Dalai Lama Teaches the Middle Way

Teaching of Chandrakirti’s ‘Entering into the Middle Way’ Resumes

Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, HP, India - The majestic Dhauladhar Mountains stood resolute against the clear blue, post-monsoon sky as His Holiness the Dalai Lama walked from his residence to the Tsuglagkhang, the main Tibetan temple, this morning. The temple yard was thronged with people eager to see him, smiles on their faces and hands folded in welcome. Inside the temple His Holiness waved to the crowd, greeted the Lamas seated around the throne and took his seat.

Among the 6500 people in attendance, 1000 were Taiwanese, most of them belonging to 18 cultural organizations participating in the International Association of Tibetan Buddhist Dharma, Taiwan. In addition, there were 500 Indians, 1800 people from 66 countries abroad and 3200 Tibetans.

Monks from Thailand made an auspicious beginning to the proceedings as they recited the Mangala Sutta in Pali. Taiwanese disciples then chanted the Heart Sutra in Chinese. His Holiness completed the preliminary formalities by reciting the verses of salutation to the Buddha from ‘Ornament for Clear Realization’ and Nagarjuna’s ‘Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way’. He welcomed everyone in the audience:

“Those of you from Taiwan have been coming for many years now and today there are people from many other places too—I greet you all. I’m going to begin with an introduction to the teachings of the Buddha. Many of you may be familiar with it, but there may also be some who haven’t heard it before.

“The following verse sums up the Buddha’s advice:

“Commit no unwholesome deed,

Perform only perfect virtue,

Completely tame your mind,

This is the teaching of the Buddha.

“All religions teach us not to do harm, but to have a kind heart. There are theistic traditions that believe in a creator god and non-theistic traditions that teach about karma. All of them encourage us to help others not harm them.

“How do you tame your mind? The Buddhas do not wash unwholesome deeds away with water, nor do they remove beings’ sufferings with their hands and they do not transplant their own realization into others. It is by teaching the truth of suchness that they liberate beings.

“A rich tradition of philosophy and psychology already existed in India at the time of the Buddha. A general belief in past and future lives was supported by the reports of individuals who had memories of their previous lives. Since the body doesn’t travel from one life to another, the question was what does? Many schools of thought posited a self separate from the mind/body combination that they called atman. Taming the mind relied on training in ethics and concentration on the basis of which wisdom could be cultivated.

“Many Indian spiritual practitioners aspired to transcend the desire realm and the attachment it involves, which they considered fraught with problems. Through meditative absorption they sought to reach the subtler and more peaceful form and formless realms.

“Born into a royal family, the Buddha renounced his comfortable way of life when he realized the suffering involved in birth, sickness, aging and death. He entered instead into the homeless life of an ascetic. As a result of his cultivating ethics and concentration he recognised that far from there being a single, autonomous, permanent self, the self is merely a designation. He further acknowledged that belief in a single, autonomous, permanent self reinforces clinging to it. There is a notion of a self that functions like a master over the other aspects of the mind/body combination, which operate like its servants. Therefore, the self is seen as separate from the mind/body combination.

“In his enlightenment the Buddha realized a sense of selflessness diametrically opposed to the idea of a single, autonomous, permanent self. Therefore, he is reported to have reflected, ‘Profound and peaceful, free from complexity, uncompounded luminosity—I have found a nectar-like Dharma. Yet if I were to teach it, no-one would understand what I said, so I shall remain silent here in the forest.’

His Holiness explained that when, in due course, the Buddha encountered his five former companions in the Deer Park outside Varanasi, they recognised a change in his demeanour and asked him to teach what he had realized. Consequently he taught them the Four Noble Truths—the truth of suffering, the truth of its origin, the truth of its cessation and the truth of the path to that. In terms of what they needed to do, he explained that suffering must be known; its origin must be overcome; its cessation must be achieved and the path to it must be cultivated.

However, in terms of a result, he clarified that although suffering must be known, there is nothing to be known. Though its origin must be overcome, there is nothing to overcome. While cessation must be achieved, there is nothing to be achieved and despite the need to cultivate the path, there is nothing to be cultivated.

His Holiness observed that the Buddha identified 16 characteristics of the Four Noble Truths, four pertaining to each truth. The four characteristics of the truth of suffering are that it is impermanent, in the nature of suffering, empty and selfless. His Holiness made clear that on one level we can understand impermanence to mean that life ends in death. At a subtler level this means that things arise, abide, decay and end in destruction. Subtler still is the understanding that the disintegration of a phenomenon is brought about by its very cause. Thus, change to our psycho-physical aggregates, our mind/body combination, derives from their cause which is karma and mental afflictions.

“What is important to recognise” His Holiness went on, “is that suffering is rooted in ignorance. We will not overcome it until we counter the ignorance that is a distorted view of reality. We remain subject to that ignorance so long as we think of the ‘I’ as an independent self. Yet when we search for such a self as an entity independent of the mind/body combination, we find nothing. We cannot find such a self among the five psycho-physical aggregates that make up the mind/body combination, nor can it be identified with consciousness.

“Just as cart is designated on the basis of its parts, so a person is designated on the basis of the psycho-physical aggregates. Nagarjuna explains that cessation comes about through the elimination of karma and mental afflictions. Karma and afflictions arise from conceptual thoughts, which come from mental exaggeration or fabrication.

Fabrication ceases through (understanding) emptiness. We can gain experience of emptiness if we make a steady effort. If we read Nagarjuna and his followers’ works we can see how they thoroughly explain that there is no independent self.

“The defilements of the mind associated with a distorted view of reality are not of the mind’s intrinsic nature because the nature of the mind is clarity and awareness. Cessation is that state of mind in which the defilements have been overcome. Therefore, liberation is attained by thoroughly purifying the mind.”

In responding to questions from the audience His Holiness discussed which is realized first, the selflessness of persons or the selflessness of phenomena. He quoted Nagarjuna’s ‘Precious Garland’ that says that as long as there is grasping for the psycho-physical aggregates, there is grasping for a self of persons. However, in his medium and great presentations of the ‘Stages of the Path’, Je Tsongkhapa presents the selflessness of persons first and the selflessness of phenomena later. His Holiness remarked that since the Buddha was thorough in his teachings, we need to be thorough in our studies.

“I first heard about emptiness 70 years ago, but I’ve been thinking about it for 60 years,” His Holiness recalled. “It’s good to be curious. As a child when I saw different insects I wanted to know where they came from. I also wanted to know why there are so many different kinds of flowers. For the last 50 years, I’ve also given deep thought to the awakening mind of bodhichitta. Today, I heard a report that elderly people are increasingly experiencing loneliness, which reminded me that if you cultivate compassion and bodhichitta you’ll never feel lonely.”

His Holiness concluded that in addition to the need to completely tame the mind it is also necessary to sustain the body and it had reached time for lunch. He will continue his teachings tomorrow morning.

Original link & photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2018/teaching-of-chandrakirtis-entering-into-the-middle-way-resumes

Dalai Lama: Our Future Is Very Much in Our Hands

Dalai Lama: Our Future Is Very Much in Our Hands

December 1, 2017

New York Times - This is an article from Turning Points, a magazine that explores what critical moments from this year might mean for the year ahead.

A crack in a floating ice shelf in Antarctica reached its breaking point and calved a huge iceberg, setting it afloat in the seas. It’s a fitting image for a world that feels under pressure and on the verge of, well, everything — ready to break off and set itself free. The global political temperature is on the rise, the future of truth is under debate and the specter of nuclear conflict hovers. We asked His Holiness the Dalai Lama for his thoughts on how to cope.

We are facing a time of great uncertainty and upheaval in many corners of our planet. When it comes to making the world a better place, concern for others is tantamount.

Our future is very much in our hands. Within each of us exists the potential to contribute positively to society. Although one individual among so many on this planet may seem too insignificant to have much of an effect on the course of humanity, it is our personal efforts that will determine the direction our society is heading.

Wherever I go, I consider myself just one of 7 billion human beings alive today. We share a fundamental wish: We all want to live a happy life, and that is our birthright. There is no formality when we’re born, and none when we die. In between, we should treat each other as brother and sister because we share this commonality — a desire for peace and contentment.

Sadly, we face all sorts of problems, many of them of our own making. Why? Because we are swayed by emotions like selfishness, anger and fear.

One of the most effective remedies for dealing with such destructive patterns of thought is to cultivate “loving-kindness” by thinking about the oneness of all the world’s 7 billion humans. If we consider the ways in which we are all the same, the barriers between us will diminish.

Compassion enhances our calm and self-confidence, allowing our marvelous human intelligence to function unhindered. Empathy is hard-wired in our genes — studies have shown that babies as young as 4 months experience it. Research has shown again and again that compassion leads to a successful and fulfilling life. Why, then, do we not focus more on cultivating it into adulthood? When we’re angry, our judgment is one-sided, as we aren’t able to take all aspects of the situation into account. With a calm mind, we can reach a fuller view of whatever circumstances we face.

Humanity is rich in the diversity that naturally arose from the wide expanse of our world, from the variety of languages and ways of writing to our different societal norms and customs. However, when we overemphasize race, nationality, faith, or income or education level, we forget our many similarities. We want a roof over our heads and food in our bellies, to feel safe and secure, and for our children to grow and be strong. As we seek to preserve our own culture and identity, we must also remember that we are one in being human, and work to maintain our warmheartedness toward all.

In the last century, the inclination to solve problems through the use of force was invariably destructive and perpetuated conflict. If we are to make this century a period of peace, we must resolve problems through dialogue and diplomacy. Since our lives are so intertwined, the interests of others are also our own. I believe that adopting divisive attitudes runs counter to those interests.

Our interdependence comes with advantages and pitfalls. Although we benefit from a global economy and an ability to communicate and know what is happening worldwide instantaneously, we also face problems that threaten us all. Climate change in particular is a challenge that calls us more than ever to make a common effort to defend the common good.

For those who feel helpless in the face of insurmountable suffering, we are still in the early years of the 21st century. There is time for us to create a better, happier world, but we can’t sit back and expect a miracle. We each have actions we must take, by living our lives meaningfully and in service to our fellow human beings — helping others whenever we can and making every effort to do them no harm.

Tackling destructive emotions and practicing loving-kindness isn’t something we should be doing with the next life, heaven or nirvana in mind, but how we should live in the here and now. I am convinced we can become happier individuals, happier communities and a happier humanity by cultivating a warm heart, allowing our better selves to prevail.

original link & photo: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2017/dalai-lama-our-future-is-very-much-in-our-hands

Dalai Lama & The Art of Happiness

‘The Art of Happiness’ at Siri Fort

New Delhi, India - His Holiness the Dalai Lama was received by the welcoming committee of the Association of British Scholars (ABS), as he arrived at the Siri Fort Auditorium this morning and escorted to the stage. The ABS is a national forum to facilitate the networking of Indians who have studied or trained in the UK. It aims to strengthen Indo-UK relations by sharing information and hosting social, cultural and intellectual activities.

The event was introduced with authority and aplomb by Rini Khanna, a well-known news anchor, whose voice also provides reassurance to travellers on the Delhi Metro. She described several aspects of His Holiness’s life, stating that a spirit of kindness and compassion emanates from him, although he persists in describing himself as a simple Buddhist monk. The welcoming committee offered an outsize garland of flowers that encircled all of them and His Holiness. Quoting His Holiness as asserting that achieving happiness is the purpose of life, ABS President Vipin Chopra formally introduced him to the capacity audience of 2000 and invited him to address them.

His Holiness began by explaining that while he generally prefers to stand when speaking to a crowd, he is beginning to acknowledge that at the age of 82 he finds it increasingly tiring. Consequently, he sought permission to speak sitting down.

“Brothers and sisters—this is how I always like to begin—I’d like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to talk to you. As human beings all 7 billion of us are born the same way and die the same way. Physically, mentally and emotionally we are the same. We all want to live a happy life and wish to avoid problems. We grow up in the shelter of our mother’s love and affection. Some scientists even say that at a certain stage a mother’s physical touch is crucial for the proper formation of the brain.

“On the one hand, scientists have concluded that basic human nature is compassionate—which I regard as a sign of hope. On the other, they point out that constant fear, anger and stress undermine our immune system. The reality is we are social animals for whom love and affection are key factors contributing to our happiness. We need to remember this because we live in a materialistic culture that doesn’t pay much attention to inner values.

“A lot of problems we face, from violence to the gap between rich and poor and routine bullying and exploitation, are of our own making. They arise due to a lack of real concern for others and a lack of respect for their rights. Self-centredness, which is the basis for competitiveness and jealousy, provokes fear, irritation and anger, which in turn can give rise to violence. If we carry on the way we’re going, there’s a risk that the 21st century will end up like the 20th century before it—an era of violence and bloodshed. During that time, historians estimate, 200 million died violently. So what can we do? Say more prayers and perform more rituals? We Tibetans did that from the early ‘50s onwards to little effect. We need to take action on the basis of vision and sincere motivation.

“Our existing education system, oriented towards material goals with little time for inner values, is inadequate when it comes to bringing about a happier more peaceful world. We used to rely on religion for inner values, but today 1 billion people show no interest in religion anymore and even among the remaining 6 billion the faith of many is shallow.

“Having examined what actually destroys our peace of mind, we need a new approach to education, from kindergarten right through to university, which can guide us in tackling our disturbing emotions. Just as we protect our health by observing physical hygiene, we must take steps to adopt emotional hygiene. By employing our intelligence and common sense, we can tackle our destructive emotions. It’s not difficult to see how irritation leads to anger. Common sense also tells us that anger is bad for our health.

“Women like to make up their faces to look more attractive, but if your face is contorted in anger, no one will want to look at it. Common sense again tells us that inner beauty, warm-heartedness and compassion, is what brings about peace of mind. Love and affection are the basis of trust which underlies genuine friendship.”

His Holiness explained how the 8th century Tibetan Emperor Trisong Detsen invited the preeminent Nalanda master Shantarakshita to Tibet. He established the Nalanda Tradition of Buddhism which involved philosophy, psychology and logic rather than prayers and rituals. This tradition has been preserved for more than a thousand years as succeeding generations have engaged in rigorous study. His Holiness made clear that ancient Indian knowledge of the workings of the mind and emotions, assessment of reality and use of logic are of utmost relevance today. He stressed his view that India is the one country with the potential to pursue modern education and economic development, while combining it with knowledge from ancient India.

Answering questions from the audience His Holiness clarified that far-sightedness and warm-heartedness are crucial to being able to forgive. He recommended that when it comes to raising children, parents should not stint on the love and affection they show their offspring, or on the time they spend with them. Asked how to acquire wisdom he replied, “Study.” He agreed with a suggestion that some people regard compassion and kindness as signs of weakness. He suggested that people who think like that also think you only have to be tough to make money. They also tend to think that anger brings energy to whatever it is they are trying to do without realising that the energy is blind.

He spoke about becoming a refugee and the freedom it brought. In particular, he was freed of the hypocritical pretence he had had to maintain when dealing with Chinese officials in Tibet over several years.

A final questioner wanted advice on how to encourage others. His Holiness told her,

“I was separated from my family at the age of 5. At 16 I lost my freedom, then at 24 I lost my country. Since then, 58 years have passed. Our country has seen great suffering. More than 5000 monasteries and temples have been destroyed; a million people have lost their lives. And yet for all these problems, becoming a refugee has brought opportunities—I’ve met many people and had many occasions to learn. I’ve found that when you look at things from a wider perspective, problems take on a different character.”

He recited the prayer that guides his life:

For as long as space endures

And for as long as living beings remain,

Until then may I too abide

To dispel the misery of the world.

Before the event was concluded with a vote of thanks, His Holiness announced that he would like to speak to the many Tibetans in the hall, mostly young students, in their own language. He told them that Tibet’s is an ancient civilization. He encouraged them to keep up their study of Tibetan, the language of the Kangyur and Tengyur, the literature of the Nalanda Tradition and the language that binds Tibetans together. He urged them to be proud of being Tibetan, and proud of their language and culture. They responded with warm and enthusiastic applause.

Anjali Kwatra formally thanked His Holiness for accepting the invitation and for being an example of peace and compassion for the world. She also expressed gratitude and appreciation to everyone who had contributed to the success of the event.

Tibetans respectfully lined the road as His Holiness left for his hotel. Tomorrow, he will travel to Mumbai.

original link & photos https://www.dalailama.com/news/2017/the-art-of-happiness-at-siri-fort

Dalai Lama: Body, Mind, Science at University of Strasbourg

Strasbourg, France, 16 September 2016 - The sky was overcast this morning as His Holiness the Dalai Lama drove across the city to the University of Strasbourg to take part in a dialogue with the scientific community, at the interface of modern science, engagement, and meditation. He was welcomed to the University by Theologist Michel Deneken, who just yesterday was promoted to become the University’s new President, Dean of the Medical School, Jean Sibilia and Rheumatologist Jean-Gérard Bloch. They escorted him directly to the small auditorium where an audience of just over 140 staff members were gathered, although another 1300 students and staff were watching elsewhere in the building via a live webcast.

Michel Deneken opened proceedings by asking how His Holiness preferred to be addressed, noting that he had recently told an interviewer that he would be happy to be called ‘brother’. His Holiness said he’d love that. Deneken introduced the University as one of the great Universities of Europe established on both sides of the Rhine, being Catholic and Protestant, French and German, and with a reputation for openness. He concluded by telling His Holiness how delighted he was by his presence.

The first session, Neurosciences, set out to examine the regulation of attention and emotions by mindfulness meditation, and was moderated by Michel de Mathelin. Wolf Singer a distinguished neuroscientist interested in the relation between the material and spiritual asked how meditation acts on the mental substrate and how insight influences the brain. His Holiness responded by looking back 3-4000 years in India to the emergence of the practice of shamatha meditation in which the mind is focussed on a single object. Subsequently, vipashyana or special insight meditation emerged which was more investigative. Through concentration and analysis these practices became the basis for coming to understand the workings of the mind.

He mentioned the sensory consciousnesses that are very much related to the brain and mental consciousness.

“Ordinary mental consciousness is quite coarse,” he explained, “but during sleep, when the senses are shut down, consciousness is a little subtler. When there is no dreaming it’s subtler still and when we faint even subtler. My friend Richie Davidson is now investigating the subtlest consciousness that manifests at the time of death. There are cases, and there have been maybe 40 since 1959, when the heart has stopped, the brain has died, but the body remains fresh. My own tutor remained in this state for 13 days after clinical death.”

Antoine Lutz spoke about work he and Gaël Chételat have been doing to investigate the impact of mindfulness meditation among several strategies for tackling ageing and Alzheimer’s disease in particular. He mentioned its successful role in relieving depression which is a problem associated with ageing.

In the second session, Clinical Aspects, Jean-Gérard Bloch and Gilles Bertschy, with Cornelius Weiller moderating, spoke further about the impact of mindfulness meditation on depression and pain. Depression is a public health issue that Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is 30% effective in dealing with. MBCT seems to help when there are difficult issues to cope with.

Bloch asked His Holiness whether language was needed to meditate, prompting His Holiness to speak briefly about the difference between conceptual and non-conceptual thought. He confirmed, however, that simply on the basis of conveying meditation instructions language was required. He also remarked that this is an area in which the Tibetan language is the most accurate medium of communication.

Bloch also asked His Holiness if there is a difference between pain and suffering and he told him that pain is related to physical experience, whereas suffering has more of a mental character. Regarding meditation, His Holiness clarified:

“I’ve already distinguished between concentrative and analytical meditation. The difference lies in how the mind engages with the object. From a traditional point of view the four mindfulnesses are understood as follows. Mindfulness of the body relates to understanding the nature of suffering; mindfulness of feelings relates to understanding the origin of suffering; mindfulness of the mind relates to cessation; while mindfulness of the way things are corresponds to understanding the path.”

After a break for lunch, in a third session, Tania Singer and Ven Matthieu Ricard discussed empathy and compassion, with Michel Deneken moderating. On the one hand Tania Singer’s research is examining the impact steady training in meditation on empathy and compassion has on the brain, but on the other is also seeking to find training and practice to offset the empathy burn out frequently encountered in the medical and other caring professions. She defines empathy as feeling or identifying with others’ pain, whereas compassion is feeling for their suffering—and doing something about it.

His Holiness distinguished between a basic biological sense of compassion that tends to be biased and partisan and a genuine compassion based on reasoning such as the argument that others want to live a happy life and don’t want suffering, just as I do. Ricard pointed out the degree of courage involved in cultivating great compassion. He also observed that co-operation is far more effective than competition.

The fourth and final session, Consciousness, was moderated by B Alan Wallace. He introduced Steven Laureys a neurologist who studies coma and Michel Bitbol a polymath who functions as a philosopher. Laureys, who had brought a brain with him to illustrate what he had to say, declared that he wants to know, “What happens when matter becomes mind?” His Holiness remarked, “I really doubt that it does.” And Laureys retorted, “Can you be conscious without your brain?” He made his approach clearer when asserting that the scientific proof of life after death involves organ donation.

Speaking in Tibetan, which Alan Wallace translated, His Holiness said:

“It’s difficult to explain consciousness if you only take a materialist approach. What we can do is to employ shamatha or concentration focussed on our own consciousness. This reveals its clarity of awareness and knowing.”

He explained that there are further stages of investigation related to employing techniques from the tantras. He observed that Hindu and Buddhist tantras overlap and share features in common. What distinguishes them is the Buddhist view of emptiness of intrinsic existence.

Laureys stated: “Consciousness exists. I try to understand it.” He repeated his question asking whether His Holiness thought there was consciousness without a brain. As time ran out Michel Bitbol spoke about how Edmund Husserl whose work on phenomenology influenced foremost 20th century philosophers like Sartre and Heidegger.  The later Francisco Varela, old friend of His Holiness and founder member of Mind & Life found inspiration in what Husserl had to say about ‘consciousness in the first person.’

Winding up a stimulating day of discussion, Michel Deneken thanked His Holiness for coming and contributing to the conversation. His Holiness replied, “I came because you invited me.” Tomorrow, elsewhere in Strasbourg, he will begin to teach Nagarjuna’s ‘Commentary on Bodhichitta.’

original link with photos http://dalailama.com/news/post/1455-body-mind-science-at-university-of-strasbourg

Os Guinness and the American Sniper...The Reality of Evil

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick;who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds." 

(Jeremiah 17:9-10)

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

Os Guinness, arguably the world's most gifted Christian cultural analyst, was supposed to speak in Manhattan on 9/11 at a dinner meeting  on the topic of evil.He later wrote a book which I recently read entitled "Unspeakable"(facing up to evil in an age of genocide and terror) It is rich with insights as he himself experienced horrible suffering/evil as a boy in China. After reading his profoundly insightful and intellectual analysis of evil, I then read "American Sniper", which is an existential/visceral expose' on the reality of evil ensconced in Iraq. Today I saw the movie version, and was unnerved, as I was when I finished the book. I see these two books as the flip side of the same coin of evil. Guinness intellectually analyzes it and Kyle reveals evil and attacks it. Both are needed, depending on the circumstances and our calling. The bible speaks with such profound insights into human nature...what it says corresponds to reality on an existential and intellectual level.

Guinness states, "The events of September 11 hit America and the West at large at a time when intellectual and moral responses to evil are weaker, more controversial, and more confused than they have been for centuries. Put simply, we no longer have a shared understanding about whether there is any such thing as evil. Some question whether it is proper to speak of anyone as our ENEMY....the force of the hijacked planes  hit the Western intellectual world as damagingly as it did the World Trade Center." (pg 3)  "Many an evil would have done none of its terrible damage downstream if it had been challenged upstream at its source." (pg 14)

"Understanding, identifying, and resisting evil should be central to the examined life."(pg 14) Or the biblical life as he states later.

According to my concordance there about 450 references to evil in the bible and about 350 references to wicked/ness. There are numerous synonyms and images for evil in the bible, so it is literally riddled with evil. Recognizing the reality of evil and suffering is a crucial component of a biblical worldview. Other worldviews have a supernatural aspect (albeit tainted) but the neo-gnostic worldview which is taking the world by storm is severely deficient when it comes to identifying/dealing with evil. In Eastern thought evil/suffering is merely an illusion, which explains why countries like India have little interest in human rights. In paranormal circles, even the most diabolical displays of demonic activity are often referred to as "negative" or the like. We must challenge this sentimentalizing trend. NOW..before it is too late.

We must realize that the categories of good/bad, right/wrong, wicked/righteous are disappearing from our culturally shared vocabulary, with horrendous and practical effects.
In a section subtitled 'A cause for pause' Guinness raises four troubling facts, which I will only mention, without his brilliant elucidation.

1. The scale and scope of evil has increased in the modern world
2. Modern people have demonstrated a consistently poor response to modern evil
3. Modern people have shown a chronic inability to name and judge evil and to respond effectively ( he notes psychologism, Pollyannaism, postmodernism, and philosophy has recognized its inability to deal effectively with major issues,like distinguishing right from wrong)
4.the worst modern atrocities were perpetrated by secularist regimes, led by secularist intellectuals and in the name of secularist beliefs.

In the book/movie, it was the bombing of the Word Trade Centers that gripped Chris Kyle, a SEAL warrior, and thrust him headlong to fight the "savages" and evil in Iraq, and to protect us.I found it providential that Guinness (who experienced profound evil as a child in China) was equally moved by the horrors of 9/11 that thrust him into a 'fight' to expose the reality of evil, in an evil denying culture.While evil lies serpentine-like in all of our hearts, it becomes ensconced in certain cultures...including our own. A child being taught by his mother that it is right (as civilians) to throw a grenade at those who have come to help them, is an example of evil that has become entrenched in a society. It is still evil...even if mother/son have embraced what they have been taught.The Lord is good and will infallibly deal with mitigating factors..

Let me back up. A few weeks ago I was waiting in line at the Dollar Store and a cashier moaned out loud that some guy had threatened to kill him a few minutes earlier because he was displeased with something or another. Knowing this man from numerous other encounters, I was about to respond when the lady in front of me said, " Well, he must be psychologically imbalanced to say something like that." She repeated her comment 2 more times, as I was turning red. In a muffled voice, I simply said, why do you automatically think he is psychologically imbalanced, when he might just be evil or mean?"

Quick caveat...all of us have cracks in our psyches due to the Fall. Some of my family members have significant emotional issues..some quite serious and debilitating.Many people suffer terribly. However, when this poor man's life was threatened, and this woman's instinctive, persistent analysis was that he "must be psychologically off.." it showed how much we have lost the categories of "right and wrong"..."good and evil" and have replaced them (dismissed) with psychological dislocation. I don't have the time to deal with psychological problems as I would like.

Os Guinness wrote a book which is deeply touching and intellectually compelling. One thing he shows is how different cultures views of evil effect how they treat people. Chris Kyle noticed the same in his own warrior mentality--Christians are taught to love their enemies but many Muslims are taught to kill them. Kyle's first 2 kills were of a child and a mother who were both trying to slaughter 20 Marines with a big, yellow Chinese grenade.Our veterans face especially virulent evil and have to respond with force....often suffering the rest of their lives for protecting us.

Guinness offers three key features to a biblical response to evil and suffering.

1. Acknowledge that evil resides in each of our hearts--this includes both realism and a sense of personal responsibility....which is contrary to mistaken notions today.
2. Forgive evil-doers appropriately, without condoning evil deed. This is not weakness/sentimentalism. Rather it shows that the past is not irreversible. "This is the only hope for breaking the cycle of violence and opening the door to a very practical politics of the second chance."
3. Take a practical stand against evil and injustice, whatever the cost. There are no cookie cutter solutions here."...but the same two maxims shine through all the stories of human goodness in the face of evil:however large or small our influence, however horrendous or ordinary the evil we face, we can at least all answer for ourselves as individual forces of good 'always ready to help' and one-person dissident movements drawing our lines in the sand and announcing resolutely, "But not through me." (evil, that is) (pg 155)

Evil abounds in our daily circumstances but may the Lord shine His goodness through us, and may we (in the face of the ubiquity of evil) say, "But not through me." The gospel is the only hope for mankind, and the civility it should produce in how we differ with others.Nevertheless, overwhelming evil will not respond to appeasement...sometimes it must be met with a sniper rifle. R.I.P. Chris Kyle and God bless the many other veterans who have/are served.

"Seeing Ghosts through God's Eyes" (also in a Kindle edition)...please consider purchasing my book which uses science, logic, and the bible to analyze the true source of power behind paranormal activity.

From Sadness to Hope - the Power of Compassion

Tokyo, Japan, 19 November 2013 - A short drive through Tokyo’s busy streets brought His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Zojoji Temple today. This grand institution belongs to the Jodo shu, one of the Pure Land traditions of Japanese Buddhism, dedicated to the single-minded recitation of the Nembutsu, a prayer to Amitabha Buddha. A Zojoji Temple has stood on this site for more than 500 years, but was badly damaged during the last war. The Daiden (Hondo), that His Holiness visited was rebuilt, combining ancient and modern traditions, in 1974. He was received at the steps to the temple by the Chief Abbot Yagi and escorted inside to a seat from which he could observe the prayers led by the Abbot to poignant musical accompaniment.

His Holiness was invited on this occasion at the behest of ‘Live On’ a non-profit organisation begun by Terumi Okaku to help prevent suicide and support children, who have lost parents as a result of disease, disaster, suicide, terrorism and war, through the grieving process. She explained that she was inspired to do this by her own experience of grief after her mother took her own life and she lost a brother in an accident. Her goal is to help people find hope as a way out of grief.

“I am very happy to be here in this magnificent temple, where monks have just performed prayers to Amitabha,” His Holiness began when it came to his turn to speak. “And I am impressed by the experiences of Ms Okaku, who works so hard to relieve the bereaved of their grief and depression. Working to allay the suffering of others on the basis of your own experience is particularly effective. I am reminded of the well-known verse of dedication:

May the supreme and precious awakening mind
Arise where it has not yet arisen.
And where it has declined or does not exist,
May it flourish and keep growing.

“It is clear that the greater your sense of altruism, the more you work for the welfare of others, the greater will be your own satisfaction. And when you come to die you’ll be able to go with confidence. As you dedicate yourself to working for others, your own interests will incidentally be fulfilled. Selfishness and self-centredness, on the other hand, lead to anxiety and suspicion, poor health and a decline in well-being.”

He commented that all the major religious traditions talk about love and compassion, although they differ in their philosophical approach because of the differences of time and place in which they arose. In Buddhist literature there is no mention of a pure and eternal god, nor of an intrinsically existent self. Everything is described as existing in dependence on other factors.

Although the Buddha had spoken about suffering when he taught the Four Noble Truths, that is no grounds for feeling depressed. Rather we should examine what gives rise to suffering and take on the challenge of overcoming it. He said that helping others who suffer to cope and overcome their grief as Ms Okaku had earlier described is a great gift of kindness.

His Holiness clarified that we experience two levels of pain, physical and mental, and that while physical pain tends to have a physical cause, mental suffering usually derives from our own way of thinking. For this the 8th century Indian master, Shantideva, offers practical advice:

Why be unhappy about something
If it can be remedied?
And what is the use of being unhappy about something
If it cannot be remedied?

Among the prepared questions was one that asked whether in the context of non-violence it is acceptable to fight back in the face of danger. His Holiness replied:

“Try to take the short and long-term benefit into account. But also keep in mind that the difference between non-violence and violence is not necessarily in the quality of the action you take, but in the motivation with which you do it. Seeking to deceive others with sweet words out of a selfish motivation is a form of violence, whereas forceful action with an altruistic motivation is non-violent.”

This prompted another questioner to ask about the self-immolations that have recently taken place in Tibet. His Holiness recalled that during the Cultural Revolution a Chinese Abbot had taken such action to protect his monastery and other monks had protested similarly against the Vietnam War. He pointed out that, very sad as such events have been, people with such courage could have sought to harm others and deliberately avoided doing so.

When he invited questions from the public, a young man wanted to know the proper attitude for falling in love. His Holiness told him he had no experience, but reflected that while physical beauty is good, inner beauty is much more important to the creation of a lasting relationship with someone.

“When you find a potential partner,” he added, “don’t be in a hurry to settle down, get to know each other first.”

To an enquiry about developing moral integrity, His Holiness replied that the world over, modern education is aimed at material progress and development. However, we all receive the seed of affection and respect for others when our mothers shower affection on us as infants. What we have to do is cultivate that seed because affection and warm-heartedness are the foundation of moral integrity. Scientific findings bear out the positive consequences of fostering such values. His Holiness cautioned that just as it is much harder to cure cancer when it is fully developed, if we wish to effect change through education we need to start training children early.

Someone asked His Holiness what is the most important point if we want to help each other and he answered simply: “Love and compassion.” To a question about emptiness he said:

“To understand what ‘form is emptiness, emptiness is form’ means, you have to know that it doesn’t mean that form does not exist. Rather it is not intrinsically existent; it depends on and is designated on other factors. Nagarjuna declared that the instruction about dependent origination is the treasure of the Buddha’s teaching. The purpose of the teaching of emptiness is to undermine our tendency to reify things, which gives rise to anger and attachment, which leads to suffering.”

In the afternoon, His Holiness opened a meeting with Japanese scholars of Tibetan studies by telling them that depending on where people are in the world and what the natural environment is like, different kinds of culture come about. By some accounts there have been Tibetans in Tibet for 30-40,000 years. They were mostly nomads, who, if they had a good horse and a sword, would roam at will and if they came up against opposition would crush it. But with the coming of Buddhism, Tibetans became gentler and more peaceful. He said:

“Usually I describe Tibetan culture as a culture of non-violence, a culture of peace, ultimately derived from compassion. Although we eat meat, we respect all forms of life. Such values, in the light of the violence we see in the world today are worth preserving. I want to express my appreciation to you for the interest you take in Tibetan affairs.”

Among questions that were asked, an historian wanted to know about a thangka of Palden Lhamo belonging to the Dalai Lamas and the whereabouts of a seal associated with their rule, which he said he did not know. An anthropologist from Hiroshima wanted to know about the apparent contradiction he saw between the Buddhist teaching of impermanence and sustainable development. His Holiness agreed that there has to be change. And the representative of a group of young Tibetologists expressed a strong interest in the prospect of creating Japanese links to the Mind & Life Institute. His Holiness approved of their enthusiasm saying:

“In the modern world more people have faith in science than in spiritual paths, but we need to find ways for people in general to learn to deal with their destructive emotions. The Mind & Life Institute is indeed doing good work in this direction in exploring and implementing secular ethics in the USA, in Europe, Thailand, Hong Kong and, next April, here in Japan.”

original link with photos http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1034-from-sadness-to-hope---the-power-of-compassion

Dalai Lama: Does Technology Give Us Peace?

When we rise in the morning and use technology by listening to the radio or reading the newspaper, we are confronted with the same sad news: violence, crime, wars, and disasters. I cannot recall a single day without a report of something terrible happening somewhere. Even in these modern times it is clear that one’s precious life is not safe. No former generation has had to experience so much bad news as we face today; this constant awareness of fear and tension should make any sensitive and compassionate person question seriously the progress of our modern world.

It is ironic that the more serious problems emanate from the more industrially advanced societies. Science and technology have worked wonders in many fields, but the basic human problems remain. There is unprecedented literacy, yet this universal education does not seem to have fostered goodness, but only mental restlessness and discontent instead. There is no doubt about the increase in our material progress and technology, but somehow this is not sufficient as we have not yet succeeded in bringing about peace and happiness or in overcoming suffering.

We can only conclude that there must be something seriously wrong with our progress and development, and if we do not check it in time there could be disastrous consequences for the future of humanity. I am not at all against science and technology – they have contributed immensely to the overall experience of humankind; to our material comfort and well-being and to our greater understanding of the world we live in. But if we give too much emphasis to science and technology we are in danger of losing touch with those aspects of human knowledge and understanding that aspire towards honesty and altruism.

Science and technology, though capable of creating immeasurable material comfort, cannot replace the age-old spiritual and humanitarian values that have largely shaped world civilization, in all its national forms, as we know it today. No one can deny the unprecedented material benefit of science and technology, but our basic human problems remain; we are still faced with the same, if not more, suffering, fear, and tension. Thus it is only logical to try to strike a balance between material developments on the one hand and the development of spiritual, human values on the other. In order to bring about this great adjustment, we need to revive our humanitarian values.

I am sure that many people share my concern about the present worldwide moral crisis and will join in my appeal to all humanitarians and religious practitioners who also share this concern to help make our societies more compassionate, just, and equitable. I do not speak as a Buddhist or even as a Tibetan. Nor do I speak as an expert on international politics (though I unavoidably comment on these matters). Rather, I speak simply as a human being, as an upholder of the humanitarian values that are the bedrock not only of Mahayana Buddhism but of all the great world religions. From this perspective I share with you my personal outlook – that:

1. Universal humanitarianism is essential to solve global problems;
2. Compassion is the pillar of world peace;
3. All world religions are already for world peace in this way, as are all humanitarians of whatever ideology;
4. Each individual has a universal responsibility to shape institutions to serve human needs.

http://www.sharnoffsglobalviews.com/materialism-depression-006/ April 10, 2013

The 4 Noble Truths

By Lisa Maliga

This is the basic view of the Four Noble Truths that all schools of Buddhism follow. Rather than just list them, each will be given a solid description.

After Buddha Shakyamuni attained enlightenment beneath the Bodhi Tree, he was ready to teach what he had learned. To five disciples he gave his first teaching, that of the Four Noble Truths. They are referred to as truths since that is the understanding and realization that Buddha taught.

Noble Truth # 1 - The Truth of Suffering:

There are two types of suffering. The internal suffering of all sentient beings, the definition of which encompasses humans, animals and insects, and the external or environmental sufferings. All those living in samsara (the endless cycle of rebirths that we endure until we attain enlightenment) are subject to suffering.

Most people have delusions and are therefore subject to more suffering than those without. People and all types of animals have the nature of suffering as they both experience and are the experiencer of suffering.

True Suffering is either internal or external.

Internally, there is the suffering of change: as the waves of the ocean change, and as the clouds in the sky are fleeting, so too do feelings of happiness switch to those of despair. When one has dependence upon internal and external causes, the change is swift. If you're hungry and have no money to buy food, you only get hungrier therefore your misery increases. If you buy a new car, you're happy. If that new car gets stolen you're unhappy. All of existence is seen as suffering since unhappiness and happiness are of the same nature. Within the ocean of cyclic existence from human life to animal life and all our lifecycles whatever the realm [samsara] we continuously suffer.

Pervasive suffering: This is the suffering we experience on every level.

There is also the suffering of birth: Due to our delusions and karmic action we've taken birth into the realm of samsara countless times, always enduring great suffering. This will continue endlessly unless we learn to eliminate the root of delusion and karma (action). Those who don't believe in the future do so as they're convinced by delusion that there is no future and no future lives. We can prepare ourselves for future lives by putting effort into eliminating delusion and negative karmic actions.

Sickness is another suffering. The body is fragile, constantly coming into contact with sufferings great and small. Something as simple as a head cold can discourage us. Temperature changes bother us. A person is surrounded by illness, whether he/she is currently sick, or by others who often are in worse shape.

Aging: The nature of the body changes, giving way to decay. Even if young and healthy now, how will you look in 50 years? Aging causes each person various degrees of suffering.

Death: Like taxes, this is inevitable. The mind is separated from the body at death. There is a fear of death which increases the suffering. Through meditation we can overcome death, as we aren't attached to the body. The well-trained mind is a fearless mind. The 4 sufferings of birth, sickness, aging and death are frequently referred to in Buddhist texts.

External suffering encompasses 6 categories. All existence consists of 6 realms which are used to teach people how to meditate on suffering. By meditating on these unhappy realms, a person wishes to leave cyclic existence and achieve the mind of renunciation. The 6 realms are named after the citizens of the realms.

In the desire realm of the gods, there is battle against the demi-gods and there is a huge amount of desire and jealousy which brings with it great mental suffering. Gods with more merit lord it over the gods with lesser merit. Although the gods have the enjoyments of plentiful food, booze and girlfriends/boyfriends, they return to lower realms when their karma is depleted. Upon their death they experience great pain and are ignored by the other gods. Even the gods in the formless realms suffer upon their deaths as they know they have to return to the lower realms.

Demi-gods don't have it quite as good as the gods and are always the losers in the perpetual battles that are fought. Most of their lives in this realm are spent fighting.

Humans suffer from being born, aging, illness, death and having to part with what/whom they are close to. They are constantly undergoing obstacles when they want to achieve a goal like earning more money or trying to establish a relationship with someone who ignores them. Humans often have to encounter horrible situations such as war, famine, and plague.

Animals suffer from ignorance, as they're unable to speak our language. Animals are at the mercy of the weather, hunger and thirst. Sadly, animals are often captured and put into a zoo or displayed in a circus. In the wild, they are hunted by poachers, or as food by other people and animals.

Hungry ghosts live in a realm in which their grotesque forms consist of long, narrow necks, weak limbs and huge, protruding bellies. Their residence is a vast, empty desert where they constantly search for food and drink and find nothing.

Although many people don't believe in hell, Tibetan Buddhism teaches students that there are several levels, including 8 levels of fiery hells and 8 levels of freezing hells. There are also a few neighboring hells that consist of fiery ash, swamps made of waste matter and a molten lava river.

To experience the suffering of samsara is something you must do in order to understand the sufferings of other beings, regardless of their realm.

Noble Truth # 2 - The Origins of Suffering:

This is the suffering of all sentient beings in relation to their environment. In Buddhism, nothing is believed to be true until it's been experienced. The teachings are true as the teachers have experienced them and have recognized this themselves. Imagine that you visit a psychic and are told that in one year you'll win a lottery. Nice thought, highly unlikely, you'd think. But it really happens and then that remark from a psychic becomes true. When Buddha taught the 4 Noble Truths to his students, only after they practiced them did they occur.
Karma:

Every action that we do is karma, from the smallest to the largest.

Karma of the body, speech and mind can also be referred to as physical, mental and verbal action.

Further, there are virtuous, non-virtuous and neutral actions.

The 10 non-virtuous actions are: killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct which comprise the 3 non-virtuous actions of the body.

Lying, divisive talk, swearing, and gossip are the 4 non-virtuous actions of speech.

Engaging one's mind in objects of attachment; thinking thoughts of harming others, and wrong views such as self-cherishing [in which we value ourselves above all others] are the 3 non-virtuous actions of mind.

To engage in virtuous actions, you reverse every negative into a positive. Instead of stealing, you abandon stealing and thoughts about stealing. Naturally this applies to all of the actions.

Delusion:

Delusion is ignorance. It's the mind grasping at non-reality. Or a dark, dull mind. The 6 root delusions are:

Ignorance - the deluded mind which hides the mind from seizing the nature of the object clearly.

Hatred - the deluded mind that hates oneself and/or others.

Attachment - the deluded mind that prizes oneself too highly along with being too attached to others and/or material objects

Pride - the pride of the deluded mind seeing oneself as better than others.

Deluded doubt - the doubt which develops negative emotions within us.

Deluded view -Due to ignorance and attachment, a person cultivates a view that is false.

There are 4 characteristics of full karma for any action. Intention, preparation, performance and, finality. For example, if a person were to commit a robbery, they would have to hatch the plot, prepare for the robbery, steal from whatever source they've selected, and get home safely with all the money.

Positive, Negative & Mixed Actions:

These 3 actions, also referred to as white, black and mixed, produce various results. All positive karma is virtuous as all negative karma is non-virtuous. Mixed karma can go either way, depending upon the circumstances.

Propelling & Completing Karma:

To propel is to throw and that's what each birth seems like""being thrown into a family and later having to fend for oneself. If the actions one has done in the past are negative, rebirth into hell, hungry ghost and animal realms is the result. For positive past actions, the realms of the gods, demi-gods and humans are where someone is sent.

Completing karma is what one achieves in each lifetime. If a person is born into the human realm with numerous physical ailments, that negative completing karma is being realized. The same holds true for those born into great wealth and fame.

Noble Truth # 3 - The Cessation of Suffering:

Since our causes for problems can be eliminated, we learn to be free of suffering. This is achieved when we realize that the way we're taught to see things, whether oneself, others, or any type of phenomena, existing from ourselves. Overcoming delusional thinking, we are then free of the 4 sufferings, [birth, sickness, aging and death] as those are generated within a mind that's unclear of the truth.

The 4 characteristics of true cessations are: Cessation, peace, benefit and pleasure, a result of the first two and definite emergence.

Noble Truth #4 - The Truth of the Path:

There are 4 True Paths which are attained once we overcome the need to be attached and have everything pretend to be permanent. A basic example would be this: How many people have chosen a permanent job over a temporary job and been fired or quit within six months? Where's the permanence in that? On a more sublime level, if we understand impermanence fully then we achieve liberation. The second path is that objects/ideas/feelings, etc. are pleasurable. Actually, they are only misery in disguise.

The third path is to rid ourselves of wrong view and comprehend emptiness. Our Compositional factors [aggregates] aren't different from our selves. Our self doesn't exist independently. We come to the final path when we understand there is no self, there is selflessness.

Read more about the 4 Noble Truths! As always, the Dalai Lama has a great way of explaining dharma!

The Four Noble Truths - paperback edition