Good morning!
We have a calm, warm, bright morning after the last night rain. We say, “After rain earth solidifies.” (Ame-futte chi-katamaru, 雨降って地固まる) Without dust bowls or extreme chill, nature seems to return to life.
Sometimes rain causes land slides, and even mountain slides swallowing and moving things, but eventually it brings flattening effect of earth and things to smoother plains – the process of leveling to evenness and equality.
On the way here I listened to NPR reporting the shooting in Connecticut. Small children of 6 and 7 were shot with 7 or 11 bullets. Earlier a TV news reported the DLP in Japan regaining the power to change the peace constitution.
We recently watched theNorth Korealaunching its missile and fear its nuclear bomb test following. All these are due to militarism, materialism, and money-ism, meaning me-ism, essentially me-minds and me-machines.
The Buddha said that we are all karma-machines. He saw the fundamental source of suffering in craving, coming from the delusion of separate selves. The self survival sense results in sufferings and the destruction of the world.
He came out from the forest into the world seeing the world as an integral one in the dharma of dependent origination, and was moved by this truth to save all beings from suffering and the world from destruction. He said,
“Better than the one who would conquer thousands upon thousands in the battle field is the one who would conquer oneself. He is the true conqueror among all war conquerors.”
Conquering oneself is to stop one’s karmas and stop sufferings. All can do it. Otherwise we remain in selfish struggle, sickness, and suffering. By sitting and stopping karmas, we can enjoy holy harmony, health, and happiness.
Now more people and countries want to attain their Gross National Happiness rather than the GNP. We hope more people understand our true goal and attain it. Buddhism is to become awakened to and wakefully live it.
Buddhism talk about suffering, but it is not pessimism or nihilism. It is from the great aspiration, action, and unconditioned peace and unsurpassed awakening in the dependent origination and cessation of sufferings.
Most people don’t notice karma machines and their sufferings, much less changing it. Buddhas know and act on them. It may take zigzag courses in our history, but we hope rain bringing warmer, calmer, and lively nature.
Surely we can solve our problems, individually, socially, and environmentally. Only practice makes perfect. So, let us practice friendship, compassion, joy, and equanimity. Let’s work together for all always!
12/16/12
