The Dharma, sutras, and commentarial interpretations of interest to American Buddhists of all traditions with news that not only informs but transforms. Emphasis on meditation, enlightenment, karma, social evolution, and nonharming.
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Southern California heat wave in full swing as summer "sizzles" on the west coast
Is it okay to yellow the water in the sewer if it is going out to sea?
SURF CITY, USA - Would the Buddha surf? What is "surfing," paddling out on a board or plank and riding the waves, going with the flow, attaining balance on a restless sea of turmoil and surprises?
If that is the definition, then it seems obvious he would. But what if "surfing" is taken to mean what it has become in practice -- a sport for BURN OUTS smoking pot, staring at girls, breathing with your mouth, and saying "dude" as an all-purpose exclamation -- he would not.
Prince Siddhartha might have, but not the Buddha. Anyone who thinks so must be thinking of "Fat Happy Budai" from the local Chinese restaurant, who isn't a buddha at all.
Budai is a jollybodhisattva, a chubby monk who used to give out candy to kids from a big sack he lugged around like an Asian Santa.
The sort of balance one practices in the body can often also be achieved with a skateboard or through martial arts.
(Redd Kross) The SoCal punk classic ditty "Burn Out"
But to gain it in the mind/heart, something more thoroughgoing is needed. The Buddha advised two kinds of meditation to achieve it, serenity (samatha) and insight (vipassana).
Whereas serenity settles the heart/mind, insight purifies it through the intrinsic liberating power of wisdom.
There is something sublime and addictive about playing with the planet as it sloshes its frothy brine onto shore. Kids in Hawaii are addicted to their sport and can spend all day everyday on the waves, as many Westerners have come to find out.
The Whole Earth Catalog once had an edition long ago entitled "Would the Buddha use Headphones?" The purpose of the question was to sell commercial goods and promote spiritual materialism under the guise of Eastern philosophy, but it was in jest.
The Buddha would not have liked being branded for the sake of increasing sales of anything. His mission, and ours, is promoting freedom -- liberation from samsara and suffering and the realization of enlightenment and nirvana in this very life.
Raw sewage is still flowing from a broken pipeline in downtown Los Angeles -- and it's spilling down the L.A. River into the ocean near Long Beach [and also Seal Beach on its way south to Huntington Beach or "Surf City USA"]. Roughly 2.4 million gallons has spewed into the water since Monday afternoon. All beaches in the Long Beach area are shut down until at least Thursday. More
Huntington Beach changes slogan from "Surf City USA" to "The Soul of SoCal" after paying PR firm an estimated $35K for facelift
The marketing geniuses over in beautiful Huntington Beach were not satisfied with their famous trope, suing to keep it off other city's marquees, so satisfied that they got a new one. VansUSopenofSurfing.com in Huntington Beach starts Saturday July 23, 2016. Don't mind the smell.
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