescending, rather than easily forgiving, as I am with Obama? Perhaps. I like to think not.)

It does seem to me that Obama is maintaining remarkable equanimity in that hornet's nest. From what I can gather from news reports--and I freely admit that they are hardly to be trusted--those he meets at the very least feel listened to. What he had to say about his differences with Gen. Petraeus, greatly touted by the press, seems entirely right to me. Who IS the boss? The abject deference to this general or any other is dismaying. Should he be determining our national priorities? I think not. That he has been allowed to do so by the current occupant of the White House is an abdication of responsibility. That McCain would continue to defer to him is sufficient indication that this Republican would be equally derelict in that responsibility.

Equanimity. A good Buddhist aspiration, and one that Obama rather successfully embodies. How very different from what we have experienced in politics for the last nearly eight years. How much what is needed in the face of our current challenges. As the late John Lennon famously wrote, and as TaraDharma sagely concluded in her post yesterday: "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one." To which I'd add, "I hope some day you'll join us, and the world will be as one."

Progress

Back at our Laguna Beach cottage, we discover that work has progressed in the ten days of our absence. Here's what we found:


The ceiling in the kitchen has been cut open to reveal the structural work of the roof: if it's possible, we'd like to raise the ceiling to give a greater sense of space. As the photos suggest, there's not much room there, but a little.



Meantime, down below, the foundation work proceeds. Here are the new support walls on the south and west sides of the excavated area to the south of what was the garage...


... and the furnace and water heater have been moved from their original location to a new concrete platform, now also supported by newly poured concrete walls.


The brick fireplace, previously supported only by compacted dirt, now sports a whole new support system of its own, below the brick and to the right in this photo.


The north wall of the garage, to the right, has been replaced, and the floor has been leveled out and strengthened with rebar, ready for the pouring of the slab which is due to take place this morning.


Outside the garage, the construction junk--and the charming blue "throne"--make a mockery of what used to be a little "Zen" rock garden I created a few years ago (see the only remaining evidence, the granite rock toward the lower right corner in this picture.


We found the kitchen draped in plastic sheets and the floor knee-deep in dust. By this morning, though, we were almost back to normal. In the next few days, we'll need to pack everything away in preparation for the next adventure: the demolition of the kitchen. We plan to purchase a mini-fridge and perhaps a little burner, so that we can camp out in the house at the times we need to be here. Next month, however, August, we're leaving the contractor to get on with the job while we take that road trip up north with George the dog.

Thanks for joining us at The Buddha Diaries. More later--and I promise that it won't all be about our remodel.

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 7/23/2008

Through violence, you may 'solve' one problem, but you sow the seeds for another.

~H.H. The 14th Dalai Lama

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma Compassion

Art of Happiness at Work - Dalai Lama

Art of Happiness at Work - Dalai Lama

For the first time since The Art of Happiness, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has teamed up with psychiatrist Howard Cutler to continue the discussion about what makes life meaningful.In conversations with the Dalai Lama over the past several years, Howard Cutler has asked the questions we all want answered about how to find happiness in the place we spend most of our time -- work. Beginning with the basic need to find satisfaction in our careers, Dr. Cutler questions His Holiness about the nature of work. In psychiatry and according to the Dalai Lama, our motivation for working determines our level of satisfaction. The Art of Happiness at Work explores these three levels of focus:• Survival: focus on salary, stability, food and clothing
• Career: focus on advancement
• Calling: focus on work as a higher purposeDr. Cutler probes the Dalai Lama's wisdom by posing these questions:What is the relationship between self-awareness and work?
How does lack of freedom at work affect our levels of happiness?
How can we deal with boredom or lack of challenge?
Job change and unemployment?
How much of our misery comes from our identity being tied up with work?Dr. Cutler walks us through the Dalai Lama's reasoning so that we may know how to apply his wisdom to daily life. The Art of Happiness at Work is an invaluable source of strength and peace for anyone who earns a living.

btjunkie

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Deva Premal (collection)

Deva Premal (collection)
Deva has toured since 1991, along with her life partner, Miten, offering concerts and chant workshops worldwide. Their record company, Prabhu Music, reports sales of over 600,000 albums.

Best-known for her top-selling chant CDs, Deva Premal is a classically trained musician and gifted singer. She grew up singing mantras in a German home permeated with Eastern spirituality. Her albums, The Essence, Love Is Space, Embrace and Dakshina have topped the New Age charts and popularity polls in yoga studios and healing centers throughout the world. Her latest album, The Moola Mantra, features a 50 minute extended presentation of a mantra received while on a meditation retreat with Miten at the Oneness University in Chennai, India. She is also featured on Miten's newest release, Soul In Wonder.

Bitsnoop

Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 7/22/2008

Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something,and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.

~H.H. The 14th Dalai Lama

Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma Compassion

BBC The Story of India

BBC The Story of India
For over two millennia, India has been at the centre of world history. But how did India come to be? What is India? These are the big questions behind this intrepid journey around the contemporary subcontinent. In this landmark series, historian and acclaimed writer Michael Wood embarks on a dazzling and exciting expedition through today's India, looking to the present for clues to her past, and to the past for clues to her future. The journey takes the viewer through majestic landscapes and reveals some of the greatest monuments and artistic treasures on Earth. From Buddhism to Bollywood, from mathematics to outsourcing, Michael Wood discovers India's impact on history - and on us.

Bitsnoop

Le Tour, Part Trois

What I've been missing in the Tour de France this year is the fireworks--and I'm much afraid that it may have been the doping that made them possible. It has been a solid race, no question. The competition has been fierce, at times, and there have been exciting moments almost every day. What I miss are those thrilling moments, usually in the mountains, when a single rider light on fire--or perhaps a pair of them--and puts in a gargantuan, superhuman, eye-popping performance to wrest the yellow jersey from the competition. The most notable this year, by the Italian Riccardo Ricco, proved shortly afterward to have been a cheat.

Thus far, it has all been strategy. Not that strategy has not always played a major role in the way teams support their star riders; and not that the CSC team, this year's standout, has not put up a truly admirable show. But it has been more than usually about the peloton, about playing defense, about keeping things safe for the handful of likely general category contenders, about the careful conservation of energies and planning for future stages. No fireworks. But a lot of hard work. The work it takes to get up those mountains is extraordinary in itself. And I guess I'd rather do without the fireworks if they can't be done without the dope--I'd opt for the honest race.

I'll be watching today as usual, at some point. I'm not much of an electronics fan, but I'm grateful for the recording system on my cable box that allows me to record and watch at my leisure, speeding through the dull parts and the commercials.

Today we head back down to Laguna Beach and plan to spend the next couple of weeks there, watching construction progress in the basement and preparing the house for the two-month process of total demolition and reconstruction in the kitchen. Then, early August, we leave for a long road trip north with George the dog. Not sure what will happen to The Buddha Diaires in that time period. Ellie has been pushing for a "Travels with George" story, along the lines of John Steinbeck's "Travels with Charley in Search of America." We have it on order from the library...