Towards Peace: Learning from History

Miyajima Torii by Matt Watts

 

As long as the whole of mankind is not yet Enlightened, history will continue to repeat itself.

By this, the author meant to say that, in every corner of the world, now and then, there will always be turmoil and unrest of some kind.

History is there to be learned.  And because it looks like the current unease in town is not going to evaporate overnight, let us find moments in history that might benefit us.

From unrest to peace and prosperity

Where in the world can we find a lesson of a society ridden with skirmishes, occasional social unrest, and political power play, yet which managed to pull itself together and emerged peaceful and strong as one single nation?

There could be many answers to this question, depending on each person's interest and/or expertise.  Naturally for this author, the picture of feudal Japan comes to mind.

For almost 700 years out of its nearly 2,000 years of civilization, Japan was under warrior rule.  While some historians might argue that most of that period Japan was blessed with relative peace as opposed to constant warfare, it is also undeniable that local skirmishes occasionally exploded and power play has always been in the picture.

When suffering is a blessing

The factor that made Japan a great country is the quality of her people.  Sometimes, the author thinks that the many natural disasters that Japan experienced throughout history were in fact blessings in disguise.  Through suffering and the need to survive, the Japanese learned the value of unity.  They learned first hand that only by coming together in times of crisis, can the whole society prevail.  Being highly social-minded, we should note, is among the forefront characteristics of the Japanese people.

Rather than undermining their morale, common suffering has strengthened the Japanese sense of belonging.  Even during the time when war became full-blown like during the Warring States Period between the 15th and 17th centuries, the country as a whole still managed to prosper.  To be precise, the characteristics of war during that period seemed, to the author at least, more like that of a modern professional sports league.

Considerate warriors

This is especially true for the Azuchi-Momoyama Period, when wars were strictly warriors' business and were fought away from town, usually in a specifically assigned area. The warriors' consideration was deliberate as they did not want to disturb the daily life of the common people.  With this "arena" clearly assigned, the atmosphere was almost like the "home team" fighting with the visiting team in the home stadium.

Except for a few major battles, skirmishes tended to be short and with minimal casualties.  It was not uncommon to have just a test of martial skills between leading warriors of the warring parties.  Sometimes warlords brought along an enormous number of troops just to intimidate their enemy so that both parties could go to the negotiating table without anyone "losing face."  As a result, military camps seemed almost like an outing and a military campaign seemed more like an extended fishing and hunting trip.

Needless to say, the generals and provincial lords that earned the most respect and became legends were those with great strategic thinking and negotiation skills who could solve conflicts without casualties.

Zen comes to the rescue

And yet, it is undeniable that a warrior's life is full of physical and mental sufferings.  However, records show that the warrior class did not seem to be that bothered or discouraged by such a tough life they were living.  Their unabashed courage and selfless sacrifice earned them the respect of the whole nation and soon became the country's role models.  How did these men train themselves so that they could live with those sufferings bravely?

The answer is Zen.  Constant mindfulness practice, especially mindfulness of death, helped change these men into transformational leaders. Also, thanks to their extensive travelling, the samurai helped make Zen popular among the common people as the latter were eager to learn the secrets of such legendary characteristics.

We mentioned earlier that one notable characteristic of the Japanese is their high social consciousness, as seen in their willingness to sacrifice themselves, doing constructive things in line of their respective duty for the benefit of society.

The ability to discern what is good for society is just one of the many benefits that mindfulness practice can offer.  Even at the beginner's level, mindfulness practice already enables one to see that, in reality, there is no "self."  Therefore, when the feudal Japanese did something for their society, their selflessness was sincere.  They knew what selflessness was.

Hope for Thailand

When we see how far the Japanese have come as a unified country, we should not lose hope in the current situation in Thailand.  Let us turn each crisis into opportunity.  In Buddhism, suffering is the breeding ground for wisdom and sustainable peace.  But such wisdom and peace does not just "happen."  It needs to be cultivated and nurtured.  The tool, the only tool, to create this much-needed peace is mindfulness practice, the vipassana meditation.

Come on, Thailand, we are a Buddhist country, like feudal Japan was.  The proven solution to any trouble, social or otherwise, has always been here.  The feudal Japanese came together to build a peaceful and great country out of sheer loyalty, discipline, hard work and love for their compatriots.  If our rice-eating, Buddhist-influenced Asian neighbor could do it, so can we.

Let us not wait until disaster strikes before we realize the impermanent nature of life and only then start to feel compassion for each other.  If the samurai class were still around, they will definitely tell us that it is our duty to the country to be mindful and to cultivate sustainable peace.

Be a Samurai during Songkran

 

Warm in the Cold by Marser

The Songkran holiday is kicking off tomorrow.   As the year's longest-period official holiday, Songkran deserves all the hype it is getting.

For white collars in particular, Songkran is definitely something to look forward to.   When the economy was better, middle-class Thais tended to use it to fly out of the country, feeling grateful they could escape the scorching heat even for a little while.

This year, given the current economic downturn, more Thais are opting to stay at home.   The economy is having an effect on our mood as well.   People are a bit edgy. A  t the very least, we have become grumpy folks.

This brings us to the importance of staying cool during this summer holiday.   It is no secret that we humans find it harder to control our temper when the weather is maddeningly hot, global-warmingly hot.   It does not help either that the town is a little bit more crowded than every year in the past.   Longer queues and overcrowded restaurants, anyone?

So, watch out, dear readers.   With the above reasons, patience is going to be limited and tempers are going to fly this Songkran.   And we didn't even take into consideration the heated political atmosphere that is lurking in the background yet.

Songkran and samurai

As separate concepts, Songkran and samurai do not seem to produce any mental association.   But, believe it or not, almost 300 years ago in 1714, a caring samurai teacher named Daidoji Yuzan wrote a book that sounds as if he had the image of Thais celebrating Songkran in mind!

Titled Bushido for Beginners, the book is basically a manual for young, aspiring samurais.   Like us in the 21st century, life could be a struggle for the 18th century's Japanese warrior class.   In Tokugawa Japan, although the samurai class has been put on top of the social hierarchy, they ranked last economically, well below farmers, artisans and merchants.

Tokugawa Japan was also known as a peaceful period.   The samurai, therefore, faced another unprecedented distress. Their practical status as warriors had been lost.   They were busy redefining their raison d'etre, searching for their self-esteem. Basically, they had been transformed from a revered military class into a struggling civil servant class.

Seeing the plight of the young warriors, Daidoji Yuzan came up with that book.   At first glance, it seems to be a general career guide on "how to be a good samurai."   Reading between the lines, however, one can see that Yuzan wrote the book out of his love and concern for the younger generation.   His instructions, if dutifully followed, will lead the young men to a sustainably peaceful life.   He was coaching them how to "live smart." His real motive, therefore, was to help them out of suffering.

Consider that the world is now experiencing universal suffering, may be it is a good idea to look at Yuzan's timeless advice.

Be aware of death even at New Year

First, let's imagine the usual Songkran image: parties everywhere and reckless people roaming.   Year after year, statistics for road accidents during the holidays clearly show that alcohol is the number one culprit.   Yet, regrettably, the lobbyists still can not secure us a law prohibiting alcohol consumption while in a vehicle!   It is as if the authorities are trying to promote more deaths during the holidays!   But, seriously, do you think any revelers believe that they might die during the festivities?

Now, consider the opening sentence of Yuzan's book, "The man who would be a warrior considers it his most basic intention to keep death always in mind, day and night, from the first meal on New Year's Day right through the evening of last day of the year."

As Songkran is the Thai New Year, it would not hurt to remember Yuzan's advice and try thinking about death a little bit.   When one constantly keeps death in mind, Yuzan argued, both loyalty and filial piety are realised and a myriad of evils and disasters are avoided.

Songkran is supposed to be the time one goes to spend time with one's extended family to show respect and filial piety to the family elders.   If we keep death in mind, both ours and theirs, chances are that we would be gentle in our words, kind in our deeds, and mindful in our thoughts.

In his poetic language, Yuzan went on to describe a person's life as fleeting, not unlike the dew in the evening or the frost in the morning.   Being resolved that this might be the last day that we may live, Yuzan explained, one would naturally attend to one's parents with the thoughts that this may be for the last time, and one's concern for them would be sincere.

Therefore, if you are fortunate enough to be able to pour the blessing waters on the hands of your parents and/or grandparents this year, remember that it could be the last time. This way, your Songkran moment would be memorable.

When one forgets death, Yuzan continued, one's mind would lack prudence.   Arguments will be started over insensitive speech, and controversies will flare up concerning matters that could have been finished simply by ignoring them.   In an example quite similar to the scene at Songkran, Yuzan further reminded us to consider what could happen when one walks recklessly in the midst of crowds on temple visiting trips, bumping into strange fools and getting into unexpected fights.

The samurai's dos and don'ts

Because of that possible scenario, Yuzan suggested the young samurai shouldn't go to high-risk places even when invited.   If travelling during the festive season is unavoidable, Yuzan recommended that one plans one's route carefully in advance to stay clear of possible troubles.

At parties, Yuzan pointed out, smart warriors would eat and drink in moderation and train themselves to prudently keep sexual indulgence at a distance.   When having to engage in a conversation, laudable samurai would also keep their words to the minimum.   The most important thing is to diligently watch one's thoughts and words.

The popularity of Yuzan's book is a testament that his advice works.   Being mindful at New Year's is never out of date, for now or for the 18th century samurai!

May you all have a mindful and memorable Songkran holiday.

The Zen of Pain: Part II

 

Crying Baby by CeeKay’s Pix

Two weeks ago, we began our discussion on something that all of us will sooner or later come across in life - pain.   We looked into the nature of pain and also the fact that pain is in fact one of Zen's specialties.

This week, let us hear from a Zen master what he has to say about pain and illness in general.  After all, it is better to know beforehand how to handle pain and illness while you are still relatively healthy. To try to cram on this mind-training practice when you are already in deep pain or severe illness is going to be much harder.

By the way, the emphasis on Zen does not mean that Buddhist masters of the Theravada tradition are less able than their Zen counterparts when it comes to gaining wisdom from pain. To practice vipassana under a good teacher, one naturally knows what pain is. Vedana (feelings or sensation) is one of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Satipatthana is that which one would definitely encounter and gain wisdom from.

The difference, perhaps, is the emphasis. From the little experience that the author has had with both traditions, Zen seems to zero in on the ability to cultivate wisdom out of extremely trying physical and mental conditions. This applies not just to zazen, or sitting meditation, but on other types of Zen-inspired training as well such as martial arts.

Moreover, it does not mean that one has to engage in one "formal" form of Zen training or another in order to have a shot at wisdom and, consequently, freedom from suffering.  The ability to apply Zen to daily living so that one would know how to deal with impromptu physical and mental suffering is what Zen is all about.

The following are insights from the teachings of Zen master Seung Sahn, to which the author has added additional commentaries.

Your Physical Body is Not Your True Self

The first lesson from Master Seung Sahn is that you have to understand that your physical body is not your true self.

Well, that is a tough one.  For those who have not physically experienced in a retreat the fact that the body and mind are two separate entities, this very first lesson is already difficult to swallow.   How could my body not be my "self"?  If it is not "me" that can feel, and in turn got terrified of, pain, who could that be?

Relax, the master said. Do not be afraid of your sickness (and/or pain).   At times everybody is afraid of what will happen to their body.   Rather than assuming that "I must be healed," the master suggested that we must understand the Ultimate Truth first.

And what is that Truth?  It is that everyone dies.

The Question Worth Asking

Certainly, we will all die. In fact, we can even die sooner than any statistics suggest, meaning our death could be from countless other causes totally unrelated to our illness.

Once that realization is firmly settled in our minds, the next logical question would naturally follow, "... Why, then, do I have to go through this much suffering of illness, pain, and, on top of that, face the fear of dying?"

The question itself gives hint to the answer. If there was no "you" to begin with, would there be any being that can feel the pain?  Definitely not.

It is because "we" were born that there is this physical body to serve as a breeding ground for various illness and hence the pain.

It is because we were born that we must become ill, have pain, and die.

One of my vipassana teachers even went one step further and suggested that, when we were asked what caused the death of Mr so-and-so whom we happened to know, we should simply reply, "birth."

My teacher is right. Birth is the real "natural cause" of death. Not only for Mr so-and-so, but also for all of us.

Turn This Pain into an Opportunity

But why do we have to be born, then, to face all these sufferings?  If you have not yet found your teacher and started practicing mindfulness, this question may pop up in your mind now and then.  The more pain you have or the more serious your illness is, the more often this question would come up to bother you.

This is how Master Seung Sahn's teaching fits in.  He simply invited us to find out first what human beings really are, meaning why we were born, and what for?   His reason is that, if you do indeed find the answer, your direction will be clear when you die.

And if not?  The Master gave a simple and to-the-point answer.  He said that our consciousness will go round and round.  If the pain you are facing now, either physical and mental, seems unbearable to you, the idea of facing that very same pain over and over again should at least make you cringe and try to find out more how to get out of all this as soon as you can.   Not just this very present pain, but every future pain.

If losing your direction while you are still living is a problem, imagine how horrifying it would be if you lose your direction when you are dying?  How can you be sure that you could direct your mind, your consciousness, into the right direction?

Having survived near-death experience before, the author could assure the readers that indeed mindfulness does help in that crucial moment.   At least, your mind is calm, your direction is clear.   The result?  Well, to each his own karma.

This brings us to ask ourselves if we have created any positive karma lately?  Even in pain and illness, you can still create good karma for yourself. How?  By living a Zen life and practicing mindfulness at every waking moment, of course!   If you are now having pain in your life, regard it as a perfect opportunity to become Enlightened.   All you have to do is to start finding out what your true self is.  Think of it as the most special gift you can give to yourself because, quite frankly, we all deserve it.

The Unaware Society

"Why don't you write about nibbana (the Buddhist Enlightenment)?," a friend who is an English literature professor in a local university asked.

Photo coutesy of the Bangkok Post

"It seems most Thais are not interested in the Enlightenment nowadays," she observed, before concluding: "They seem to think that it is not relevant to them."

The author's friend has a point. Come to think about it, even the English-speaking world has chosen to adopt the Sanskrit spelling of the word for Buddhist Enlightenment rather than the Pali one. That is, we would likely see the reference to nirvana rather than nibbana in English-language publications.

This by itself signals that our Mahayana friends, especially the Zen sect, whose scriptures were written in Sanskrit, have been quite successful in making it clear to the world that nirvana is their top priority.

What We Could Learn from our Zen Friends

The proof was clear in the teaching of Zen's earlier patriarchs, from Daruma, the Indian monk who made Zen popular in China, down to Huineng and Huairang. They talked repeatedly about the importance of training one's mind until one discovers the true "Buddha Nature" inside.

The Zen Patriachs also addressed the mass without discrimination, meaning it does not matter if one is a monk or a layperson. For, in a Zen teacher's mind, it is everyone's duty to strive hard to attain Enlightenment in this lifetime.

After Zen made its way to Japan, the ever-productive and disciplined Japanese made sure that they found an effective way to infuse mindfulness, the practice through which one achieves Enlightenment, into everything they think, say and do. Many of the ancient arts and culture that survive until today are the testament to that admirable effort.

In 1967, roughly eight centuries after Zen has been introduced to Japan, a world-famous Japanese writer, Yukio Mishima, came to Thailand to carry out research for one of his books, "The Temple of Dawn." Mishima did not find what he was looking for, a Theravada interpretation of consciousness and rebirth as taught to the general public. In fact, Mishima even remarked through the novel's fictional character, Mr Honda, that all he found in Thailand was the emphasis on dana (giving) and the stories of Lord Buddha's last 10 lives, Jataka.

A little embarrassing, one must admit. Today, 41 years after Mishima's casual but truthful remark in that novel, little has changed in Thailand. If there is change of any sort, it does not become for the better. For the society seems to be more preoccupied in examining, with a magnifying glass, the various editions of the Hindu-inspired Jatukham amulets rather than being absorbed in learning how Lord Buddha attained his Enlightenment.

Even if there are more books on mindfulness practice now than there were 41 years ago, it still does not mean that the Thais have been actively practising it. At least not to the level the Japanese have. Perhaps we have to thank the late Mr Mishima for pointing out our weakness for us.

Why Most Thais are Not Interested in Enlightenment

Let us try to answer Mr Mishima, and ourselves, why most Thais are not interested in the most important aspect, the raison d'etre, of Buddhism. One obvious argument is the fact that the Thai society has, for centuries, been blessed with agricultural abundance and relative peace. Compared to the centuries of civil wars and harsh natural disasters that Japan has had to endure, Thailand has not seen that much suffering. In addition, the Japanese's knack of keenly observing the changes in their four seasons also helps them to understand Buddhist Law of Impermanence better than us Thais who are surrounded by year-round evergreen trees.

The Chinese sages got it right when they say, "When one has not yet seen one's coffin, one does not shed tears." It is the complacency, a false sense of security, that made us Thai people feel that suffering is too far-flung a concept to think about in our everyday living. The ability to see suffering, or changes that lead to suffering, is the first trigger for one's quest for the Enlightenment.

Therefore, one could argue that the severe sufferings the ancient Japanese had to endure was a "blessing in disguise."

For those who have not practised mindfulness and experienced the "trailer" of what Enlightenment could be, the attempt to understand nibbana is literal at best. And it is this literal approach that further alienates Buddhist Enlightenment from a layperson's everyday life.

The Problem with our Literal Approach to Nibbana

First, it is a linguistic problem. We Thais, since our primary school years, were taught that Lord Buddha entered Maha Parinibbana (The Great Enlightenment) upon his death. Therefore, consciously or not, the word nibbana to the Thai ear usually rings in the image of death. Therefore, for those who did not have enough exposure to the essence of Buddhism, nibbana seems to be the stage that one can only enter after dying.

Needless to say, this misconception made nibbana something that no one wants to rush into. In fact, subconsciously, we may not even want to touch it with a ten-foot pole. Isn't it startling that the key message that Lord Buddha wanted to convey suddenly has become a taboo subject in Thailand? Perhaps regrettable is a more appropriate word.

The late Ven Buddhadasa had done his best to correct this by educating us Thais that in fact nibbana is something that is attainable while we are still alive, and should be every Buddhist's goal. Even if we could not reach the Ultimate Enlightenment yet, the late Ven Buddhadasa kindly suggested, at least we should try to frequently experience the "mini-Enlightenment" in our everyday life. The way to achieve it, he pointed out, is through Vipassana (mindfulness) meditation. Very Zen-like teaching, if one may add.

Professor Saeng Jan-ngam, a respectable Buddhist scholar from Chiang Mai, gave us another reason why we Thais tend not to be enthusiastic about nibbana. In his book, Buddhasasanavidhya, Prof Saeng pointed out that ordinary people only understand ordinary pleasure, not knowing that there could be a far more profound state of happiness than the worldly ones.

As a result, when they learn, through books, that nibbana does not have that kind of pleasure but offers a sustainable peace and happiness, they can not grasp the magnitude of its benefits and therefore do not see any appeal in trying to "reach somewhere" where none of the pleasure they know is available.

More important, Prof Saeng pointed out, is our false attachment to the concept of "self." For the untrained mind, the idea of total riddance of the "self" does not seem to be the ideal stage to aim for. "How can I feel happiness," they would argue, "when myself does not exist?"

Regrettably, it is this very misunderstanding of nibbana that gives a loophole for imposters to jump in and distort Lord Buddha's teaching by claiming that the "self" still exists in "the place called nibbana." This teaching is by far the most dangerous teaching around town these days, usually accompanying a request for a huge donation to "guarantee one's place in different levels of heavens."

Why we Thais should Attempt to Understand Nibbana

Therefore, at the very least, the attempt to properly understand Buddhist Enlightenment would give us immunity from falling into the danger of false teaching. It would not only help prevent us from becoming financially bankrupt as some unfortunate victims were led into, but also from being morally corrupted as a result of following the wrong path. The path is only downward for those with a wrong understanding, Lord Buddha himself gravely warned. This means that even if we are not Enlightened in this life yet, at least we should try to prevent ourselves from falling into the wrong path, because what it entails is endless suffering.

Simply put, the society that does not put Enlightenment as one of its top priorities is an "unaware" society. We are unaware that we are living mindlessly. There is the sad story of a chicken that continues to run around even after its head has been cut off. Did the body know where it was going? Did the body even realize that it is already dead? Regrettably, it would be only a matter of moments before the body finally drops to the ground, contracting in a final spasm, eventually becoming still, completely dead.

A painful analogue, we agree, but it could not be more apt to describe a Buddhist society that does not actively promote the practice of mindfulness so that its people can at least experience the "mini-Enlightenment", achieving the peace within, so that together they could generate the peace without. Blessed with the privilege of being in a Buddhist country, let us make the most out of it. Let each and every one of us shows the world that we know a thing or two about Buddhist Enlightenment.

The Mindful Candidate

(Bangkok Post's Real Time's Cover Story, November 21, 2008)

Photo from http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/05/02/art.obama.headshot.jpg

Obama's Campaign in Buddhist Light

It is my belief that Barack Obama's successful presidential campaign, which was based on the concept of "change we can believe in," and its underlying message are synonymous with Buddhist self-transformation.

In Buddhism, people who are transformed become selfless and dedicated to serving others. This is what many people felt when they watched the broadcast of Obama giving his somber, determined victory speech in Chicago on election night.

Priceless Learning Opportunity, Politically or Otherwise

Something in the back of our minds said that we were witnessing history, and that we seemed to have arrived at the dawn of another chapter in a more principled humanity. In the candidate himself, there is a powerful lesson that we can learn from. It is not just for politicians who dream of running a successful campaign that results in a landslide victory; the lesson is equally valuable for the rest of us.

It would be ideal, though, if the world's politicians could learn the underlying message that Obama delivers, and the values that drove him and shaped his character.

Why the World Paid So Much Attention?

As we now know, the global following of Obama's campaign was unprecedented. The American press attributed it to their country's position as the leader of the consumer economy: whatever America decides, the repercussions will be felt by the world.

This is straightforward enough. In fact, Lord Buddha also taught that every being and phenomenon in this world is interconnected, hence the need for us to always have good will and act accordingly towards one another for continuous peaceful co-existence.

But in addition to that, a Buddhist view offers another explanation for the Obama phenomenon; it was not merely the result of economic dependence on America. For those who believe that what are important in this world are power and money, we beg you to consider the following facts and think again, as there are more profound things that Obama offers.

Let us first admit, there was something else about Obama that we were drawn to. And it was not just his charisma or his inspired oratory. What was it?

Mindful Candidate Always Stands out

Looking at Obama's historic campaign, what strikes us most is how consistently mindful this candidate has been. By mindfulness, Buddhism refers to the ability to be totally aware of the nature of things as they are, in the present moment, without pre-formed judgment or emotional partiality.

Obama, as we saw, was always able to remain calm and composed in any situation. He seemed to be able to always be mindful of his thoughts, his words and his deeds. At least he never lost his temper and showed hatred or anger like most politicians do in the midst of a tough political campaign. The only time he allowed himself to show his human side is only when he talked passionately about the well-being of his family.

Even when the political process got heated with the opponent's campaign throwing aggressive comments at him, Obama refused to retaliate in a similar manner. Repeatedly, he made it clear he would not take, in his own words, "the low road."

Mindfulness Leads to Clean Politics

By being constantly mindful, Obama was able to look at issues objectively. The result is a proof that human beings feel more comfortable with objectivity than with mud-slinging, name-calling politics. For example, Obama preferred to refer to the current problems in his country as resulting from "failed policies" rather than "failed individuals."

This brings to mind a Christian saying, "Hate the sin but love the sinner." Buddhism has a similar teaching which encourages us to address mental defilements as separate, conquerable entities from beings, who, in fact, suffer from unknowingly harbouring such defilements.

Obama also went out of his way to show his constant respect for fellow human beings, even when he has been the target of disappointing or harmful words and actions by some of them. In other words, we know that he values forgiveness and unity because he actually practices them.

Accepting the congratulatory phone call from McCain, Obama was able to say, "I need your help. You are such a great leader in many areas." Obama also praised McCain for waging such a tough campaign, and he did not lie: McCain did deliver a tough campaign, which probably forced Obama to try harder to sharpen his own thinking, coming up with even more thoughtful measures to better serve the public.

McCain must have felt exactly the same. McCain's sincere, heartfelt and gracious concession speech on election night, despite more than a year of gruelling campaigning as a political foe, is a testament to how Obama's mindful leadership and humility won over McCain's tough, war-veteran heart.

The greatest test of a true leader is perhaps the ability to find positive traits of one's foe and the courage to graciously mention them in public. And that was what Obama did on election night, "(Senator McCain) fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader."

Obama's Values in a Buddhist Perspective

Obama was able to achieve this formidable feat simply because he believed in the virtues and capability of every human. How could a politician achieve such an ethical mindset?

From a Buddhist point of view, it is because Obama has a firm grasp on the fundamentals of dhamma, the nature of things, as well as karma, the law of cause and effect of action. Obama himself stressed throughout his campaign that he himself was not perfect and that he expected to make mistakes as president. This is a fundamental understanding of human nature and of dhamma.

And how did he plan to address this common-man drawback? In Obama's own words: by being humble and listening to advice and criticism of others. "I will listen to you, especially when we disagree."

Humility, notably, is another admirable trait of this mindful candidate, stemming from his encompassing awareness of how things actually are. For example, in his victory speech, Obama appeared somber rather than self-satisfied, arrogant and triumphalist. He told the hyped-up Democrat crowd that they should accept this victory humbly, especially so because he simply followed the footsteps of one great Republican president, Abraham Lincoln.

That reference to Lincoln alone is enough to make people realize that what really matters is the shared humanitarian values and not antagonistic divisions along party lines.

Another important aspect we can learn from Obama's campaign is how he could inspire people. He could easily have taken advantage of the poor condition of the US economy to rev up the negative emotions of the crowd towards the current US administration, but he refused to do so.

Instead, he inspired people to sacrifice themselves, to do more together and for each other so that they all would be lifted out of this troubled time together, Democrats or otherwise.

This is the understanding of the law of karma. Everything in life is related to what we do now in the present moment. Lamenting and blaming each other for things past would not help us out of current suffering.

The American press also gave Obama lavish praise regarding his steadfast refusal to run a "negative campaign" against his opponents, even sometimes at his own cost. Lesson learned: mindful leaders who set their minds solely on the benefits of the people will sacrifice themselves and bravely sustain the low blows while continuing to hold on firmly, never losing sight of their original purpose. In short, it is selflessness.

Obama's call is not just idealistic, but an earnest call for action. By performing good deeds, good karma, together for society, Obama believes that good effects would naturally follow.

What breeds mindful leaders?

How could a relatively young presidential candidate have so much wisdom on life? A wisdom, we may add, that is usually associated with respected old sages. Looking at his formative years through a Buddhist lens, we understand why.

Despite growing up with a loving family, Obama has experienced hardship first-hand. There were times when his mother had to rely on food stamps to feed the family. Obama himself recalled in a voice stirred with emotion how she had to spend the last few months of her life studying health insurance forms to make sure her medical expenses were covered. This is why the young Obama was so driven to provide affordable healthcare to all.

Hardship, or, in Buddhist terms, suffering, apparently drove Obama to strive to work hard in all areas for those who are less privileged. He could have had a bright career in prestigious law firms of his choice given his educational and professional experience, but he chose to go into politics because he wanted to work for the benefit of others rather than for himself.

In Buddhism, understanding suffering is the first requirement towards acquiring wisdom. Having goodwill to all and living life to serve others mindfully is integral to Buddhist Enlightenment. In Thailand, HM the King exemplifies such virtues. Elsewhere, Mahatma Gandhi comes to mind.

Want to have that kind of Obama-like leadership? It's not beyond our human capacity. To be able to achieve this level of maha sati, Great Mindfulness, Buddhism prescribes vipassana practice with a detailed step-by-step guidance for anyone who cares to learn.

Mindful Leaders are Transformational Leaders

Academically, Obama's type of leadership is known as transformational leadership. It is when the leader and followers inspire each other to rise to a higher moral level by sacrificing themselves for society, for a cause higher than themselves.

In practice, transformational leaders are mindful people who transform themselves before going on to transform the life of others. By being constantly mindful, research shows that transformational leaders function better than other leadership models in time of change or crisis.

The author had the privilege of being at Harvard Law School at the same time as Barack Obama, although Obama was a year ahead and we were in different programmes. We might have occupied adjacent cubicles in the library or even taken the same international law classes together. Certainly, we went through similar "suffering" for a period of time.

Gruelling study aside, the author also recalled how classes were cancelled as students staged sit-in protests, demanding that a tenure position be given to an African-American female faculty. It was a cause Obama was known to support.

Although we do not have evidence if Obama indeed had some mindfulness training at Harvard Law, we do know that mindfulness meditation is now a regular fixture at the school. The initial workshop was so successful it has grown into a full-fledged programme called Harvard Negotiation Insight Initiative, aiming, among others, to train people to listen mindfully to others, which is doubtlessly the required basis of successful negotiations.

If a predominantly Christian country can incorporate this Buddhist wisdom into its top law school's curriculum and, in effect, producing great leaders, so can we. Yes, we can. (Sorry, couldn't resist it!)

Wakeup Call for World Leaders

It may seem incredible that a person with such a humble beginning as Obama could have made it this far. Yet, when looking through the lens of Buddhism, it should not come as a surprise. This is a mindful and humble candidate with a deep understanding of dhamma running a thoughtful and honourable campaign, encouraging people to be selfless and join forces to create good karma for the purpose of lifting others out of suffering.

It is precisely because of this that people all over the world were drawn to this campaign. It is not only about the economy, but also because the human mind responds naturally to inspiring virtue. The world cannot have enough of transformational leaders.

Mindfulness, non-aggression, the understanding of true nature of things, recognition of the Buddha-nature in every human and tangible, action-based selflessness for the benefit of others, the campaign could not have been more Zen-like than this.

What a Buddhist Country can Learn from an American President-Elect

As a Buddhist country, we should be happy to see mindfulness in action on a global scale, and Obama's embodiment of Buddhist values should be a powerful wakeup call to us. A mindful candidate can surely achieve great things for society.

This, inevitably, brings us to ask ourselves if this kind of clean, honorable campaign and mindful, selfless and focussed politician who enters politics to serve others is too much to ask for in a traditional Buddhist country like ours.

Where and how should we start? How about some wise words from Obama himself as quoted in Time magazine,

"We need to start over," he said, "speak gently, listen carefully, find solutions and keep our words."

Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama participated in a Compassion Forum. Photo: AP

Mindful advice is always context-free. Surely, Obama's insightful advice on how to work with people in solving problems can be applied everywhere and anywhere, not just to the current American political and economical mess. The answer depends on how soon we could say, "Yes, we can!"

To make sure we reach that day sooner than later, perhaps it would help to at least mindfully refrain ourselves from the usual politics of, "No, we can't!"

*************************

**Note** After this article appeared in The Bangkok Post, a thoughtful American reader who has moved to Thailand who goes by the name, "thaiexodus," kindly shared a thoughtful Zen koan with the author via email.

The gem of this wisdom is too valuable to be kept in private so the author has asked the permission to be shared with other readers.

Co-incidently, there is a photo from the official web site of Barack Obama that seems to go well with the koan, so the author took the liberty to include it together as follows.

Here is the koan:

"...All people are Buddhist, first and foremost, regardless of their professed religious beliefs..."

"But Barack Obama is a Christian of the Protestant faith!"

"Is it not the Buddha nature which causes a person to seek, and to embrace a religious philosophy?"

Photo from www.barackobama.com

Zen Mother Knows Best

The author, one-day old, in mother's arms

At the opening of Tiger Woods Learning Center in 2006, Bill Clinton commented that in the background of every great man is a boy who was terrified of his mother.

Well, may be "terrified" is too terrifying a word to describe the special and complex relationship between a great man and his mom, but I guess we all understand what the former president wanted to convey. Behind every great man, there is a mother who is very strict in disciplining her child. When they grow up and become successful, however, those men give all the credit to no one else but their disciplining mother. His Majesty the King and Gandhi are two such examples.

Today's article is an attempt to celebrate such mothers who have risked terrifying their children to make sure that their lot would grow up to become a hard-working person with integrity who dedicates one's life to serve others.

Admittedly, at first the author would like to keep this article for next year's Mother's Day. But life is so full of uncertainty, as the Law of Impermanence would remind us. There is nothing that guarantees that we would still be here tomorrow, let alone next Mother's Day. Therefore, let us pay tribute to our mothers as soon and as often as we can. Having said that, mom, this week's article is for you!

The woman behind Ikkyu's Enlightenment

Anybody who has been around since 1975 must have been more or less familiar with the cartoon series, Ikkyu-San. The series, based on a true story, enjoyed a tremendous success. A lot has been discussed about Ikkyu the young novice who went on to achieve Enlightenment, but very little has been said about his mother except how much the little Ikkyu was attached to her and how much influence she had on him.

Ikkyu was born in 1394 to Emperor Go-Komatsu and Iyono Tsubone, a court noble who was a descendant of the aristocratic Fujiwara clan. However, both mother and child were forced to leave the court to the countryside where Ikkyu went to stay at a local Zen temple at the tender age of five to begin his study. His mother also took up Zen practice seriously.

We would have no idea how dedicated and successful Lady Tsubone was in her Zen training if we had not found the following piece of writing. It was her last testament to Ikkyu in the form of a letter. To the uninitiated, the letter may sound like what is popular known today as "tough love." In fact, those people are right. Zen "love" is almost always tough love, as exemplified in an apparently stern relationship between the Zen master and his/her disciples. The letter reads:

"... To Ikkyu:

I have finished my work in this life and am now returning into Eternity. I wish you to become a good student and to realize your Buddha-nature. You will know if I am in hell or whether I am always with you or not.

If you become a man who realizes that the Buddha and his follower Bodhidharma are your own servants, you may leave off studying and work for humanity. The Buddha preached for 49 years and in all that time found it not necessary to speak one word. You ought to know why. But if you don't and yet wish to, avoid thinking fruitlessly.

Your Mother,

Not born, not dead

First day of the 9th month

P.S. The teaching of Buddha was mainly for the purpose of enlightening others. If you are dependent on any of its methods, you are naught but an ignorant insect. There are 80,000 books on Buddhism and if you should read all of them and still not see your own nature, you will not understand even this letter. This is my will and testament..."

(Source: http://www.ashidakim.com)

Understanding Ikkyu's mother's last words

Even with absolutely no prior Zen training at all, one is already moved by the way a mother took the trouble to leave her caring, final words to her young son in order to make sure he grows up to be a decent man, achieve Enlightenment and serve others.

If, like the author, the readers also identify with Ikkyu as someone who was first introduced to Buddhist mindfulness practice by one's own mother since childhood, this letter would certainly take on a much deeper meaning.

Recognized for its profound Zen message, the letter was included in a Zen Koan collection. A Koan is a question, dialogue, or statement generally containing aspects that seems to be beyond rationality yet could be understood via intuition derived from Buddhist mental development.

Let us attempt to understand the meaning behind Lady Tsubone's last words together in a Zen-style question and answer.

What does "returning to Eternity" means?

It is the return to "nothingness," that is, to return to nature, to be one with nature. Being one with nature means there is no "self" which indicates the state of Enlightenment.

Why comparing Lord Buddha to servants?

The sentence likely refers to the stage when one practices Zen/mindfulness enough to realize that all human beings are but the same continuing process of nama and rupa interaction, with nama being the psychological elements and rupa being the physical elements. Lord Buddha once said that the level of metta, loving-kindness, he had towards his son Rahul and his arch enemy Devadatta are the same, meaning Lord Buddha saw both as beings that equally strive to be free from suffering.

Why saying Lord Buddha found it not necessary to speak one word?

Zen teaching believes that a dhamma transmission does not have to be verbal. Zen usually refers to the story of Lord Buddha lifting up one flower without saying a word (as a way to teach dhamma). Phra Maha Kassapa, considered the first Zen Patriarch, was the only one who understood as he smiled to that gesture. With that, the first Zen transmission was complete.

Why one should avoid "thinking fruitlessly"?

Thinking is one of the five enemies that prevent one to attain the continuous concentration required to develop the highest level of wisdom in Buddhism, Bhavanamayapanna.

What is "not born, not dead"?

According to Bodhidharma, the Indian monk who went to China and made Zen popular, this indicates the state of Nirvana.

What does "dependent on its methods" mean?

Zen strips all practice methods as prescribed in the scripture to its core, zeroing in only on the state of being totally aware in the present moment.

Historical records did not indicate whether Ikkyu was actually "terrified" by his mother's last words, but history did record how successful Ikkyu later became in life. By not wanting to disappoint his strict mother (who, in her dying breath, sounded absolutely Zen-like in her wish for her son's spiritual development), Ikkyu went on to impose an even stricter discipline on his own Zen practice.

While some people considered Ikkyu to be an eccentric monk towards the later part of his life, nobody disputed his satori, Enlightenment. He left quite a legacy, both in a written form and otherwise.

The ever-impermanent world calls for immediate action. Consequently, do not make your mother wait until her last moments before she could be assured that you will be doing fine because you have finally become spiritually mature. There is nothing a mother wants more than knowing that her child will be taken care of properly after she was gone. Get immediate mindfulness training in a retreat now before it is too late. Think of it as the most valuable gift you can give to your mother. It is special because only you can give it to her. No one else could.

P.S. I love you, mom!

Forgiving the Unforgiven

bird, like flying in the air by

Ireallyamkevin

It is undeniable that we humans have a deep yearning for peace. Yet, in this contemporary world, one does not seem to be able to get away from hatred and anger at all.

Simply turn on prime time news and hatred and anger would be staring at us in the face, be it from a national or global story. It is as if we are condemned to a life sentence in a maximum-security jail full of hatred and anger with no chance for parole.

The keyword here is "as if."

Today the author would like to share with you, dear readers, three Zen stories that could perhaps enlighten us on the topic of forgiveness.

Forgiveness may be one of the most difficult acts of giving, but it is worth every effort to try. This is because, to continue on the prison-term analogy, we are but the prisoners of our own minds.

If and only if we can forgive and let go of our anger and resentments, then and only then, will our life prison term would be lifted. Finally, we will be free.

The Tao story of potatoes

The first story is from "The Tao of Forgiveness" by Derek Lim. Tao? Yes. Some scholars believe that Tao did influence Zen during the latter's formative years in China. Practitioners, however, came to realize that Tao is Zen and vice versa. Anyway, here is the story.

Once there was a sage who asked his disciples to carve out names of the people they cannot forgive on potatoes, one potato for each name. Then, the disciples were asked to put all their potatoes in a sack and carry it with them at all times for one week.

The longer time went by, the heavier the potatoes seemed to have become. To make the matter worse, those carved potatoes also started to rot and smells bad. It was such an unpleasant experience for the disciples.

At the end of the week, the master asked,

"So, what did you learn?"

At once they disciples told the master that they now realized that holding on to grudges only brought negative things to them. Asked how they should go about correcting it, the youngsters said they should strive their best to forgive everyone that used to cross them and made them angry.

The master then asked,

"What if someone crosses you again after you unload this present load of potatoes?"

The disciples suddenly felt terrified at the thought of having to start all over again with new potatoes, week after week.

"What can Tao do if there are still other people crossing us? We cannot control what other people do to us!"

At which point the master replied,

"We haven't even reached the Tao's realm yet. So far we only discussed the conventional way to approach forgiveness, that is, to strive to forgive. Striving is difficult. In Tao, there is no striving."

Seeing the disciples completely at a loss then, the master further suggested,

"If the negative feelings are the potatoes, what is the sack?"

The disciples finally grasped it,

"Ahh the sack is something that allows me to hold on to the negativity. It is my inflated sense of self-importance!"

And that was the lesson of this story. Once we learn how to let go of the sack, whatever people say or do against us would no longer matter. The Tao of forgiveness is the conscious decision to get rid of the sack/self altogether, not just the potatoes/negative feelings.

Derek Lin concluded that, by recognizing that in fact there is no "self"' to be hurt, we could bypass the frustration arising from our constant striving to forgive others. This is because we were not angry with them to begin with!

With the understanding of Tao/Zen, life suddenly becomes effortless, elegant, and natural. Get rid of the sack, and there will be no more rotten potatoes. Want to be able to get rid of your sack? Go to a retreat!

What Clinton learned from Mandela on forgiveness

The second story is a story told by Bill Clinton on what he learned from Nelson Mandela on forgiveness. In one meeting of the two men, Clinton asked,

"I wonder what you must have felt towards your jailers when you were walking out of that prison after those 27 years. Weren't you angry at them?"

"Yes, I was angry. And I was a little afraid," answered Mandela. "After all, I've not been free in so long."

"But," he added, "when I felt that anger welling up inside me, I realized that if I continue to hate them after I got outside that gate, then they would still have me."

With a smile, Mandela concluded,

"I wanted to be free, so I let it go."

Very Zen-like, Mr Mandela!

Learning from a prisoner who practiced Zen

Mandela is not the only jailbird that knew the secret of forgiveness. The following is a story of a prisoner in Branchville Correctional Facility, Indiana, USA.

The man, known by his ordained name as brother Ananda Abhaya Karuna (he took ordination precepts as an inmate), found himself being able to forgive and achieve so much more in life through the practice of Zen Buddhism, most notably through Zen meditation.

Being a long-term prisoner, he said he has come to know anger intimately. The prisoners, according to brother Ananda, are conditioned to see themselves as unforgiven. In this frame of mind anger arises and there is a notion that forgiving others is a weakness. Society does not forgive, they reasoned. Why should they?

One lesson that brother Ananda realized is that resentment is always about the past, but it takes place in the present. It also intensifies over time every time we relive that experience in our mind. To deal effectively with the anger present in the here and now about things and people that existed there and then, brother Ananda said we must examine and challenge the usual pattern of how our thoughts create anger in our mind.

Once realizing that we are merely punishing ourselves by continuing to fight imaginary enemies (thoughts of past events) in our mind, we would come to realize that the cause of such punishment is simply because we refused to forgive.

Like Mandela, brother Ananda discovered that when a prisoner does not let go of resentments and anger through the act of forgiveness, the prisoner becomes his own keeper. That, according to brother Ananda, is certainly one way of defining hell.

Liberate yourself from your personal captivity

Are you harbouring grudges over something or someone? Do you know anyone who does? Tell them it is time they free themselves from this unnecessary, self-created suffering. Learn to forgive those that you felt that you could never or should never be forgiven.

How about starting with forgiving yourself? In light of Tao's potatoes story, it would be like killing two birds with one stone. By forgiving yourself, you begin to let go a little bit of that "self" that is known as the sack. Eventually, with all the sack gone, nobody can "put potatoes in" or irritate and hurt you anymore.

Your freedom, in fact, is just a breath away.

Fly, baby, fly!

Remember, it always takes great courage to fly to freedom.

Until next week, let us stay mindful and forgiving!

On Zen and Sense

Sakura by JapanEyes529

Q: "...Why Zen Sense?..."

(Anonymous reader)

We will begin this week's installment with a very Zen-like question. One that is simple yet profound: why the title of this column is the way it is.

To tell you the truth, it certainly was not the first title that came to the author's mind. But, after much contemplation, the title seems to appear by itself. And since there could also be other readers that are similarly curious, let us address this fundamental yet critical question together, shall we?

As befits a philosophical inquiry, let us begin with a few assumptions. The first assumption is that the full question probably reads, "Why Zen in the land known for its strength in Theravada wisdom?" The second assumption is a bit more general, "What do you mean by Zen Sense?"

HH the Dalai Lama on Theravada wisdom

The first assumption brings to mind a private audience with HH the Dalai Lama while the author was doing research in Japan two autumns ago.

The very first words from HH the Dalai Lama were a half-exclamation. Upon learning what the author was doing in Japan, HH put his hands together (in the wai form) and lifted them high over his head in a sign of great reverence, saying, "Thailand has the highest tradition of Buddhism!"

Being nervous, the author thought at first that HH the Dalai Lama meant to say, "(But) Thailand (already) has the highest tradition of Buddhism. (So, what are you doing here in Japan?)"

Upon calming down, the author realised that it was HH the Dalai Lama's nature to always make his audience feel promptly at peace since most always become speechless by his aura and tend to forget their own lines. One technique HH often uses, once learning where the visitor is from or which group the visitor belongs to, is to immediately say something that honours the visitor's background and at the same time shows his humbleness.

Still stunned by the way HH honoured Thai Theravada Buddhism, the author managed to stammer in a merely audible voice that in fact the main focus of the author's research was mindfulness. To be precise, the author was comparing Theravada's Vipassana meditation to that of Zen's and discovered with delight that they are essentially the same!

To that, HH the Dalai Lama looked deeply into the author's eyes and smiled his compassionate, knowing smile.

So, there it is, the answer to our opening question in the sense of why we are talking Zen here in the land of Theravada. Mindfulness is the same training whether practiced in Thailand, Japan, Tibet, or anywhere for that matter. Teachers or school traditions may have their own style of passing on this gem of a lesson. However, the goals, the practice, and the short-term and long-term rewards are essentially the same.

Zen as a way of life

Now, let us get back to the reasoning behind the column title. As opposed to the word Dhamma which connotes a complete spiritual liberation, the word Zen gives the vibes of a "work in progress." In other words, Zen or mindfulness practice focuses more on the process rather than on the result.

This connotation goes well with the primary objective the author has in mind for the column - to familiarise the readers with the various ways we could readily add mindfulness into our daily life so that we will benefit from it.

Another subtler implication refers to the fact that the author is also a "work-in-progress", someone who still makes mistakes. Zen realises this human imperfection and thus the need for continued practice to return our mind back to its true, pure essence.

The connotation of Zen that is perhaps best-known by all is on Zen as a way of life. Japanese arts and culture present us with vivid examples. Ikebana flower arrangement, Noh theatre, calligraphy, martial arts, Haiku poetry, painting, the tea ceremony, architecture and landscape, these are just a few. What these all have in common is the spirit of "non-judgmental, intentional awareness, in the here and now", which is the heart of Zen or mindfulness practice.

Why Zen is about senses

Even without its deep association with something that titillates our senses such as arts and culture, Zen is still all about the senses. Stripped to the bare, the practice of mindfulness asks us to be hyper-aware of what comes into contact with all our sensorial perception, namely what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch and feel with our mind. One thing at a time, naturally.

The idea is that our mind can perceive clearly just one thing at a time. It is true that many people are prepared to swear that they were born with an ability to multi-task. But if they could see how their mind perceives in the speed of nano-seconds, they would also have to agree that their mind can only do one thing at a time.

This is where a full-scale meditation retreat comes into picture. For those seriously interested in understanding how your body and mind works, a mindfulness retreat experience would allow you to capture that split-second time frame of your life and make a wisdom out of it. Here is the point where mindfulness would deliver a satisfying end result - the true understanding of Dhamma without having to be told by others or without the need to rationalize.

Another pleasant incentive is that secure feeling of knowing that Dhamma could be cultivated in one's own mind "on-demand" - whenever one is mindful enough to "call the shots" in our daily living.

How long would we remain a "work in progress"?

Naturally, we humans need incentives before we put our efforts into something. In this regard, Zen provides real inspiration. The venerable Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, the revered late monk, recognised Zen's strength in bringing an individual to a "sudden realisation." It is up to us, really, to take that first step and try.

The more you are eager to get real results out of mindfulness, the harder you have to try to make time for your first retreat. This is because, to have a chance for that Zen-style "sudden realisation", the late Buddhahasa pointed out that you need to be in a company of a good teacher, someone that could pull all the right triggers in you.

Or, shall we say, you need someone to help instill Zen properly in all your senses?

The Awakening Ballad

Rain of Roof II originally uploaded by Jeff Epp

The rainy season has arrived here in earnest. And what could be more delightful than listening to the sound of tiny raindrops drizzling gently onto different surfaces? This time, there is an added incentive - mini-enlightenment!

As a result of contemporary, urbanised lifestyle, it is regrettable that many of us regard rain as a nuisance, an unwelcome guest arriving at the most inconvenient hours.

The truth is, life unfolds the way we choose to live it. The very same rain ballad can mean a inspiration and refreshing tonic to some, a frustration and let-down to others.

How would you choose to look at it?

The Japanese have a monumental gallery of words for rain-related expressions, not to mention countless nature-imitating sounds to describe the different sounds of the rain and raindrops. Potsu-potsu, shito-shito, poro-poro and (quite similar to Thai) su, tsu, sa, saa, and zaa are but a few.

The pleasure goes beyond nature-imitating sounds. The expression "spring rain (rain in one fine spring day)," for example, carries with it a romantic connotation to Japanese ears. One could almost visualise a scene from a lovey-dovey music video. Thai expressions for rain are probably less romantic, given the fact that we live in the monsoon-ridden tropics. "Rain to shoo away the elephants (fon lai chang)," anyone?

The underlying implication is that the ancient Japanese must have been extraordinarily mindful to be able to differentiate the sounds of rain. At present, paying attention to the different sounds of raindrops has a scientific twist. Scientists now believe that "white noise" has therapeutic benefits for ADHD sufferers and/or those who suffer from insomnia. Commercially-produced white noise CDs usually feature, among others, different sounds of rain and raindrops.

In fact, even without science, our intuition already told us that this must have been the case. Who does not remember lying down in bed during childhood listening to the sound of gentle raindrops on the roof and feel at peace with oneself before drifting off happily?"

Children are among those fortunate few that can listen attentively, non-judgmentally - an important element of mindfulness practice. In Buddhism, there are many teachings relating to the benefits of mindful listening. "Those who listen well will acquire wisdom," is one. Another teaching points out that, to be a valued friend, one should possess the ability to listen objectively without letting emotions or bias take over.

Zen Buddhism gives us plenty of real-life examples of the importance of mindful listening. The Rinzai sect, for example, favours the use of koan - a type of question to trigger the listener's Enlightenment. Those questions usually sound beyond rationality yet making perfect sense to those who have meditated enough.

Want to try one? How about, "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" Ok, now meditate hard on it. After all, this is a real koan from the 17th century that actually enlightened someone!

Is this real? Had anyone, beside those in Lord Buddha's time, actually got Enlightened by an aural trigger, verbal or otherwise?

The answer is yes. Among others, Ikkyu the Zen monk got Enlightened by the sound of a crow one early morning while meditating on a boat on Lake Biwa.

Yes, humans can achieve Enlightenment from a sound from nature. Whether 15th century Japan or 21st century Thailand. Nature remains nature and so do humans. Our sensorial perception does not change with time. Let us make full use of it!

If you feel the idea of Enlightenment is so far-flung for a layperson, you are not the only one. But don't feel disheartened just yet. The truth is, there are many levels of Enlightenment we can aim for, at least in the beginning. The Japanese have a word for it: kizuku, "awareness". It is known among Zen practitioners since the old days as "small enlightenment." In the simplest sense, kizuku is one's ability to be aware of what goes on with our body and mind. It is when someone becomes mindful naturally.

Which brings us right back to the middle of the rainy season here in Thailand. Why don't we turn our perceived crisis of endless downpours at the most inconvenient hours into an awakening opportunity? Next time, when you are stuck somewhere, either in very, very bad traffic, in shade upcountry, or in a golf course's clubhouse waiting for the rain to stop, try opening your ears, and thus your mind, to welcome each droplet with peace. Practice mindful listening. Simply listen without evaluating, criticising or complaining.

The trick is to allow yourself to immerse in this simple activity for a continuous period of time. Do nothing else, just listen. Pay attention to how different the rain sounds when it falls on different surfaces. Listen to how hard, or how gentle, it is raining at that moment. Notice how each sound of the raindrop simply comes and goes. No sound lasts forever. Perk your ears to catch the changing pattern of the rain as it happens. You will be amazed how much you can learn from this simple, mindful listening experience. If there are any other sounds of nature rising during that period: thunder, birds chirping, a frog croaking, crickets singing, etc, note it, too.

The real learning is not going to be about the rain itself, but it is about you! The first thing you may become aware of is how restless your mind is! Streams of thoughts or feelings simply refuse to go away. Do not force them. Just be aware of those thoughts as they come, accept them (that this thing does happen), and let go. Then, go back to pay attention to the rain attentively. Be persistent. Don't give up.

Once you have mastered this exercise, you will notice a change in yourself, most notably when you have to engage in a conversation. You will realise that most of the time in the past, you were not really listening to what others want to say. You were listening to your own thoughts!

In other words, you are likely to talk to yourself or plan a reply (or retort) all the time while your partner is still talking! Mindful listening to the rain would not only let you know how to relax while listening to anything yet remain suitably focussed, but also how to listen without judgement.

This, in turn, would help you really understand your conversation partner's feeling and the key message he/she wants to convey. Sympathy and compassion will naturally follow. By listening to the rain mindfully, you will discover a natural way to cultivate positive mental quality in your heart. It is dhamma in its purest form - from nature, to nature.

Given this month's weather trend, it is probably raining now outside. It is your chance to get Enlightened! Don't wait, act now.

Until next week, let us stay mindful.

Calm Amid Chaos

As appeared in Bangkok Post Real.Time, September 5th, 2008

Chaotic Living

Even without extra chaos brought to us now and then by the wind of political nature, we human beings already find ourselves in one type of chaos or another.

Whether we are a homemaker, a billion-dollar dealmaker, or a combination of both, every single day of our life brings with it an undeniable possibility that we might run into something chaotic.

Not a New Phenomenon

It is easy to be mistaken that our daily chaos is the result of hectic, contemporary lifestyle of people belonging to post-modern society. But if we carefully examine people’s life throughout history, we will find that things are not that much different between a 21^st-century businessman and a 17^th century busy samurai. Yes, samurai.

One does not need to be a history buff to come across the legends of Japan’s feudal warriors. Until today, they are still being immortalized by countless films, books, TV series, manga comics, anime, games, re-enactment, martial arts, you name it.

The Samurai’s True Appeal

But the most interesting point is the samurai’s true appeal. For what truly made those feudal heroes stand out was not their martial prowess itself, but their ability to remain calm, cool and collected in any given situation.

In other words, these feudal warriors knew a thing or two about how to remain calm amidst chaos.

Let us step back in time, then, to see what we can learn from the samurai.

To Overcome Suffering, the Samurai Adopted Zen

Amidst the constant skirmishes that came with the first establishment of a shogunate in the 12^th century, it is not difficult to imagine the samurai’s plight. It is precisely because of this reason that the warrior elites began to adopt Zen. The warrior needed something to help make their physical and mental suffering bearable.

And it must have worked, for in subsequent periods, Zen has spread from the power elites to warriors in general, eventually made its way to the public.

Zen is all about mind-training. Zen master D.T. Suzuki once said that when the unconscious is tapped, it rises above individual limitations. Suzuki called these powers superhuman and recognized that it work wonders.

The Mindful Samurai Found Wisdom

The core of Zen is mindfulness practice. Mindfulness is the practice whereby one is intentionally aware of what one perceives through the six perceiving organs (the mind being the sixth) in the present moment, non-judgmentally. And if the mind happens to concoct up thoughts or emotions upon that perceiving moment as it usually does, one simply takes note of it and let go.

Mindfulness is applied to both bodily actions and the mind's own thoughts and feelings. In Buddhism, mindfulness is prerequisite to insight and wisdom. Achieving this wisdom is a transforming experience, propelling one to lead a purpose-driven life.

Through their continuing effort of practicing mindfulness in every waking moment, the feudal samurai have grasped the true nature of things and become liberated. It is this very liberation that gave them peace of mind at all time, even in the face of death, let alone daily chaos.

Learning from the Peacetime Samurai

Contrary to conventional wisdom, samurai is not all about fighting. Take the Tokugawa Period (1600-1868), for example. It was the period when Japan first united as a country for the first time and was enjoying an unprecedented peace.

Basically, the samurai have basically become civil servants, educators and social builders in general. Arguably, their experience should be most applicable to us non-warriors. What can we learn from them, then?

Pick a Favorite Activity, then Apply Mindfulness

In a manual to train young samurai during the Tokugawa Period, Budo Shoshinshu, the author Daidoji Yuzan offered two types of advice. The first is to be mindful in everything one thinks, says and does.

But Yuzan must have realized that this is easier to say than to do. Because he included a second, complementary suggestion—engage your body and mind at all time with activities that are conducive to mindfulness cultivation.

His choice of activities range from the typical warrior’s pastime—martial arts--, to a more culturally refined ones: tea ceremony and calligraphy.

The author's samurai sword sensei, Fukushima Sensei, practicing Zen meditation with samurai sword in a park. Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post.

So, go ahead, pick your own favorite pastime and apply constant mindfulness to it. One you get the hang of it, you can move on to a more challenging task of applying mindfulness into every chore you have to do. The first surprise you might find is that, with mindfulness, suddenly what you normally dread or find it boring does not seem to be so bad.

Be a Samurai At All Time

The most challenging goal of it all is to do like Yuzan suggested, applying mindfulness in everything you think, say and do. It may feel daunting at first. But, like they say, a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, doesn’t it?

Besides, the reward is very tempting. By being constantly on guard of your body and mind, you are on your way to be one of those legendary samurai. Come rain or shine, or even chaos, for that matter, your mind will be calm. With that extraordinarily composure, anything is possible, going down in history included.