There is a notable lack of compassion in some of the public initiatives in America and in other nations. These are nations that officially or unofficially identify as Judaeo-Christian.
For some time I’ve focused on that lack of compassion and considered how it might be improved.
But here I move to a predicate question. Why do those traditions or society value and promote compassion at all?
The question particularly arises for students of Buddhism. It may be an overbroad characterization, but it is not imprecise to say that compassion is at the center of Buddhism.
Which leads to the question of whether and how much compassion is at the center of other traditions.
So why compassion at all?
Here a few of the possible answers.
It is the right thing to do.
God wants it and expects it.
The Golden Rule advises it, because we will be treated as we treat others.
It will get us into heaven or keep us out of hell.
It makes us feel good.
Unlike those and other explanations, Buddhism reaches compassion not as an assigned transactional value but as an unavoidable conclusion. To simplify in my own substandard understanding, if there is absolute equality among us, there can be nothing but compassion. If we don’t recognize that absolute equality—and we so often don’t, instead putting ourselves in an unequal position—how can we be genuinely compassionate?
With that, back to the events of the day, and the open question of how, once we have advanced our own compassion, we can find ways to advance it in our traditions and in our nations.
The danger of a lie is directly proportional to the power of the liar.
For example: If someone stands in front of you pointing a gun and says, “The gun isn’t loaded” or “I won’t shoot you”, these might both be lies. A loaded gun is powerful. If those assertions are lies, it is possible you will in fact be shot, injured or killed.
If someone is a chronic or pathological liar and is in a powerful position, it would be prudent not to believe anything he says. Not just skeptical, but believing nothing. Some of those lies may be less consequential, but many of those lies are dangerous.
As for those who choose to believe the lies, sometimes all the lies, history is filled with that. And filled with the dangers that ensued.
T-Man (Treasury agent) Pete Trask traveled the world to fight bad guys (anti-Americans and Communists) from 1951 to 1956. The comic books chronicle “authentic cases based on the files of the U.S. Treasury Department”.
Below are the pages of an exciting story, Death Trap in Iran, from the January1952 issue of T-Man. T-Man is in Iran to protect the oil fields from Iranian bad guys:
“With Britain and Russia scrambling for control of Iran’s oil fields…anything could happen, and I thought I was ready! But even with my crazy experiences, I’d never figured on finding myself…Trouble’s Double!”
This is part of my ongoing mission to understand and explain world events in terms of comic books from the 1930s to the 1960s.
The garden is awake Growing colorful in the rising sun What good is it for me? I send it to those who need it most That their suffering will soften with joy
“Since I affirm nothing, no one can refute my point of view.”
This saying, valuable for individuals and the world, is from Nagarjuna (1st-2nd century CE), arguably the most influential Indian Buddhist thinker after Gautama Buddha.
The Middle Way does not suggest that we hold no views. Buddhism, along with every religious tradition, distinguishes between right views and wrong views. So do philosophical, political, social and cultural traditions of all kinds. We can’t and won’t stop holding views.
The Middle Way does say that such views, as essential as they seem, are also empty and nonexistent, mere creations of our minds. That they guide our actions in our lives and the world is undeniable. But to the extent we embrace them tightly, it is the source of trouble in our lives and the world.
Nagarjuna is correct, not just as a matter of logic but as a matter of living with ourselves and others. Views, what we learn and discern as right views, can guide us. When we also see those views as empty, not to be attached to, it is less likely those views will drive us to unnecessary confrontation. There is no refutation when there is no affirmation.
The best case for the electric guitar (pun accidental, I think) is those who have mastered it.
I was going to begin with a partial list of favorite players and giants (bigger than great). But artistic lists are pointless—though admittedly fun—so they are unhelpful. Anyway, that list would be really long.
Instead, when I listened this morning to Wheels of Fire (1968) by Cream, I was impressed by the guitarist, a then-young guy named Eric Clapton. I’m sure Clapton’s playing has gotten “better” over the decades, but his playing here is __ (fill in the superlative).
So here is Cream live, performing an electric version of the classic Robert Johnson song Cross Road Blues. Setting aside the meme at the time that “Clapton is God”, he is pretty good. Makes the case for electric guitars.
Also, as lover of Mississippi, blues, and rock and roll, I’ve included a recording of the original Robert Johnson version. They’ve added a fun video of the life and legend of Robert Johnson—he reputedly sold his soul to play so otherworldly great.
As you read this message from Chogyam Trungpa, from his book Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving-Kindness, you will find his unique way of talking about practice and wisdom in relatable conversational ways.
This is about a concept that is hard for even the best teachers to put in a short and easy form. Hard because, on top of its complexity, it refers to an aspirational experience and not just a concept. So this very brief excerpt can’t possibly do it justice.
But his description of how we think about our thoughts is worth passing on, even if the antidote is treated by Trungpa and others at greater length and with more clarity. I recognize myself and maybe you will too.
Seeing confusion as the four kayas Is unsurpassable shunyata protection.
As you continue to practice mindfulness and awareness, the seeming confusion and chaos in your mind begin to seem absurd. You begin to realize that your thoughts have no real birthplace, no origin, they just pop up as dharmakaya*. They are unborn. And your thoughts don’t go anywhere, they are unceasing. Therefore, your mind is seen as sambhogakaya. And furthermore, no activities are really happening in your mind, so the notion that your mind can dwell on anything also begins to seem absurd, because there is nothing to dwell on. Therefore, your mind is seen as nirmanakaya. Putting the whole thing together, there is no birth, no cessation, and no acting or dwelling at all—therefore, your mind is seen as svabhavikakaya. The point is not to make your mind a blank. It is just that as a result of supermindfulness and superawareness, you begin to see that nothing is actually happening—although at the same time you think that lots of things are happening.
Realizing that the confusion and the chaos in your mind have no origin, no cessation, and nowhere to dwell is the best protection. Shunyata** is the best protection because it cuts the solidity of your beliefs. “I have my solid thought” or “This is my grand thought” or “My thought is so cute” or “In my thoughts I visualize a grand whatever” or “The star men came down and talked to me” or “Genghis Khan is present in my mind” or “Jesus Christ himself manifested in my mind” or “I have thought of a tremendous scheme a for how to build a city, or how to write a tremendous musical comedy, or how to conquer the world”—it could be anything, from that level down to: “How am I going to earn my living after this?” or “What is the best way for me to sharpen my personality so that I will be visible in the world?” or “How I hate my problems!” All of those schemes and thoughts and ideas are empty! If you look behind their backs, it is like looking at a mask. If you look behind a mask, you see that it is hollow. There may be a few holes for the nostrils and the mouth—but if you look behind it, it doesn’t look like a face anymore, it is just junk with holes in it. Realizing that is your best protection. You realize that you are no longer the greatest artist at all, that you are not any of your big ideas. You realize that you are just authoring absurd, nonexistent things. That is the best protection for cutting confusion.
Chogyam Trungpa
*kaya: Literally, “body.” The four kayas refer in this text to four aspects of perception. Dharmakaya is the sense of openness; nirmanakaya is clarity; sambhogakaya is the link or relationship between those two; and svabhavikakaya is the total experience of the whole thing.
**shunyata: “Emptiness,” “openness.” A completely open and unbounded clarity of mind.
Now she just can’t get enough Loud music, fast cars and good times
Delbert McClinton, Kentucky Headhunters, Junior Brown, Commander Cody, many more. You may not know some, maybe none, of the artists of this electric honky tonk music.
Here are some of my favorite tracks. (Some may be troubled by 16 and Single, suggesting it’s okay for a 21-year-old guy to be admiring a 16-year-old-girl who “just can’t get enough loud music, fast cars and good times. Hm-mm.)
Note: If you’re wondering what Junior Brown is playing on his album cover, it is an instrument he helped invent, the guit-steel guitar.
“We are in the era when even the teachings of religion are perverted so that famine, disease and war are rife.”
When all the world is filled with evils, Place all setbacks on the path of liberation.
If we have instructions on how to carry obstacles onto the path, then no matter how many difficulties and conflicting situations come upon us, they will simply clarify our practice and have no power to hinder us on the path. If, however, we do not have such instructions, then difficulties will be experienced as hindrances.
In these degenerate times*, as far as the outer universe is concerned, the rains and snows do not come when they should, harvests are poor, the cattle are unhealthy and people and animals are riddled with disease. Because people spend their time in evil activities, because they are jealous and constantly wish misfortune on one another, many countries are at variance and in desperate circumstances. We are in the era when even the teachings of religion are perverted so that famine, disease and war are rife. But, when a forest is on fire, a gale will only make it bigger, it certainly will not blow it out. Likewise, for a Bodhisattva who has received instruction, all such catastrophic situations may be profitably taken onto the path.
*The five degenerations are as follows: in degenerate times, 1) beings die early, tormented by famine, disease, weapons and war; 2) they have evil dispositions, they are without inclination to virtue and are thoroughly opposed to the supreme Doctrine; 3) the lives of such beings are brief; 4) depraved emotions are powerful; 5) ideas and views are coarse and mistaken.
What’s wrong with the world, Mama? People livin’ like they ain’t got no mamas I think the whole world’s addicted to the drama Only attracted to things that’ll bring you trauma Overseas, yeah, we tryna stop terrorism But we still got terrorists here livin’ In the USA, the big CIA The Bloods and the Crips and the KKK But if you only have love for your own race Then you only leave space to discriminate And to discriminate only generates hate And when you hate, then you’re bound to get irate, yeah Madness is what you demonstrate And that’s exactly how anger works and operates Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight Take control of your mind and meditate Let your soul gravitate to the love, y’all, y’all
People killin’, people dyin’ Children hurt, and you hear them cryin’ Can you practice what you preach? And would you turn the other cheek? Father, father, father, help us Send some guidance from above ‘Cause people got me, got me questioning Where is the love?
Where is the love? Where is the love? Where is the love, the love, the love?
It just ain’t the same, old ways have changed New days are strange, is the world insane? If love and peace is so strong Why are there pieces of love that don’t belong? Nations droppin’ bombs Chemical gases filling lungs of little ones With ongoing sufferin’ as the youth die young So ask yourself, is the lovin’ really gone? So I can ask myself, really, what is going wrong With this world that we livin’ in? People keep on givin’ in Makin’ wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends Not respectin’ each other, deny thy brother A war is goin’ on, but the reason’s undercover The truth is kept secret, and swept under the rug If you never know truth, then you never know love Where’s the love, y’all? And where’s the truth, y’all? And where’s the love, y’all?
People killin’, people dyin’ Children hurt, and you hear them cryin’ Can you practice what you preach? And would you turn the other cheek? Father, father, father, help us Send some guidance from above ‘Cause people got me, got me questioning Where is the love?
I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder As I’m gettin’ older, y’all people gets colder Most of us only care about money-makin’ Selfishness got us followin’ the wrong direction Wrong information always shown by the media Negative images is the main criteria Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema Yo, whatever happened to the values of humanity? Whatever happened to the fairness and equality? Instead of spreading love, we spreading animosity Lack of understanding leading us away from unity That’s the reason why sometimes I’m feelin’ under That’s the reason why sometimes I’m feelin’ down It’s no wonder why sometimes I’m feelin’ under Gotta keep my faith alive ’til love is found Now ask yourself Where is the love?
Father, father, father, help us Send some guidance from above ‘Cause people got me, got me questioning Where is the love?
Now sing with me, y’all (One world, one world) We only got (One world, one world) That’s all we got (One world, one world) And something’s wrong with it Something’s wrong with Something’s wrong with the world We only got (One world, one world) That’s all we got (One world, one world)
Bob Schwartz 