The Zen Diamond Company.

Zen Diamond, the largest manufacturer of diamond jewelry in Europe and the No. 1 exporter of precious stones in Turkey, has plans to enhance efficiency and boost productivity during the global economic slowdown, a top company executive has said.

James: Because nothing says materialism like Zen!! And nothing could be further from the teachings of Zen than using the advertising tag line, "Diamonds are Forever" as we all know that nothing is forever. In the end Zen is just a word and I'm not going to let anger and other unskillful feelings arise because of a word.

Still you'd never see the Jesus Diamond company or Christ Wine. Maybe they could put a copy of the Diamond Sutra in with each diamond product. That might even things up with the consumerism/materialism message of the diamonds.

~Peace to all beings~

Another of My Favorite Poems, "If" by Rudyard Kipling.

It's a lazy day after Christmas so I thought I'd post another of my favorite poems that I've been re-reading again lately. It is "If" by Rudyard Kipling:

[IF]

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

--Rudyard Kipling

Using Science to Explain Biblical Stories. Part One: Sodom and Gommorah.

**NOTE: This is not an attempt to insult anyone so if you are insulted by this post then I apologize. I am starting a series here on how Biblical stories can often be explained by a modern understanding of science. I am doing it not out of a desire to destroy anyone's faith but from a personal interest explaining the stories I've heard during my 22 years as a Christian. I am a skeptic by heart and enjoy explaining the seemingly inexplicable.***

---

Sodom and Gomorrah were two ancient cities mentioned in the Bible most likely near the Dead Sea. The story in the Bible says that the town was destroyed by "God" because of the their "wickedness" by fire and brimstone (sulfur rock). So what does science have to say about this story?

As we know much of the Middle East sits above oil and natural gas fields as well as atop pockets of sulfur rock or brimstone. There are fault lines in the area where most scholars believe Sodom and Gomorrah existed as well as within much of the "Holy Land." Ancients didn't know much science and therefore natural disasters would be seen as "God's" doing and explained by man's "sinning."

So all it takes is a decent sized asteroid to hit the area, which would ignite the oil and natural gas fields nearby and underneath the city. As well as the igniting and throwing sulfur rocks into the air, which would then reign down upon the nearby cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Thus giving off the effect of flaming rocks pouring down upon the cities and burning them to the ground.

Another explanation could stem from the many fault lines that exist in Israel, Jordan and throughout the Middle East. An earthquake could have cracked the Earth, which exposed natural gas pockets, pools of oil and veins of sulfur rock. All it would take is one spark from the many cooking fires to explode the pockets of gas, ignite the sulfur rock, which would reign back down upon the city burning it to the ground.

There are simple, (Occam's razor) scientific explanations for this event either way and so people who were not privy to science would seek to explain such a natural disaster with what they believed--"God." "God" was an understandable way to explain events, which were at the time mysterious in origin and thus very frightening.

~Peace to all beings~

Zen Master Franz Kafka?

You need not do anything.
Remain sitting at your table and listen.
You need not even listen, just wait.
You need not even wait,
just learn to be quiet, still and solitary.
And the world will freely offer itself to you unmasked.
It has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.

~Franz Kafka from his poem, "Learn to Be Quiet."

James: It's somewhat hard to imagine the brooding Franz Kafka as a student of mindfulness but here he is teaching it with just as much clarity as many monks!!

Then there is this Zen-like comment from Kafka regarding his relationship with Judaism/spirituality (he was known to show interest in Judaism especially later in life), "What have I in common with Jews? I have hardly anything in common with myself and should stand very quietly in a corner, content that I can breathe."

His questioning of what he has in common with "himself" and what that "self" even means seems like an almost koan-like statement. The whole of the quote sounds as if it came from a Zen Master trying to teach a novice that the label "Buddhist" is not important but rather the essence and teachings of Buddhism. For example, being present to be content with the basic things in life such as standing (or sitting) in a corner and breathing.

PHOTO: Franz Kafka by Anthony Hare 2003.

~Peace to all beings~

FOX Host Carlson Afraid that Christianity is In Mortal Danger.

So an Atheist sign in the state capital of Illinois was stolen and now the Atheist group behind the sign wants to replace it with a new one saying, "Thou Shalt Not Steal." Yet Gretchen Carlson apparently doesn't get the point of the replacement sign.

It seems apparent to me that those who would be the most upset by the sign would be rabid Christians. Therefore reminding them that they [most likely Christian] broke a commandment of the very religion they are claiming to defend by stealing that sign is on point and brilliant. It's called using your critics words and beliefs against them. It's a great debate tactic and Carlson's only comeback to it is to claim that Atheists have no right to use the ten commandments because Atheists don't believe in them? That's a nice dodge from the point of Christians stealing despite being commanded NOT too.

So in other words Christians can break the commandments when dealing with Atheists because Atheists shouldn't have the same rights to freedom of expression as Christians enjoy. In part too because Atheists are seen by extreme Christians as evil to be defeated by any means necessary and therefore (to these type of Christians) the end justifies the means (i.e. stealing). It's not too unlike radical Muslims who think "God" will bless them in heaven for killing the nonbeliever because belief in "God" is more important than free will and the commandment against killing. Thus we see that many radical Christians don't actually believe following every commandment by the letter as they often say they do.

Michelle Maulkin actually takes the high road for once in basically saying "Just ignore them." But Carlson is completely freaked out to the point of saying that if they treat them as equals then Christianity might disappear??? Come on. Honestly. It might disappear from the public square (as it should according to the Constitution) but Christianity is not going to disappear from a country [America] that is beyond any measure predominately Christian. Besides, where is their faith that "God" won't let Christianity die out in America?

And should it be about control? Shouldn't your belief in Christianity be personal? Isn't it more about your own salvation than about being the dominate belief system to maintain your feeling of superiority as being "number 1?" I'm a Buddhist and we are no where near the dominate religion in America and I don't care. I don't practice Buddhism so that maybe one day Buddhism can dominate America. I practice it because I find meditation to be helpful in my daily, personal life.

I am a weak Atheist/strong Agnostic, I know many other Atheists and for most it's not about abolishing Christianity but rather about equal representation in the public square. Either everyone gets to have a display or no one should as the public square belongs to everyone and public/government buildings/locations are paid for by everyone--not just Christians. It seems really simple and basic to me.

~Peace to all beings~

Musical Interlude: Jason Mraz, "I'm Yours." Buddhism and Music.

I thought I'd post a fun, happy and relaxing song this morning. The artist is Jason Mraz and I really dig his reggae sound. Reggae is one of my favorite musical styles because it is so calming and gets me to dance around a bit and let my body relax to the beat. I also really like the message of this song of living in the now, letting go of our hang-ups and enjoying what he have and not worrying about what we don't have. As well as rejoicing in the power of love.

Music can be very spiritual as I think sound is something that our brain can easily absorb without too much thinking. Songs are great ways to express feelings, ideas and emotions that might be otherwise difficult to express through language. For me, It's about letting go to the present moment of the songs to just enjoy the beauty and power of sound. When I'm having a bad day it's hard too continue feeling glum after listening to say, Bob Marley.

Music is very meditative in that it can relax the body and mind to better enable deep contemplation and peacefulness. It's also a way to release stress and anxiety as music is for me a kind of audio massage and/or way to channel and safely discharge my less skillful thoughts and energy. I have found listening to positive music and/or chanting before meditation to be a great way to calm the brain and prepare it for sitting meditation.

The vibrations from the musical tones of chanting vibrates throughout the body and I have found relaxes the muscles that tense up in our day to day motions/actions. In addition it opens up the lungs so that breathing deeply during meditation is easier. From my experience I have found that listening to music and/or chants before meditation is kind of like stretching before running.

~Peace to all beings~

Society Without God: A Book Review.

I was recently sent a copy of "Society Without God" by Phil Zuckerman to review. The author lived in Denmark and Sweden for 14 months and discovered through personal interviews with average Danes and Swedes that Scandinavia is quite Atheist/Agnostic.

It has been a falsehood heard in many religious circles (especially within the Judeo-Christian-Islamic religions) for years that society can not succeed without a belief in a creator god. However, Zuckerman presents his thesis that despite their lack of belief Scandinavians are some of the most socially well adjusted and successful people on Earth.

Some give the examples of the former USSR, North Korea, Cuba and China to try and argue that nontheist societies breed oppression and are not good examples of healthy societal life. However, Zuckerman deftly responds saying that those were/are governments who force everyone to be Atheist/Agnostic:

In each case, religion wasn't abandoned by the people themselves in a natural process over several generations [James: Like Scandinavia]. Rather, the "abandonment" of religion was decreed by vicious dictators who imposed their faithlessness on an unwilling, decidedly un-free citizenry.

He gives several interesting reasons for why secular societies are so stable and successful one of which is education. He found that a high level of Scandinavians are educated and that the higher level of education one achieves the less one believes in a god. And while being an nontheist, Zuckerman makes sure to say that not everything about monotheism is negative. He does list positives of believing in a god/supernatualism. Overall though he paints a very convincing picture that belief in a creator god is not necessary to a moral and ethical society.

It is fascinating in that his argument is built directly from primary sources by interviewing average citizens. This strength, however, does become a bit of a weakness for this book because the interviews become too many and the answers become repetitive. That would be my one criticism of this book.

As a nontheist Buddhist I found myself agreeing quite often with the sentiments expressed by these Danes and Swedes. I have read many books on Atheist thinking and I find it noteworthy that most don't even mention/cover Buddhism in their critiques of religion. In my mind that is because Buddhism falls inbetween religion and Atheism. It's kind of in its own category that seems to have more in common with philosophy and psychology than with strict religious dogma.

~Peace to all beings~

Looking For Buddha.

Trying to find a Buddha or enlightenment is like trying to grab space. Space has a name but no form. It's not something you can pick up or put down. And you certainly can't grab it. Beyond this mind you'll never see a Buddha. The Buddha is a product of your mind. Why look for a Buddha beyond this mind?

-- The Zen teachings of Bodhidharma

James: This reminds me of the koan, "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him." Which for me means many things such as the message/teachings being more important than the teacher. For some It can be easy to get attached to the idea of Buddha and see him as some kind of god to be worshiped but I see that as being a distraction. It attempts to shift the responsibility for our liberation away from ourselves to a caricature of Buddha as a savior rather than an example. Buddha is not a god--my understanding is that Buddha is beyond all labels, forms and titles. For me, worshiping the Buddha is like worshiping a bar of soap because Buddha can not do anything for us except shine the torch to show the way.

Buddha is almost always depicted as meditating, which for me is a symbol of the DIY (do it yourself) philosophy that is so popular today. When Buddha was meditating on the night of his enlightenment he did not worship some mystic deity hoping that he didn't have to do the difficult work and could be saved without effort on his part. I have to do the heavy lifting on my journey just like Buddha so many years ago. Praying to Buddha is in my view pointless. I see it as a waste of time that could be spent meditating, which is the vehicle Buddha used to awaken from the slumber of the eg0-self and liberate himself from samsara. Again, the message (the dharma) is more important than the messenger. Buddha is long gone into mahaparinirvana.

Even if Buddha was around to hear those prayers he couldn't answer them or fulfill the desires they contain because he is not a god. The very idea of prayer is the act of trying to satiate our desires and that is a dead-end path according to Dharma.

~Peace to all beings~

Happy Bodhi Day 2008,

May this candle remind us of the Buddha's enlightenment and the light the Dharma shines to show us the way on our path.

Buddhism vs. Buddhism in America.

Apparently there is a hot discussion in the blangha (blog+sangha) as to why according to some, Asian-American Buddhists and white American Buddhists don't interact enough. Well I had a few thoughts on the matter and figured I'd post them for what it's worth.

I think while discrimination does definitely exist on both sides the separation between the two in America stems more from cultural differences than from out right bigotry. I say this because I think that the argument, which says there is an Asian-American Buddhism versus a white American Buddhism in the U.S. is too simplistic and dualistic.

It misses the important point that the term "Asian" includes dozens of very different cultures/countries. This is evident here in America because there are Asian-American Buddhists who separate amongst themselves even.

Korean American Buddhist communities often stick to mostly Korean American Buddhist sanghas, Vietnamese with Vietnamese, etc. Of course that's not always the case and there are examples of well integrated sanghas mostly in highly diverse urban areas of the country. Often white dominated sanghas are such for no other reason than the sanghas location being in an area where whites represent the majority population in general.

Besides, I don't think that we can completely uproot cultural differences within a greater Buddhism nor is it necessarily a bad thing to have different cultures represented within Buddhism. There is much beauty and value when culture meets the Dharma but like with all things it can be a hinderance at times too. So yes, again as I stated above there are instances of discrimination on both sides but the beauty of Buddhism is that we all share the core beliefs. Dharma is Dharma whether it is spoken in English, Thai or Norwegian.

~Peace to all beings~

A is for Acupuncture

So there I was lying partially naked on the table with needles sticking out of my back, neck and legs yet It was the most relaxed that I've felt in a long time. I'm talking about acupuncture and this morning I experienced it for the first time.

According to traditional Chinese medicine the body has meridians (or channels) through which Qi (vital energy) flow. The channels and points are attributed to specific body parts and bodily functions/systems, which can supposedly relieve pain and relax muscles through stimulating these channels.

Each time he placed a needle It felt like it was popping a ball of stress, which released built up tension and after awhile I felt like I was one giant, floppy, relaxed noodle. Once all the needles were placed he left the room for about 15-20 minutes and during that time I meditated, which of course relaxed me even more. I began to feel light as a feather and felt like I was floating on a cloud with energy pouring out of every pore in my body and out my fingertips, toes and head.

As I laid there I felt as though the needles had activated endorphins or something because I was tingling with a pleasurable sensation. It was the kind of sensation that you feel from a silky smooth fabric gently sliding along your body but in this instance it was like that feeling didn't disappear like when the fabric moves off your body. Instead that feeling stayed with me along all the points that were stimulated by the needles to where I felt as though I was on some drug or something not unlike some of the sensations I felt when I did ecstasy, which I no longer do.

We talk a lot about the body being interconnected with the mind but meditating while those needles did their work was the most profound experience I've had with that interconnected feeling. And that is saying a lot because I've had some pretty deep feelings of interconnection between my body and mind from just meditation. However, the combination of acupuncture and meditation was very therapeutic to not only my body but also my mind. I highly recommend it if you are having problems with sore muscles, stiff, achy joints and alignment problems with your musculoskeletal system (spinal vertebrae misalignment).

I am a big believer in TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) and It seems clear that it was developed in connection with Buddhism and Taoist understanding of the body and its connection with the mind. The meditation connection seems only natural as well because I am most aware of my body and any new aches or pains that I may have when I meditate.

Meet the New Baltimore Celebrity Examiner

Honestly, I was hoping to avoid this. Don't you just hate when you visit a blog expecting to find good stuff and instead there's this final article? A final article directing you somewhere else?

Yeah, I hate that too. Which is why I've been holding off doing this. But the truth is, I shouldn't have waited so long.

It's become too difficult to write for The Spewker and my page at Examiner.com. For that reason, this blog has been temporarily suspended effective immediately. I may eventually come to regret this decision, but time constraints leave me no other choice.

Look at it this way, I'll still be doing juicy celebrity dish, original celebrity interviews, and reporting the Baltimore-Washington celebrity scene ... just not from here. At least not for now. Maybe when life becomes less hectic and there's more time I'll be back. Could happen. Don't rule it out.

In the meantime, The Spewker will continue to publish Twitter updates and new videos from time to time, but yeah, the blog has moved here.

The Baltimore Celebrity Examiner. Has a nice ring to it, don't ya think?

A Poem to be Read Upon Scattering My Ashes.

Do not stand at my grave and weep,

I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glint on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you wake in the morning hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there, I did not die!

Mary Frye (1932)

James: I have long ago decided to have my body cremated when I die so that my ashes can be scattered into the soil, the air, the water and into a fire as a final act of giving before being reborn anew. I have always found cemeteries to be odd places--not scary necessarily but just strange in that we section off parts of towns where we collect dead bodies dressed in sumptuous clothing lying in a fancy box.

Even in death we try to cling the body and status by demanding the most ornate coffin, headstone, mausoleum and even dressed in our finest suit or dress as if we are off to a ritzy party. It is somewhat humorous that we try and keep the body preserved in coffins to keep the elements from decomposing it when those elements already exist in those very bodies and have since our birth!!! They are apart of who we are--we can not escape that. We wouldn't exist without those elements.

~Peace to all beings~

Black Friday Earns Its Name.

(PHOTO: Crowds push through doorway on Black Friday to buy products on sale)

As man of you know yesterday was Thanksgiving Day in America, which is a day when friends and family come together to celebrate all the things that they are thankful for during the past year. It has also become an orgy of eating as much food as can possibly eaten. I myself find it odd to be thankful for having food to eat and then engorge yourself on more food than necessary when a good portion of that food could have been donated to homeless shelters.

Well given America's great lust for buying and owning "things" the day after Thanksgiving (today) has turned into what people call "Black Friday." Black is the term used to describe when a company/business makes a profit, (red being losing money) and Friday being the day after Thanksgiving, which is the busiest shopping day of the year. There are often great deals on this day with retailers offering many products at much lower prices. This often creates long lines of people who are looking to buy up these discounted products and people often wait over-night for the stores to open. It's considered the official start of the Christmas/Chanukkah shopping season.

Black is also a traditional color of mourning the death of friends and family.

This year there was one store where the crowd was so large and built up pressing on the doors that the store clerk was trampled and killed by the stampeding crowd racing to snatch up the discounted items!! AND a pregnant woman was injured so bad that she miscarried her child!!

(UPDATE: Two people were killed by gunshots at a Toys R Us toy store in California. Two teen-age girls were seen fighting over something in the electronics area of the store when a third person who accompanied one of the girls fired a gun).

There is no better example of the kind of suffering that is created through greed then these tragic story. So much of the stuff we buy ends up tossed in the trash bin after a few months of enjoyment of these products before moving on to the next gadget. We have literally become a throw away society, which now apparently includes life. We are willing to put the lives of others in danger for just the possibility of "happiness" through money and gadgets.

But it's not about denying myself of all gadgets and "things" but rather finding that glorious middle-way, which allows enjoying some of what the world has to offer yet with moderation. I, nor anyone else I know needs something so bad that I will line up at 3a.m. with a rowdy, pushy, selfish crowd of people willing to jostle, shove and apparently trample others to buy up the store. It is extremely sad that the Christmas gift giving tradition once being a way to remember and learn to give to others as those who gave gifts to Jesus upon his supposed birth did has turned into this animalistic tradition of mayhem and greed.

I try my best to be happy with what I have and to be responsible in what I buy and how I buy it. I find it sickeningly ironic to push someone out of the way and fight over products and position in line to bring some happiness to your child, friend or brother. It's making someone else suffer so that you can bring just the possibility of a little happiness to someone else. Is it really worth it? Not to me. I prefer people wanting to buy me something to donate to a charity in my name.

~Peace to all beings~

Josef Fritzl, Buddhism and Angulimal.

Incest monster Josef Fritzl says he's turned to Buddhism - and wants doctors to help cure him so he can be reunited with his wife Rosemarie. Fritzl spends much of his 23 hours a day in his cell studying the peaceful Far Eastern philosophy and is considering formally changing his religion in prison.

Speaking through his lawyer Rudolf Mayer, Fritzl said that he has found a lot of comfort in reading Buddhist literature and finds the religion "fascinating". Fritzl first discovered Buddhism on a family holiday in Thailand but has only started studying the religion in depth while behind bars.

Fritzl's facing the rest of his life in jail after imprisoning his daughter Elisabeth as a sex slave in a home-made cell under the family home in Amstetten, Austria. She was locked up for 24 years where she gave birth to seven of his children. An eighth child was miscarried.

James: Clearly Mr. Fritzl is extremely mentally disturbed and needs to be imprisoned to protect innocent people from his horrific impulses. However, as a Buddhist who stands against killing human beings I stand against the death penalty for even this deranged man. It's hard to find any good in a human being such as this Fritzl but he is afterall a fellow sentient being and as I am a believer in karma I feel that his punishment has already but laid out by his actions, which will extend probably into several lifetimes.

I've never done anything nearly as horrible and disgusting as this man but I do know something about how Buddhism can heal and bring about personal change and growth. I use to be a very bitter, angry nihilist who wasn't taking medication for my severe mental illness and at my lowest wanted to blow up the entire world with nuclear weapons. Living in a psychoticly deluded state of mind I thought such a destruction would be doing everyone a service because of all the suffering. This was of course before I discovered Buddhism and now I'm as peaceful as I have ever been in my life and I literally don't hurt a fly.

I hope that Mr. Fritzl will benefit from the greatness that Buddha and the Dharma have to offer. I hope that none of my readers assume that this man has no more value to this world because of his horrific crimes. If so consider the example of the seriel killer Angulimal and Buddha:

Angulimal means a man who wears a garland of human fingers. He had taken a vow that he would kill one thousand people; from each single person he would take one finger so that he could remember how many he had killed and he will make a garland of all those fingers. In his garland of fingers he had nine hundred and ninety-nine fingers--only one was missing. And that one was missing because his road was closed; nobody was coming that way. But Gautama Buddha entered that closed road.

The guards said to Buddha, "Don't unnecessarily take the risk." And do you know what Buddha said to them? Buddha said, "If I don't go then who will go? Only two things are possible: either I will change him, and I cannot miss this challenge; or I will provide him with one finger so that his desire is fulfilled. A very beautiful man of such immense charisma was coming towards him [Angulimal]. Who could this man be? He had never heard of Gautama Buddha, but even this hard heart of Angulimal started feeling a certain softness towards the man. He was looking so beautiful, coming towards him. It was early morning... a cool breeze, and the sun was rising... and the birds were singing and the flowers had opened; and Buddha was coming closer and closer.

Finally Angulimal, with his naked sword in his hand, shouted, "Stop!" Gautama Buddha was just a few feet away, and Angulimal said, "Don't take another step because then the responsibility will not be mine. Perhaps you don't know who I am!" Buddha said, "Do you know who you are?" Angulimal said, "This is not the point. Neither is it the place nor the time to discuss such things. Your life is in danger!" Buddha said, "I think otherwise--your life is in danger." That man said, "I used to think I was mad--you are really mad! And you go on moving closer. Then don't say that I killed an innocent man. You look so innocent and so beautiful that I want you to go back. I will find somebody else. I can wait; there is no hurry. If I can manage nine hundred and ninety-nine... it is only a question of one more, but don't force me to kill you."

Buddha came very close, and Angulimal's hands were trembling. The man was so beautiful, so innocent, so childlike. He had already fallen in love. He had killed so many people... He had never felt this weakness; he had never known what love is. For the first time he was full of love. So there was a contradiction: the hand was holding the sword to kill the person, and his heart was saying, "Put the sword back in the sheath." Buddha said, "I am ready, but why is your hand shaking?--you are such a great warrior, even kings are afraid of you, and I am just a poor beggar. Except the begging bowl, I don't have anything. You can kill me, and I will feel immensely satisfied that at least my death fulfills somebody's desire; my life has been useful, my death has also been useful.

But before you cut my head I have a small desire, and I think you will grant me a small desire before killing me." Before death, even the hardest enemy is willing to fulfill any desire. Angulimal said, "What do you want?" Buddha said, "I want you just to cut from the tree a branch which is full of flowers. I will never see these flowers again; I want to see those flowers closely, feel their fragrance and their beauty in this morning sun, their glory." So Angulimal cut with his sword a whole branch full of flowers. And before he could give it to Buddha, Buddha said, "This was only half the desire; the other half is, please put the branch back on the tree." Angulimal said, "I was thinking from the very beginning that you are crazy. Now this is the craziest desire. How can I put this branch back?"

Buddha said, "If you cannot create, you have no right to destroy. If you cannot give life, you don't have the right to give death to any living thing." A moment of silence and a moment of transformation... the sword fell down from his hands. Angulimal fell down at the feet of Gautam Buddha, and he said, "I don't know who you are, but whoever you are, take me to the same space in which you are; initiate me." By that time the followers of Gautam Buddha had come closer and closer. They were all around and when he fell at Buddha's feet they immediately came close. Somebody raised the question, "Don't initiate this man, he is a murderer!"

Buddha said again, "If I don't initiate him, who will initiate him? And I love the man, I love his courage. And I can see tremendous possibility in him: a single man fighting against the whole world. I want this kind of people, who can stand against the whole world. Up to now he was standing against the world with a sword; now he will stand against the world with a consciousness, which is far sharper than any sword. I told you that murder was going to happen, but it was not certain who was going to be murdered--either I was going to be murdered, or Angulimal. Now you can see Angulimal is murdered. And who I am to judge?"

James: I don't want nor have the right to deny someone looking for help the Dharma and I truly hope that this man will find relief and clarity from Buddhism and begin to make ammends for his horrific crimes.

~Peace to all beings~

Save the Cheerleader, Save the World from Hottest Tots and Celebrity Couples

Forbes' Hottest Hollywood Tots is such a crock of publicity horse cocky, I want to steam myself under a hot shower for the next fifteen minutes just to loosen the dibbles.

Joel McHale said exactly what was on my mind - why in the world is Forbes magazine venturing into the world of celebrity fluffaby? Did editors throw the financial sector overboard now that America is knee deep in meltdown economics?

"Oh, we can't break even publishing financial pontifications. Let's add a celebrity toddlers hot or not contest. That'll bring in people clicking like mad."

You'd better believe I'm mad, uptight and mad's more like it. Mad that I had to click through five crappy millileters each time I wanted more information about the listed tots. Boy, Forbes' stuff must really be in the toilet to milk so much out of celebrity gossip.

So I'm ending the shennanigans right now by printing their ridiculous exercise in self-preservation, saving you, dear reader, the torture of suffering through another gazilllion of pages from hell.

10. Samantha Sheen (Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen)
9. Sean and Preston Federline (Britney and Fed-Ex)
8. David Banda (Madonna)
7. Matilda Rose Ledger (Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger)
6. Cruz Beckham (Posh and Becks)
5. Sam Alexis Woods (Tiger and Elin Woods)
4-2. Pax, Zahara, and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt (in that order)(Brangelina)
1. Suri Cruise (TomKat)

And as long as we're on the subject, I have only this to ask ... WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?

How could anyone in their right mind include tug-of-war toy David Banda but omit Kingston Rossdale? Or Johan Samuel? Or Harlow Winter Kate Madden, for that matter?

And what about the inferiority complexes foisted upon helpless and defenseless celebritots who through no fault of their own are subjected to arbitrary and capricious rejection every time they hear the name "Forbes?" It's not like these children ask to be paraded around like a traveling museum. The least we can do is feign a little respect for their privacy.

Not so when it comes to 2008's Best and Worst Celebrity Couples list. You'll also slog through a ton of advertising, but at the end of the day, won't feel any worse for the wear.

Unlike hot to trot celebritots, there's the trade-off component of choosing a profession that unfolds in the public eye. Celebrities expect and anticipate a certain amount of ogle. It's the American way, for goodness sake!

For those reasons and the fact that only one couple per family posted in the best and worst section, no spoilers about 2008's Best and Worse. Go ahead, get your hands dirty.

I won't tell if you won't.

Nothing Lasts Forever.

Body impermanent like spring mist;

mind insubstantial like empty sky;

thoughts unestablished like breezes in space.

Think about these three points over and over.

-Adept Godrakpa, "Hermit of Go Cliffs"

James: I've been meditating over these verses for awhile now and the essence that I feel from these lines is one of liberation from the chains that keep me anchored in the deep bedrock of the ego-self. Reminding myself of the impermanance of the body emphasizes that the disease schizoffective disorder, which clouds my brain at times is merely a guest in the present moment of this birth/life.

A spring mist can dangerouslly cloud ones path and confuse a hiker climbing a mountain, which could cause him/her to fall off a cliff. However, if the hiker patiently sits still and is mindful of his/her surroudings then soon pockets of sky will appear again and the route becomes clearer. It's the same when dealing with a mental disorder.

Because forcing my way through cloudy "misty" states of mind that come with schizoaffective disorder makes things worse and leads to decisions that are inherent with danger. Living with a mental disorder gives a person plenty of chances to accept that the mind isn't the ally that we often believe it to be. The power of the mind to control my life is stripped in accepting that the thoughts the mind produces are usually nothing more than projections on a movie screen.

The mind can only be trusted to protect itself.

PHOTO CREDIT: Water Rock Knob, near the North Carolina/Tennessee border of the Blue Ridge Parkway. By Mr.icon on Flickr.

~Peace to all beings~

Is there an Anti-China bias in the Western media?

Click here to read...

Sarah Palin and the Slaughtered Turkey.

Alaska Governor Sara Palin sitting with a dead bear carcass. Killing an animal to use the dead body for decoration is disrespecting life in you want my opinion.

On Thursday, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin appeared in Wasilla in order to pardon a local turkey in anticipation of Thanksgiving. This proved to be a slightly absurd but ultimately unremarkable event. But what came next was positively surreal. After the pardon Palin proceeded to do an interview with a local TV station while the turkeys were being SLAUGHTERED in the background!! Seemingly oblivious to the gruesomeness going on over her shoulder, she carries on talking for over three minutes. Watch the video below to see for yourself. Be warned, it's kind of gruesome.James: Yes it's gruesome but it should be gruesome because we're talking about slaughtering another living being. People should be able to stand watching the animal that they are about to eat on Thanksgiving be killed. If you want to eat meat then I think you should be prepared to kill the animal yourself because someone has to do that for you for every scrap of meat that you eat. If you don't think that you can do it like I didn't then you might want to become a vegetarian.

This ironically occurred while yesterday a hidden video caught workers at a turkey farm throwing the animals against the floor, kicking them and abusing them in other ways. I hardly even remember what Palin said during this video with the brutality occuring in the background.

A reporter asked Palin if she was okay with the backdrop. The Alaskan Governor answered, "no worries." As the bird's head was removed, the man looked over his shoulder at the governor and reporters and flashed a toothy grin.

I understand people having to eat meat because their survival depends upon it but now many of us can survive and live well without meat. In closing, I leave you with the words of the great Mahatma Gandhi: The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.

---End of Transmission---

Scary Obsessed Fan Rattles Brad Pitt on Oprah

(photo courtesy of LaLateNews)

Yesterday, I got a long hard look at myself in the TV set. It was not by any means a pretty sight.

Brad Pitt returned to the set of Oprah plugging the Christmas Day release of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a movie about a New Orleans man who ages backwards. I hear the special effects are to die for. Heck, the movie was in post-production for almost a year.

Aside from styling reminiscent of the late Clark Gable, Pitt filled the studio with the twinkle of Hollywood stardust, what I call the magic of Hollywood. He’s a person, yes, like everyone else, but with killer good looks and notable acting talent. I hardly ever watch daytime television, but this was one show I wanted to see as it aired.

That Oprah, I have to hand it to her. She’s now peppering celebrity interviews with home audience questions via Skype. These are not your grandmother’s cheesy call-ins with background pictures but real time webcam "I see you, you see me" exchanges. Skype definitely made the show more engaging. One bride-to-be appeared in her bedroom with a bed full of family and friends.

Top of the heap in clout and earning power, Pitt stands toe to toe with the greats, actors admired for craft and popularity not necessarily due to peer recognition, but for opening movies and resonating with a crowd. He’s a big fish in a huge pond glutted with wannabes. Everyone wants a piece of him no matter how those pieces are derived.

The Q and A ran rather smoothly until Christina from Ontario questioned Pitt about his body tattoos. At that point, the exchange turned on its head.

(video may be removed due to copyright and if so, don’t count on a replacement)

In the first place, Christina knew way too much about Pitt for comfort, like prey studied by stalker before ambush. Clearly, Pitt became very uncomfortable, refusing to divulge any personal information or put his tats on display. It was comical, really, in a "Lady, who are you and why do you know so much about my ice man tattoo?" kind of way. Then suddenly, it felt kind of scary. Poor Christina, I could see she felt it too.

At that moment, I glimpsed my reflection. Figuratively speaking of course, but no less startling. I too feed off Hollywood minutiae, petty details of lives steeped in fantasy glamour. What’s the harm in wanting to see a decorated body part? Why even decorate if not to show off?

As Pitt lamented the ever present din of paparazzi, as well as fences and walls he would rather remove but requires for privacy, I too wanted the inside scoop. As if answering Christina’s question might reveal the essence of this movie star’s shine, I really wanted to know about his tats. So did Oprah, though immediately after gentle prodding she backed down.

Despite being offensive or intrusive, Pitt owed a better answer to his fans. He chose acting for his livelihood and should expect people crossing the line. Without fans who feed off his star power, he’s like any other bit player on Broadway.

On the other hand, I can’t imagine what it must be like to live in a fish bowl. The constant presence of cameras and strangers approaching wherever one goes must be unnerving. Can a fan’s desire to connect go too far?

At the end of the day, none of it matters, gossip tidbits or glitterati lives. Hearing Pitt speak about his children, life with Angie, or his Benjamin Buttons co-star, the fabulous Cate Blanchett, another guest on the show, won’t change the world or cure cancer. It’s entertainment like a good book or a day at the races, nothing more than fleeting fancy to pass the time.

Anti-Conversion Bill in Sri Lanka.

An anti-conversion law titled, "Prevention of Forcible Conversion Bill," is being considered in Sri Lanka's parliament. It is a bill that I generally disapprove of because I believe in the freedom of religion and while I don't personally like proselytism I think it should be included in a country's freedom of religion rights. In a country, which is 70% Buddhist (Sri Lanka) I do not understand how Christianity is such a threat that it needs to basically be outlawed.

In addition, the structure of "Buddhism" itself can be yet another attachment. Without practice and mindfulness a Buddha statue is nothing but another chunk of wood or stone and temples become glorified houses. I'm not saying that such things aren't beneficial and needed but that Buddhism will evolve how it will and if it disappears in a free world then so be it.

Besides, some say that Buddha himself said that one day Buddhism will no longer be taught in this world. Even if I am the last "Buddhist" on Earth I worry not for the Dharma as it will always be reborn in one form or another either here and/or on other planets. And if not then I am confident that it will have served its purpose. I have faith that karma and change will take the course that it must.

Now. That said I do agree with a limited version of this bill if it simply bans using humanitarian aid, education and health care as a tool to force people to listen to sermons/scriptures and be converted. If these services can not be donated without stipulations then I consider that using unethical behavior. It is taking advantage of the needy to forward your religious ideology instead of giving because it's the right thing to do--period. After all my years of reading the Bible and practicing Christianity I do not believe that Jesus would condition help to proselytism or conversion. It is pure manipulation usually of those whom are vulnerable both spiritually and otherwise. It is not right for religions (whether Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, etc.) to use peoples' suffering to advance the interests of their belief system.

Also, I wonder if these Christian organizations will now stand up for the freedom of non-Christians here in America to be free of Christian influence in government such as prayer in school, nativity scenes on government property, etc. As a Buddhist I stand up for them to have the right to proselytize in America and abroad but they need to back off a bit on some of the demands that they are placing upon the American government and other secular based governments. There is no reason that religions can not exist together nor is their any reason that religious people and non-religious people can not exist together. I reject extremism on either side of the spiritual spectrum. Whether it is fundamental Christianity (or fundamentalist Buddhism) or militant atheism.

~Peace to all beings~

Bedheaded Winona Ryder Falls Ill on Trans-Continental Flight

Willowy "never can seem to get her act together" Winona Ryder was rushed on a stretcher to Hillingdon Hospital in West London, England after passing out aboard British Airways. The flight was en route to Heathrow Airport from LAX.

When it became clear a female passenger -- presumably Ryder -- "required medical attention," the flight crew requested priority landing. Ryder's publicist, Mara Buxbaum, said the actress was taken to the hospital only as a precaution and quickly released.

They can sanitize this one all they like and not convince me Ryder wasn't doped up on drugs. Pictures snapped at LAX show her clad from head to toe in black hiding sunglasses-obscured eyes. Some paparazzo managed to penetrate the barrier, revealing a tenuous and frail looking Ryder.

Daily Mail surmises an overdose of anti-anxiety medication, pointing to Ryder's well-established hatred for air travel. I'd say that's par for the course.

British Air doesn't call ahead for priority landing unless a passenger is seriously ill. Reportedly, Ryder fell unconscious while sitting down, slumping forward in her seat until help arrived. That's a far cry from the publicist's description of a woman in good health.

Clearly, the surrounding circumstances point to more than a brief illness. Ryder looked fragile and unhinged.

Instead of covering up the likely nature of Ryder's "illness," her publicist should be contacting producers of Celebrity Rehab.

Mike Huckabee: Gay Marriage Not a Civil Rights Issue.

Former presidential candidate and extremist Christian Mike Huckabee claimed on the American t.v. show, "The View" that gay marriage is not a civil rights issue. Yet surely he wouldn't say keeping blacks from marrying whites wasn't a civil rights issue?

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was on The View Tuesday talking about same-sex marriage and declaring that gay rights are not civil rights because gays have not had violence inflicted upon them like Blacks have.

HuckabeeSaid: "People who are homosexuals should have every right in terms of their civil rights, to be employed, to do anything they want. But that's not really the issue. I know you talked about it and I think you got into it a little bit early on. But when we're talking about a redefinition of an institution, that's different than individual civil rights. We're never going to convince each other...But here is the difference. Bull Connor was hosing people down in the streets of Alabama. John Lewis got his skull cracked on the Selma bridge."

James: So in other words gays need to be beaten and killed more often before we will grant them the right to marry??? As for marriage between a man and a women being an institution I'd remind him that segregation was an institution too and yet we ended that "separate but equal" discrimination. Civil unions are "separate but equal" too. And gays haven't faced violence? Clearly he doesn't remember Matthew Shepard who was a gay American university student who lived in the American state of Wyoming and was beaten to death by two homophobes. I live only about an hour away in northern Colorado from where he was killed. They tortured him and crushed his skull with the butt of a gun before tying him to a fence post out in the country side to die. The beating was so severe that the only areas on Shepard's face that were not covered in blood were those where his tears had washed the blood stains away. All because he was gay. Is that not violent enough for you Mike?

And what about the Holocaust, which saw at least 15,000 homosexuals slaughtered along with millions of Jews. Was that not enough violence for you Mike? Or maybe the assassination of gay San Fransisco city supervisor Harvey Milk wasn't violent enough? And what about, The death of Julio Rivera in New York City on July 2, 1990 by two men who beat him with a hammer and stabbed him with a knife because he was gay. Then there was the case of the rape and later murder of Brandon Teena, a transsexual man (1972 – 1993). The events leading to Mr. Teena's death were depicted in the movie Boys Don't Cry. Click here to read more cases of violence against homosexuals. Homosexuals have been around since man first walked the Earth and have faced horrific violence, intimidation and discrimination for eons so it is highly ignorant to say that gays haven't faced similar violence as African-Americans have here in America.

Time for Joe Lieberman to Stop Straddling

Rejoice! Sanity has been restored to Washington.

Senate Democrats demonstrated admirable ability to move beyond party pettiness. Senator Joe Lieberman, vocal supporter of Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain, will keep his chairmanships of the Homeland Services and Governmental Affairs Committees.

And in a gesture of empowerment to its more liberal factions, Senate Majority Leaders removed Lieberman from the Environment and Public Works Committee, a mere wrist slap yet unmistakable sign of the times.

But let me get something straight. Lieberman, the Democrat running mate of Al Gore in the 2000 presidential election turned Independent in a 2006 bid to keep his Senate seat, remains a member of the Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee as well as a registered Democrat?

No wonder influential Connecticut Democrats are gunning to kick him out.

Politicians shouldn’t be allowed to govern as Independents while continuing to register with an opposing party. It’s like polygamy, or in this case bigamy, with Connecticut Democrats getting bitch slapped whenever Daddy plugs the other side.

I’m all for liberty, independent thinking, and voting one’s conscious, but when those actions threaten the agenda of your registered party, it’s time to move on. Willingly or with a friendly shove.

It’s time for Lieberman to stand up for political integrity, not the self-serving politics we all so desperately wish to leave behind.

Some Barack Obama Firsts I Don't Want to Know

Barack Obama's historic win of the presidency was more than just an iconic moment in American history. It was a vindication of our core belief that anything is possible in the home of the free and the brave.

When wife Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha stand on the Capitol steps this January 20, 2009, beaming with pride as the first American of African descent -- President-Elect Barack Obama, their husband and father -- places his hand on the bible, swearing an oath of allegiance to the United States Constitution to uphold fundamental principles of fairness and liberty, the whole world will take stock of America's historic leap forward as we, the people, at last turn the page on one of the hardest fought victories in recent memory.

Still, I am humbly reminded that with every silver lining comes a cloud. You see, up until the precise moment of Obama's historic swearing in ceremony (and perhaps for a wee bit after), the entire world must endure a heavy burden indeed.

An unprecedented barrage of firsts.

The first time a major American newspaper endorses the Democratic Party's nominee for president.

The first time a man with African roots wins a presidential election.

The first time that man, Barack Obama, takes a top secret security level tour of the White House.

The first time the transition of a U.S. presidency is transparently documented on the Internet.

The first press conference of Barack Obama.



And on and on she goes. I'm not sure how much more I can stand. Come on, admit it. You're getting sick of it too.

I imagine there are will be many firsts for the new President-Elect, his family and for lack of a better word, entourage, but do we have to hear about every single one in mind-numbing detail? Here are a few I'd rather not:

-The first time Oprah Winfrey flies her entire studio audience to Washington, D.C. for the inauguration.

-The first time any type of stereotypical ethnic food is served on the White House menu.

-The first time a trash can basketball hoop is installed in the Oval Office.

-The first time Will.i.am and Obama Girl are invited to an official State Dinner.

-The first time an African-American White House staff member is mistaken for a member of the President's family.

-The first time President Obama and the First Lady rumple the sheets in the Lincoln Bedroom.

Okay. Okay. No flames. I know I went overboard on those last ones. Let's hope all the news outlets exercise greater restraint.

Top Ten Most Likely Types to Create Obnoxious Motrin Advertisement

Rather than nervously await the almost inevitable pink-slip, some advertising crony up and committed career suicide. Ah, just in time for the holidays.

I mean, who else would create a Motrin ad campaign vilifying baby carriers as hernia inducing torture chambers causing cuckoo bird crazy eyes to sprout on their child-cradling fashion victims?



Only a person without enough guts to ask for a long vacation. Or these top ten most likely types to create an obnoxious Motrin ad:


10. Self-hating embittered shrew who despises children, their cutesy noises, and smelly diaper leaks.

9. Neanderthal caveman from the popular GEICO ads.

8. Womanizing, power lusting, money grubbing playah with a madonna-slut complex.

7. New intern whose only creative talent is pleasuring the boss.

6. Aging hunchback who had her tubes tied about an hour after giving birth.

5. Perfectionist type-A super-achiever who brings home the bacon, fries it up in the pan, and never lets you forget you're a man.

4. Doormat push-over who can be talked into anything, including wearing a sling carrier to hold someone else's twenty-five pound baby during a trip to the mall.

3. Self-absorbed socially clueless ADHD person too busy maneuvering an unforgiving and perilous world.

2. Hermaphrodite.

1. Man living at home with his mother, seven cats, and one helluva post-nasal drip.

Is it too late to short sell JNJ?

Ram Bahadur Bamjan. The "Buddha Boy" Re-Emerges From Forest.

So the Buddha boy has re-emerged from the forest to greet his followers before returning back to the forest for more meditation. I have been skeptical from the beginning that he is the reincarnation of Buddha because from what I know Siddhartha Gautama had broken free of the cycle of birth and death by being transformed by mahaparinirvana:

"Being Buddha means the last birth and the highest level that can be achieved. There can be no reincarnation of Buddha, even though Buddhists believe in life after death," said Rakesh, a Buddhist scholar in Katmandu who goes by only one name.

James: I'm not saying that he isn't a very spiritual being but I am suspicious that this could all be a scam of some kind to take peoples' money in the form of "donations." I also wonder how he can even be compared to Buddha when he hasn't said much of anything in the form of teachings. I keep thinking that this sounds like the beginning of a cult headed by a charlatan wanting to be called a Buddha and followed and adored by people. That said, Buddhism at first was probably seen as a cult and Buddha seen by some as a charlatan but the revelations of Buddha have well stood the test of time and investigation over thousands of years.

I guess some see him as Maitreya (the "next Buddha") who will restore the "pure Dharma" to Earth but there are two requirements before Maitreya could arrive on Earth. First: 1). The Dharma will no longer be taught, which is clearly not evident now as Buddhism is growing faster than maybe since its arrival into greater Asia with converts in the west such as in America, Europe and Australia. And with the invention of the internet the teachings of ordained Dharma teachers are more widely available than perhaps at any time in the history of Buddhism.

The other requirement that needs to occur before Maitreya will arrive is that Buddhism must be completely forgotten, which is clearly not the case right now on Earth. There are also events that must take place such as oceans shrinking in size, which isn't happening. In fact, because of global warming the oceans are rising. Thus, I think it can be safe to assume that "Buddha boy" is not Maitreya.

There is something about this Buddha boy, his "handlers" and "followers" seems very suspicious to me. I'm also curious about the monks seen in the above picture. They seem to wear the robes of Tibetan Buddhist monks and so I'd be curious to hear what their teachers and senior monks think of Buddha boy. I'm curious and will continue to follow this story and see what happens next.

The 'Obama Effect', Super Obama, and the Irish...

So it is done. Barack Obama is to be the next occupant of the Oval Office. He may not officially start work there until late January but I’m sure he will have plenty of things in his in-tray to address before then and we’re all eagerly anticipating the announcements of who will consist his cabinet.

Yet while we wait for those, we have seen national political leader after leader throw (or at least attempt to) themselves into the arena as ‘New Obamas’ to capitalise on his popularity in what I am calling the ‘Obama Effect’.

And who can blame them? Obama, an African-American whose compatriots just forty years ago would have been victimised in the racist and segregated state of America, has just won election to the office of one of the most powerful positions (if not THE most powerful) in world politics.

He has done so after nearly two whole years of competitive and at times brutal campaigning in the process of which he has been accused of “palling around with terrorists” by Sarah Palin, faced speculation that his middle name (Hussein) linked him to radical Islam and even been subject to a foiled assassination plot.

In the process he massively increased voter turnout, with numerous states reporting very high turnout and one outlet to predicted that more than 130 million Americans would vote – a number far higher than in any election since 1960. He mobilised a civilian force in the thousands and what is more important, he inspired the feeling of hope and of the ability to change into the hearts and minds of the country.

It is therefore no surprise at all that political leaders from all around the world are rushing to associate themselves with President-Elect Obama.

Gordon Brown, although having made small gains in public affection from his handling of the current financial crisis, will be extremely keen to be seen with Obama and have some "face time" together ahead of the international financial summit in Washington on 15 November. No doubt arrangements have already been made to encourage the press to reproduce staged photos of Brown and Obama together sharing a political handshake across their front-pages the next day.

Association with a figure of such soaring public opinion is clearly politically infectious. Once the bug has spread, what’s to stop it becoming a pandemic and soon Obama’s phone will be ringing off the hook for publicity shots? As if he didn’t have other things to worry about…

But it’s not just political leaders, the rest of the world is embracing him and calling him their own, even the computer gaming world, who have started to release Obama-related games.

One such game, entitled Super Obama World (modelled on the best-selling Nintendo's Super Mario World franchise) has Obama running round a virtual world collecting flags and dodging lipstick-wearing pit bulls, lobbyists and… Sarah Palin. Click here to have a play yourself*

Genius. Absolute genius.

And then of course, there’s the Irish. During his campaign Obama eluded to having an Irish heritage from his father’s side. In light of his election, an Irish band have recorded a song entitled “There’s no one as Irish as Barack O’Bama” which is proving popular on the web and you can watch it yourself below. (Warning: the chorus is catchy…)

I did warn you!

Epicurus and Buddhism.

"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?"-Epicurus.

James: This is the quote that introduced me to the ancient philosopher Epicurus who has since become one of my favorites. So I began to study Epicurus and found that he had much in common with Buddhism and its non-theistic nature.

What I was most interested in was that he believed and taught "that events in the world are ultimately based on the motions and interactions of atoms moving in empty space." This sounds very similar to the pivotal Buddhist belief of interdependence or dependent co-arising, which says that nothing exists separate from anything else. All is interconnected in a web of cause and effect.

This includes sharing the belief that something can not come from nothing and therefore the Universe must be endless yet because of his belief in a shifting, interconnected web of atoms that same Universe can not be unchanging. It was his belief that the Universe is eternal but only in the sense that it goes through cycles of birth and death along the way. Yet another shade of thinking, which can be found in Buddhist philosophy. As well as a theory that can be found is still found in modern day science via the cyclic theory of the Universe.

He was also dedicated to over-coming pain and fear, which is not unlike the dedication that we Buddhists seek to over-come what we would call suffering in general. He taught that curbing desires are important if one wants to avoid that pain and fear, which is another teaching shared in Buddhism. This included going into the detail as to how desires cause suffering such as mentioning indulging too much on foods because it leads to pain that one might not be able to afford such delicacies in the future. The idea of short term happiness doesn't bring long term happiness.

He did believe that some pleasure is important, which has led some to believe he was a hedonist but he was more of a believer in the middle path of moderation. True he was no Buddhist monk following every precept. However, most argue that his ultimate definition of pleasure was actually tranquility, which is more akin to the Buddhist definition of enlightenment. This is because tranquility is defined as a state, which is free from stress and emotion; an untroubled state free from disturbances; a peaceful state. Enlightenment being (using a very basic definition) a nirvanic state of being freed from desire (emotions) and suffering (stress).

Epicureanism was often seen in ancient Greece as being a godless philosophy but while Epicurus denied being godless he also believed that if there were any gods that they most likely were ambivilant at best toward human beings. Thus they would not pursue punishing or rewarding us in this or any other life. In other words the idea being that a belief in a god or gods isn't important to man's day to day actions. In comparison Buddhists also usually do not concern themselves with a god as it is seen as irrelevant to realizing that the human condition is repleat with suffering and that praying to a god does not end our suffering. When we are honest with ourselves we realize that we are the only ones who can end our suffering.

Some Buddhists believe that there are gods living in a god realm but that they are like the gods of Epicureanism where they do not have power over human beings. These gods in Buddhism are subject to the same suffering as we human beings. According to these Buddhists being a god is a distraction where one is more concerned with pleasure and self adoration than certainly concerning oneself with human beings, meditation and over-coming the cycle of suffering. The problem is that even for these gods their pleasures and good karma run out eventually.

Epicureanism certainly does not mesh with Buddhism completely but Epicurus did teach many similar ideas. I wanted to do this post because I enjoy discovering how western and eastern philosophy and thought can be connected. We focus too often on how different we are and sometimes I wonder if that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The connections and shared ideals are there if we really want to see them and embrace each others cultures.

~Peace to all beings~