The Gathering happened. People came. Lot's of them. My son and his girlfriend came, people whom I hadn't seen in months came, and a slew of regulars and semi regulars came. Jean was right. It was good and people didn't hangout too long. The fact is that everyone has stuff they need to do on a Sunday night.
I wrote a much longer entry about the meeting itself and what happened which I was quite happy, when I suddenly hit the wrong button and made it disappear. I was pissed, then resigned then decided it was probably self indulgent crap and have now come to terms with the fact that it's gone and I don't feel like writing it again. That's the one reality I know for sure.
So here's the headline version:
We chanted for an hour and did some silent meditation
We discussed how people approach chanting. List or no list, stuff or no stuff, nam or namu.
We discussed how great it was that we had people with Nichiren Shu perspectives, SGI perspectives, Hindu perspectives. And how, despite various approaches, the content of experience remains the same.
We discussed how easy it is to focus on differences and yet how what we have in common is at least as obvious as our differences. We discussed nurturing the ability to see commonality while being able to enjoy diversity.
We discussed boddhissatva fukyo and how it's a good thing we generally call him boddhisattva never disparaqing because it's so easy to mispronounce fukyo in english.
We discussed a Tibetan retreat that a former SGI member had gone on and why he had decided to take vows with the Tibetan group.
We had pizza.
Sam took out the trash.
Jean and I watched Mad Men.
The next day I went with my friend to a workshop on Tibetan Meditation.
I am now in Tokyo. All my habitual patterns came with me. Some of that is good and some is bad.
Generally I'm pretty happy. I hope you are too.
I play music sometimes and it has often happened to me that when I feel I have really played well there was some technical problem that prevented a proper recording. I'm glad the gathering is continuing to offer encouragement. I do wonder what you're doing in Japan. Some anime video game in the works?
Posted by: clown hidden at October 9, 2008 05:51 PMHi Clown,
Well maybe it was good. I thought so at the time. Easy come easy go.
I'm in Tokyo for the Tokyo Game Show and to meet with game developers and people from our parent company. We are doing some Anime based games, so there's an interest in working with Japanese developers.
Japanese people are a trip. I'd say that 90% of people below the age of 50 are completely secular. They see the SGI as a "little bit of a cult", but not dangerous, generally. Nichiren is nothing more than an interesting historical figure.
Anyway thanks for saying hi. I need to go to your blog and say hi to you there. I just haven't had time to read anything. The religion here seems to be drinking and eating. I have to say that the food I've had on this trip has made a convert out of me. No place in the world for food like Tokyo. At least in my experience so far.
Not a bad religion.
Bill
Posted by: Bill at October 10, 2008 01:35 AMYes, I thought The Gathering was a success also. We really rocked the daimoku and I think that's what set it in motion. The other stuff is always a product of the actual practice. I wish everyone on the blog had the chance to come to the gathering at least once. I think it would be great to meet everyone, even McCain supporters.
Posted by: Jean at October 11, 2008 11:28 PMIirc, Fikyo's sankrit name, Sadaparibhuta, is "always disparaged." It depicted a person who respected others; but got no respect in return. Instead, he was mocked, belittled, and maligned. . So the Japanese sounding of the Chinese name works for the reactions he got.
"I do not feel contempt for you; you have all observe the course of duty of Bodhisattvas; you are to become Tathagatas,"
And in whom that awoke a feeling of malignity towards that Bodhisattva, they in twenty hundred thousand myriads of kotis of kalpas never saw a Tathagata, nor heard the call of the Dharma, nor the call of the Sangha, and for ten thousand kalpas they suffered terrible pain in Avichi. Thereafter released from the ban, they by .. that Bodhisattva Mahasattva were all brought to full fruition of supreme, perfect enlightenment. Perhaps, ... thou wilt have some doubt, uncertainty, or misgiving as to who at that time, at that juncture were the persons hooting and laughing at the Bodhisattva Mahasattva. They are, [all] in this very assembly ...
I think that means us? So, I think one way to look at this, is how ro respond when others treat us with condensation, contempt, and snarkiness. I am generally far better at dishing it than taking it. When hurt or offended, I generally want to deliver a zinger right back. I am *slowly* learning to withdraw, reflect, and "mettawave it."
I guess the other side is the meaning of jofukyo, to not approach others in a hostile manner?
"a state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that upon another?" Samyutta NIkaya v. 353
"Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful." Udana-Varga 5:18
"Tse-kung asked, 'Is there one word that can serve as a principle of conduct for life?' Confucius replied, 'It is the word 'shu' -- reciprocity. Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.'" Doctrine of the Mean 13.3
http://www.religioustolerance.org/reciproc.htm
Posted by: robin at October 12, 2008 11:06 PMI both look and sound like Rodney Dangerfield. But I don't believe this idea of not diparaging someone relates to all the things they do, criminals are criminals and idiots are idiots after all. If there is something not to be disparaged it is not their crimes and shortcomings but their true nature, their inherent buddhahood, their humanity, or whatever you want to call it. The true reality can only be shared between a buddha and a buddha but that does not preclude one from telling the other they've been a jerk.
Posted by: clown hidden at October 14, 2008 06:16 AMI've lost posts before. Greg used to compose in another program and then copy &paste because he hit that button all the time. I would hear him tap, tap tapping and then, "Crap!" I snickered until it happened to me. But, like you, I just stat over and edit.
Nancy
Clown,
I think the general idea is to be forbearing; not vindictive. However, I think the main story is how Jofukyo handled being disparaged all the time. He did not throw stones in retaliation. He showed grace under fire. I have been impressed with Sarah Palin's grace under fire. I mean, people even get after her family; her children. That was off limits in the past. People were horrified when Rush Limbaugh disparaged Chelsea Clinton. It seems to still be off limits; with the exception of Sarah Palin's children.
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