Good morning!
We can have good sittings and service with beautiful flowers and nice incense
adorning the Buddha. When we sit still and serene, we stop karmas, settle in
dharmas. This is great virtue and victory, as the Buddha said:
Better than those who would conquer
thousands upon thousands in the battlefield
is the one who would conquer oneself.
This is the true conqueror.
So, let us try to settle in nirvana, unconditioned peace, and anuttara samyak
sambodhi, unsurpassed right awakening, with careful calming and clarity with
strong and subtle cultivation and care with our whole hearts and beings.
We can realize holy (wholly wholesome) harmony, health, and happiness in the
Four Brahma-vihāra (abode or living) or limitlessnesses of equanimity, joy,
compassion, and friendship.
We can enjoy the true Triple Treasures of the Awakened, Dharma, and Saṇgha
through the Triple Learnings of sīla, samādhi, and prajñā (morality, concentration,
and prognosis).
Last night I forwarded Oliver Stone’s video series of his film Untold History of the
United States, as it is rebroadcast by NHK (Japanese Public Broadcasting
Association).
It shows World War II, the Cold War, Global War on Terror, etc. with mass murder
and miseries from the lack of ability, awakening, sensitivity, and senses of
politicians, professionals, and people in general.
These things have come from people’s karmas, the Triple Maladies of
me-ism, materialism, and militarism represented by money-ism,
bound by the Triple Poisons of delusion, greed, and anger.
As the movie clearly illustrates, all participated in such savageries and sufferings,
and were all losers and lunatics going through the Six Paths of hell beings, hungry
ghosts, fighting devils, beastly beings, etc.
All living beings are karma-heirs, -relatives, and -machines, as the Buddha said.
They must go through samsara suffering. Anyone, however, can stop it by cultivation
of sitting, stopping karmas, seeing dharmas, and tasting amrita, ambrosia, immortality.
12/29/13
