Ox Herding

Korea Diary, 8

Regular readers know how much I respect Somewhere in Dhamma, a fine blog written by Joseph Bengivenni. So when I planned my trip to Korea, I very much wanted to visit with Joseph and his family. Thanks to Joseph's flexibility and the efforts of my friend, Hee Suk, we were able to meet together at Haeinsa.

Haeinsa is one of the most important temples in Korean Buddhism. It houses the famous Tripitaka Koreana, the entire Buddhist canon carved in Chinese characters on over 81,000 wooden blocks, a UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

Frankly, the temple was a bit pimped out for my taste. When I was last there, in 1996, it had a much calmer, more respectful atmosphere. But on this visit there were bright banners and a "fun" maze for people to follow. Okay, I guess, but I wasn't there for fun.

Instead, I had the great pleasure of hanging out with Joseph and his family. In fact, the temple bling faded into the background as Joseph, Eunbong, Fina, Hee Suk and I got to know one another.

At two years old, Fina was on top of her game. I was entranced and she sorta seemed to like me, too. I thought to myself, "Oh, this is what it would be like to be a grandfather!" Not bad at all.

We were joined by a local tea master, one of Hee Suk's many friends, who helped us tour the temple grounds and with whom we went to dinner. Finally, we ended the day at a wonderful exhibition of traditional Korean Buddhist texts, which included the world's first books printed with movable metal type (sorry, Gutenberg!).

On the leaving the exhibition, Fina took my finger and we strolled into the night. Wow!

Blog: Deep Conscious Capitalism

Yesterday Susmita Barua left a comment on Ox Herding which led me to her blog: Deep Conscious Capitalism > Mindful System Change; Transforming Self-Society-Economy: Budha Way.

She describes the blog in this way:

Can we as conscious citizens and engaged Buddhists create our collective future mindfully? It is a social engagement Intention experiment to consciously shift the 'Evolutionary Path' of the planet to create an abundant yet sustainable human-scale economy, a global culture of peace, partnership, genuine free market, unlimited potential for conscious living and right livelihood. Be part of a shared dream, collective solution and joyful evolution.

Susmita began the blog in 2007 (why haven't I discovered it before?) and the posts are exactly as promised:  deep, provocative examinations of how to live correctly within a capitalist economic system. Please check it out and add the site to your blogroll.

Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone.

- John Maynard Keynes

Trembling

This world completely lacks essence;

It trembles in all directions.

I longed to find myself a place

Unscathed — but I could not see it.

Attadanda Sutta

Our heart's natural longing unites us with the suffering people of Japan. May we together, through our practice and generosity, find happiness and peace.

Later Note: The Jizo Chronicles has links to a variety of ways to support the people of Japan. Thank you, Maia!

Photograph by Lee Jae-Won/Reuters

What I'm Reading: A Land of Ghosts

Although I rarely read non-fiction, I recently read A Land of Ghosts, by David Campbell, for the second time.

This extraordinary book explores the hidden streams and valleys that give rise to the Amazon River. It also painstakingly describes the ongoing devastation of that land.

Despite its tragic subject, A Land of Ghosts is a work of great feeling.

I came to the River for science, but I stayed for the beauty. My memories of the species I found—each an invocation of sunlight and water and minerals— and of the play of light in the canopy, the night sounds, the aromas and textures of the forest, the time and space shared with friends on the frontier make up a tapestry of experience so rich that now, years later and thousands of kilometers away, it imbues my papery life with dimension and perspective.

I once wrote a book about Antarctica, a place where form and light are distilled into a few simple, evocative phrases, where only a few species have managed to climb ashore and survive. Antarctica is parsimonious and therefore easy to characterize. It is biological haiku. But how do I describe the inchoate green tapestry of the Amazon Valley, this apex of earthly diversity? Imagine: there are more species of lichens, liverworts, mosses, and algae growing on the upper surface of a single leaf of an Amazonian palm than there are on the entire continent of Antarctica. How do I reduce this voluptuous diversity to words?

Where do I begin?

We humans depend wholly upon this whirling blue sphere. And yet we deforest 9,000 square miles of the Amazon basin each year. Might we want to know more about our home?

Land of Ghosts is a fine place to begin.

"Loving-Anger" and the Deepwater Horizon Disaster

After reading some of my earlier posts on the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe, Chong Go Sunim (of Wake Up and Laugh!) sent me a link to the clip below. It's a wonderful expression of "loving-anger."

The two "commentators," John Clarke and Bryan Dawe, capture the painful absurdity of BP's response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. 

I appreciate the humor in the above clip. But the situation remains serious and the American government's response to the catastrophe remains wholly inadequate. If you'd like to see what a genuine response to the oil spill might look like, "Fake President" Rachel Maddow offers her "oval office" viewpoint. I found this an impressive example of loving-anger and encourage you to watch it to the end.

Thank you for reading Ox Herding. May you find relief over the weekend!

Barry

P.S. If you just can't get enough on this topic, here's Jon Stewart on the history of "oil independence:"

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
An Energy-Independent Future
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Relief for Haiti

Friends,

As you know, an enormous earthquake struck the island of Haiti yesterday. The first relief ships have reported extraordinary destruction.

Susann and I have a friend (an emergency room physician) who spends part of each year providing medical services in Haiti. I emailed her today for recommendations of relief agencies with existing infrastructure on the island.

Her recommendations - all worthy - are below.

The need is urgent beyond belief. Please consider making a generous donation in support of the Haitian people.

Kwan Seum Bosal,

Barry

Recommended Relief Agencies (from our friend)

CARE

Catholic Relief Services (the Catholic Church provides much of the Haitian infrastructure)

Mercy Corps

UNICEF

Doctors Without Borders (apparently their facilities have collapsed)

For an extensive list of accredited NGOs, click here.

Update

Video update from Doctors Without Borders:

Decorating the White House

A recent article in the New York Times described the Obama's plans to decorate the White House in a way that reflects their aspirations and visions for the new presidency. Apparently every president does this sort of thing.

This got me to thinking about using the White House to honor the remarkable burst of American creativity that occurred during the 20th Century.

I'd love to see paintings by Mark Rothko and Chuck Close hung on the walls. A sculpture by Louise Nevelson would add heft to the grounds. And wouldn't furniture by Charles and Ray Eames look fabulous in the Oval Office?

And then I remembered Dorothea Lange, the photographer who produced some of the most moving documents of the Great Depression.

I hope that President Obama might consider mounting a display of Lange's work in the Oval Office. This would provide a daily reminder of the genuine suffering inflicted on millions of people by the greed and misdeeds of a very few.

May we never forget that people's suffering is not merely psychological, but arises also from a culture that celebrates material comfort above all else. We each have a role in this. May we never forget.

"Migrant Mother" by Dorothea Lange, 1936. This image was shot outside of San Luis Obispo, California, in a camp for migrant pea-pickers. It became an iconic representation of the Great Depression.

You Don't Have To Be A Buddhist

As seen first on everyone's favorite blog, The Worst Horse.

Letter from H.H. the Dalai Lama to President-Elect Barack Obama

The Tibet Post International Forum reports that H.H. the Dalai Lama recently sent the following letter to President-Elect Barack Obama:

November 5, 2008

H.E. Barack Obama
President-elect of the United States of America
Washington, DC
U.S.A.

Dear President-elect Obama,

Congratulations on your election as the President of the United States of America.

I am encouraged that the American people have chosen a President who reflects America's diversity and her fundamental ideal that any person can rise up to the highest office in the land.  This is a proud moment for America and one that will be celebrated by many peoples around the world.

The American Presidential elections are always a great source of encouragement to people throughout the world who believe in democracy, freedom and equality of opportunities.

May I also commend the determination and moral courage that you have demonstrated throughout the long campaign, as well as the kind heart and steady hand that you often showed when challenged.  I recall our own telephone conversation this spring and these same essential qualities came through in your concern for the situation in Tibet.

As the President of the United States, you will certainly have great and difficult tasks before you, but also many opportunities to create change in the lives of those millions who continue to struggle for basic human needs.  You must also remember and work for these people, wherever they may be.

With my prayers and good wishes,

Yours sincerely,

THE DALAI LAMA

Thanks to Precious Metal: the blog for bringing this letter to our attention!

Refugees United

Jordan Fountain, who writes Slow Zen: Asura Dharma, notes that today is Blog Action Day for Refugees United. Please take a moment to learn more by visiting Refugees United and USCRI.

As Jordan asks: What would Jizo do?