Birth-Day, Death-Day, & Everything-Inbetween-Days

Today yet another birthday comes, which also means another year gone. One year further away from my birth and one year nearer my death has passed. And, in-between these two bookends of life, innumerable days of dukkha, or stress. Not that it's been a particularly troublesome existence, you understand - there have been plenty of highs along with the lows (and the in-betweens). But, through it all, there has been this gnawing fact that life is somehow inherently unsatisfactory, which is another translation of the Buddhist term dukkha. The fact is, that as a human being, I am born to suffer; until I die that is. Life's a bitch, and then you die, goes the somewhat cynical saying. 

The Buddha's teaching on dukkha is not an inherently negative view of the world, however, merely a realistic one. Most babies come into this life screaming, and many people go out of it in a similar way. Existence can be confusing, scary, painful, and wearisome. The good times can seem awfully fleeting, and what do we have to look forward to? Death! If we reflect on this, it may come to us that given this knowledge, we may as well make the most of what little time we have, and there is much to be said for this attitude. One problem is the perception that we need to doing an incredible things to lift us out of the mire of dukkha, whether it be being a movie star, a noble prize winning scientist, or a living saint. Unfortunately, such an existence is out of reach for most of us. We are stuck in our unsatisfying lives.

This, however, turns out to be not such a bad thing. For, we've all heard or read of filthy rich people committing suicide, or celebrities visiting addiction clinics. Living the dream isn't necessarily all it's cracked up to be. Having an ordinary lifestyle can actually turn out to be a saving grace, allowing us the chance to reflect on life and develop some insight into it. This means that dukkha itself becomes the focus for contemplation, leading us to insight into the way-things-are (the Dharma), which turns out to be the real way out of our stressful lives. So, while pop stars, politicians and millionaire business types wallow in the extraordinary suffering of their extraordinary lives, we can use our quieter, less distracting situations to awaken to true happiness.

Bearing in mind the day that this body & these thoughts will pass away is not a morbid thing to do, but a wise one. Accepting the mortality of this person can be a motivating factor to discover what's important, and how to achieve it. In the Buddha's teaching it is happiness or contentment that is considered of prime importance in our lives. Not just for the individual, but for all people and creatures. The ultimate happiness is the absence of suffering, a state that is known by many names, some of the most well known being enlightenment / awakening (bodhi), 'blowing-out' (nirvana), extinction (nirodha), the deathless (amata), and the unconditioned (asankhata). Some of these might appear negative, but it's worth noting that happiness (such) is another synonym for this realization.

Unless we are monks or nuns, earning enough money to live by is an important occupation in life, and avoidance of this aspect of living can cause much suffering in the long run. However, thinking that fame & fortune are the most important factors in leading a happy existence would seem negated by the above references to the stress experienced by the rich & famous. The must be another way to lasting happiness, and this is the path (marga) that leads to awakening (bodhi). This path involves eight factors which cover correct understanding, correct intention, correct speech, correct action, correct livelihood, correct effort, correct mindfulness, and correct concentration. They are 'correct' in that they lead to enlightenment. Walking this path is the Buddhist 'holy life,' and its fulfillment is true, lasting happiness.

So, on a birthday such as this, a wise thing to do is resolving to continue walking this path & realizing its many fruits, the pinnacle of which is nirvana...before death-day arrives.
May all beings be happy!

Buddhism & Stress

Having one of those days? The Buddha can help.

Stress is a big problem these days. Stress-related illnesses are common ailments in the twenty-first century. Modern life seems geared towards creating stress in us, whether it's at home, at work, at school, or at the supermarket. We are stressed out with the pressures put on us by our parents, partners, children, work colleagues, neighbors, and just about everyone else. We don't have to meet those that bother us, either: politicians, business moguls, and celebrities can cause irritation to us. And it's not limited to human beings, either. Animals such as pets or strays can make us stressed. Even the weather can get us down, raining when we want the sun, dry when we want the rain, etc. 

A particularly stressful day might include an argument with a partner, discipline issues with the children, and the dog hassling to be taken for a walk. And that's before even leaving the house! This is followed driving the kids to school and being late for work due to the daily traffic jams. At work, the boss is extra demanding and a disagreement with a colleague causes friction. Upon returning home through a rain storm, there's nearly an accident, and clothes get drenched in the process. Finally at home, a burnt supper lies slaughtered on a plate, not exactly the reward one might expect after such a day. The evening news presents story after story of crooked politicians & petulant celebrities. At last in bed, exhausted, insomnia strikes - the final nail in a coffin of stress!

Some things we can improve in our lives through positive action, reducing stress in the process. We can relate better to those around us, spending more time with our loved ones and listening to their concerns, responding in appropriate ways that lessen stress for all concerned. We can perform to the best of our ability at work, being conscientious workers, minimizing the possibility of conflict with work colleagues. We can go to bed early and get up early so that we not only get enough sleep, but also have enough time to get the following day off to a good start. We can be more selective with what we watch on TV, and when we watch it, so that potentially stressful programs don't affect us so much. These are general steps we can take to improve our lot in life and reduce stress; but, there some things we can't change, like other peoples' behavior, the weather, and the stock market! 

This is where Buddhism comes in. Buddhism contains many teachings & techniques that can lead to a reduction in stress. Indeed, the ultimate goal of the Buddhist life, nirvana, is described as the complete absence of any kind of stress. To achieve enlightenment isn't immediately achievable for all of us, however - when was the last time you met someone you thought was a living buddha? - but nevertheless, Buddhism can help us to significantly reduce our stress levels if we learn a few of its basic teachings and techniques. The core teachings of the Buddha are called the four noble truths (ariya-atthangika-magga), and are as follows: 

1. Life is stressful (dukkha, often translated as 'suffering,')
2. The cause of stress is craving (tanha, often 'desire.')
3. To end (nirodha) craving is to end stress.
4. There is a path (magga) to end suffering.

From these truths (which are called 'noble' because they lead to nirvana, or enlightenment) can help us to understand stress better. They don't refer to specific types of stress, nor to medical conditions that cause acute forms of stress - for the latter, please refer to a qualified medical doctor. But, for the majority of us suffering from your run-of-the-mill stress that permeates life, Buddhist teachings can be of profound help. (And, in conjunction with medical assistance, they can be of use to those of us with clinically-diagnosed stress, too.) In essence, they can be summed up in the following statement by the Buddha: "I teach stress and the ending of stress." The latter is achieved through first recognizing the existence of stress, understanding its causes, and letting go of them, thereby letting go of stress itself. And there are a number of ways to do this.

One simple exercise, traditionally ascribed to the Buddha, is called mindfulness-of-breathing. It is normally practiced sat cross-legged, but can be done sat on a chair, as long as we re sitting in an alert posture. With eyes closed, focus attention on the breath as it touches the nostrils, watching it go in, and then come out of the nose. To begin with, this can be very difficult as the mind will wander away into its own reveries. It's important to return attention to the breath as soon as this is noticed. A helpful method is to count the breaths from one to ten, starting again each time the mind drifts or ten is reached. Mindfulness-of-breathing can be done for ten to fifteen minutes, ideally twice per day. But, even once a day will be of benefit, calming as well as focusing the mind. This will not only reduce stress when meditating on the breath, but will seep into the rest of one's day, making one more resistant to stress.

Having practiced mindfulness-of-breathing for some time, it will be able to establish the mind in a calm and focused state easily. This will enable one to go to the next stage of the practice: looking at and analyzing stress. When calmer, the ind will not so easily get stressed, but underlying causes of stress will be there, and stressful states will still occur, if less often than before. When they do, a calm & focused mind will be able to look closely at particular forms of stress and their causes. When their causes are clearly seen, which will be certain types of craving, then the latter can be let go of, leaving no causes for the further arising of those kinds of stress. There are many other techniques we can use to the same end, some of which are described in other articles in this blog. Please use the search facility to the right of this page to explore for more.

An example of this is realizing that a specific form of stress is caused by the desire for someone to be different to the way they are. Fighting with those aspects of reality that we cannot change will lead to stress, but seeing that a person we cannot avoid causes stress, and that we cannot change them, can be the cause of stress reduction, if we let go of the desire for them to be different. Reflecting, "So-and-so is the way they are, and that's not going to change," can lead to letting go of the craving for them to be other than they are. With this acceptance comes a lessoning of stress. This technique can be applied to many causes of stress that we experience, reducing the suffering that we are normally victims of due to our ignorance. By looking into the nature & causes of our stress we are developing wisdom, the cure for ignorance. Buddhist enlightenment is taking this process to the very core of all our ignorance & suffering - but that's not within the scope of this particular article! For now, let's leave it here. A little daily meditation & reflection can do wonders for our stress levels.

Thai Buddhism: A Land of Smiles

In Thailand, it pays to smile!

Thailand is rightly known as the Land of Smiles (เมอืงยิ้ม / 'meuang-yim' in Thai). Everywhere you go in the country, you will be greeted by smiles. Often in the most difficult of situations, smiles will be seen. Why? Well, to smile in adversity is considered a virtue in Thai culture, and it is also considered polite, whereas a grimace or frown is usually taken as impolite. Moreover, a smile can hide a multitude of sins; guilt, embarrassment, unease, dislike and even anger. It communicates warmth & friendliness, visual signals that make people feel at ease, and feeling at ease (สบาย/ 'sabai' in Thai) is a quality that Thais consider most important.

Of course, not everyone smiles all the time in Thailand; that would be insane! When upset a Thai can cry or display other behavior that reveals their feelings. And, as Thailand modernizes, its traditions are coming under continual strain, and the age-old customs of politeness and smiling are being worn away. Nevertheless, even amongst the more modern set in Thai society, smiles are much more abundant than found in many other countries. And its effects are immediate; when we smile with each other we feel more relaxed and happy. Smiling isn't just a result of being happy; smiling can inspire a happier state of mind as well. 

Again, as indicated above, not all smiles in Thailand are genuine in the sense that a person smiling really feels happy or actually likes the person they are smiling to. A Thai can sweetly smile to you while inside they might be thinking something like, "What a jerk!" Seeing the behavior of a lot of foreigners in Thailand, it would seem that this reaction is probably widespread! An incident from many years ago comes to mind. In a fast-food restaurant in Bangkok, a western man and his small children had been waiting quite some time for their takeaway meal. Too much time for the westerner's liking, so he promptly started to berate the staff, who reacted by standing silently staring at him with wide grins on their faces. Probably misunderstanding their smiles as smirks, he shouted even louder at them until his food finally arrived and he stormed out, children in tow. 

The above story illustrates the cultural importance of smiling in Thailand. The staff were not smiling at the foreigner, as though laughing at him, but were smiling to him, in the hope of placating him and quietening him down. It didn't work, as the westerner no doubt thought the smiles were completely inappropriate in that situation. For Thais, however, a smile from someone not performing to their expectations will normally calm them down, at least for a while. This goes to show that wise usage of the smile is culturally-dependent, and this should be understood so's not to create unnecessary antagonism. This withstanding, non-Thais can learn from the Thais' implementation of smiling. And this is related to Buddhist practice too, as it is in the spirit of Buddhism to act in friendly, non-aggressive ways to others, and smiling can assist in this. (It's worth noting that many eastern peoples that use the smile in the same way as the Thais, such as Cambodians, Laotians, and Burmese, etc. are also predominately Buddhist.)

Now, walking around with a permanent grin on one's face is likely to get one locked up, or at the very least, one will find threes giving one a wide birth when in public. The smile should be primarily used when actually in contact with others (animals included). It's interesting to experiment with smiling and see if people respond differently; this author has found that they do. And, when smiling is combined with qualities traditionally lauded in Buddhism, such as calmness, friendliness, helpfulness, gentleness etc., it creates a very positive atmosphere not only for the recipients of the smile, but also for the smiler. Why not try it? Start by smiling more in specific situations, such as at home or at work, and see how people respond to you. Depending on your particular circumstances, you will need to adjust when & how much you smile, but the results will surely be positive…overall. Smile away, and create a land of smiles in your own life!

Thai Buddhism: Saving Face & No-Face

What's she pointing at? Do you see?

Saving face is a big thing in Thailand. The wrong look, word or gesture can give instant insult to a person without any intent on the part of the offender. Moreover, if you are a foreigner with limited knowledge of Thai customs - and that's just about every foreigner - it's often impossible to know that you have offended someone, as they won't tell you to your face, as that would be considered losing face, too! Being too honest with others is a real no-no in many situations, with lying much-preferred to inconvenient truths. (And this despite the fourth precept of Buddhism being not to tell untruths!) Thai will people go to extraordinary lengths to save face, lying about their background, their financial situation, their work, their family, etc. so that they look good. To challenge any of this is to incur a loss of face, which is a taboo that most Thais are extremely reluctant to break.

Saving face isn't just done to make oneself look good, however, as the Thais are largely a group-orientated people, as are many Asian peoples. From this perspective, if someone looks good, this reflects well on their family, their employers, their neighborhood, their community, and their nation. To make someone lose face can insult not only that person individually, but also any or all of the groups mentioned above. This group-identity has many positive aspects to it, of course, as it motivates Thais to work for the common good of their families, communities & nation. On the downside, if someone makes a mistake or does something considered wrong, this will reflect on this same groups, leading to much condemnation from others within such groups - sometimes to the person's face, often behind their back.

Of course, saving face is not unique to Thailand, and people all over the world will say & do things to make themselves and their associated groups look good. To insult someone or their family is taboo in most if not all societies, and some people will go to great lengths to gain honor, independent of the cultures hay were born to. In Thailand, however, foreigners that live in the country for any decent length of time are struck by the all-pervasive obsession with face-saving amongst the Thai people. And this despite Thai culture & psychology being imbued with Buddhism for many hundreds of years. Buddhism, it should be noted, does not encourage face-saving activities, and in the scriptures accepted by Thai Buddhists, whilst the Buddha often encourages his audience to be truthful, he never teaches that they should save face.

If we take the term 'saving face' literally, and it is interesting to note that many languages share this way of putting it, including in Thai where the terms กู้หนา้ ('goo-nah') & รักษาหนา้ ('raksah-nah') can both be translated as meaning to 'save face.' It does appear to be a common human experience that retaining honor or not being insulted are related to one's face. It's also interesting to note that people are not born with a sense of having a face, and do not usually recognize their own face in a mirror until they are at least eighteen months old. This has been corroborated in scientific studies, as has been the discovery that most animals do not appear to recognize themselves in mirrors. To date, only the great apes, bottlenose dolphins, orcas, elephants & (interestingly) European magpies have passed the so-called mirror test. 

This is related to self-awareness, the ability to view oneself as separate to what one actually experiences one to be where one is. Returning to the visual sense, we never actually see our own faces where we are, first-person. The eyes are pointed outwards and cannot turn around and view the face of which they are part. Being able to recognize the face in the mirror as one's own is indicative of a sense of separate self here, distinct from all the other people and animals that we encounter. Acute self-awareness results in the desire to be seen in a good light in the eyes of others. We want others to think good of us, to respect us, and to posses the self-esteem that comes from this. This is 'saving-face,' and it is called such as it is wrapped up in our actual face. Having a big face is problematic, however, for it breeds competition where there is limited opportunities for people to save face. This results in face-to-face confrontations, where my saving face is, at least to some degree, at the expense of you saving yours. We are in a face-off situation.

In Zen Buddhism, there is a famous saying which goes something like, "What was your original face before you were born?" Originally ascribed to an ancient Zen master called Huineng (638-713), the saying is one of hundreds used by subsequent Zen teachers to awaken their students to the truth of Zen. It is one of the most potent, and it's strength surely lies in its reference to the 'original face,' the discovery of which is considered one's entry into the enlightened life. But, what is this original face, and what is its relationship to our everyday faces that we see in the mirror, and spend so much time trying to 'save?' Well, unless we have the time to seek out a living Zen master & study with him for many months if not years, we're unlikely to find out. And yet, if this original face is innate to all of us, and it's discovery is the simplest of things, as claimed by numerous Zen masters, might there be a short cut? Well, this author believes so, and the secret lies in that object already referred to several times - the mirror.

Our mortal face, which we spend so much time trying to save, is to be found in the mirror; this we can see simply by looking at our reflection. Something that many of us spend hundreds, maybe thousands of hours doing during our oh-so short lives. But, it is surely to be found here, this side of the mirror too, isn't it? After all, if it is the nature of a mirror to reflect, then it must be reflecting something here, mustn't it? But, this is all mentation. A more direct method would be to actually look and see what is here, this side of the mirror. So, if you can find a mirror - or some other decent reflective surface - please take a few moments to induct the following exercise; its results may radically change your self-view. 

Look at your reflection in the mirror. Notice the outline of your head and the shape of your face. Are they oval like an egg, or more rounded? Notice your hair (or lack of!), and if you have some, how long is it, what is its colour and texture? Examine your facial features: eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, cheeks, chin etc. Take a while over this, making sure that you haven't missed any important identifying characteristics of your particular face, the one that separates you from everyone (and everything) else. Now, point your finger at where your face actually is…or where you'd expect to find it. What do you really see here? Do you see a eyes, a nose, a mouth, hair, ears, or anything else indicative of a face or head? Be honest, for this is really important: What do you see, right now? Do you find a face, or do you find what Zen Buddhism calls your original face, what is in fact no face at all? The only face I can see when I look in a mirror is there - in the mirror. Here, there's no face at all, just this spacious awareness that can recognize that face, but is no face at all itself.

This method of self-enquiry is surprisingly modern. Surprising because it's so obvious, and mirrors as well as other reflective surfaces have been around for a long, long time. And yet no-one seems to have noticed the dramatic difference between what we assume is here, and what can be actually seen. No-one, that is, before the Twentieth Century philosopher Douglas Harding, a man that this author met several times during the Nineteen-Nineties. In his many books and innumerable workshops Douglas Harding tirelessly promoted this direct insight into our true nature. The above exercise, among many other similar techniques, were developed by Douglas and friends to share this vision with anyone interested in seeing who they really are. And, as he was apt to say, what a waste of a life to live it and never actually look to see who's living it!

Douglas Harding was not a Buddhist, but he did appreciate its teachings regarding this central reality, along with other traditional ways of approaching it, such as Christian mysticism & Islamic Sufism. His encouragement that we look for ourselves and see what we really are echoes the Buddha's teachings in the Kalama Sutta. In this well-known discourse, the Buddha instructs a group of confused townspeople that they shouldn't believe something just because it comes from scripture, a  priest or monk, logic, surmising, or opinion, but from experience. He also presented people with a variety of mindfulness & meditation techniques to examine ourselves. Buddhists have since added to these practices with countless other methods, some clearly adapted from other traditions, such as the tantra found in Tibetan Buddhism which came from tantric Hinduism. In the forest Buddhism of Thailand, mantras such as Buddho are used, something not found in the scriptures of Thai Buddhism, but used to great effect nevertheless. The exercises of Douglas Harding can also be incorporated into Buddhist practice, assisting us in waking up to our true nature. After all, one of the titles given the Buddha in the Dhammapada is 'the seeing one.'

So, returning to the initial concerns of this article, that of saving face and its negative effects, which is better - saving face or no face? Well, looking back here and finding no face to confront others with, I find a spacious awareness instead. This empty knowing is capacity for others to appear in, rather than a closed off ball of flesh & bone with which to keep them out. If we live from this original face rather than our human ones, we are open to others rather than trying to get them to acknowledge how great we are. Rather, as this spaciousness, we are more likely to acknowledge the worth of other people, and without intending it, go up in their estimation in the process, as they see an openness & kindness in us that is lacking in so many 'face-savers.' As to that driving hunger for prestige & having a big face - and the inevitable suffering that comes from it when things go wrong - this too will be let go of if we live from the no-face that we see when accepting the current view in.

In conclusion, face-saving is a natural consequence of living from the illusion that we have a face here at centre - and it is an illusion, for if we look, we don't see a face, head or brain, but a vast aware space ('Buddha Space'). Of course, we do have these things, and if they need pruning or painting, or some medical procedure performed on them, it's quite right that such stuff occurs. But, when looking back here, we don't see them, and - more importantly - what we see instead is this alert void full of the world. If we live as space for each other as opposed to thinking that we're in competition all the time, trying to be Mr (or Mrs, Miss, or Ms!) Big, we find that we don't seek to save face all the while. Instead, we will seek to help one another to be free of the desire & ignorance that give birth to excessive face-saving. And all this by simply noticing the unborn no-face from which we are coming!

Thai Buddhism: Mai Pen Rai

For most westerners living in Thailand, a striking aspect of the Thai psychology is the attitude of mai pen rai (Thai: ไม่เป็นไร). This outlook dominates much of Thai culture & society, and whilst at first can appear attractive to foreigners new to Thai ways, it is invariably eventually viewed somewhat negatively. So, what it is? There are several translations for the term in English, the most common being 'never mind,' 'don't worry,' 'don't bother,' 'no problem,' 'it's okay,' & 'it doesn't matter.' In line with the Thai concerns with saving face and minimizing conflict, mai pen rai is uttered innumerable times during an average Thai person's life. So, when a mistake is made, a minor disagreement occurs, or someone cannot comply with a request, mai pen rai may be employed. Often accompanied by the way (pressing hands together in a prayer gesture) & a smile, it reduces tension in a variety of settings, including the home, the work place, school, the market, and even the sports field. 

There, however, what many westerners might see as a dark side to mai pen rai. On occasions, it seems to be used to avoid responsibility, or to justify inaction. Examples would be parents allowing children as young as twelve - sometimes younger - to ride motorbikes, which is a common sight in Thailand. This lack of parental care is astounding, given the widely-observable pride taken in children. When the water is cut off and in need of restoration, mai pen rai may be invoked to justify a lackadaisical approach to restoring the supply. Even when someone dies, and there may be questions of culpability, the phrase may be used to evade justice. On a daily basis, dishonesty & laziness, & are also covered with the term; no wonder people coming from cultures where honesty & taking responsibility for one's actions are expected, find living in Thailand an infuriating experience.

What are the origins of this quintessentially Thai attitude to life? Well, many credit it to Buddhism, which permeates so much of Thai cultural practices. In Buddhism, non-confrontation, forgiveness, and not getting upset are considered virtues all Buddhists should endeavor to cultivate. When taken to the extreme, however, it can be used in ways that don't seem to be Buddhist at all, such as avoiding responsibility for one's actions (which flies in the face of the Buddhist teaching on karma). Of course, any approach to life that is used without wisdom will have negative consequences. Wisdom in Buddhism is developed through meditation & reflection, but in truth very few Thais practice these disciplines. Therefore, the more negative manifestations of mai pen rai are commonly witnessed in the country.

That mai pen rai has some relationship to Buddhism seems clear; it is its application that decides just how in line with the teachings of the Buddha that will decide its efficaciousness. A way to understand this, and in the process adapt better to Thai culture, is to use mai pen rai as kind of mantra or meditation object. Rather than blindly accepting it or reacting against it, the phrase can be used as a source of Buddhist reflection. Buddhist teachers often teach the use of mantras to quieten the mind or establish concentration. They can also be used as a meditation tool when they possess a positive message. This message can then be the focus of contemplation and it can become manifest as an attitude or quality of mind.

In Thailand, particularly in the forest meditation tradition, the word Buddho (Thai: พุทโธ่), which is a variation on 'Buddha,' is used in the way described above. Having the meanings of 'awakened,' 'enlightened,' 'knowing,' it has obvious qualities to it that can benefit the meditator. Another word documented being used in this way is the word citta (A Buddhist word meaning 'mind'). Using this word can focus the mind upon itself, creating a state of self-reflection. Mai pen rai, though not traditionally used in this way, can certainly have similar results. Establishing an attitude that means 'never mind' and 'it's okay' can calm the mind and reduce stress. It moments of potential confrontation, it can also reduce the causes of conflict.

One way to utilize this technique is to use it through the day in response to situations in which negative reactions are coming up in the mind. As soon as there is awareness of such a feeling, utter mai pen rai. Accompanying this inner recitation, should be a feeling of letting go applied to the said negative emotion. Repeat the phrase until the original feeling dissipates, and then take note of the positive result. Keep doing this as each occurrence of negativity comes up. At first, this will be difficult, as the mind will follow its usual patterns in these situations; but with perseverance, the negative mind states will reduce. Another method is to establish the mind in a state of 'never mind' by remembering mai pen rai before any negativity arises. This way, when problems occur, the prevailing mentality will be one of letting go, so that problematic thought patterns will have less chance to get a grip of. The mind will not cling to such processes and their results, but rather observe them with equanimity.

Mai pen rai is, then, a psychological kingpin of Thai culture. It is also a cause for irresponsible inaction. Looking a little deeper, though, it is an attitude of mind that can relive us of attaching to certain things and outcomes which can cause contention & suffering. Keeping mai pen rai with us puts us in closer relationship with Thai attitudes, enabling an level of understanding that most foreigners find evasive. It can free us of so many petty clinging that separate us from the reality of this moment. And, in doing so, leads us to that placeless place where there is no division between here & there, me & you. All this from remembering the phrase mai pen ray or one of its variants such as 'never mind' or baw pen yang (Northeast Thai: บ่เป็นหยัง). The latter is this writer's favorite, living in Northeast Thailand. Why not try it, and find a little bit of Thailand in your heart?

'The Unborn,' by Ajahn Sumedho

"The statement in the [Buddhist] scripture that really inspired me years ago, that really meant a lot to me a the time:

There is the unborn, uncreated, unformed, unoriginated, and therefore there is an escape from the born, created, formed, originated. If it were not for the unborn, uncreated, unformed, unoriginated, there would be no escape from the born, created, formed, originated, but because there is the unborn, uncreated, unformed, unoriginated, there is an escape, there is liberation from the born, created, formed, originated (Udana VIII.3).

This puts it in terms of the unborn and the born, the uncreated and the created, the unoriginated and the originated. These are words, yes, but the born, the formed, the originated, these are sankhara, mental formations, aren't they?

What we see, hear, smell, taste, touch, think, feel, the four elements - the earth, fire, eater and wind elements - the thoughts, the memories, the feelings - pleasant, painful, neutral feeling - the physical body, in fact all experience, the whole universe, is the created, the born, the formed, the originated. So that means everything, everything you can think of, imagine, feel, experience…but there is the escape, there is liberation from the born the created, the originated. There is the unborn. So then reflect on what is the unborn, unformed, uncreated, unoriginated."

Taken from a teaching entitled 'Refuge in Awareness' by Ajahn Sumedho. More on the book in which it appears (on pp.215-216) can be read here: Review: The Sound of Silence.

Animal Welfare

A monkey 'enjoying' itself in a Bangkok zoo.

When I look at my two dogs, I do not see organic machines or hairy objects to be kicked around with impunity. I see living beings with feelings & the ability to suffer like all sentient beings. Humans are not unique in these respects. Both dogs have attachments which when unsatisfied clearly bring suffering. For example, when my wife goes out, the younger dog will sit by the door looking forlorn, but when she returns, both animals jump around excitedly yelping with apparent delight (as I do!). Witnessing such attachments & resultant suffering, compassion arises for these creatures, just as it does for humans.

However, when we look around at how people in general treat animals, the story is very different. I come from Britain, a country that prides itself on being 'animal lovers,' and yet, cruelty to animals is widely practiced in the UK. For sure, many, many people pamper their pets, whether they be dogs, cats, parrots, pythons or stick insects. But, away from these personal examples of kindness to animals (much of which is born of attachment & personal interest), there is much to be saddened by. I recall a story a (reliable) friend told me when we were teenagers that one day he came across a hedgehog. For some reason, the thought came into his mind to kick the creature. This he did continuously until the helpless animal perished. Normally, this friend was a friendly, likable person, but when confronted with a wild animal to which he had no attachment, he mercilessly killed it.

Of course, the above tale is an unusually gruesome example of human nastiness to animals. But other, somewhat less horrible occurrences of animal cruelty can easily be observed. I recall witnessing another friend of mine, around twenty years ago, kicking his springer spaniel in the ribs because she was too 'scatty.' She was a hunting dog, and prior to motherhood had been a fine companion on my associates wanderings through the Welsh countryside. But, despite being a 'spiritual guy,' and something of a guru to quite a number of people, this man thought it perfectly okay to treat his dog this way. I have also witnessed other people, known and unknown to me, treating animals with a lack of concern if not actual cruelty, and I would be surprised if most of my readers could not recall similar occasions in their own lives.

Perhaps part of the problem is that we think ourselves the owners of animals. We say, "This is my dog," and we mean it in the same possessive manner that we might state, "This is my car." (And, as cars are way more expensive than your average mutt, the latter is often likely to be valued less than the former.) We do not normally speak of people in the same way. When we say, "This is my wife," we are not equating her with inanimate objects that we possess, but stating a more equal relationship. This, of course, is not true of all places & all times, so in the past wives were thought of as possessions, and in some societies to this day, such thinking continues.

But, do animals really belong to us in the way a car does? With pets, many of us would surely say not, stating old standards like, "A dog is a man's best friend." But, does this appreciation really extend beyond what we get out of these animals? When they don't supply us with the comfort that we expect from them, do we still feel positively towards them, caring about their wellbeing or do we consider them a burden to be rid of, like the pervebial puppy ditched after Christmas. So, while a dog may well be someone's best friend, can we say the following with certainty: "A man is a dog's best friend." Friendship should be mutual and equal, after all, shouldn't it?

On a visit to a zoo in Bangkok, looking at the animals in somewhat small enclosures aroused a feeling of sadness. A bear, admittedly in a larger area than most, repetitively wandered up and down on the edge of a moat, looking for a way out. It did not look particularly happy, although admittedly the facial expressions of bears are not a speciality of mine! The caged monkeys looked rather bored in their pens, too, although it may have been the effects of the midmorning heat. The overall impression of the zoo was of a place where animals were prisoners, locked in cages as living exhibits unable to escape to the freedom they'd probably prefer. (Having said this, it should be noted that the natural habitats that these creatures would normally live in have largely been destroyed, so zoos may be their only possible home for the time being.)

Staying with Thailand for a moment, it is worth noting that even in a country that considers itself Buddhist, cruelty towards, and lack of concern for, animals is widespread. This despite the Buddha encouraging his disciples to have compassion and kindness for all creatures. Generally, Thais seem unconcerned with the sufferings of animals, and don't give them a second thought apart from which ones to eat next. Of course, there are those that have pets and look after them with love, but even these people often appear to lack considerate for any other creatures. A common practice in Thai Buddhist temples is for visitors to pay so they can set free caged birds. But, no-one appears to care about the birds themselves, it is the merit that the humans involved will gain for setting them free that is of prime importance. And who put the birds in cages in the frost place? Possibly those receiving all that lovely dose for letting them go; do they make merit for their part in this? (It has been told to me by some Thais that the birds used are actually trained to fly back to the cages afterwards, anyway. They are somewhat domesticated, and no-one is really freeing them as they have been conditioned to return to captivity!)

As carnivores, the human species and its evolutionary forebears have eaten meat for millions of years. Today, this remains the case for the vast majority of the human race. Seeing film of animals being slaughtered is not a pretty sight, and depending on the methods used, it is often not a painless one, either. Moreover, battery hens crammed in tiny cages like 'egg machines' (which is how they are presumably viewed by those that keep them there) is another distressing image. Those of us that do not eat meat or intensively farmed eggs cannot rest on our laurels, either. For anyone that is part of a society that treats animals in these ways is to some extent responsible. Everyone concerned with animal welfare should be playing their part to improve animals' living conditions in the human world. This can be done through pressure groups, politics, and everyday actions and speech; to shy away from communicating about these issues is to abandon these animals to their fate.

Animal welfare should be of prime concern to Buddhists, as we have received teachings that highly regard kindness to animals. But, if Thailand is typical of Buddhist cultures across Asia on this issue - and there is no reason to assume that it isn't - Buddhists have absolutely no reason to feel that they treat animals better than others do. Whatever our beliefs, as human beings, we can observe the suffering of other creatures, and we can take measures to alleviate that suffering. This, of course, includes other people, but it should also include other animals, for our hearts are reflected in the ways that we treat such creatures. Outer cruelty and neglect are indicative of inner failings, and if we wish to develop as both Buddhists and as a species in general, animal welfare should be one of our top priorities.