Path to Nirvana; WQ reaches milestone

Here, Johnson poses at the opening green carpet for the 21st Zurich Film Festival on Sept. 25, 2025, in Zurich, Switzerland (Andreas Rentz, Getty Images for ZFF)

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Dakota Johnson was a vision in blue at the Zurich Film Festival, and her jaw-dropping, see-through Gucci gown stole the spotlight. Johnson was on stage at the screening of her latest film, "Splitsville," at the 2025 Zurich Film Festival on Sept. 25, 2025, in Zurich, Switzerland. Artistic Director of the ZFF Christian Jungen awarded Johnson the Golden Eye Award during the screening. More:

• Dakota Johnson's sheer Gucci gown stuns at Zurich Film Festival | USA Today
• ZFF: Dakota Johnson and other stars at festival opening

Blue is the color, invisible to the ancients

Blue is the color. It represents a kind of cosmic intelligence or wisdom, to the extent any color (rate of vibration or frequency) can convey resonance or a mood. The seven main chakras (energy nexuses or "wheels") along the spine represent the aspirations of humans.

We go from the base (muladhara) with our coiled energy waiting to be expressed, where we ground ourselves, aspiring upwards to release (spiritual liberation) at the crown chakra. They are called wheels because they are turning, guiding kundalini energy upward.

Milestone

What the students wrote

What is the milestone? It is another tremendous mass of views. Without realizing it, Wisdom Quarterly: American Buddhist Journal crossed yet another big tick on the ticker. With each such bundle of hits or views, most of them taking place in just the past month, we are filled with gratitude for our enlightened teacher and his successful American student (to preserve her privacy, let's call her Kalyani, the noble friend), who are inspirations that we, too, can attain such things as are described in the Buddhist texts, particularly the Abhidhamma preserved and made practical in little known Burmese Theravada tradition of the great Pa Auk Sayadaw. (All forms of Buddhism may be beautiful and exotic, counterintuitive and koan-like, but how many produce enlightenment and liberation, bodhi and nirvana, in this very life?) However, in our worldly foolishness, we tend to intellectualize everything. And for that we have our root teacher, American JuBu Bhikkhu Bodhi (BAUS.org).

What is the Path to Enlightenment?

Dhr. Seven, Ashley Wells (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

Seven energy-wheels or chakras of the body

The "path" (Pali magga, Sanskrit marga) may be summarized in many ways. Because Buddhism as recorded in ancient, memorized recitations (the oral tradition of proto-India before most people read and wrote), there are lists. So it's fun to play with them so long as one knows the map is not the terrain, only an indicator along the way. If only ONE thing were needed to awaken to enlightenment (bodhi), that

1. one thing would be insight (wisdom, direct knowing-and-seeing, panna, Sanskrit prajna).
2. If the list had two things: Serenity (jhanas) and Mindfulness (satipatthana) producing liberating wisdom.
3. Three things: Compassion, Tranquility, and Mindful Attention to the Four Foundations.
4. Four things: The Four Ennobling Truths. ("Noble" = Aryan = "Enlightening").
5. Five things: Finding a suitable teacher, giving ear, mental attention, applying oneself, and perseverance until success.
6. Six things: Sitting, calming, absorption (jhana), emerging, and immediately mindfully placing attention on phenomena (ultimate mentality and materiality, discerning cittas and kalapas), and reflecting.
7. Seven things: The Seven Factors of Enlightenment.
8. Eight things: The Ennobling Eightfold Path....
9. Thirty-seven things: (The Seven Requisites of Enlightenment or the bodhipakkhiyādhammā, all the key things, or dhamma, the historical Buddha taught pertaining to awakening that leads to knowing nirvana).

• USA Today; Editors, Wisdom Quarterly

Monks behaving badly: Phuket, Thailand

Monks arrested, drunken Chalong shooting, Phuket beach vendors tossed || Thailand News

(The Phuket News) Premiered May 16, 2025: PHUKET [pronounced POOH-khet, not FOOK-k...] XTRA brought to you by @PVC Phuket Hosted by: JP Mestanza || #Phuket #PhuketNews #Thailand

1. Drunk monk arrested in Patong MORE: Elderly abbot accused of B300 embezzlement (bangkokpost.com)
2. Soi Palai on alert as drunk man fires gun into sky
3. Woman charged over Surin Beach encroachment MORE: Officials reclaim public land at Surin Beach
4. Burglar makes off with B300K in valuables
5. Premchai reports to police over Bangkok tower collapse case (bangkokpost.com) MORE: Arrest warrants issued for Premchai, 16 others over SAO building collapse

• (CNN) Video released of inmates escaping a New Orleans jail
• 9 inmates still at large after escape; NOPD learned from statewide alert

Meanwhile, in honest Amerikkka, 10 escape

(CNN) Video shows moment multiple inmates escape New Orleans jail

Two years ago in Thailand

Embezzlement isn't new in bad Bangkok, half cremated corpse dumped

Thailand News Today: 95 million baht embezzled by monk in Thailand

(The Thaiger) July 1, 2022: A head monk is accused of embezzling 95 million baht (~40 baht to the US dollar) and dumping half-cremated corpses into the river, Thailand’s major banks crash on pay day, and Thai fighter jets respond to MIGs from Burma (Myanmar). Sponsor: 5-star marine: 5starmarinephuket.com. #Thailandnightlife #Bangkok #ThailandNews

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:32 Monk accused of embezzling 95m
• 02:37 Banking apps crashed
• 04:19 Burmese jet flies in Thailand
• 06:09 Thai PM against drug
• 07:13 Thai COVID update

Subscribe: bit.ly/2Ch3iJp. Check out JP Mestanza’s channel: bit.ly/2XIxRUQ. SPONSOR: PSD Windows and Doors: bit.ly/2O0ngQy

ABOUT: The Phuket News TV is the video arm of The Phuket News, an English-language newspaper in Phuket, part of the Class Act Media family. Phuket Xtra is a daily news show covering Phuket Island and the latest news from Thailand. This show intends to cover the everyday aspects of life in Southern Thailand and the rest of the Theravada Buddhist Kingdom of Thailand. Stay classy! (VIDEO) Phuket News TV: https://www.thephuketnews.com/tv/ (NEWSPAPER) The Phuket News: http://th.thephuketnews.com/ (RADIO) Live 89.5: https://www.thephuketnews.com/radio/

ABOUT: Founded in 2009, Class Act Media is Southern Thailand's most comprehensive media company, incorporating newspapers and magazines (English, Russian, and Thai), radio, TV, numerous websites, and an online ticketing service. Class Act Media prides itself on its ability to deliver high quality media services to residents and tourists in Phuket and all across Southern Thailand. It sincerely believes in accountability towards its clients and ensuring that each member of its team subscribes to its motto: "The client is always right." Read more at ThePhuketNews.com

• Eds. Wisdom Quarterly

Lady Gaga plays for 2.5 million in Brazil

I'm way hotter than Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles because I have sexier eyes and am just better

"The Party of the First Part" (Bauhaus)

(Dialogue from "The Devil and Daniel Mouse")

That oughtta teach Lana Del Rey not to try to outdo me, and that goes for Madonna, too!

• Jan Mouse: Who are you?
• B.L. Zebub: My card, pretty lady.
• Jan Mouse: Devil-May-Care Music Productions, B. L. Zebub, President.
• B.L. Zebub: I like your style; too bad you're not a singer!
• Jan Mouse: Oh, but I am! I am a singer!
• B.L. Zebub: Hmm, no fooling?
• Jan Mouse: No, no, listen...
• B.L. Zebub: Fantastic, different!
• Jan Mouse: I want to be a star, oh, please!
• B.L. Zebub: You've talked me into it. Contract! Just our standard contract, nothing fancy...
• Weez Weezel: Fame, fortune, fans, gold records, concerts, world tours, your name in lights!
• B.L. Zebub: Take your time; read it all.
• Jan Mouse: Oh, I give up. Can I trust you? Okay, I'll sign!
• B.L. Zebub: Right! Pen!
• Jan Mouse: Where's the ink?
• B.L. Zebub: We always use blood; it's more permanent.
• Jan Mouse: Oh, I don't know. Can't we wait for Dan?
• B.L. Zebub: Oh, sure, I'll be back next year. Come on, Weez!
• Jan Mouse: Next year?! Oh wait, wait, stop, stop! I'll sign! What about a band? I know a drummer...
• Weez Weezel: Ugh! She can't be bothered, kid; she's got an interview!
• Peter Murphy (of Bauhaus): The interview circus is so absurd and so silly
• Journalist: How do you feel about your sudden success?
• Jan Mouse: Well, I feel like being a big star is really great, you know? It's like, fabulous. Of course, it's...lonely, too, sometimes
• Journalist: Oh, that's nice!
• Weez Weezel: This is the biggest thing ever to hit rock! You're at the top now, sweetie!
• Jan Mouse: Yeah, but where do I go from here?
• Weez Weezel: Don't worry...
• B.L. Zebub: I want you; we have a bargain.
• Jan Mouse: No, I didn't mean that! Wait!
• B.L. Zebub: I've been waiting; now it's my turn!
• Jan Mouse: No!
• B.L. Zebub: According to our contract, at precisely midnight, at the moment of her greatest triumph...the party of the first part, that's you, agrees to render up her soul now and forevermore... to the party of the second part, that's me. Shall we go?

Lady Gaga makes excuses to address not addressing transgender rumors

(Bauhaus – "She's in Parties" | lyrics by genius.com)

• Key of Awesome ("Born This Way," "Bad Romance" parodies); Bauhaus, "The Party of the First Part," "She's in Parties"; Lady Gaga in the AI version of the news; Eds., Wisdom Quarterly, April 3, 2025

One Million Acts of Kindness 😨

Bogart and his friend Bob (OMAK)

One Million Acts of Kindness is the goal, a goal for each person to individually perform 1,0000,000 acts of kindness in this life.

Can anyone imagine a greater goal for one’s life? [Yes, we can think of two things, bcoming a "noble one" (any of the stages of enlightenment) or doing one million and one acts.]

Let's develop a constant mindset (heart) of loving-kindness (called metta in Buddhism) every day of our lives for the next 55 years.

Dad, let's join OMAK! - Shut up, I'm drinking!

Do what? Do for others (with kind friendliness in our hearts). For whom? For everyone! It is Founder Bob Votruba's wish that each of us dedicate our lives to a charity…finding the passion in our heart for some cause, some need, someone, or something that can use our help to help others.

Can I start with my dog, Whitey Bogart-Jones?

As a father of three college-age kids, the founder is concerned for a world in which all future kids will live.

A great way to create a safer, more caring world is for everyone to start a lifetime goal of OMAK (One Million Acts of Kindness).

So Bob bought a bus.

Hop onboard the Kindness Bus

The he had about 60 family members, friends, and neighbors help paint. So began a 10-year journey, with "Bogart," his Boston terrier, to college campuses across the country, hoping to convince as many Americans as possible about this much-needed movement for the world.

When we are as kind to others as we are to ourselves, we'd better be very kind to ourselves. :)

Oh, Buddha, how can I be kind to anyone when I can't even be kind to myself? - Meditate.

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Loving-kindness (metta) in practice

I love all y'all too much to sit back and not do anything. Let’s start a kindness movement! Where? In this country. When? Today! Why? To change the direction of the world and where we are all headed!

We are the change this world needs. We are trying to offer inspiration to those wanting to better themselves by leading a lifetime of constantly spreading kindness to others. Mission

They're bullying me at school for being weird! - Oh, dear I'll never let this happen.

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Ride for life and kindness

An 8-year ride for kids to put an end to bullying and adolescent suicide. In Year 3 of the mission, Bob introduced a bicycle ride to his travels to raise awareness about issues kids have to deal with when they are far too young.

Bullying and adolescent suicide are two of these challenges, burdens most kids will unfairly have to overcome throughout the remainder of their lives. At rides' end, we will have biked enough miles to travel the perimeter of the known Earth, twice. The mission of this ride is one focus: to save kids' lives.

A: What can one man do? A: Start a movement?

How to save a life... Be kind. We have no idea what impact our actions have, can have, or have had. More

Help Bogart and Bob spread the message of a goal of kindness to schoolchildren across the country. Donations are crucial to making kindness a reality.

Bogart wrote a book with Bob

• Mail donations to:
• One Million Acts of Kindness
• P.O. Box 770054
• Lakewood, Ohio 44107
• Donate by PayPal
• (the safer, easier way to move money online)

• The Kindness Generation
• Compassion Consortium: Animal welfare, music, memories, Wed, Apr 24, 2024, 4:30 PM | Meetup

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  Bob Votruba on with Gary Hoffman and Shannon Farren (GAS KFI AM 640); Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Dhr. Seven, Jen Bradford, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Swift Conspiracy, Trump loses big $$$ (SNL)

Saturday Night Live, Feb. 3, 2024; Seth Auberon, Pfc. Sandoval (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

In addition to losing cases brought against him, Trump loses more cases he tries to bring.

Weekend Update: MAGA's Taylor Swift Super Bowl Conspiracy, Trump's $50 mil legal fees, $83 mil verdict, $5 mil rape fine

(Saturday Night Live) Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like Nikki Haley targeting Biden and Trump with "grumpy old men" campaign ads. Stream Saturday Night Live now on Peacock (pck.tv/3n1IyzK). #SNL #AyoEdebiri #SNL49 #JenniferLopez

Humpy Trump: Trey K and Tay-Tay are CIA psyops dummies

and candidate Nikki Nirmada Haley makes a surprise appearance

Record lottery drawing late: The Fix Is In?

Los Angeles Times, 11/7/22; Travie McCoy: "Billionaire" ft. Bruno Mars; Eds., Wisdom Quarterly

Customer buys tickets at Bluebird Liquor, Hawthorne, last month (Mark J. Terrill/AP/LA Times)

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The Fix Is In (Brian Tuohy)

The drawing for a record Powerball lottery jackpot has been delayed Monday night allegedly because a participating lottery needed more time to meet "security requirements," officials said.

California Lottery officials confirmed the delay in a tweet Monday night but did not name the lottery in question. "Powerball has strict security requirements that must be met by all 48 lotteries before a drawing can occur," the officials said.

I rule the world? No wonder everything's a mess.

"When the required security protocols are complete, the drawing will be performed under the supervision of lottery security officials and independent auditors. Winning numbers will be posted as soon as they are available."

[What a load of what Pres. Joey B calls "malarkey"!] A drawing for the $1.9-billion (1,000 million plus 900 more million dollars) jackpot had been scheduled for 7:59 pm Eastern Standard Time, according to Powerball's website. More

• Powerball grows to record $1.9 billion after no jackpot-winning Saturday tickets, after a record number of there being no winner (msn.com)

Million+ join Women's March on DC (photos)

Editors, Wisdom Quarterly; The Associated Press (Saturday, Jan. 22, 2017)

Million join the main Women's March in addition to L.A., Chicago, worldwide (AP).

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Over 1 million join anti-Trump marches

WASHINGTON, DC (AP) - In a global exclamation of [anti-Trump] defiance and solidarity, more than one million people rallied at women's marches in the nation's capital and cities around the world today to send President Don John Trump an emphatic message on his first full day in office that they will not let his agenda go unchallenged.

"Welcome to your first day; we will not go away!" marchers in Washington, DC chanted. Many of the women came wearing pink, pointy-eared "pussyhats" to mock the new president. Plenty of men joined in, too, contributing to surprising numbers everywhere from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles to Mexico City, Paris, Berlin, London, Prague, and Sydney. More

Cops say no arrests at Women's March on DC

Jewish Betsy Rosen of Charlotte, N.C., hugs Muslim girl of Moroccan descent Aya Laoufir, 17, of Arlington, Va., during rally at Women's March against Pres. Trump in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017. In a global exclamation of defiance and solidarity, more than 1 million people rallied at women's marches in the nation's capital and cities around the world Saturday to send Trump an emphatic message on his first full day in office that they won't let his agenda go unchallenged (AP).

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The Latest on the Women's March on Washington and affiliated protests around the world. 6:10 pm EST: A day after more than 200 people were arrested in Washington while protesting the inauguration of Pres. Trump, the Women's March on Washington didn't yield a single arrest.

According to District of Columbia (DC) Homeland Security Director Christopher Geldart, no one was arrested at massive peaceful Women's March demonstration.

 

Anarchists send Trump a message (AP).

Friday's inaugural protests were led by self-described "anarchists," and federal prosecutors say most of those arrested will be charged with felony rioting.

 

Director Geldart says, "I think our Metropolitan Police Department performed not only admirably but outstandingly." He adds, "They knew when we had those who were trying to destroy things and those who were trying to peacefully protest." More