Tuesday, May 17, 2011

3 Birthdays & a Farewell


There are three announcements on Buddha Space today of varying import, depending on your perspective. Firstly, it’s Buddha Day, or Wesak, Visakha Puja, etc. Secondly, it’s my birthday, and thirdly, it’s the birthday and 'death-day' of Buddha Space. So, it’s “Happy Buddha Day” to all Buddhists the world over. However you celebrate this momentous occasion (or however you don’t), I hope you have a peaceful and happy time of it. The world needs as much peace & happiness as it can get.   
This year, the full moon falls on the 17th May, so it’s Visakha Puja, which also happens to be my birthday, the coincidence of which I was told was very auspicious by one Buddhist monk, and met with silence from another: forest monks don’t let things go to your head! This coincidence seems a good motivation to review my Buddhist practice in relation to the Buddha’s teachings on being a good layman. Which leads me to the third of today’s announcements.    
It’s three Buddha Days ago that this blog was launched, and although its original aims were pretty high – “a space for exploring modern Buddhism” and “to examine the nature of the Buddha, of space, and of awareness itself via experience, as opposed to academic or philosophical means ” – it’s done OK…hasn’t it? Anyway, it's time for a break from such efforts so that personal practice and other projects can be focused on instead, so there won't be any new articles on the blog for the foreseeable future, although readers' comments will be responded to. All the input to the blog from readers in the shape of comments and emails is much appreciated, and I wish you all well in your efforts, whether you call yourselves ‘Buddhists’ or not. If I have anything to write as a final remark, it's to take a look at who's here once in a while, and to have compassion and kindness for the suffering beings that you encounter...including your 'self'!
Anyway, thank you again for your inspiration and encouragement over the last three years.
May all beings be happy.

10 comments:

Barry said...

Gary, Thank you for the dedicated, serious effort you have put into Buddha Space for the past three years. I have benefited greatly from your work and am grateful for it. Best wishes on your future path!

Barry

Anonymous said...

eckhart, bankei and the nirvana issue made us know and summarize the foundations of buddhism in simplest terms.

xlnyeong said...

I loved reading your blog articles...thank you for all the inspiring posts! May you be well and happy. Happy Buddha Day!

G said...

Thanks for the kind words, Barry, and thank you for your work on 'Ox Herding,' too. Keep up the good work promoting the Dharma - especially the poetry! ;-)

G said...

Glad that you've found 'Buddha Space' good for summarizing the foundations of Buddhism, Anonymous. Be well in the Dharma.

G said...

Xuelin, thanks for the compliments, and Happy Buddha Day to you, too!

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

Thank you for all the help your blog has been to me. I hope a lack of comments did not influence your decision to stop....But, for everything there is a time and it is you who have to know when the time has come to move on. I will miss your articles. I am glad they were there when they were.

Anonymous said...

Your posts are thoughtful and well-written. I have learned much from them. Best wishes with your new projects. Come back soon...

Mike N.

G said...

Lovely comment, Kristi - thank you! No, the recent lack of comments hasn't been a contributing factor to the decision to stop writing blog articles, it just that a period of silence is called for, and there are other things that i want to do in the near future. Writing this blog has taken up a lot of time - and has been worth it - but it's time for a change.

Thanks again, Kristi.
Much metta,
G.

G said...

Generous words, Mike, and much appreciated.