The housing market meltdown is occurring. Congress is letting the Feds bail out the largest perps, trying to close the barn-door (after the horses have run) and not doing much else. The "reform package" before them is a re-organization of the people involved in regulation and not a serious address of the underlying problems, which are the fact that a lot of people are losing their homes, and that financial institutions are backed by poor quality "financial instruments" as a result.
A recent article shows, what has been obvious to economic historians for years; that people don't restrain themselves. This article says:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080405/ap_on_sc/finance_and_sex;_ylt=AtsXM8rG6nN47.CD6v0dm7dxieAA
Brain Scans showed: "The arousing pictures lit up the same part of the brain that lights up when financial risks are taken." The same study also showed that when "When that hub was activated by the erotic images, the men were far more likely to bet high on a random chance game that would earn them either a dollar or a dime. Each man made more than 50 gambles under brain scans."
Chris
Posted by cholte at April 5, 2008 03:04 PMChris,
Kuwaiti Minister of Finance, China, and Russia now own 44% of America's debt.
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Finance says the US people have a structural problem, we do not pay pour bills/debts.
American's do not pay their bills, the Poison of arrogance.
If American's paid for what they buy there would be no mortgage meltdown.
trying to get rich quick, Poison of Greed.
Inflated housing values, inflated land values, lost jobs, etc. are economic in nature, and not sure what these things have to do with Buddhism, but effect people irregardless.
Patrick
Posted by: Patrick at April 5, 2008 04:29 PMPatrick brings up a good point. It has nothing to do with Buddhism, because there is no such thing as Buddhism. Fact is, if you read the Lotus Sutra, with open eyes, you have all these people doing all these horrible things, and all these people have Buddha Nature,and you guys fight over DaiGohonzons, Nichiren is the Buddha, Ikeda is the Savior, etc.
A Bodhisattva, is someone that knows he has Buddha Nature and acts accordingly, knowing he is the living embodiment of future Buddhahood. He tells people about 3000 worlds in a moment of time, he helps them make sense, he reads the Preacher of the Law (chapt. 10 of the Sutra) he corrects his ways, he doesn't pray for results, he makes results, he doesn't wish for peace he makes peace, he doesn't have an object of worship he knows there is nothing to worship of value in this world for it is the Burning House. You can find Bodhisattvas all over the place, and in the strangest places. There is no Buddhism, and there is no phoney practice, there is no meditation or meetings or groups or Middle Way, My Way, Your Way.
My encouragement to look for different solutions and KWITCHURBELLIAKIN
MALTZ
Posted by: Bruce Maltz at April 23, 2008 02:25 PMOne problem with that analysis Bruce. The "burning house" is an analogy, and all the things in the lotus sutra are creatures of allegory and metaphor. So yes, we figuratively need to not wish for peace, but "make peace." Not worry about what to do, but to do. That doesn't mean we don't have to do, just that we need to be mindful in doing rather than mindfully flustered about what to do.
Finally, that also means that Buddhism is creative. I speak there is Buddhism, because that is the concept I live under. There is a genuine practice, because I use it. There are meetings, there are houses, there is a middle way, my way, your way. Tomorrow all may be different, but this moment is what you make it.
Denying reality isn't true Buddhism, its at best fantasy, a "magical city", at worst its madness. We don't live in a literal burning house, but reality has similar properties. To pretend that the house isn't burning is to drink poison. The Buddha promises us all sorts of toys if we'll just step out of ourselves. That doesn't mean the self disappears. It just means we recognize just how much of it is in our minds and how much the rest is transitory.
Chris
Posted by: Chris at April 29, 2008 11:43 PM