2010 March 22 « Rev. Danny Fisher

Goodbye, Grandma…

The author (seated) with Mae Hoffman Fisher (standing).

It was expected, though not really this quickly.

She was many things, among them a librarian; a cancer survivor; and a very stereotypical grandparent in her sweetness, generosity, and unconditional love.

I remember one of the few visits we had where it was just the two of us. I had gone to New Jersey to try to be helpful after her first bout of health problems about ten years ago. At this point, I had committed myself seriously to Buddhist practice and study, and had recently come back from a semester living abroad in a Burmese monastery in India. We were in the car one day, and she, a devout Catholic, asked out of the blue, “Is compassion important in Buddhism?”

“Yes.”

“Looking after people, being a good neighbor?”

“Yes.”

“Well, O.K.”

That Christmas, I received a large box from my grandmother. I had no idea what to expect, and opened it to find a beautiful Buddha statue. I still have it to remind me of the loveliest interfaith encounter I ever had: the one with my grandma.

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March 22, 2010

A Gift of Dharma for 3.22.10

Today’s quote is from Sayadaw U Pandita, who is described very well at his Wikipedia page:

[He is] one of the foremost living masters of Vipassana meditation. He trained in the Burmese Theravada Buddhist tradition. A successor to the late Mahāsi Sayādaw, he has taught many of the Western teachers and students of the Mahāsi style of Vipassana meditation. He is the abbot of Paṇḍitārāma Meditation Center in Yangon, Myanmar.

This is it:

The essential form of this chariot, this Dhamma vehicle, was first revealed to the world by the Buddha about 2,525 years ago or more, in the discourse called The Sutta on the Turning of the Wheel of the Law, the first discourse after his enlightenment.

Before the Buddha appeared, the world live in total darkness, in ignorance of the Noble Eightfold Path. Recluses and renunciates, sages and philosophers, all held their own views and opinions, speculations and pet theories about the truth.

Then as now, some people believed nibbāna was the happiness of sensate pleasure, and so they immersed themselves in pleasure. Others looked with disdain at this behavior and reacted against it, mortifying themselves. They deprived their bodies of sense comfort and delight, seeing this as a noble endeavor. In general, beings lived in delusion. They had no access to the truth, and so their beliefs and actions were arbitrary. Each person had a view or opinion and, based thereon, did a thousand and one different things

The Buddha accepted neither sense indulgence nor asceticism. His way is between the two, inclining to neither extreme. When he revealed the Noble Eightfold Path to beings, true faith grounded in the truth of existence could arise. Faith cold be be placed on that which was true, instead of on just an idea.

Faith has a great influence on one’s consciousness. That is why it is a controlling faculty. With faith there can be effort. Faith arouses motivation in practice and becomes the basis for all other dhammas, like concentration and wisdom. When the Buddha first revealed the Noble Eightfold Path, he set the controlling faculties in motion. This view of dhammas was set rolling in the hearts of beings, and thereby true freedom and happiness came within reach.

May your faith in the practice be sincere and profound. May this be the basis for your attainment of ultimate liberation.

Tell President Obama that the U.S. Must Support a U.N. Commission of Inquiry into the War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity Perpetuated by Burma’s Ruling Military Junta

This from the U.S. Campaign for Burma:

Last week, we had our first major success in the movement to hold Burma’s Generals accountable for their crimes against humanity. Now we must capitalize on the momentum!

The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana, released a groundbreaking report to the UN Human Rights Council calling for a Commission of Inquiry into Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes in Burma, after nearly a year of being bombarded by our demands. This is the first time an acting UN official has called for such strong action. The ball is rolling now and we must ensure that it does not slow down!

This week, the UN Human Rights Council will discuss whether or not to support Mr. Quintana’s recommendations for a Commission of Inquiry. As a member of the Human Rights Council, the United States, needs to be a strong voice supporting Mr. Quintana’s recommendations.

Without the backing of the United States, the Special Rapporteur’s call will go ignored! Tell President Obama that the U.S. must support a UN Commission of Inquiry into the regime’s war crimes and crimes against humanity. Do not let this opportunity pass by!

Let’s make sure this happens!

Send a message to President Obama here.

March 22, 2010

Watch Even More of PBS’s The Buddha

The YouTube channel for PBS’s The Buddha is still continuing to post the whole thing, piece-by-piece. (I posted the first segments here and here.) These are some more pieces…