Buddhist Thought

Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.-Buddhist Quote

Buddhist Thought

Pay no attention to the faults of others, things done or left undone by others. Consider only what by oneself is done or left undone.-Buddhist Quote

Buddhist Thought

You only lose what you cling to.-Buddha

Furtoes for June 26th 2010

Buddhist Thought

Hatred does not cease through hatred at any time. Hatred ceases through love. This is an unalterable law.
-Buddha-

Buddhist Thought for the Week

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. 
When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.
The Dharmapada

Buddhist Thought

The only unchangable certainty in life is that nothing is unchangable or certain.
John F. Kennedy

FURTHER FURTOES

Buddhist Thoughts for the Week

How to reach Enlightenment the Jodo Shu Way

In Jodo Shu Pure Land Buddhism, you put your faith in Amida Buddha and his vow of universal enlightenment. By doing so, you are assured of rebirth in Amida Buddha's Pure Land, where you will hear the pure Dharma and attain enlightenment.
The creed of Jodo Shu is as follows:

1. Believing in the salvation by Amida Buddha as preached by Shakyamuni Buddha in his teachings, we pray to Amida Buddha as our anchor, and give thanks and services in return.
2. Following the teachings of Honen Shonin, the founder of Jodo Shu Buddhism, we repeat the sacred name of Amida Buddha (Namu Amida Butsu), and always try to be sincere and to be introspective.
3. We extend the circle of prayer to Amida Buddha, help one another, and try to contribute to the promotion of social purification as well as to peace and welfare.

How to reach Enlightenment in this lifetime

Many sects and traditions will have different practices to complement the Eightfold Noble Path laid out by Shakyamuni Buddha, but all have these as their basis:

1. Right Views: i.e., Knowledge of the Four Noble Truths:
   
   
   1. The world is full of suffering and stress.
   2. The cause of this suffering and stress is desires of physical instincts.
   3. If desire can be removed, and suffering and stress will be ended.
   4. Desire can be removed by following the Eightfold Noble Path: Right Views, Right Thoughts, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.
2. Right Thoughts: Aspire to attain realization of Nirvana, i.e., perfect wisdom, the ultimate true permanent reality.
3. Right Speech: Abstain from all lying, falsehoods, evil, abusive and frivolous speech.
4. Right Conduct: Keep the Five Precepts:
   1. Abstain from taking life,
   2. abstain from taking that which is not given,
   3. abstain from misconduct done in lust,
   4. abstain from lying,
   5. abstain from all forms of intoxication.
5. Right Livelihood: Abstain from all evil living and all manner of ill-gotten gain or means of livelihood.
6. Right Effort: Abstain from all evil states of mind; foster and maintain virtuous states of mind; compassion, pity, sympathy, calmness and tranquility
7. Right Mindfulness: Regard everything as being impermanent, ill and corrupt: i.e., all feelings, perceptions, inclinations, consciousness, thoughts, mental states, mental images and mental activities.
8. Right Concentration: Foster dispassion, detachment, and revulsion for the things of the world as being decaying and impermanent. Practice aloofness from evil states of mind, from the senses and all sensations. Practice dwelling in solitude and seclusion, meditating and reflecting with singleness of mind.

Buddhist Thought

Let your love flow outward through the universe, To its height, its depth, its broad extent, A limitless love, without hatred or enmity. Then as you stand or walk, Sit or lie down, As long as you are awake, Strive for this with a one-pointed mind; Your life will bring heaven to earth. - Sutta Nipata

Buddhist Thought for 4~20!!!!!

Everything you can imagine is real.


- Pablo Picasso

Buddhist Thought

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. - Buddha

"A Toned Deaf Singer"

"A Toned Deaf Singer"

                    

      In the September 1999 issue of the New York Times Magazine, Peter Singer exposed the American consumer to his views with "The Singer Solution to World Poverty". Singer, an Australian philosopher and bio-ethicist, starts this narrow minded essay off with a fictional person in order to make his point about the spending habits of the average American family. Singer uses this criminally minded character in a way that might cause an insulted American reader to put off buying anything new.  He finishes this color blind article by saying that American citizens should give away all unneeded income to help those in need.

    

    Singer leaves no doubt whose shameful actions deserve the most scrutiny. Readers of the New York Times were the original target audience; a left-leaning American college student may find Singer's socialist views relevant today. Singer seems to think that Americans are overindulgent when spending. In this essay, there is also the idea that those who spend money earned honestly are similar to those whose income is earned dishonestly. Singer asks, "...what is the ethical distinction between a Brazilian who sells a homeless child to organ peddler, and an American who already has a television set and upgrades to a new one?"  This hypothetical question is asked and answered in "The Singer Solution to World Poverty". There is little doubt that Singer's essay "The Singer Solution to World Poverty" does a poor job of persuading Americans to donate more of their resources to help those in need.

    

    The first piece of proof that "The Singer Solution to World Poverty" misses its mark, is by the lack of donations that this writer or his fellow classmates gave to Unicef or Oxfam when reading Singer's essay in class. Singer listed both numbers in his essay, yet not one student called either when the article was read aloud in class. Despite all his calls to action within this essay, not one cent was raised by it. Singer seems to suggest that everyone in the US should drop what they are doing and immediately pick up the phone, wallet, and donate. Singer forgets that most Americans live check to check or on fixed incomes therefor extra monies are hard to find and use as donations. Despite this fact, Americans donate top other nation year in and year out! In the March 2008 issue of The Journal of American Enterprise Institute, Arthur Brooks writes that the American people had given close to 300 billion in 2006.

                      

    Singer sees the problem of world poverty through the eyes of a utilitarian philosopher. This vantage point allows only two positions: right or wrong. Such a simplistic philosophy can not be applied so easily here. Let us try to imagine what would happen if every single American consumer stopped spending? First, industry would grind to a halt, causing the U.S. stock market to crash. Companies large and small would cease to exist, and company after company would die. Natural resources would soon become nonexistent. It would not be long until war enveloped every nation. Is this what Singer wishes for this planet or its people? Singer’s argument takes a narrow minded  stance and does not account for the nuances of a global economy.

      

    The illogical and hypothetical example Singer uses to start this essay is most distasteful. Singer introduces us to the Brazilian movie Central Station by the character Dora. Once a school teacher, Dora partakes in the kidnapping of a child in order to pay for a television. Equating her criminal act with American spending habits is like saying murder and prostitution are the same. These are two completely different things, thus, the ethical dilemmas he presents are just as different. Singer seeks to coral support for his position by suggesting Americans are criminal in the way that they lead their lives. This idea is wrong and at the very least, mean in spirit.

    

    This essay seeks to browbeat the American reader into changing their ways. Judging from the lukewarm reaction to this piece by the class, it is obvious Singer has failed; the utter lack of impact in class was clearly visible. Therefore, we must question the overall impact it had. The fact that world poverty still exists is obvious, but American spending habits should not be held up as an example of moral misconduct. The fact that Americans lead the world in donating proves the country is doing its part. If there is one place Singer is successful, then maybe it is by showing how complex issues cannot be shaped or understood so easily from a philosopher and bio-ethicist. This is an issue that cannot be understood so easily. Therefore, Singer's solution is no solution at all. Finally, Singer comes off sounding like a tone-deaf vocalist who falls short of hitting the right note in "The Singer Solution to World Poverty".

Buddhist Thought

To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear. - Buddha

Buddhist Thought

It is fairly obvious that most of us are confused intellectually. We see that the so-called leaders in all departments of life have no complete answer to our various questions and problems. - J. Krishnamurti

Photos I've taken of recent note

Buddhist Thought

His Holiness the Dalai Lama:

"Nirvana may be the final object of attainment, but at the moment it is difficult to reach. Thus the practical and realistic aim is compassion, a warm heart, serving other people, helping others, respecting others, being less selfish. By practising these, you can gain benefit and happiness that remain longer. If you investigate the purpose of life and, with the motivation that results from this inquiry, develop a good heart - compassion and love. Using your whole life this way, each day will become useful and meaningful."

"Every human being has the same potential for compassion; the only question is whether we really take any care of that potential, and develop and implement it in our daily life. My hope is that more and more people will realise the value of compassion, and so follow the path of altruism. As for myself, ever since I became a Buddhist monk, that has been my real destiny - for usually I think of myself as just one simple Buddhist monk, no more and no less."

Buddhist Thought

The human being may be no more real than is a cinematograph film. When the projected light is switched off all that remains is a blank screen. That which has been projected by light was a series of 'stills'. Such also is what is being projected by 'life'. The more you consider the analogy the more perfect it seems to be: it could help us to understand. - Wei Wu Wei..

Buddhist Thought

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. - Buddha

Buddhist Thought

Until a radical change takes place and we wipe out all nationalities, all ideologies, all religious divisions, and establish a global relationship - psychologically first, inwardly before organizing the outer - we shall go on with wars. - J. Krishnamurti

new Fucking photos -click on photo for full ver-

Buddhist Thought

Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence. - Buddha ...

Alien Attack Photo's!!!

A

Buddhist Thought

Be wise, disciplined and non-violent and you will find peace. Be aware both night and day, continue your practice, and you will attain Nirvana. - Buddha

Buddhist Thought

Lead a righteous life; lead not a base life. The righteous live happily both in this world and the next. - Buddha