It occurs to me, that the end of the year is only a week away. 2010 here we come! We’re ending a decade as well. I haven’t lived long enough to really pinpoint certain years as vital years. They were all vital years. I went from being a nerdy elementary school kid to practically sabotaging my college education. This decade was that decade that I suppose everyone has: That weird one, when you say, “Wow. I was just a kid at the beginning of all of this–”and then realize that YOU ARE still just a kid. Maybe a tad more mature, a tad more refined, but a child none-the-less. But I suppose even when I hit my third decade change, fourth and fifth. . . Yeah, In 2080 my ninety-two year old body and soul will be nothing but a baby to the universe: And I don’t find this one but depressing. Sure it paints the picture of just how small I am in comparison to the grade scheme, the universe–or what ever term suits your fancy. . . but I also feel very big, very empowered, to know that I, myself.,Katherine Perry, am a part of that grand tango of creation and destruction we call life and nature.

We end our year on a full moon and luckily. . . my manager, in exchange for working Christmas, has given me the Eve and New Years off. So one week from today, on the night before a fresh slate, I plan on doing some serious meditation. I’m also going to do a couple small tarot reads for the new year during the days preceding, and really hone down those resolutions that I can never seem to keep. Maybe this year, with a little spiritual focus I can achieve something I’ve set out to do.

May the last week of 2009 be a happy one:

Just as the soft rains fill the streams,
pour into the rivers and join together in the oceans,
so may the power of every moment of your goodness
flow forth to awaken and heal all beings,
Those here now, those gone before, those yet to come.

By the power of every moment of your goodness
May your heart’s wishes be soon fulfilled
as completely shining as the bright full moon,
as magically as by a wish-fulfilling gem.

By the power of every moment of your goodness
May all dangers be averted and all disease be gone.
May no obstacle come across your way.
May you enjoy fulfillment and long life.

For all in whose heart dwells respect,
who follow the wisdom and compassion, of the Way,
May your life prosper in the four blessings
of old age, beauty, happiness and strength.

Abercrombie & Kent River Cruise

About 15 years ago I flew with K.G. and Phyllis Romine to Burma (now Myanmar). We arrived into Mandalay (now Amarapura) and boarded the Ambercrombie & Kent River Cruise where we floated down the Ayeyarwady River to Pagan (now Bagan). Pagan is know as “The

Buddhist Monks near Stupa

Land of Many Stupas.” A stupa is a Buddhist Spiritual Monument and an architectural wonder. Every morning as we floated down the river we stopped at small villages. At one of these villages, I decided to go off on a road by myself (not a good idea!) to see a beautiful stupa. I met a Buddhist priest with whom I tried to communicate. Out of nowwhere a dog came running at me and bit me on the leg! To say the least, everyone was upset with me when I returned to the boat where they treated my wounds and gave me a lecture.

Maryles with Burmese Children

Horse and Buggy Tour

After the dog incident, we arrived at Pagan and Phyllis and I took a horse and buggy tour. During the tour there was a procession with kids dressed up in traditional costumes. It was spectacular — the costumes had so much detail. The children were all very elaborately dressed.

Costumed Burmese Child During Procession

I’m still not sure what they were celebrating but the Burmese children in the procession carried themselves so regally.

When we arrived at the temple in Pagan, they had beautiful puppets. They depicted different people in society. One

Burmese Child in Traditional Costume

was the prime minister, one was a joker, and another depicted royalty. I brought Pagan back to my home with the purchase of some of these Burmese puppets.

At the end of this fascinating trip we arrived in Rangoon (now Yangon) and stood outside the place where political activist Aung San Suu Kyi stays in house arrest.

Burmese Bridge Crossing

Aung is the daughter of the freedom leader and Premier Aung San who was murdered in 1947. She won the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her leadership in the League for Democracy. In May 2009 a foreign visitor trespassed on Aung’s property and attempted to make contact with her. Unfortunately, this extended Aung’s house arrest and she remains in the same predicament she was in during our visit so many years ago. Her situation continues to draw international attention.

Burmese Architectural Splendor

Burma, I would say, has an exotic sounding name and it lives up to its mystique. At the time we traveled there, the people were very controlled. The military presence was/is very strong. But that shouldn’t stop anyone from visiting and experiencing this beautiful country.

The splendor of the country overcomes its tight controls. It’s mystical presence is hidden in the stupas. One stupa is bigger than the other and one is more spectacular than the next! There is a serenity in the country. Especially when you see everyday life lived. That’s why I loved the river cruise — you’re watching the Burmese country in its real qualities. The Burmese people are gentle souls and participate in a lot of community gathering. Go visit Burma and I’m sure you’ll bring back your own wonderful memories!

Ok, once you’ve seen who you’ve been paired with below, please scroll down to the bottom and comment with your contact info so everyone can be in proper contact with eachother so we can all have these posted on January 8th. Here it goes again…

Emily from Ohio Buddhist writing for Nella Lou at Enlightenment Ward.
Topic: What your practice may look like a year from now.

Nella Lou from Enlightenment Ward writing for Justin at American Buddhist.
Topic: The impact/ importance of the buddhoblogosphere? Too many blogs? Not enough?

Justin at American Buddhsit writing for Genju/ Lynette from 108 Zen Books.
Topic: Something that irritates you and how you practice w/ it? Can be an irritant of any kind.

Genju/ Lynette at 108 Zen Books writing for Marcus at Marcus’ Journal.
Topic: How your geographical location affects your practice. The landscape, the weather, the locals, etc…

Marcus at Marcus’ Journal writing for Kyle at Reformed Buddhist.
Topic: How does your dharma practice impact the world “off the cushion”.

Kyle at Reformed Buddhist writing for Jack/ John at Zen Dirt, Zen Dust.
Topic: How you handle celebrating Christmas while staying “true” to your practice.

Jack/ John from Zen Dirt, Zen Dust writing for Danny at Danny Fisher.
Topic: How you deal with conflict in daily life, what’s your strategy from a Buddhist perspective? Do you escalate it, engage it, let it pass on it’s own? How has this changed over the time of your practice?

Danny at Danny Fisher writing for Richard at My Buddha is Pink:
Topic: What constitutes sangha for you as a buddhoblogger?

Richard at My Buddha Is Pink writing for Nate at Precious Metal.
Topic: What you hope to achieve and or change by blogging about your Buddhist practice and Buddhism in general?

Nate at Precious Metal writing for Shane at Zenfant.
Topic: Who was the first person to influence your practice?

Shane from Zenfant writing for Maia at The Gizo Chronicles.
Topic: How your practice has changed/ evolved since it’s beginning?

Maia at The Gizo Chronicles writing for Adam at Dharma Brewing.
Topic: The importance of ritual in your Buddshit practice, or others practice.

Adam at Dharma Brewing writing for Emily at Ohio Buddhist.
Topic: How the ego changes when you start to gain a following on your blog. How do you counteract the new found sense of “self” in your practice?

Claire Morgan and Paul Heywood describe their time representing the Charter for Compassion at the Parliament of World’s Religions.

Claire Morgan and Paul Heywood

When we arrived at the Parliament for the World’s Religions in Melbourne we couldn’t believe the sheer volume of different activities that were to take place. As we thumbed through the 394 page program (affectionately dubbed ‘the telephone book’) we were dazzled by the choices on offer. Truly it seemed that all the world’s religions were presented among the plethora of panel discussions, workshops, presentations and plenary sessions. After some serious reading and list-making from Claire and some slightly more right-brained reflection from Paul, certain events or talks stood out as not to be missed. One of these was the session on the Charter for Compassion which was to be held on Sunday 6^th December.

We arrived at room 220 for the Charter for Compassion session to find the space already packed. We squeezed our way through to a couple of seats near the back. The session was indeed inspirational with Karen Armstrong’s video message backed up by thoughtful and challenging contributions from Sr Joan Chittister, Dr Chandra Muzaffar and Tariq Ramadan. One of the most interesting points for discussion was around the importance of being compassionate to ourselves, as well as, and in order to, be compassionate towards others. Towards the end of the session Danielle Lauren was introduced as the Sydney Ambassador for the Charter. Danielle then read the Charter aloud;  a great move, as there were many people there who weren’t familiar with it.

In closing, Danielle asked everyone in the room to sign a document in support of the Charter for Compassion and to pass the word on in their communities. Unfortunately this was a flying visit for Danielle who had to return to Sydney, but it occurred to us that we could help by trying to promote the Charter to those we met during the rest of the Parliament days. Enthused by the positive response all around and the inspirational speakers, we offered to try and set up a stand for the Charter and collect signatures of support.

Danielle left for Sydney, entrusting us with the signatures already gathered in the hope that many more names would be added to the pages. Then, to use a cliché, all the pieces of the jigsaw just came together. Parliament staff already knew all about the Charter and were really happy to provide a table and exhibition space for us in the main foyer. We found a design and print store up the road from the Convention Centre and made some big, colourful signs, and create the stand to promote the Charter and to collect signatures of support.

And collect we did. We didn’t really have time to go out and approach passers-by. Instead, people came to us. Some were curious; others keen to sign right away. Some wanted to find out about the website or to take a copy of the Charter. Some just wanted to thank us for being there. We met teachers who described the classroom activities on the Charter that they planned to run, parents who wanted to tell their children, children who wanted to tell their parents, countless religious leaders… and a good number of stalwart Karen Armstrong fans! When we left the table unattended to go to a session of the Parliament we would return to find people had been interested enough to come over take a copy of the Charter and sign. By the end of the Parliament we’d gathered over 500 signatures, distributed hundreds of copies of the Charter for Compassion and had a great deal of fun doing it.

Signing the Charter

TEsting…

The Western Shugden Society has redesigned their website. The site has a lot of new photos, videos and information that weren’t included before. Now the website is similar to the new book (A Great Deception) in a multimedia format. However, there is a lot of information in the book that can’t be found on the website. The two together are a powerful combination that have the function of freeing Buddhism from political pollution and protecting Shugden practitioners from persecution by the Dalai Lama.

Every day, on average
18 American veterans**
commit suicide

….

The military rushes these young men and women

out of service through the WTB’s

to where the numbers no longer count against the

commander’s, leader’s or medical professionals

**Stats as of 20 Dec 09, Dept of VA

A chance for the lonely lady to have the world on the tips of her warn, calloused fingers.
Working hard to get what she wants but a stalemate lingers.
Holding on to something like a prized heirloom that she doesn’t want to let go.
For a reward will come to her someday, she awaits for the one to glow.

Ignorance to something so very new as an adventure is about ready to start.
She can go either direction, as long as she follows her heart.
A guardian intimate stands beside her to be her guide.
To finally let go all the old things inside.

Feeling in competition to be the woman at heart and soul to achieve a man’s victory and affection.
Not getting anywhere so far because of this perfection.
She keeps on the flight until it is time to cease.
To be the woman of his mind and feelings release.

Being patient to wait while she needs to gain balance.
To get her mind together and gather her talents.
As she floats in the air in her mind to imagine this affair to want to happen so great.
To gain answers to these thoughts not wanting to hesitate.

She awaits for a soul who may be way beyond.
She may have to make an approach to the one she’s fond.
All she can do is work hard to gain insight.
To the unknown world in her mind to take flight.

Fairness is required when it comes to her patience which can be short.
A balance needs to be in order in her mind’s vast airport.
A verdict will be reached, the great big decision.
Of what is to come next?  Is it him or a mission?

Can your TV bestow patience? Can it make you Zen? The answer is yes! Recently my Television has been acting insane. I shouldn’t say insane, it just takes a really, really long time to start up. It will click on and off trying to summon enough strength to boot up. At first this was an annoyance, and it still is but slowly I have learned to appreciate it.It takes patience to turn it on. Now every time I pass by the TV I give it a second thought. “Do I really want to watch it?”, my mind says. Now when I turn on the tube it is because of a concerted effort to actually watch something that I actually want to watch. It has created a Zen patience that I never had before.

This has not been my most impressive week.

I can’t honestly say I’ve achieved very much. Mostly I’ve just been getting up at 5am, going to work in the freezing cold, then getting back and plonking myself down in front of my computer with some beer and a DVD. I was going to figure out how to make vegan naan bread – did the research, bought the ingredients, got everything ready to go – then just didn’t. Opted for roast veg and a store bought nut cutlet instead. How poor is that. Seriously, it’s been so damn cold out there all I’ve wanted to do is stay home and hibernate all week.

But that’s just an excuse. I told you, I’m trying to break a long standing cycle of lethargy, so it’s going to take a while. I have been doing new things, talking to strangers (an unexpected side effect of starting this blog) and accepting new opportunities when they come along (like getting my posture checked for one thing. Result, a little twisty, and nothing some expensive chiropractic sessions couldn’t fix – surprise surprise – but ultimately not bad). My plan to read the first book someone recommended to me hasn’t worked, as no one has recommended anything to me all week, so I’ve opted instead to read the book mentioned on a poster in a local coffee shop that catches my eye every time I’m in there; Tess of the D’Urbevilles by Thomas Hardy. I’m still going to read the next book someone recommends, whenever that is, but at least I’ve got something to read now (so that’s this week covered) And for next week I’ve got an excellent new thing to do. I’m going to have a go in a floatation tank! No idea what it’ll be like but I’m looking forward to it. I’m hoping for a mystical experience, though I do wonder how mystical half an hour in salty water listening to whale song can be. I guess I’ll know by next Sunday eh.

I also have other plans for next week. I’m going to meditate every day, I’m going to take black and white photographs every day, and I’m not going to drink any beer (as I’m starting to get a bit of a belly of me after a rather indulgent week): Wine maybe, but no beer. I’m also going to get a start on the script writing.

I’ve figured out if I write a minimum of just 5 pages on each day I’m not working I can do 6 scripts by the end of next year easily (5 pages x 15 days a month x 12 = 6 x 120 page scripts, at least). That’s just a guideline of course, if I’m on a roll I’ll do more, but I need at least that many to complete my quota. This is seat-of-the-pants writing; seat of the pants on the seat of the chair!

So in summation:

Exercise : Bugger all.

New Thing : Book to read.

Cooking : Nowt (though I’m going to catch up this week for sure!)

Script Writing : None.

Like I said, not a very impressive week, but there’s no point sulking about it. What’s done is done, and so this is my new starting point. How could it be anything else?

Related Posts:

Hell’s Best Kept Secret

The Way of the Master – The Firefighter – Episode 1

The Way of the Master – The Mirror of the Ten Commandments – Episode 2

The Way of the Master – The Motive of the Sinner – Episode 3

The Way of the Master – The Summary of Salvation – Episode 4

The Way of the Master – Practice What You Preach – Episode 5

The Way of the Master – Idolatary – The Darling Sin of Humanity – Episode 6

The Way of the Master – The beauty of a broken spirit – Atheism – Episode 7

The Way of the Master – WDJD – Episode 8

The Way of the Master – Blasphemy, Sabbath and Parents – Episode 9

The Way of the Master – Murder –  Episode 10

True and False Conversion

Where does your Christianity stop?

Every Christian needs to see this

A message to Christians

Whatever happened to Personal Evangelism?

The rituals of religions across the world are deemed to be sacred by those who practice them.  These acts of holiness are believed to bring us closer to our Divine Creator.  During this time of year, the winter months, we find celebrations of many types being shared by families and friends of various traditions.  One must wonder, however, by focusing on these particular actions, have we lost something greater in our good intentions?

In every tradition, there are tenets that are squirreled away in our holy books and revered teachings that are expounded on the pulpit, but are forgotten by many in our day-to-day lives, even during the holiday season. 

The following are examples of teachings of tolerance, patience, and acceptance in various traditions. 

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Luke 6:31  

Some refer to this as the Golden Rule by which, if we live within its guidance, we will find true happiness.  This Christian teaching from the Holy Bible, has grown beyond those of this general belief system, to be applied by many, even those who identify themselves as agnostic or atheist, as a great rule of thumb by which to live.   Remembering another’s needs for dignity, truth, love, and charity, seems to invite the best in us to shine toward our brothers and sisters.  It is not just this biblical entry, however, that inspires us to remember this thought.

In one of the earliest revelations in Makkah, the Holy Islamic Prophet, Mohammed, revealed,

“In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful.

1.  By the time!

2. Surely man is in loss,

3. Except those who believe and do good, and exhort one another to Truth, and exhort one another to patience.”  – Qu’ran 103:1-3

This message asks us to have faith in God, speak of that faith, be generous in our willingness to understand those around us.  What a powerful message for anyone who happens to believe in anything whatsoever.

Through the Lord’s messenger, Mormon, as he communicates to his son, Moroni, the Saints from the Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are advised to prepare the way for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ with this quote found in the Book of Mormon:

“And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against…those… that turn aside the stranger… saith the Lord of Hosts.”  3 Nephi 24:5

When one turns another away in their time of need, clearly God is saying that judgment will be met against them.  When we see another person’s hand longing for comfort, fraternity, or assistance, we are called upon to see them and act lovingly. 

In the Tanakh, the Jewish Book of Mosaic law, we read,

 “27 Do not withhold good from one who deserves it,

When you have the power to do it [for him]. 

28 Do not say to your fellow, “Come back again;

I’ll give it to you tomorrow,” when you have it with you.

29 Do not devise harm against your fellow

Who lives trustfully with you.

30 Do not quarrel with a man for no cause,

When he has done you no harm.” – Proverbs 3:27-30.

Again, we are faced with how we approach our brothers and sisters with a charitable heart.  We are asked to find peace and generosity to those who have treated us accordingly.  

While Buddhism has a collection of book on which it is based called the Dhamma, Buddha himself taugh orally, as did Jesus Christ.  Buddhist philosophies and foci on their essence of truth is well reflected in the fourth Noble Truth, which is the path leading to Nirvana. This is the Buddha’s Middle Path, which is generally referred to as the Noble Eightfold Path because of its eight components:

Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, Right Thought and Right Understanding (which includes the realization of the Four Noble Truths).  

In attaining these eight “right” conditions, one finds ultimate peace within and that peace is reflected without, affecting all those around him or her.

The Upanishads, the scriptures of the Hindu tradition of Vedanta, show us that when we recognize that we and our brothers are one in the atman, or self, we will see no difference in one another.  When we see that there is no separation between two parts of the greater spirit, any good we do for others, we also do for ourselves, as well. 

14. “For where there is duality, one smells another, one sees another, one hears another, one speaks to another, one thinks of another, one knows another. But where everything in one has become self, how can one smell—and whom? How can one see—and whom? How can one hear—and whom? How can one speak—and to whom? How can one think—and of whom? How can one know—and whom? How can one know that by which one knows all this? How can one know the knower?” – Brhadaranyaka Upanishad: The Great Forest Teaching: Book 2 Part II 11.4:14

The last eight words in the Rede of Wicca, the Earth-based religion, we find the following:

“Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfil: An It Harme None, Do As Ye Will.“

“And, it harm none.”  It is a complete statement that we can bring harm to not one person in our actions.  When we are sure we will not injure anyone else, then we are free to act as we choose. 

Every tradition has a variation on the theme of unity, recognition of others as connected to us, and a call for peace, caring, and understanding. 

One must ask the following question, “How is it possible that when from every corner of the globe we are offered the same message, we still continue to ignore, maim, and kill our brothers and sisters for our own selfish reasons?”

Divine Creator has spoken through every language to say the same thing over and over again.  Nature has shown us that when one species annihilates another species, the destroyers, too, die from lack of food, thereby teaching us once again that we must care for those around us. 

We are all diminished by selfishness and forgetfulness of others.  We are all enriched by reaching out to one another in love, compassion, understanding, and peace.  Even those who watch these acts of kindness and cruelty are impacted by what they see. 

So, as we celebrate our sacred winter holidays and as we approach 2010, let us call to mind how many ways we can encourage joy for others, radiate peace toward others, build compassion in others, and share these qualities from within ourselves with others. 

Let us remember one another in love, peace, and harmony.

From Access To Insight

At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said, “I tell you, monks: It is for one who knows & sees that there is the ending of the effluents. For one who knows what & sees what is there the ending of the effluents? ‘Such is form, such its origination, such its passing away. Such is feeling… Such is perception… Such are fabrications… Such is consciousness, such its origination, such its passing away.’ It is for one who knows & sees in this way that there is the ending of the effluents.

“Even though this wish may occur to a monk who dwells without devoting himself to development — ‘O that my mind might be released from effluents through lack of clinging!’ — still his mind is not released from the effluents through lack of clinging. Why is that? From lack of developing, it should be said. Lack of developing what? The four frames of reference, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for Awakening, the noble eightfold path.

“Suppose a hen has eight, ten, or twelve eggs: If she doesn’t cover them rightly, warm them rightly, or incubate them rightly, then even though this wish may occur to her — ‘O that my chicks might break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely!’ — still it is not possible that the chicks will break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely. Why is that? Because the hen has not covered them rightly, warmed them rightly, or incubated them rightly. In the same way, even though this wish may occur to a monk who dwells without devoting himself to development — ‘O that my mind might be released from effluents through lack of clinging!’ — still his mind is not released from the effluents through lack of clinging. Why is that? From lack of developing, it should be said. Lack of developing what? The four frames of reference, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for Awakening, the noble eightfold path.

“Even though this wish may not occur to a monk who dwells devoting himself to development — ‘O that my mind might be released from effluents through lack of clinging!’ — still his mind is released from the effluents through lack of clinging. Why is that? From developing, it should be said. Developing what? The four frames of reference, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for Awakening, the noble eightfold path.

“Just as when a carpenter or carpenter’s apprentice sees the marks of his fingers or thumb on the handle of his adze but does not know, ‘Today my adze handle wore down this much, or yesterday it wore down that much, or the day before yesterday it wore down this much,’ still he knows it is worn through when it is worn through. In the same way, when a monk dwells devoting himself to development, he does not know, ‘Today my effluents wore down this much, or yesterday they wore down that much, or the day before yesterday they wore down this much,’ still he knows they are worn through when they are worn through.

“Just as when an ocean-going ship, rigged with masts & stays, after six months on the water, is left on shore for the winter: Its stays, weathered by the heat & wind, moistened by the clouds of the rainy season, easily wither & rot away. In the same way, when a monk dwells devoting himself to development, his fetters easily wither & rot away.”

From Annanova

Photographs of a monk skateboarding inside a historic temple have caused controversy in China.

They were taken by a visitor to the Emei Mountain Temple, in Sichuan province, and posted on the internet, reports Huaxi Metropolis News.

The monastery stands near the top of Mount Emei – the highest of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China and the site of the country’s first ever Buddhist temple.

Internet users were taken aback by the photographs and posted comments criticising the monk for adopting a “modern fad”.

“Monks should seek quietness and riding a skateboard is such a contradictory thing to Buddhist life,” said one.

However, a spokesman for the temple said that the outside world did not understand the life of a contemporary monk.

“People get their impressions from TV or movies, where monks are praying all day long, without any motivation or desire,” he said.

“But these days monks also enjoy sports like badminton, table tennis and skateboarding in the spare time, as well as praying.

“They even use the internet and mobile phones to promote Buddhism. This is not contradictory to Buddhism but actually is part of the Buddhist spirit.”

In the last years of my dads life, his journey for meaning and peace guided him towards Rinzai Zen Buddhism.  He was so proud when he became a priest, earning the name, Reverend Feng Huang or ‘The Phoenix That Flies On The Dragon’s Breath’.  He had earned the title, but all his life, the man had thoughts…

One of these thoughts that stuck with me was his notion that “God Plays Bass”.  Over and over again, he would bring this idea up.  We would share late night discussions over cigars and sambuca on our screened in porch where we could feel the seasons.  So many times, our talks came back to the Big Bang and to Genesis.  We would draw parallels between each creation story to find our enlightenment.  I remember the chills I felt when he observed that the text of Genesis asserts the existence of sound before all else.

“And God said let there be light”

When I moved on to college in Boston, this thread somehow followed me.  Nearly every time I strutted down Newbury Street with my bass in tow, I would be accosted by a beast of a man the Berklee students endearingly named “The Newbury Strangler”.  He would grab me by the shoulders and bellow the same phrase to me every…single…time:

ALL BASS PLAYERS ARE GOD!!

I would have shrugged him off as a mere amusement had he not plucked a deeply meaningful phrase right from my childhood and screamed it at me every time I saw him.  Where did he get that?  Why is he saying that to me?

After holding me in silence, the man’s hands would then drop to his sides and he would just laugh and walk away…

God Plays Bass

by Reverend Feng Huang, Bill Cady

Hard Bops flowing out a barrelhouse door
In the sun, wind and rain,
Two musicians chart and stride
Who’s that you say?
Well, You know the Devil with his guitar and fiddles
But looky here why thats Divineness on the Bass.

Y’all heard the tale how the Devil plays prestissimo
Always scattin’ an ballin’ up the beat
But, Gods Bass riffs are set in largo
Cuz cool jazz sounds so Phat
His low pulsing boogie just sits there in the groove

That Devil’s been tailgating at the Crossroads
‘Cuz old Robert Johnson was lookin’ to gig eternity
Guitarist dueling with the Devil a work song rhapsody
‘Til the Devil lost to scale in by a classical progeny

Now, God keeps groovin’ a Psalmody
Gut confidence in his center
His pizzicato dynamics-running bottoms up
Absent any vibrato digs that silence is still a note
Man, his Bass lines never can be beat

Nocturnes in dissonance jives primordial bars
Phrase and pitch all ripples no bars and measures true
A Bass note stuck in Forte an opening chord or two
Thaw-thump! Thaw-Thump! Thaw-Thump!
Comes the Tone Poem to the score

Perceive his milieu bass notes!
Three notes theme the movement just waiting on a score
Gods fundamental frequencies sets the tempo of each bar
Laying down some tracks each measure a light year long

Yes, were all here ‘cuz the Man was Jazzing up the deep
Gods bass lines are the cool school that created reality
Striding downbeats by the meter long before luminosity
Till his concerto prodigy blasted forth a Star

Nothing but a Bass line from time eternity
That music forms a triad of tertial harmonies
Just a chill in the loft scene now called the Holy Trinity
What started as a bass note gave life to you and me!

Yes, were talking creation
Life, the Universe and Everything!
Gods Cosmic Gigantic Bass Note,
Implanted in our nature a noble faculty

The voice came by virtue of the bass cliff
Scored in consonants no melody
So, scat the words if you haft to
As long as you keep in harmony

So, Stop jive talkin’ cause musics in our soul
Were all in this together the fiddler, you and me
Lets all make the connection to the Harmonics
We can swing in syncopation just remember to keep the code

Life is a song, says Yidl shmiddle
It’s coolness in our solos, cakewalks, forms and modes
Even dissonant running countermelody
Will return us to his groove
Cause

God Plays Bass

That’s right man
God Plays Bass

So whats you say?
God Plays Bass

Come on
Let me hear you say it
God Plays Bass

Ooooooh yeaaaaaaaa!

Thaw thump

Thaw thump

Thaw Thump

Thaw Thump

Thaw Thump

Yushu (aka Jyekundo (སྐྱེ་རྒུ་མདོ་) in Tibetan) is an Autonomous Prefecture in the Qinghai Provence of China. Located 800km south of the nearest city Xining, Yushu used to be a daunting 12-16 hour bus ride from Xining in the north or about 10 hours to Gantze in the south (where I came from).  Now, it appears that Yushu has it’s own airport and has become quite a hot spot for tourists.

I was only able to spend two days in Yushu due to visa restrictions, but it left a wonderful impression on me.  I also did something a little different while I was there.  I only spent one day site-seeing, and I spent the other in the market, shooting lots and lots of portraits.  Click “Read the rest of this entry” to see some of my favorites.

I was in Yushu just after a huge annual horse festival. This is an exciting time for Tibetans and they will often dress to impress. This woman is wearing some very expensive (and very heavy) jewelry in her hair.

Nearby the town of Yushu is Jiana (Gyanak), the city of mani stones.  Mani stones are slabs of rock carved and painted with holy scripture and symbols.  Usually the stones are carved with the mantra “Om Mani Padme Hum”, a chant to recite during meditation that roughly translates into all the teachings of the Buddha.

Tibet is covered with these stones that usually pile up nearby monasteries and important religious monuments.  But the largest in the world can be found in Yushu.

Tibetan Buddhists walk around the Jiana (Gyanak) Mani stone pile in Yushu, Tibet.

A Tibetan Buddhists walks around the Jiana (Gyanak) Mani stone pile in Yushu, Tibet. The mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" is written in Tibetan on the top of the pile.

It estimated that there are 2.5 billion stones in the 20,000 square meter pile, and it’s growing by about 300,000 every year.  Apparently, it was originally built 1,700 years ago and later destroyed to be rebuilt in it’s present form.  (I’m having trouble finding good information about it.)  In and around it are a few temples and, as usual for Tibetan holy sites, lots of prayer wheels to spin.

A Tibetan woman spins prayer wheels as she walks a kora around the giant mani stone pile in Yushu, Tibet.

The Gyanak Mani Temple is the largest collection of carved prayer stones (mani stones) in Tibet. There are several billion prayer stones stacked 3 meters (10 feet) high in a 1 square kilometer area.

On my second day, I visited the Jiegu Tibetan Buddhist monastery on the mountain just above Yushu.  This isn’t the most famous in the area, that would be the Princess Wancheng Temple outside of town, but I didn’t have time to visit it.  The Jiegu monastery doesn’t have a lot of sites, but it does have a nice row of chortens and a great view of Yushu and the surrounding mountains.

A happy smile from a Tibetan man as he drives a donkey cart towards the market in Yushu Tibet. The Jiegu Monastery can bee seen in the background.

Monks relax on a large row of chortens at Jiegu Monastery in Yushu, Tibet.

Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags blow in the wind on a mountain side near Yushu, Tibet.

Yushu, like Zhongdian and Litang, is famous for a big horse riding festival held every summer.  Unfortunately, I arrived just after the festival had finished, but there were still a lot of Tibetans dressed in their best clothes around, and this made for some good people watching.

So, I spent the rest of my second day in Yushu doing nothing but trying to meet people and take their portraits.  Now, I usually do take a lot of portraits of people when I travel, but I don’t often spend as much time doing it as I did on this day.

I started out by finding a doorway with nice light and asking interesting-looking passer-bys if they would let me take their pictures.  At first it was a bit difficult, but after an hour and a half or so, I found myself with quite a few nice ones.

This woman is dressed in typical Kham-Tibetan jewelry. She's smiling strangely because she wants to make sure you can see her gold teeth...A definite fashion must-have in Tibet.

A Tibetan Monk contemplates as he has his portrait taken in Yushu, Tibet.

I took this woman's portrait just after the well-dressed woman and the senior monk's. I think she felt as if she wasn't worthy, but I convinced her to sit for me and she just beamed with excitement. It's nice to make someone feel special like that.

A Tibetan man wearing nice clothes poses for a photograph in Yushu, Tibet. You'll often seen Tibetans with only one arm through their coats. I think this is a bit fashionable, but it also serves to keep one warm without getting too hot.

After that, I headed for the market area to take some more.  Markets are always good places to people watch and photograph people.  There you can get a combination of candid photos and portraits but the atmosphere can often be a little hectic, so there is a process that I follow…  I’ll write a separate post on my techniques to do this in the next week, so check back!

This woman and her child were selling Tibetan prayer flags at a stand in the market in Yushu, Tibet.

A Tibetan father and daughter react to having their picture taken in Yushu, Tibet.

A young boy laughs as his picture is taken in Yushu, Tibet.

A very young novice Tibetan Buddhist monk eats some ice cream in Yushu, Tibet. (Can you get any cuter?)

This is the sixth article on my travels to Tibet.  The next will be about Xining, the cultural crossroads in QingHai Provence.  The last was about Dege and its holy scripture printing press.  The rest of the articles can be found here.

Want to see even more photography from Tibet?  Go to my Tibetan Gallery on my stock website.

Cheers,
-neil

   From 1975 till 1998 the elite of the Khmer Rouge built their homes perched on the Dongriek mountains looking over Cambodia.  From the cliff face it is a 400 meter drop down to where the people live.  This mountain border forms the border to Thailand and Cambodia.  For centuries this cliff face has been the site of wars and bloodshed.  From this perch, the Khmer Rouge also planned their conquest of Cambodia and ruled over the murder and starvation of some 40% of its population. 

   It is on these mountains, a chain of nearly constant cliff faces which stretches more than 500 kilometers, that Cambodia and Thailand have recently been fighting over the Preah Vihear temple complex.  The temple complex was conquered by the Thai people in the 1700’s, but the world court gave it back to Cambodia in 1962.  In order to expel the Thai Special Forces, the Cambodian military has stationed troops and built a network of foxholes and trenches along the entire border.  Once again, this border cliff is a place of bloodshed and violence. 

The cliff side perch from where Ta Mok pondered his violence

   The most atrocious bloodbath was when the first batch of Cambodian’s escaped the Khmer Rouge and sought refuge in Thailand in the late seventies and early eighties.  The initial response of the Thai’s was to round up the Cambodians in their tens of thousands and take them to that cliff face and dump them back into Cambodian territory.  More than 100,000 Cambodians died either from the fall from the cliff, or the landmines that waited for them at the bottom.  Finally the UN intervened and the refugee camps were started along the border area.  The cliff region remained an area of constant killing and war.

   Last week, down a narrow jungle path, I knew of a historical landmark.  Few know it is there.  It is a few kilometers through the jungle, passed the unmarked grave of Pol Pot.  There is only the remains of a destroyed concrete bunker which is overgrown with trees.  As you make your way through the deep grass and trees you come to the cliff edge.  This bunker and cliff section had a previous occupant who made this his perch.   His name was Ta Mok, nicknamed “The Butcher.”  If you ask any Cambodian who is the worst killer in the world they will give you one answer: Ta Mok, “The butcher”.  If he came to your village, it would be your last day alive.  He made it his personal mission to kill every resident of Prey Veng and Svie Rieng provinces and nearly completed his task.  He was famous to killing anyone who looked at his watch or even looked him in the eyes.  He would not kill them immediately, but he would take them at the night to create more fear among the people by using night ambushes. 

   From this perch he would scheme how to conquer every corner of Cambodia.  He would sit high above the comrades of his cause, pawns in his strategy for domination of the people.  Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, were killed by him.  He died without being tried.  He was held for nearly 10 years in prison.  He was buried by his family and with full Buddhist rite, even though it was this “Butcher” who killed more than 50,000 Buddhist monks and oversaw the decimation of every temple in the land.

   On this day, this place of death stood for a different purpose.  From this perch, my friends and I stood and asked God to bless this land and to bring true peace to all the people.  From this spot of terror and death, we asked God to redeem it for his purposes.  God bless Cambodia!

As world leaders meet in Copenhagen, working out solutions for climate change, worldwide there are people speaking out. Bhante Dhammawausha, a Buddhist Monk from Clearwater, FL has recorded a short but blunt video for Al Gore’s organization Repower America.

Ed. Note: Sorry for the delay in posting the pairs. Today I was called in to work because of the snowstorm we had here in the Northeast. I am part of the “storm team” at my job, and thus had to report today, my day off, to help hang new lines and lighten some of the work up. I will have, I promise, the pairs done and posted by Wednesday LATEST! Thanks for your patience!

Back by popular demand, Article Swap Part Deux!

This time around we’ll be spicing things up a bit. The same idea as the first blog swap, pairing, will be done again. If it isn’t an equal amount I will use the same idea that Marnie gave me to pair everyone up. Now onto the nitty gritty of this swap.

This time, when you sign up to partake in the swap, leave your name, blog link and idea for a topic. This time around we will all be writing about the same thing! After the pairing is done, I will put everyone ideas on a topic into a hat and pick one!

Also, I’d love to have us all done with this and posted on January 1st. That said, being the first day of the New Year, in addition to the article I’d love each post to have the writers resolution for the New Year and why they are choosing the resolution.

The last day to sign up to be part of the swap is this Sunday, December 20th. I will announce the pairings on the following Monday the 21st.

Are you all ready??

Impatience is intimately related to many of problems of our inner and outer lives. Assuming you agree, how do we learn to be more patient?

The first step is simply to see, sense, and feel just how impatient we actually are, as well as how this impatience produces so much pointless activity and negativity in our lives. Each of us needs to verify this for ourselves. In many cases the awareness itself of our impatience will help us become more patient. But what if it doesn’t? What can we do? Can we practice patience?

Yes, of course, there are many ways to practice patience–if we really wish to. One of the most effective ways comes from the Tibetan Buddhist teacher Tarthang Tulku, who says: “Instead of running after patience, relax and let it come to you. Loosen the tension in your body; open your concentration and allow your emotional energy to flow. Let the warm, soothing energy of patience arise within you and flow through your body easily and freely. This practice is the act of patience.”

During these difficult times of economic and international stress, turmoil, and conflict this is a practice that can pay many dividends.

Though I cannot remember in which book I read the above passage, one of my favorite books by Tarthang Tulku is Openness Mind. And while I couldn’t find the passage there, the book has other insights on the importance of patience. For example, he says there: “When we consciously develop patience, it can become a natural and appropriate response to each new situation; we strengthen ourselves for even more difficult times.”

The question remains, however: do we really wish to be patient, or are we all too ready to succumb to the allure of impatience, to the ubiquitous but erroneous assumption that it will help get things done faster and better?

###

God, the word evokes such a lot. In Buddhism however we find that God is as you say, transcendant, but if we dig deeper God is also immanent.

We see this clearly in:

1

The tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named
is not the eternal Name.

The unnamable is the eternally real.
Naming is the origin
of all particular things.

Free from desire, you realize the mystery.
Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations.

Yet mystery and manifestations
arise from the same source.
This source is called darkness.

Darkness within darkness.
The gateway to all understanding.

…………………

This is the ineffible, unknowable reality above reality, beyond reality, something outside of words, outside of concepts…

This is the “God” of the Kabbalist, (Ain Sof: endless light)
This is the God of the mystic (christian and otherwise) such as Meister Eckhart

“To be full of things is to be empty of God. To be empty of things is to be full of God.”

The Kabbalist (Jewish Mystic, for sake of argument) states ideas such as:

The Nature of God

ain

Here we can see that God is NOT God

If we return to Buddhism the Heart Sutra states:

Body is nothing more than emptiness,
emptiness is nothing more than body.
The body is exactly empty,
and emptiness is exactly body.

The other four aspects of human existence –
feeling, thought, will, and consciousness –
are likewise nothing more than emptiness,
and emptiness nothing more than they.

All things are empty:
Nothing is born, nothing dies,
nothing is pure, nothing is stained,
nothing increases and nothing decreases. So, in emptiness, there is no body,
no feeling, no thought,
no will, no consciousness.
There are no eyes, no ears,
no nose, no tongue,
no body, no mind.

There is no seeing, no hearing,
no smelling, no tasting,
no touching, no imagining.

There is nothing seen, nor heard,
nor smelled, nor tasted,
nor touched, nor imagined.

There is no ignorance,
and no end to ignorance.
There is no old age and death,
and no end to old age and death.
There is no suffering, no cause of suffering,
no end to suffering, no path to follow.
There is no attainment of wisdom,
and no wisdom to attain.

The Bodhisattvas rely on the Perfection of Wisdom,
and so with no delusions,
they feel no fear,
and have Nirvana here and now. +

All the Buddhas,
past, present, and future,
rely on the Perfection of Wisdom,
and live in full enlightenment.
The Perfection of Wisdom is the greatest mantra.
It is the clearest mantra,
the highest mantra,
the mantra that removes all suffering.

………..
Here we see the Heart Sutra telling us that God is transcendent and immanent, that God is not God

If we return to christianity again:

Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.’

--John 6:12

St. Athanasius of Alexandria, a pillar of orthodoxy during the fourth century, insisted upon the divine being’s exuberance. The divine being, ineffably more alive that we are, cannot be self-contained and barren but has to be Father, forever bringing forth his son from the womb of his own substance. This continual begetting is a movement of being which is essentially fruitful. Our human experience of parenting is only an analogy for the perfect generation in the divine being, where there is no before and after, no differentiation into male and female, and where the one brought forth is not inferior to the parent. This vision of God continually pouring forth his very being would inspire Meister Eckhart a millennium later to speak of God in terms of molten metal which is always boiling over. The son‘s coming forth from the Father is a non-stop act of both begetting and giving birth.
Thus for the Christian tradition the divine reality is essentially per­sonal. The three are not merely aspects of some impersonal substrate, nor are they separate individuals. The doctrine of the Trinity states that ultimate reality is a communion of persons, each dwelling in the others. Here relationship is of the essence. And this communion of persons is the truth and exemplar of all being. In particular it is the hope to which we human beings aspire. We come alive when our eyes meet those of the one who loves us, for we then find our center outside ourselves in the other, and in so doing we touch the mystery of transcendence.

By falling in love we leave behind our own isolation and break away from our old, limited way of life, which is now revealed as loneliness and incompletion. And, even more, in the unromantic daily struggle of active loving, in relationship, we find out who we really are. That is the context in which we can ask about God for it is then that we most resemble God. The Trinity goes beyond both solitude and the mutual opposition of Dual­ism, for God, as St. John says, is love.”

-–father symeon burholt

….

And finally we get a clear idea if we turn to Gnosticism, and the Gospel of Philip (note that of course many Gnostics were highly influenced by Buddhism, in fact one branch even boasts that their leader was the reincarnation of Lao Tzu)

Light and Darkness, life and death, right and left, are brothers of one another. They are inseparable. Because of this neither are the good good, nor evil evil, nor is life life, nor death death. For this reason each one will dissolve into its earliest origin. But those who are exalted above the world are indissoluble, eternal.

Names given to the worldly are very deceptive, for they divert our thoughts from what is correct to what is incorrect. Thus one who hears the word “God” does not perceive what is correct, but perceives what is incorrect. So also with “the Father” and “the Son” and “the Holy Spirit” and “life” and “light” and “resurrection” and “the Church (Ekklesia)” and all the rest – people do not perceive what is correct but they perceive what is incorrect, unless they have come to know what is correct. The names which are heard are in the world [...] deceive. If they were in the Aeon (eternal realm), they would at no time be used as names in the world. Nor were they set among worldly things. They have an end in the Aeon.

One single name is not uttered in the world, the name which the Father gave to the Son; it is the name above all things: the name of the Father. For the Son would not become Father unless he wore the name of the Father. Those who have this name know it, but they do not speak it. But those who do not have it do not know it.

…

We see things as we are
Not as they are

–Kahlil Gibran

There are no mundane things outside of Buddhism,
and there is no Buddhism outside of mundane things.

–Yuan-Wu

And I am sown in all; and you collect me from wherever you wish.

–Attributed to Christ, found in the Gospel of Eve

My girlfriend and I took a weekend trip over to Busan, one week before I head back for a two week vacation home to Sydney to take in Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

It was a busy but enjoyable weekend. We left Suncheon mid-afternoon and first went to Seomyeon (서면 – the newer, main downtown district) for dinner with her friend followed by a trip over to Gwangalli Beach to look at Gwangan Bridge (광안대교) and a seafood supper with another friend of hers.

The next morning we traveled to Daebyeon Port (대변항)  for a look at the local seafood market, which even sells whale meat – something I definitely wasn’t keen on partaking in! We then went onto nearby Haedong Yonggungsa Buddhist temple (해동 용궁사), the highlight of the trip and where the bulk of the pictures are taken, followed by a delicious Indian meal at Haeundae (해운대) and Christmas shopping at Gukje Markets in Nampo-dong (남포동 – Old downtown). All in all, a great little weekend!

Below are some pics, more are located here.

Enjoy~!

Gwangan Bridge from Gwangalli Beach

Squid drying at Daebyeon port

Green dragon at Yonggungsa Buddhist temple

Golden, happy Buddha at Yonggungsa

Looking down towards the coastline through the pavilions of Yonggungsa

Looking towards Yonggungsa

Looking towards the main pavilion, statue and temple buildings