Cats possess the Buddha Nature

 I’m not sure what’s going on lately. I keep seeing these little things about cats and Buddhism. On Sunday, I was in a mall bookstore, and they had all their calendars on sale for a buck. So I got one for Mom, since she hadn’t gotten one for 2007 yet. It has illustrations of cats and pithy sayings about cats, and the one for June is, “Of all the animals, the cat alone attains to the contemplative life.”

Today I was getting my “Zen-a-Day” desk calendar up to date, and lo and behold, Sunday’s quote is:

Those who understand the Tao delight, like cats, in just sitting and watching without any goal or result in mind. But when a cat gets tired of sitting, it gets up and goes for a walk or hunts mice. It does not punish itself or compete with other cats in an endurance test as to how long it can remain immovable — unless there is some real reason for being still, such as catching a bird.
—Alan Watts

Funny, that was for Sunday as well. So Sunday was all about cats and Buddhism. I wonder if sometimes the universe plays with us, and drops things in front of us to challenge us or to encourage our studies. Is this something that Buddhists believe, too? Anyway, what does it mean? What should I contemplate?

Maybe I should contemplate nothing, but instead watch one of my cats as they sit calmly on the end table, like decorative knick-knacks, either totally absorbed in jhana or comepletely enlightened. Whatever, they seem to be content with just being.

Maybe the universe is saying, “Quit reading so much, quit worring about being a Buddhist, just be.”

Symptoms of Inner Peace

I was doing some more or less random surfing (i.e. not mindful), and found this little gem:

Be on the lookout for symptoms of inner peace. The hearts of a great many have already been exposed to inner peace and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what has up to now been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world. Some signs and symptoms of inner peace:

• A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.
• An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
• A loss of interest in judging other people.
• A loss of interest in judging self.
• A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
• A loss of interest in conflict.
• A loss of ability to worry (this is a very serious symptom).
• Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
• Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.
• Frequent attacks of smiling.
• An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
• An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

WARNING: If you have some or all of the above symptoms, please be advised that your condition of inner peace may be so far advanced as to not be curable. If you are exposed to anyone exhibiting any of these symptoms, remain exposed at your own risk.

I walked into the family room where Dr Phil was on TV earlier, with a show where family members were screaming obscenities at each other. I couldn’t stand to watch it, so I left the room (and yes, I’m beginning to wonder about Dr Phil’s motivations). I think the sixth item in the list is becoming stronger in me, hopefully a result of studying Buddhism. The site where I found this, Wildmind looks like an excellent resource for learning meditation. I really like the personable way in which the Online Meditation Guides are written. The site also offers in-depth meditation and Buddhism courses for a fee, and has an online store full of CDs, DVDs, MP3s and music. Since the author of the site where I found this mentioned that he found it at his chiropractor’s office, I wonder if this is available as a poster somewhere, and I wonder who wrote it. I’ll update this post if I find anything.

Could Bhutan be on to something?

Bhutan's happiness formula From the BBC

America as a Developing Nation

We Americans are used to “having it all.” Our industry and technology are the best of the world, our country weilds enourmous power globally. A report on the Buddhist Channel about the first monk to represent the US to the World Buddhist Supreme Conference helped me realize that in some ways the US doesn’t really have everything. The article was also intresting because it illustrates that Buddhism is indeed growing in the US, and finally we are at a point where we need to have representation to the conference. The dhamma continues to grow here, and a uniquely American Buddhism is sure to develop from its taking root here. That, I think, is a good thing for America, and can become yet another of her strengths.

Into Orbit

The past two days have been days of wonder. The first source of wonder and awe has been in the world of science — particularly space exploration. The second was my first experience of sheer happiness that I can associate with beginning the Buddhist path. Yesterday was the first night launch of the Space Shuttle in many years, and because of the launch direction, much of the eastern United States would be able to see at least part of the launch. I live only about 265 miles (as the crow flies) from Kennedy Space Center, though I’m very well within the state of Georgia. I turned the television to NASA TV, and watched for the two hours preceding the launch, and finally, the launch itself. As soon as the Shuttle had cleared the tower, I raced outside and looked to the southeast to see if indeed the launch would be visible. The air was cold and sparklingly clear. There wasn’t a sound, and only a whisper of a breeze. Suddenly, there appeared what seemed to be a red glow to the east-southeast. The glow seemed to leap into the air, and soon it was an orange fireball with a brilliant trail of yellow fire behind it. How can this be? It seemed the shuttle was only a few miles away as it climbed to orbit. Thrilled and awestruck, I ran the few steps back inside and yelled to my mom, “You gotta come see this!” We both ran back outside, and the shuttle continued to climb towards the stars. At first Mom didn’t see it and asked where it was. “Over Anne’s barn,” I said excitedly. She spotted it and clapped with joy. A few seconds later, the solid rocket boosters cut off, and it was lost. Sadly, my eyes were not dark adapted, and I couldn’t see the much dimmer main engines. I stayed outside a while and looked for the shuttle, but never saw it. To the south, a brilliant blue-green meteor streaked through the sky. For a moment, I thought it might be the external tank falling back into the atmosphere, but realized it was in the wrong direction. It was an early Geminid meteor, tracing and extending its path back led directly to the constellation Gemini. I stayed outside a bit longer, gazing up into the clear, dark, cold sky, the stars twinkling brilliantly. The shuttle was up there, somewhere, entering orbit above the sky itself. It was a page right out of the grandest science fiction novel. I was humbled, thrilled, and awed all at the same time.

࿆

Before the launch, and the day before, I had been going through all my web bookmarks and searching with Google, trying to find some way to begin to study Buddhism seriously on my own. There is no Dharma study group or center anywhere near, so my only option is to find something online. I finally found BuddhaNet’s ebooks page, and on it was a title that looked promising: Fundamentals of Buddhism by Dr. Peter D. Santina. I downloaded and printed it, and finally after 3:00am, I took it to bed with me to read a bit before sleep. Today I turned on NASA TV and watched the mostly silent images of the Shuttle maneuvering in space, and read more of Dr. Santina’s work. The book has given me a stronger sense of where to begin, how to take my first steps towards stream-entry. From it I have learned that one begins by following good conduct (Shila) in life — practicing Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood. This shall be my first tiny step towards life as a Buddhist, not just as someone interested in the philosophy of Buddhism, as I’ve been up until now. How do wonder and awe fit in with this? Of course, there is the thrill (and yes, fear) associated with committing to such a major change in life. What made me think of this, though, is that as I was looking for some software to help me print these ebooks, I stumbled upon a site for a group called Emirates Mac, which is a Mac user group in the United Arab Emirates. I was suddenly struck with the feeling of, “Here are some people very different from me, but we have a common interest in Macintosh computers.” Being an American, one sees the word ‘Arab’ and, thanks to conditioning by our media and government, we immediately feel fear. Even though we’re told the UAE is a friendly nation in the Middle East, I think many Americans, myself anyway, feel a strong mistrust. I’m certain that such mistrust is undeserved, and is a byproduct of the fear-mongering in our media and by our government. Today was different, however. That fear was strongly muted by the joy of seeing someone far away with a shared interest — I was filled with joy on recognizing our similarities, rather than being filled with fear over our differences. That change in attitude is a wonderful thing, and I can’t help but wonder if subtle changes are already happening as I begin to immerse myself into the stream that leads to Enlightenment. Can this be happening already? Is it possible to reap a reward so soon? Can merely setting one’s will toward the practice of the Dharma so quickly bear fruit? I’m not sure, but I am going to let this surprising feeling encourage me as I set upon this path. I am going to consider this to be the tiniest taste of the joyful happiness that awaits as I make my way along the path. I still don’t understand much, and some things are very confusing still, but I have the sneaking suspicion that once those things become clearer, I will truly know the unbounded peace and happiness that others on this path promise.

࿆

More Study Guides at Access to Insight:

• Study Guides
• The Path to Freedom: A Self-guided Tour of the Buddha’s Teachings
• Pāli Language Study Aids

Shall they come with years and honour to the grave?

President George, you need to read this. Mesopotamia Rudyard Kipling, 1917 I would suggest that someone just paste this into George’s PDB, but I don’t think he reads it.

Zen and the Art of Room Remodeling

The past couple of weeks have been filled with the joys of remodeling two rooms. September came to a close, and I terminated the lease on my beloved apartment to return home. In the last 10 days I’ve all but finished one room (still need curtains, a rug, and some flooring bits that are out of stock at Lowes), my office. I love the room. It’s warm and relaxing. The new wood floors are wonderful. My artwork brought from the apartment looks great on the warm golden brown color (officially American Tradition “Antelope Hide”) of the walls. I’ve discovered that I’m amazingly relaxed most by the actual process of painting the walls. I seem to go into a “zone” and I feel so serene. I don’t feel so rushed, I enjoy taking the time to make it look as good as possible — a bit of a challenge, since the walls are less than perfect, but that’s another story. Today I painted the room that will become my bedroom. It’s a serene blue called “Tropical Bay.” More of my artwork will be going in there, and the pieces I’ve tested look fantastic. A piece I purchased from a local artist is just made for those walls. Tomorrow I finish painting the window trim, put up the crown moulding I took down to paint. (It is easier for me to take it down and paint the moulding with a roller than try not to get paint on the ceiling — you can’t tape it, since it’s a popcorn ceiling.) By this weekend, I should have more snap-down wood flooring replacing carpet that has been in that room since 1976. Well, that old carpet does have some sentimental value, since it was what Mom and Dad put in the room for us kids. So, I cut out a big 4-foot by 4-foot section so my brothers and I could have souvenirs. The next couple of days should offer more relaxing room remodeling meditation. I then get to move the last of my things into that room and set up Dad’s old cast iron bed that I refinished about six years ago for the apartment. I’ll hang my pictures, order some curtains from JCPenney or someplace, and I’ll be set. That won’t be the end of my remodeling meditation practice, though. The holidays are coming, and though I consider myself a Buddhist, the holiday season is a time I always look forward too. I love getting the house ready for visiting family. Every single year for as long as I remember, I’ve been responsible for the decorations and the tree (except that one year I couldn’t get home before Christmas to put up the tree, and my non-creative twin brother surprised everyone by doing a fantastic job with the decorations). I’ve got windows to clean, rooms to re-arrange, and decorations to hang. Then, after the holidays, more rooms! Mom and I have decided to redo a bathroom, and maybe we’ll tile the dining room floor, too. The kitchen is in desperate need of new cabinets, and have some ideas for the family room. Outdoors, Mom has turned over to me the front foundation plantings, so in spring I’ll be starting that — but I’ll be planning long before then. My brother and I want to run power out to one of the out-buildings, and maybe I can make some headway on ideas for a back deck. Lots of ideas, and plenty of time for remodeling meditation.

MKLVFKWR

Pat, I’d like to buy a vowel please. Maybe the title of this post is a bit harsh. Should a Buddhist be angry about the ongoing conflicts all over the world? Should we worry? I’m reminded of a saying I read somewhere long ago, before my recent interest in Buddhism, but I believe it was attributed to a Buddhist somewhere, maybe even the Dalai Lama. To paraphrase:

Worry is fruitless. If you can do nothing about a situation, worry does no good. If you can do something, then you should act, not worry.

Yesterday was the International Day of Peace, and I was absorbed in getting ready to move, and had forgotten all about it. Two posts on the Second Life Blog reminded me this morning about it. One from Torley Linden, and another from Blue Linden. Torley sums it up by saying, “My plea to you, not just for today but forever: live well, live peacefully, love lots.” What can we do to live peacefully, and love lots, and act instead of worrying? Buddhists know the answer, I think. Every day we should remember and practice the Noble Eightfold Path. I also have a special fondness for the term “loving-kindness” and that is one thing I want to remember to always strive to practice. Other than our personal practice, what can we do? Some ideas that immediately come to mind: Support a charity like the American Red Cross, or my favorite, CARE. We can volunteer and work in our communities to promote loving-kindness where we live (remember the saying, “Think globally, act locally.” Our actions at home filter upwards.) We can engage in dialog with our elected officials — writing to them, phoning them, sending emails — letting them know our views, as the people they represent, on issues that affect world peace. I hope that the Dharma continues to grow ever stronger in the West, and that by the actions of those who live it, will help the world to become ever more peaceful. That is my wish for the International Day of Peace.

NH3 and Buddhism

Just because I’ve taken to Buddhism doesn’t mean I’ve given up science. Actually, even His Holiness the Dalai Lama will tell you that science and Buddhism are not incompatible. From my jaunts across the net, I’ve also noted that many Buddhists, especially those in America, are also quite aware of and participate in environmental causes. So, I was quite interested to find in my news aggregator an article on Wired News about a new irrigation pump engine fueled by anhydrous ammonia (NH₃). The article points out that a significant infrastructure already exists for the distribution of NH₃, largely due to its use by farmers as fertilizer. I was surprised to learn that there are even pipelines carrying the stuff. Contrast that with the practically non-existent infrastructure for large-scale hydrogen distribution. It should be noted that NH₃ is not a mild chemical. It’s actually very noxious. It’s corrosive and explosive. But we also have to consider that the gasoline we fuel our automobiles with is also pretty nasty stuff. It’s poisonous and, like NH₃, very explosive. It’s that combustibility that makes both potential fuels. So how is NH₃ a fuel? (And are you surprised to consider it a fuel, like I was?) Well, I’m not completely sure, but from what I have read on Wikipedia, normal combustion of NH₃ yields nitrogen and water. I grabbed a scratch pad and worked it out, and I think the reaction goes like this (chemists, correct me if I’m wrong!): 4 NH₃ + 3 O₂ → 2 N₂ + 6 H₂O Four ammonia molecules react with 3 oxygen molecules from the atmosphere — it’s oxidized. This is what has me most excited: the exhaust products are just nitrogen and water! What could be cleaner? Now, you might be concerned about that nitrogen part, but remember that clean pristine air you are breathing right now is almost 80% nitrogen (in the same form as the combustion product, N₂). I imagine there is the possibility that problems in the engine because of improper combustions could lead to the formation of nitric oxides, but according to Wikipedia (ibid) that reaction requires a catalyst such as platinum. I would imagine that it is also possible for other nasty things to come out of the ammonia engine’s exhaust, as small amounts of engine lubricants are combusted as well. But that’s a (probably very minor) problem with any internal combustion engine — gasoline, biodiesel, ethanol or hydrogen. So how does this link to Buddhism, aside from the general notion of the compatibility of it with science? Well, remember how everything is interconnected? How what we do has direct karmic consequences? For me, keeping these things in mind means I should support and be enthusiastic about any new technology that helps me to lessen my impact on our planet and live more responsibly. Though I’m not the best recycler around, and I could certainly drive less, I’m happy to know that maybe one day in the not-so-distant future, I may be driving an automobile fueled by anhydrous ammonia that made its way into my take via a distribution infrastructure that is already in place. To me, this seems like the answer the so-called hydrogen economy has been looking for.

What’s up with this blog name?

I suppose I should explain the name of this blog, since it might not make any sense if you haven’t studied a Buddhism a bit. So here goes: In Buddhism, there are what are called the Eight Auspicious Symbols. You can think of them as little icons to remind Buddhists about certain tenets and precepts. The Endless Knot is one of those symbols. A View on Buddhism has this to say:

The Auspicious or Endless Knot is a geometric diagram which symbolizes the nature of reality where everything is interrelated and only exists as part of a web of karma and its effect. Having no beginning or end, it also represents the infinite wisdom of the Buddha, and the union of compassion and wisdom. Also, it represents the illusory character of time, and long life as it is endless.

That last little bit, “... long life as it is endless” is what I was thinking of when I named the blog, along with the interconnectedness of all of life. We are all part of this Universe together, and we must strive to treat each other with loving kindness. Our lives are full of cycles, and in many ways we depend upon each other to get through the trying times, and to celebrate the happy times. You can see the knot’s traditional design, rendered in gold, at the top of the page. If you’re wondering about the other seven of the Auspicious Symbols, here ya go:

• The Parasol
• The Two Golden Fish
• The Great Treasure Vase
• The Lotus Blossom
• The Right-Turning Conch Shell
• The Banner of Victory
• The Wheel of Dharma

You can read up on their meanings at A View on Buddhism, which is an excellent site for new Buddhists, and people who just want to have a little more knowledge of Buddhism for whatever reason. I will mention one of the others though, and that is the Lotus. A lotus is very much like a water lily, and its roots lie in the mud at the bottom of ponds where it is found. The stem that holds the blossom grows up through the water, lifting the blossom high above the mud below. This reminds us that we can rise above the confusion and suffering of our lives, and like the Buddha, become enlightened and reach blissful Nirvana. The lotus is a wonderful symbol (maybe I should have called the blog something with “lotus” in the name). I decided to go do some research on lotuses, and I found that one kind of lotus is native to the eastern US. It's very much like the one in the image, except it is a pale yellow. It’s called Nelumbo lutea. The beautiful pink lotus of India and Asia is Nelumbo nucifera. Both lotuses will grow wonderfully in most parts of the United States, and can be grown in water gardens, and even half whiskey barrels. Though fall is practically here, I’m thinking that it might be nice to try to grow a lotus or two. I suppose it’s a good thing its too late in the season to try it now — it will force me to learn good cultivation, and make good plans that will have a better chance of being successful. If it works, I’ll post pictures!

The Beginning Continues — and Some Things Come to an End

Burning Life ended yesterday with the official “burning” of the Man, and somehow I managed to forget about it. Oh well. Tomorrow, the twelve Burning Life sims go poof. I’ve constantly reminded myself about Impermanence, but yesterday was kinda tough. I went to my build to bundle things up, and I felt very sad. That build was like a second home for me. I actually spent more time there than my home parcel in Second Life. So, I decided to give all the build components away. The moment I posted a notice to the SL Buddhists group, I had three people drop in to look around. One decided to take a copy of just the stupa and courtyard, another didn’t have space, but wanted to come see it before the sims were deleted. Later on, another resident sent me a message asking about it, and I gave her a copy of everything except the Bodhi Tree, because when I bundled it up, I accidentally picked up some other stuff with it. She’ll be getting the tree soon. One exciting thing about giving away the stupa is that I’ve made some new friends. Both residents who took builds are just wonderful people. And the resident who just came to look around is an author who wrote a book on meditation! I can’t wait to get to know her better. I set up the kuti on a friend’s island near my house, and it looks perfect there. It’s nice to have a bit of the build close at hand, where I can continue to enjoy it. So, my build is disappearing, but it will live on in other locations in Second Life. Who knows, maybe I’ll recreate it on a new parcel somewhere myself, or maybe the Milarepa Land Trust will be endowed with a new parcel for a tranquil stupa and surroundings. As for the continuing beginning, I spent most of the day making massive modifications to the default Blogger “Scribe” template, turning it into what you see now. All the artwork is my own creation, with the exception of the saffron fabric in the header and footer, which is from iStockPhoto.com. I’m well pleased with the results.

New Beginnings

Life is a grand journey. I'm sure some poet somewhere has written something about it’s twists and turns, unexpected plummets over Niagra-sized falls, and even those all-to-rare, languid stretches of peaceful waters. Lately I feel as if I’ve been tossed by rapids smashing over hidden boulders, and now, though the flow is calmer, I feel bruised and exhausted. My old blog is long gone, and it's time to start a new one. Unlike the old one, this one is going to be a free-for-all, unfocused. But, I’m sure it will be mostly about my discovery of Buddhism. This discovery has come at a trying time in my life, and I’m filled with the hope for a kind of peace that I’ve never had in my life. Except maybe for some moments as a child. So, to get started, I'm going to post some pictures from my life in Second Life. I was fortunate to win a parcel in Burning Life, and there I built a stupa. I’m pleased that it has been well received. I'm excited that so many people have visited, and almost all have used the same word to describe it — peaceful. So here are the pictures: