Death Sutra; 'The Seventh Seal' (film)

 

Buddhists invented chess? (Rules)

The Seventh Seal (Swedish Det sjunde inseglet) is a 1957 Swedish historical fantasy film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman.

 

Set in Sweden [3, 4] during the Black Death, it tells of the journey of a medieval knight (Max von Sydow) and a game of chess he plays with [Mara] the personification of Death (Bengt Ekerot), who has come to take his life.

• Buddhism in Sweden
• Origins of chess (chess.com)
• The origin of chess (Silk Road Foundation)
• All the European names of the game of chess have roots in the Persian language. French Echec and English “Checkmate” originated thanks to their Persian roots. At the same time, Buddhist pilgrims are known to have carried it towards the East. Where several versions of the games (inscribed discs placed on the intersection of the lines of the board rather than within the squares)... Where did chess come from? | CHESS KLUB

The Seventh Seal, 1957

Bergman developed the film from his own play Wood Painting. The title refers to a passage from the Bible's Book of Revelation, used both at the very start of the film and again towards the end, beginning with the words "And when the Lamb had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour" [5].

 

Here, the motif of silence refers to the "silence of God," which is a major theme of the film [6, 7]. The Seventh Seal is considered a classic in the history of cinema, as well as one of the greatest films of all time.

It established Bergman as a director, containing scenes which have become iconic through homages, critical analyses, and parodies. More

Death comes rolling at us. Are we ready?

The Simile of the Mountain, Pabbatūpama Sutta (SN 3.2)

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in Sāvatthī.

King Pasenadi of Kosala came and respectfully sat to one side. The Buddha said to him, “Great King, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”

“Venerable sir, there are anointed warrior caste kings who are infatuated with authority and obsessed with craving for sensual delights. They have attained stability in the country, conquering and occupying a vast territory. Today I have been busy fulfilling the duties of such a king.”

“What do you think, Great King? Suppose a trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the east. He would approach and say, ‘Please, Great King, know this: I come from the east. There I saw a huge mountain that reached the clouds. And it was coming this way, crushing all creatures in its path. Therefore, Great King, do as you see fit!’

• This extraordinary threat looms also in an Upanishadic passage: “Even if both the mountain ranges, the southern and the northern, were to rush at him determined to level him, they would not succeed in leveling him” (Kauṣītaki Upanishad 2.13, translation by Olivelle).

“Then suppose another trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the west… a third from the north… and a fourth from the south, approaching to say, ‘Great King, know this. I come from [that direction]. There I saw a huge mountain that reached the clouds. And it was coming this way, crushing all creatures in its path. Therefore, Great King, do as you see fit!’

“Should such a dire threat arise—with so grim a loss of human life when human rebirth is so preciously rare—what would you do?”

“Venerable sir, what could I do but practice the Dhamma (Buddha's Teachings), practice morality, doing skillful and profitable kamma (deeds, actions)?”

“I say, Great King, I announce: Old age and death are advancing upon you. Since old age and death are advancing upon you, what shall you do?”

“Venerable sir, what can I do but practice the Dhamma, practice morality, doing skillful and profitable kamma?

“Venerable sir, there are anointed warrior kings who are infatuated with authority and obsessed with craving for sensual delights. They have attained stability in the country, conquering and occupying a vast territory. Such kings engage in battles with elephants, cavalries, chariots, or infantries. But there is no place, no domain for such battles when old age and death are advancing.

“In this royal court there are ministers of wise counsel who are capable of dividing an approaching enemy by wise counsel. But there is no place, no domain for such diplomatic battles when old age and death are advancing.

“In this royal court there is abundant gold, both minted and unminted, stored above and below ground. Using this wealth we can bribe an approaching enemy.

• Bhūmigata is explained as “underground” at Bu Pj 2:4.2.1 (there bhūmaṭṭha). | Vehāsaṭṭha is explained as “above ground” at Bu Pj 2:4.5.1. | Upalāpetuṁ (“bribe”) is a means by which Vassakāra suggests the Vajjis can be overcome (DN 16:1.5.8, AN 7.22:12.3).

“But there is no place, no domain for such monetary battles when old age and death are advancing.

“When old age and death are advancing, what can I do but practice the Teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and profitable deeds?”

“That is true, Great King, so true! When old age and death are advancing, what can one do but practice Dhamma, practice morality, doing skillful and profitable karma?”

That is what the Buddha said. Then the Awakened One, the Teacher, summarized in verse:

“Suppose there were vast mountains

of solid rock pressed against the sky

drawing in from all sides

crushing the four quarters.

So, too, old age and death

advance upon all living beings—

warriors, priests, peasants,

menials, corpse-workers, and scavengers.

They spare no one.

They crush all under them.

There is nowhere for an elephant to take a stand,

neither chariot nor infantry.

Mountains cannot be defeated

by diplomatic battles or wealth.

That is why an astute person,

seeing what is good for oneself,

being wise, would place confidence (faith)

in the Awakened One, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha.

Whoever lives by the Teaching

[skillful in actions of] body, speech, and mind,

is praised in this life

and departs to rejoice in heaven(s).”

• Ingmar Bergman; SN 3.25: Pabbatūpama Sutta—Bhikkhu Sujato (trans.), suttacentral.net, edited by Kalyani, Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Summer ends, The Fall begins (9/22)

Row, row, row your board gently on the plane/Merrily, merrily, merrily, life moves to the drain

.

Can non-Indians enjoy it, too?

Seasons change, Anicca reigns; it is the way of Samsara. That will be our new saying. What does it mean? "Weather alters, impermanence in all things; that's how it goes in this incessant Cycle." But at least on the Island of California, it's not so bad. We get a reprieve before fall starts in earnest. And it's called "Indian summer." Berkeley, one of the greatest places on the planet, got hit by an earthquake to wake everyone up and keep them agitating for positive change. We know things are changing because Christmas Tree Lane lights are going up in post-Eaton Fire Altadena, a Los Angeles custom.

Berkeley gets a wakeup call

Indian summer

Native Americans enter a Quaker Friends meeting and find them quite nice and peaceful.

.

Beware of anicca (constant flux)

An Indian summer is a period of unseasonably warm and dry weather that sometimes occurs in autumn in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Several sources describe a true Indian summer as not occurring until after the first frost, or more specifically the first "killing frost" [1][2][3].

• Seasons change with the solstices and equinoxes

Etymology (origin)

One last time to the beach before it's too late?

The late 19th-century lexicographer Albert Matthews made an exhaustive search of early American literature in an attempt to discover who coined the expression [4]. The earliest reference he found dated to 1851. He also found the phrase in a letter written in England in 1778 but discounted that as a coincidental use of the phrase.

Later research showed that the earliest known reference to "Indian summer" in its current sense occurs in an essay written in the United States around 1778 by J. Hector St. John de Crevecœur, describing the character of autumn and implying the common usage of the expression:

• Great rains at last replenish the springs, the brooks, the swamp and impregnate the earth. Then a severe frost succeeds which prepares it to receive the voluminous coat of snow which is soon to follow; though it is often preceded by a short interval of smoke and mildness, called the Indian Summer. This is in general the invariable rule: winter is not said properly to begin until those few moderate days & the raising of the water has announced it to Man.

The essay was first published in French around 1788 and remained unavailable in the United States until the 1920s [5].

Although the exact origins of the term are uncertain [6], it was perhaps so-called

• because it was first noted in regions inhabited by Native Americans,
• or because the natives first described it to Europeans [7],
• or it had been based on the warm and hazy conditions in autumn when Native Americans hunted [6].

Buddhist Wheel of Life: Impermanence

John James Audubon wrote about "The Indian Summer that extraordinary phenomenon of North America" in his journal on Nov. 20, 1820. He mentions the "constant Smoky atmosphere" and how the smoke irritates his eyes.

Audubon suspects that the condition of the air was caused by "Indians, firing the Prairies of the West." Audubon also mentions in many other places in his writings the reliance Native Americans had on fire. At no point does Audubon relate an Indian summer to warm temperatures during the cold seasons. More

• The Fall (2006 film)

What is The Fall?

(Like Stories of Old) The Fall, the most beautiful movie you've never seen: Roy tells Alexandria

Filmed in 24 countries

Fall, of course, is a season; every fall is heralded by the autumnal equinox. But The Fall is something else. We can look at fascists in the White House, the Department of War, the Senate, Congress, and police departments across the nation for that sort of toppling or the coming down of the things we all loved and cherished as our birthright under a Constitution.

So long, Cruel Cruel Summer!

But the present administration, like administrations before it on both sides of the aisle, doesn't seem to care about the writing of the Forefathers at the birth of the nation. One is reminded of Hamilton, now out in a three-hour extravaganza of rap, choreographed dancing, and dueling. What is a good example of a Fall that falls upon us like an Indian summer, maybe driving along happily and without a care along PCH. Then BAM! Crash. Eyes covered with a sheet. Coroner's office...more Samsara.

(Movie Monarch) Review of The Fall, one of the greatest films ever

• Jai Wolf, Indian Summer (giphy.com); Eds., Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edit

Where does consciousness GO after death?

Rebirth: dying countless times: Samsara

We’ve died [countless] deaths and still don’t know why: Buddhist Abhidhamma explained

Ocean of Saṃsāra (Bhavacakra)

(Buddhist Audio books) May 17, 2025: Why have our lives always felt incomplete? This video reveals the shocking truth behind why 🌌 Samsara — the Endless Cycle of Birth, Death, and Rebirth — has no beginning.

[Samsara also has no foreseeable end, like a carousel. Like a whirlpool in the ocean, it will not stop, but it is possible to escape get off.]

Drawing from powerful Buddhist sutras like the Anamatagga Samyutta and deep insights from the Abhidhamma (the "Doctrine in Ultimate Terms" or "Higher Teaching"), let's reveal the hidden causes of our suffering and why we keep returning again and again.

🧘‍♂️ LEARN:

• What is Samsara and why does it feel endless?
• How our past lives shape our present life
• How to escape the cycle according to the Buddha.

📜 Based on the Anamatagga Samyutta and other Theravada sutras (Pali canon) and Theravada Abhidhamma teachings and ancient Buddhist meditation teachings.

We are on infinite repeat (Groundhog Day)

SUTRA: All the Foliage in a Forest

(Linked Discourses 15.1, Chapter One, "Grass and Sticks")

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī within Jeta’s Grove, in millionaire’s monastery. There he addressed the meditators, “Meditators!”

“Venerable sir,” they replied.

Then the Buddha told them, “Meditators, this Samsara (Cycle of Rebirth) has no discernible beginning. No first point is to be found of sentient beings wandering and being reborn, clouded by [the smoke of] ignorance and fettered [and being burned] by craving.

“Suppose a person were to strip all the grass, sticks, branches, and leaves in the Black Plum Tree Land, gather them together into a single pile, chop them into pieces, and lay them down, saying:

“‘This is my mother, this is my grandmother...’ The grass, sticks, branches, and leaves of the Black Plum Tree Land would run out before that person’s mothers and grandmothers were all counted. Why? Samsara has no discernible beginning. No first point is to be found of sentient beings wandering and being reborn, clouded by ignorance and fettered by craving.

“For a long time have we all undergone disaster, disappointment, and agony, swelling the cemeteries. It has been more than long enough for one to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed from all conditions.”

🙏 The Buddha realized the endlessness of Samsara through his fully awakened wisdom on the night of his great enlightenment (maha bodhi). With the divine eye (dibba cakkhu) he developed, he gained the recollection of countless past lives, his own and others'.

He saw beings being born and dying over vast aeons (kalpas), across uncountable realms (on 31 Planes of Existence, which are divided into three spheres), with no discernible beginning point to the impersonal, impermanent, and impossible-to-satisfy cycle.

The Buddha taught in the Anamatagga Samyuththa, “The beginning of this continued wandering on is not to be discovered.”

This is stated not based on faith but direct knowledge. Samsara is endless because each life is caused by previous karma (deeds), which are willed and carried out due to ignorance and craving and aversion. These in turn arise from previous conditions, in a chain of 12 causal links beginning with ignorance.

Thus, the Buddha clearly saw that there was no ultimate creator, no first cause [or prime mover], only a wheel of conditional existence turning without beginning. More

ABOUT: 💡 From emotional stories and ancient wisdom to rare teachings of the Buddha, this is a journey through time, karma, and consciousness. Whether one is new to Buddhism or a deep practitioner, this video changes how we see our lives.

🔔 Subscribe for more deep Buddhist wisdom and life-changing insights. 👉 Remember to like, comment, and share if this moved your heart. #buddhism #samsara #WhySamsaraIsEndless #buddhateachings #rebirth #Karma #Abhidhamma #AnamataggaSutta #CycleOfLife #spiritualawakening #PastLives #Theravada #BuddhistMeditation #EscapeSamsara #DeepWisdom #LifeAfterDeath #SpiritualJourney #DhammaTalk #Mindfulness #BuddhistPhilosophy #Theravada Buddhism #Abhidhamma Teachings #realms of Rebirth Buddhism #spirituality #buddha #Buddhism Afterlife Beliefs #BuddhistCosmology #Abhidhamma #HeavenAndHell #MindAndReality

• Buddhist Audio books, May 17, 2025; Dhr. Seven (trans. based on Ven. Sujato, suttacentral.net), Wisdom Quarterly

Buddhism: Rebirth not Reincarnation

Buddhism on Rebirth and Reincarnation: Rebirth is NOT reincarnation

(Buddhism Podcast) Jan. 15, 2025: The Buddhist understanding of rebirth is not about becoming something else in the future. It is about transforming who we are right now. 

• [WARNING: The AI voiceover mispronounces every Pali term, pronouncing it without consideration to what language it is but rather treating it like it were following English pronunciation rules.]
• 00:00 - Intro
• 00:11 - Understanding Rebirth in Buddhism
• 04:32 - Reincarnation in Other Traditions
• 08:40 - Key Differences Between Rebirth and Reincarnation
• 12:50 - Understanding the Process of Death and Rebirth
• 18:33 - Modern Understanding and Daily Practice

Uncover how understanding rebirth as distinct from ideas about "reincarnation" illuminates the true nature of existence, the cycles of suffering, and the underlying mechanisms of cause and effect (or how one cause has many effects, and each effect is itself a cause).

Grasp how comprehending the Buddha's teachings offers essential insight into the true nature of reality, the path to final liberation from all suffering, and the cultivation of profound wisdom and boundless compassion.

See how these ancient teachings offer practical guidance for living a more meaningful life, free from clinging to attachments, and in accordance with ethical principles that benefit all.

This knowledge changes how we see our lives. #rebirth #reincarnation #buddhismpodcast #buddhist

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 p𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 c𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

"At our channel, we are committed to sharing the beauty and wisdom of Buddhist teachings with the purpose of education and inspiration. All our content is created with deep respect for the Buddha’s teachings, aiming to promote understanding, mindfulness, and compassion in everyday life. Our goal is to present the values and practices of Buddhism in a way that is accessible and beneficial to everyone, regardless of their background or beliefs. We do not seek to influence or alter anyone’s faith but simply to offer insights into the timeless wisdom of Buddhism as a source of guidance and positivity. This channel is a space for learning, reflection, and connection, guided by the principles of respect, kindness, and truth. If you have any feedback or concerns, we welcome open and respectful dialogue. Thank you for supporting our mission to share the meaningful messages of Buddhism with the world."

Science: life, death, and a ‘third state’

Scientists discover a ‘third state’ between life and death

From bon vivant to living corpse and in between?

Scientists have discovered a "third state" between life and death that is neither alive nor quite dead. Not alive, not dead? There is a third state.

It sounds spooky, but it’s the future of medicine. More specifically, this "third state" is when the cells of an organism adopt new functions even after "death."

• 

  Based on Tibetan Book of Dead

  In Vajrayana Buddhism, there is an "intermediate" state between life and rebirth during the time we call "death." But beings, from their perspective, do not die. They go on. They are alive then, seeming to die, they continue. Thereafter, during a period said to be 40 days, they are reborn. Of course, looked at more closely, they are alive the whole time. At the instant of passing on from this state, one reappears elsewhere in the very next moment. Leaving one state is called "death" by others in that state, but for the being undergoing the change, things did not end. Support for life in that state was cut off and, therefore, the being reappeared elsewhere. The scary thing, then, is not that we will pass away. It is that we will be reborn without certainty of where and how. It has much to do with the last conscious moment conditioning the next, which determines the rebirth. For beings who have won the first stage of enlightenment, many bad rebirth destinations have been eliminated. One cannot be reborn in a state below the human plane. But all other beings can be reborn in those unfortunate destinations, in worlds of profound suffering like the animal realm and lower. In the meantime, between lives, beings are living with a more subtle body in the angelic (deva) or ghost (peta) realm for the transition to another life in accordance with one's store of karma (past deeds of all kinds). The Bardo Thodol or "Tibetan Book of the Dead" is for the hearing of a Vajrayana Buddhist during the transition between lives to guide one to a successful rebirth.

Peaceful and wrathful Bardo beings

Or in other words, the cells are functioning, but the being is dead. And this spooky phenomenon is revolutionizing synthetic biology as, usually, death is considered to be irreversible.

But with this new discovery by science of a "third state," different cells from a range of organisms can be repurposed into biological "robots." But what can they do?

The science

In a review published in the journal Physiology, researchers are contemplating the implications of taking cells from organisms (dead or alive) and turning them into biological robots that have new functions.

For example, researchers have managed to successfully create tiny "robots" from human cells which could be used to heal wounds, regenerate tissue, and treat diseases. These are known as anthrobots.

In another instance, researchers from Tufts University in Massachusetts have also created xenobots from the cells of already dead frogs. The cells, despite coming from a dead organism, can self-replicate and perform simple tasks. More

• A giant structure in space challenges our understanding of the universe
• A 200-year-old rock painting may depict a strange tusked creature that lived in the region over 260-million-years-ago (Ghost? Remnant? Survivor? We've all been lied to about the archeological timeline?)
• Archeologists discover significant permanent side effect of smoking
• 8 cartoon characters that exist in real life
• Lawyer claims UFO technology was developed in WWII after nuclear testing (and we've been lied to about it ever since)
• Colossal rock engravings may be ancient borders, study suggests
• Photographer disappeared on solo boat trip off Wales only to turn up in Ireland two days later
• Hiyah Zaidi, Metro via MSN, 11/1/24; Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

It's life after life, NDE research shows

Will we die only to be reborn again in this endless re-cycling of samsara? Yes, but not today.

.

I've studied more than 5,000 near-death experiences (NDEs), and my research has convinced me without a doubt that there's life after what we call death. (WQ) The dying process seems final, until we ourselves die and reunite with those who passed before us.

• UNDERSTANDING NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES (The Hearty Soul) Dr. Long’s exploration was based on an encounter while in medical residency. He stumbled across an article describing NDEs (near-death experiences) in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The article stirred his curiosity so much so that he eventually founded the Near-Death Experience Research Foundation. With incredibly meticulous scientific collection techniques and analyzing firsthand accounts, Dr. Long was able to uncover a collection of experiences that defy today's conventional understanding. These experiences, whether taking place during clinical death or in life-threatening situations, share common threads that hint at an existence beyond the physical realm: a life [lives] after death.

Raise the dead with this mantra: "Kuchi kuchi koo!"

(WQ) But it is not like this. What we call death is not oblivion, not the end of everything. It would be nice if it were and we could look forward to eternal peace and rest, unconsciousness and a closing of all things. But it isn't that way at all.

The rebirth (relinking, reappearance) process is immediate. We are not dead for more than a moment because the very next moment is the relinking consciousness. Therefore, it is an unbroken chain of mind moments (cittas) between lives.

In fact, it really should be called life after life not after death. There was this life, and before, there were countless others lived in this cycling chain. Hereafter, there is much more to come, for good and ill. People crassly say, "Karma is a b*tch," not seeming to realize that nearly everything good that happens to us is due to karma. The bad, too.

We have a choice, if we only knew it. We can steer the ship of our lives if only we regained the wisdom to know that. Even faith can help right away. If one but have faith (saddha, confidence) that karma really happens -- that our deeds really do beget appropriate results -- we would not be so timid.

The brain proceeds after the last breath

We might step up and begin to live. Belief in "fate," called fatalism, is very harmful. It absolutely seems true, that things just happen out of the blue. But that is only because we do not see the whole picture or even the big picture, but only a tiny fragment of it.

We only see that we did something good and nothing came of it, or even harm came to us. But we are blind to the fact that IT (the deed) has not yet come to fruition. Ripening is not immediate. It takes a variable length of time, which is why John Lennon's threat "Instant karma's going to get you" is so harmful.

Instant karma is unreal or very rare. If we do something and get an immediate result, it is not because that karma (that seed) suddenly sprouted and bloomed. It is far more likely because similar seeds were waiting in line to bloom. People do not usually suddenly turn over a new leaf and begin acting out of character. They (we) very much stick to character.

• PATTERNS OF LIFE AFTER DEATH (The Hearty Soul) Dr. Long’s research has revealed that approximately 45% of individuals report an out-of-body experience when near death. This experience detaches consciousness from the physical body and provides vivid details of one's surroundings. These consistent accounts have often included details confirmed by witnesses which, of course, is great for accuracy and authenticity for Dr. Long. On top of this initial separation, individuals describe "going into" another realm, feeling a profound sense of peace, and reunion with departed loved ones. With such vivid descriptions and consistency of accounts across age groups and cultural backgrounds, it's hard to dismiss it all as mere hallucinations.
• Anesthesia study unlocks clues about the nature of consciousness
• Researchers discover brain circuit that controls ability to recall information and memories

Medium dies, reports NDE

Those past deeds come to fruition when we're still doing the thing we habitually did in the past, and it comes to seem like the deed we just did is producing its result when it is much more likely to be a deed from the distant past catching up with us.

[See the Abhidhamma for the unbelievably complex way in which this works with impulsions (javanas), volitions (cetanas), and the many kinds of karma (kammas) so named based on their function. All of these things, unbelievably, are directly observable to a mind that is temporarily purified and utterly obscured to defiled minds. That purification (vissudhi) is accomplished by meditative absorptions (jhanas), refined states of stillness and concentration. It is not really a DIY project but one that needs a teacher with experience in these matters. We can suggest form British Buddhist nun Beth Upton.]

• I've studied more than 5,000 near-death experiences (NDEs), and my research has convinced me without a doubt that there's life after what we call death
• More: You can meditate yourself into a near-death experience (and if you practice, you can get better at it)
• Sean Cate, The Hearty Soul via MSN, May 2024; TEXT by Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Architect: Gnostic, Neoplatonic 'Demiurge'

What is the Demiurge? Exit the Matrix

(The Alchemist) The Demiurge ["Architect"] is one of the esoteric terms that has been a part of the ancient revival of knowledge that we are experiencing within the spirit of this age, so today let's explain exactly what the Demiurge is in both Gnosticism and Neoplatonism.

🔥 Subscribe to newsletter for announcements on upcoming Alchemy Retreat and in-person events: thealchemist.community/newsletter

• The Alchemist, July 25, 2023; Pat Macpherson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Happy Mother's Day, Buddha (video)

WARNING: Who is your mother? It is your current mother. The others were past mother so are not your mother. Do not cling even to your current, beneficial, wonderful mother. How much less to the others. Not every daughter will be a mother, but every mother was a daughter. Love your parents. Be grateful. Repay them with Dharma. Or (like, you know, if they were horrible) leave them be. This is what is best for you. Let them be what they will be. You don't own them. They don't own you. Do you owe them? Yes, very likely. If you refuse to repay them, okay then let them be. You are missing out on a rare chance because no ordinary karma is so powerful as what we do to or for our parents. They are like the Buddha for us, so valuable and extra-meaningful is what we do to and for them. That is how karma is. This is part of right view as the Buddha defined it. And because of wrong view, we suffer much. To not suffer, let us have confidence and believe the Buddha. Above all karmas is one karma: making an end of karma. And how do we do that? Awaken, know-and-see, and touch nirvana.

The Buddha's mothers (Mother's Day Special)

(Alan Peto) UNITED STATES. Mother's Day is a popular holiday, but is there a Buddhist equivalent? Did the Buddha ever speak of "mothers"? Yes, often! In addition to past lives, karma (actions) supporting his parents, he helped one of his closest disciples in a practice to help his mother who was reborn as a hungry ghost (preta). This became so popular among laypersons that there is a festival for it. We can also practice loving-kindness, compassion, and generosity for mothers right here and now. These are foundational Buddhist values that are perfect for Mother's Day (and every day).

Contact Alan Peto:  alanpeto.com/contact. Video disclaimer:  alanpeto.com/legal/video-disc...

Is the first video mockery? Whether said in jest or semi-seriously, it is nevertheless profoundly true. How long is samsara? That's easy to answer but, first, What exactly is samsara?

• Samsara is the "Endless Cycle of Rebirth," the spinning "Wheel of Life and Death," the "Revolving in the Ocean of Death, Suffering, and Rebirth" because every time one dies, one meets with rebirth -- and this has been going on since the beginningless past and will go on into the unforeseeable future.

Ah, in that case, who knows? A billion years?

Buddhist Mother's Day

(single_cell) Happy Mother's Day to all moms from the Buddha's moms (Maya and Pajapati) to God's wife, Asherah, to Jesus' mom Mary (Miriam) [both at one time or another being called the "Queen of Heaven"], to our mom, Eve of Eden (and the first female in the Agganna Sutta, the "Discourse on Beginnings [of Life on Earth]" (a.k.a. "A Buddhist Genesis") to the progenitor mother in science, also called Eve.

Beautiful Scythians/Shakyians of Central Asia

Hooray for moms! Can we agree that when we first began as a single cell, we were already composed of two halves embedded in a mother (or petri dish), cared for by a mother (or lab workers), and someone somewhere was a father, participating or not. Parents are very important because parenthood is karma. We are fortunate in having parents, but this fortune is not for nothing. We, too, have been mothers.

And samsara is so long, has been going on for so many billions of years and far longer than that, for aeons (kalpa) without discernible beginning, which is not to say there was no beginning but only to say that no beginning is visible, apparent, or sensible to our logic and assumptions about its nature. What is the nature of an answer that would fit the question? It must satisfy the question based on our other assumptions. So if we ask, "When did it all begin?" we are in no way prepared for the real answer. We're only hitting our head against a paradox of our own making.

• Single_cell, May 13, 2012; Alan Peto, May 7, 2022; Dhr. Seven (text), Ashley Wells (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

Halloween, Doo Dah Parade 2023 (11/19)

Misfits; DKs; oldpasadena.org; Crystal Q., Jen B., Ananda (Dharma Bu Med), Wisdom Quarterly

Doo Dah Parade 2023 is back by popular demand, Sunday, Nov. 19, Pasadena, L.A.

xxx

This guy, the Christian creation representing ALL evil and most of the fun sins Christians like.

It seems that nowadays, according to Jay Leno, kids have forgotten the reason for the season:

The whole culture, to keep from exploding with hypocrisy, minimizes the danger with jokes.

Halloween (Samhain) is a time for scary things, our own U.S. Day of the Grateful Dead.

Sunday, Oct. 29 will be Old Town Pasadena's Halloween celebration (oldpasadena.org)

Why, yes, actually, I can drive stick.

So we need to get creative with the squash, the kobacha, the calabasa or pumpkin.

• Old Pasadena Halloween: Old Pasadena, San Gabriel Valley, Los Angeles

The remember the dead, to honor the dead, to remember our mortality is an ancient practice for the people of Mexico and Los Angeles, as well as Buddhists throughout Asia (marana-sati) like Obon in the Zen and Shinto practices of Japan.

Israel’s Ludicrous Propaganda Wins Over The Only Audience That Counts (msn.com)