The Maple Leaf that Didn't want to Die

Once upon a time there was a maple leaf that didn't want to die.

"I have too much to live for!" it said. "I have lofty things to do, and stories to tell. There is a big change coming called Winter; I hear the fir trees whispering about it in their sylvan voices. I must see it and document it. For I am a Big Leaf and what I have to say is more important that anything in the world."

The maple leaf was so persuasive that the squirrels who lived in the branches of the tree stopped their nut gathering and nest building and approached the maple leaf with a plan.

"We'll help you," they said in their high squeaky voices. "We are experts and know everything -- for we have traveled hither and yon through-out the parklands; while you have only been on this one branch your whole life, since you were born last spring. We have studied for many years and therefore know far more than you do."

The maple leaf was overjoyed that the squirrels understood his deepest desire and were altruistically going to help him live! He would not die!

The squirrels twitched their whiskers and their tails as they consulted among themselves, then ran off in all directions -- except for Fluffy, Puffy, Muffy and Robert who stayed behind.

"We are your medical administrators," they chirped in unison to the maple leaf. "We are the ones to fill out forms and process payments and file referrals and seek for donors and bill your insurance and hire new specialists and and and . . . "

The maple leaf felt overwhelmed and perplexed by all of this information and terminology, but he told himself it was worth every sacrifice, for he would live!

A squirrel returned, leading three stellar blue jays, each of whom had something in his or her beak.

One had a shard of broken glass. Another had a needle from a hypodermic that some human had carelessly disposed of. The third held a long string, which dangled in loops and squiggles that danced in the wind. And then a fourth jay appeared. He carried a fresh sprig of fir needles.

"The fir tree," announced Fluffy, "has generously volunteered to be a donor for this historic first-ever fir-to-maple transplant . . . "

"Grafting," Robert corrected.

"First-ever fir-to-maple grafting," Fluffy continued, with an irritated expression on his furry face. The facial expression would have been difficult for humans to decipher, but squirrels know the way of squirrels. Robert interpreted the irritation to mean his boss had a weak spot, a touch of insecurity. Robert was vying to move up the corporate ladder in this booming new medical industrial complex, and this triumph would carry him higher. His name would go down in history: "Robert, the inventor of the maple/fir graft!"

Well, if you have ever worked in an office, or had occasion to visit one, you can imagine the rest from here. So I won't go into every little detail of the back-biting and money-grabbing and reputation-building that went on in the ever-growing community of squirrels, jays, then crows and moles and even the spiders who were trying to cash in on this. For of course everything had a price, and a reasonable profit to be made each time a product changed hands.

The poor maple leaf who wanted to live took out a mortgage to pay for it all. And the "all" was an ever expanding total that got bigger and bigger.

The fir sprig was grafted onto the maple leaf in an ingenious operation involving the cutting edge of technology.

The maple leaf felt horrible, what with the holes poked in his stem and that resinous stuff gunking up his system. But, he kept telling himself that it was all worth it. After all, this was an issue of life or death. And death was to be avoided at all costs, no matter how arduous or painful.

The squirrels' nest was filling with nuts that the squirrels themselves did not collect.

"This medical administrating business is a heck of a lot more profitable than collecting our own nuts," they congratulated themselves in the evening, as they reclined in their nest made of already dead leaves, lined with the softest and spongiest moss, decorated with the rarest downy feathers, and filled with a hoard of only the finest nuts of select trees from all over the land. All of this luxury was brought to them, item by item, by subcontractors as their processing fee for getting certified as "Approved Providers."

The squirrels rubbed their white bellies in contentment, and groomed each other's gray fur.

"You're getting fat," Fluffy said.

"So are you," Muffy said with a sniff and a frown.

Since they no longer ran around to forage for their own food, and never left the big old maple tree, they needed more exercise.

They needed a gym.

So, ingenious crows built the administrators aerobic workout devices in the branches of the tree. For of course the squirrels were far too important and busy to leave their work of administrating the medical care in this dire life-or-death situation of the maple leaf that didn't want to die.

One day, an artist went for a walk in the woods. She sat on a fallen log and admired its texture as it weathered in the forest. The skin of bark had long ago decayed back into nourishment for Pachamama to share with all of life. The bole skeleton was beautiful as grubs consumed it. The grubs enjoyed its flavor then cast it, reformed, back into the soup of life.

Dead leaves crunched under the artist's feet as she shifted her position. The scene glowed amber before the fall of early night. Autumn was her favorite season of the year, so quiet and introspective.

She scratched pencil point over paper for several minutes.

Suddenly, the artist was startled by a noise. A strange sight greeted her eyes. An unexpected conglomeration of wildlife scurried by; a convoy of moles, wood rats, hares and other small creatures hurried along, each carrying something. Jays and crows flapped overhead. The birds toted strange objects in their beaks.

Startled by these unusual sights, the artist arose from her magnificent tree corpse to follow the animals and see where they were going.

She came upon a path much trodden with all shapes and sizes of feet, paws, and slithering bellies. The path led to a maple tree.

And what an odd tree it was. The artist frowned at the sight. Her heart felt sad when she gazed at the overweight squirrels running in suspended hamster wheels dangling from skeletal limbs. Other arms of the maple bent low with the weight of the biggest squirrel nests she had ever seen. At any moment the branches could snap from the burden.

All of this feverish activity of forest critters running, flying, and crawling up and down the tree went to -- and originated from -- a certain point on a certain twig from which dangled a lone maple leaf.

And what an odd leaf it was.

A multitude of metal devices fastened the leaf to its twig, while a massive tangle of hoses and pumps transported green fluid into its tender arbolean veins.

The leaf was alive, yes.

"But what kind of life is this?" the artist asked aloud. The stillness and beauty of the autumn day was destroyed for her.

The artist turned and walked away from the chaos and hubbub extending the life of that leaf beyond its season. Her footsteps crunched on the crisp corpses of the leaf's fallen comrades.

Later, she sat at her drawing table. She finished the sketch she'd started while sitting on that log in the woods, bathed in the golden light that is only seen once the trees have shed their leaves.

Thoughtfully, the artist rose, went to the kitchen table and looked at her assortment of amber-colored plastic jars with childproof caps, each of which was to treat the side effects of one of the other medications.

"What do I need with all this?"

With a sweep of her arm, she pushed the jars into the trash.

First published in Foliate Oak Literary Journal, October 2012. Thank you! 

Is Obama's Call for Peace an Impossible Dream? (How global domestic abuse affects you, and what you can do about it)

How can we explain the stunned silence of the crowds when President Obama mentioned the word "peace" in his acceptance speech? Like an abused wife, have we become so accustomed to the control tactics of global domestic abusers that we now see abuse as normal and peace as an impossible dream?

Domestic abuse gone global. It's not just an intimate couple trapped in a cycle of abuse based on power and control, it's all of us in the world. Global domestic abuse. Domestic abuse tactics include:

• Isolation

o Controlling what we do, who we see, who we talk to, what we read, where we go (The Patriot Act and Homeland Security, and their counterparts around the world)
o Limiting our outside involvement (Creating a climate of fear of traveling to unapproved countries such as Cuba, and restrictions of movement for travel and immigration across the US border)

• Male Privilege

o Treating us like a servant (Wage slaves)
o Making all the big decisions (WTO, World Bank, IMF, etc)
o Acting like the King of the Castle (All those experts we are expected to believe)
o Being the one to define men's and women's roles (Women still do not legally have equal rights, and what rights women do have are being challenged every day)

• Economic Abuse

o Preventing us from getting or keeping a job (We've all seen this)
o Making us ask for money (Mortgage applications, car loan applications, Health Insurance applications, Social Aid applications, Student loan applications, Grant applications, etc, etc, etc)
o Not letting us know about or have access to the (global) family income (Rich getting richer and poor getting poorer)

• Emotional Abuse (Turn on the TV and you'll find all of these; hence the epidemic of mood-altering medications and suicides)

o Putting us down (If we're not an expert, our ideas don't count)
o Calling us names (Advertisements that imply "You're ugly, fat, unlovable!" etc, if we don't look like a model)
o Making us think we're crazy (Prozac, Paxil, Ritalin, etc.)
o Making us feel bad about ourselves ("You're a social reject if you don't have the latest iPhone!" or whatever)
o Playing mind games (Too many to list)
o Humiliating us (Airport security)
o Making us feel guilty (Mortgage foreclosures, IMF loans with harsh conditions)

• Coercion and Threats

o Making us do illegal things (Invading countries is not legal)
o Making us drop charges (US ignores the World Court)
o Making and/or carrying out threats to do something to hurt us (People jailed under the Patriot Act for just reading, talking, or not talking like Leah-Lynne Plante)
o Threatening to commit suicide (Suggesting that the world will end unless the economy keeps making the rich richer and the poor poorer)

• Intimidation

o Making us afraid by using looks, actions, gestures (Turn on the TV and almost everywhere we see something trying to make us feel fear, such as a news show about terrorists)
o Smashing things (Atomic bombs blowing up cities, etc)
o Destroying our property (Our home, the Earth, is being destroyed by transnational corporations)
o Abusing pets (Species going extinct due to industrial pollution)
o Displaying weapons (Selling and using weapons seems to be the number one industry: the military-industrial complex)

There's a lot more, but you get the idea. As you can see, the abusers are the super rich people who create transnational corporations that make the rich richer and the poor poorer, while buying up radio and TV stations and major newspapers to spread propaganda justifying the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, and paying politicians to do their bidding. The victims of this global domestic abuse are all the rest of us: almost 7 billion people living on this globe.

When the abuser is an individual trying to control another individual, any domestic abuse hotline you may call will probably advise you to leave the situation and sever all ties, physical, financial, verbal, emotional, etc., with the abuser.

But when you're a victim of global domestic abuse, you can't leave the globe and go to another planet, as in Eric Frank Russell's 1951 science fiction classic tale of a Gandhian utopian planet, ...And Then There Were None. Like the Democrats, Republicans and other parties in Washington, and everyone on the planet, we all have to find a way to come together, dialog, and work things out. How can we, as President Obama said, "Do the painstaking work of building consensus and making the difficult compromises needed to move . . . forward?"

A huge first step would be for abusers to take a lesson from one of their own: the late transnational CEO, Ray C. Anderson. In his autobiography, Confessions of a Radical Industrialist: Profits, People, Purpose--Doing Business by Respecting the Earth, he shows how he woke up from being an abuser and developed empathy and compassion.

In the United Kingdom there is a program for abusers to learn how to accept responsibility for their actions and reform their ways. Perhaps they can take their program to corporate headquarters around the world, Wall Street brokerage firms, and government offices of obstructionist politicians.

In the meanwhile, we can each develop our own state of life. I feel inspired by these words of Daisuku Ikeda, president of the lay Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai International, which I jotted down during his 1990 live-simulcast speech from Los Angeles, California:
"When you feel entrapped by the chains of society, stand up with courage (compassion and wisdom) and your life will be as huge as the universe."



Article first published as Is Obama's Call for Peace an Impossible Dream? on Blogcritics.

U.S. Presidential Election; Green Party should endorse Obama, while endorsing Greens for local elections

Just a quick note to address the Green Party --

Please stop criticizing President Obama and presenting unbalanced data. I recommend that you focus on local elections for now, and build your base.

The last time I idealistically voted third party in a presidential election, Reagan got elected. We "Green"-sympathizing third party voters inadvertantly took votes away from Carter. By default we helped usher in the very Reagan/Bush era of fear that you are criticizing.

Please stop trying to take votes away from Obama, the lesser of two corporate evils. Instead, you can recommend that all Greens vote for Obama while you continue to build a firm foundation locally.

Focus on local elections. Build your base.

How to be a Buddha; The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon

SGI study chief Mr. Morinaka for the first time lectured in Seattle, Washington. On August 20th, to a packed auditorium, he talked about "The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon" by Nichiren Daishonin. His lecture drew heavily from commentary written by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda.

As background, Mr. Morinaka discussed some of the history of Buddhism and observed that Buddhism branched into two main practices:

1. Meditative
2. Praying to statues

Meditation nowadays, he said, is often thought of as achieving tranquility, peace of mind. Some schools even advocate trying to sever attachments. However, in the past, Tien Tai of China practiced a different type of meditation whose intent was to observe ones innate limitless Buddhahood and to manifest it.

Praying to statues, on the other hand, Mr. Morinaka observed was separating ourselves from Buddhahood. A statue externalizes the Buddha. The greater we imagine the external Buddha to be, the lesser we ourselves feel. We feel tinier and more insignificant.

As I ponder these observations, it brings to mind some oft quoted words of Nichiren Daishonin.

"Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo." ("The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon," Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 832)

and

"Even though you chant and believe in Myoho-renge-kyo, if you think the Law is outside yourself, you are embracing not the Mystic Law but an inferior teaching." ("On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime," WND page 3)

So, we can see that even if we are chanting daimoku, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, to the gohonzon, if we think the gohonzon is outside ourself, instead of observing our own innate limitless Buddhahood and manifesting it, we actually can feel tinier and more insignificant -- as if we are praying to a statue of an external Buddha.

This reminds me of a point made by Christopher Small in his book Music, Society, Education. Small observed that Western Industrialized Society has created a type of priesthood called "experts." The more we idolize "experts" and unquestioningly believe what they say, the tinier and more insignificant we feel. "I'm not an expert," is a phrase we often hear and maybe have said ourselves. When we put anyone on a pedestal, be it an Olympic athlete, a rock star, a politician, an economist, a scientist or even an SGI leader, the more we idolize them as "others" outside of ourselves, the tinier and more insignificant we feel.

Of course we admire greatness, beauty and wisdom. We feel deep appreciation for what our mentors and role models teach us. But, if we forget that we are all one, that each of us is a microcosm of the entirety of humanity, all of life and indeed the whole universe, then we are externalizing that person whom we admire, seeing them as outside of ourself. And when we externalize them, the more we worship their greatness, then the tinier and more insignificant we feel. Rather than feeling inspired to achieve greatness ourselves, we can actually lose hope and even succumb to despair.

Despair is rampant because Western Industrialized Society teaches us the false belief that we are all separate from other people, the natural world and the cosmos. It is a new habit we are developing, learning to strengthen our awareness of our innate limitless Buddhahood and to manifest it.

Mr. Morinaka, in his lecture, repeatedly emphasized the importance of faith; it is up to ones faith to elicit the power of the gohonzon. With faith as the foundation of our practice and study we do our human revolution and strengthen our conviction that we each are as limitlessly powerful and indomitable as the entire universe spanning past, present and future and that nothing is impossible.

The Sun of Jiyu Over a New Land; the complete poem

Since this major work of Daisaku Ikeda, "The Sun of Jiyu Over a New Land," is only quoted in truncated versions elsewhere online, I decided to type out the entire poem and post it on this blog as a public service.

In response to the Rodney King Riots of 1992, SGI president Ikeda wrote this poem of hope to the SGI-USA members of Los Angeles, and by extension, the people of the entire world.

"The Sun of Jiyu Over a New Land" inspired the SGI youth of Los Angeles to present a Global Family Festival at the Ikeda Auditorium in Santa Monica, California in 1998. During the rehearsal period we, of the Documentary Committee, would read the entire poem aloud together every week.

You can also find this poem in the book To My Dear Friends in America; Collected U.S. Addresses 1990-1996, by Daisaku Ikeda, World Tribune Press, 2008, pages 202 - 215.

"The Sun of Jiyu Over a New Land"

To my treasured friends of Los Angeles, the city of my dreams.

A brilliant, burning sun

rises above the newborn land, 

aiming toward a new century,

raising the curtain on a new stage

of humanity's history.

Shedding its light equally on all things,

it seeks the sky's distant midpoint. 

In this land wrapped in the limitless light

of the morning sun,

my splendid American friends

make their appearance;

bearing the world's hopes,

with power and vigor they commence their progress anew.

To my beloved and treasured friends I say:

"Long live America renewed!

Long live the SGI-USA reborn!"

Ah! This enchanting city, Los Angeles!

Land of freedom and pioneering spirit!

From jagged mountain ranges 

to the Pacific Ocean,

variegated nature changes ceaselessly --

rich agricultural lands nurtured by the sun's dazzling rays,

and the groundbreaking efforts 

of those who came before.

Downtown, clusters of buildings soar skyward.

To think that this vast metropolis 

could grow from a single aqueduct

stretched across the barren desert

from beyond the distant mountains!

It is said that in America

new winds blow from the west.

And indeed, the fresh breezes

of new ways of thinking,

new styles of living,

have arisen in California

and spread to the entire United States.

So many stories of the silver screen,

created here in Hollywood,

have delivered bountiful gifts

of romance and dreams 

to the world's peoples.

This rich spiritual soil, 

this great earth alive with diversity

of peoples and traditions -- 

giving rise to new culture,

a new humanity.

Los Angeles is a city pregnant with future,

a city where, in the words of one writer,

you can set new precedents 

with your own energy and creativity.

And more, Los Angeles is a bridge

linking East and West,

a land of merging and fusion

where cultures of the Pacific

encounter traditions of the West.

Ah, the Pacific that opens before our eyes!

The boundless, free and untamed sea

for which the great Melville

voiced his respect and praise:

"It rolls the mid-most waters on the world.

. . . the tide-beating heart of earth."

Once, the Mediterranean

was inland sea and mother to the 

civilizations of the surrounding regions --

Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

In like manner, the Pacific's depths

must not divide -- 

but be the cradle of a new civilization,

an enormous "inland sea" connecting

the Americas North and South,

the continents of Asia and Australia.

This is my firm conviction --

California will be the energy source 

for the Pacific region

in the twenty-first century

and Los Angeles its eastern capital.

In October 1960, I took my first steps on

the American continent

in California, the Golden State.

The honor and glory of becoming 

the first chapter established in North America 

belong to the Los Angeles Chapter. 

Since then, this city has been

the core and center of kosen-rufu

in the United States, the starting point

for worldwide kosen-rufu.

My dear friends, never forget

this mission which you

so decidedly possess.

In the thirty-three years since that time, 

I have visited Los Angeles seventeen times.

Kansai is the heart

whose beating drives the movement 

for kosen-rufu in Japan;

Los Angeles plays this self-same role for the entire world.

For this reason, on each visit,

staking all, I drove in deep

and deeper

the piling of construction.

In 1980,

the first SGI General Meeting was held,

and in 1987, Soka University of America

opened its doors.

Ah, February 1990!

I postponed my visit 

to South America and for seventeen days

gave myself heart and soul

to the work of encouraging

my beloved fellow members

here in Los Angeles!

Those impassioned, consuming days of

unceasing toil and action

are the collaborative 

golden poems of shared struggle.

Nor can I ever forget the spring of 1992 ---

even now my heart is rent with pain 

when I recall how the 

tragic news of the civil unrest in Los Angeles

raced around the world.

Heartrending images

of the evening sky shrouded in black smoke,

of buildings collapsing in flames,

once peaceful streets shattered by riot,

the entire city gripped

by a battlefield tension.

People standing lost in confusion,

a woman holding an infant cried out

-- What has become of the ideals of this country?

What are we supposed to teach our children? --

Her woe-filled words tore 

like talons at my heart.

I received continuous reports,

extended prompt relief.

And, putting everything aside,

I sat before the Gohonzon and 

single-mindedly prayed --

for the safety of my treasured friends,

for the immediate restoration of order,

for a world without violence and discrimination.

Ah, America, land bringing together

so many different peoples!

A republic of ideals

born beneath the lofty banners,

the uniting principles of

freedom and equality.

As this century draws to its close,

the soul of your idealism

grieves at the stark realities of racial strife.

What is to become of the

spirit of your nation

fostered by so many people of

wisdom and philosophy?

My treasured friends,

There is no question that your multiracial nation, America,

represents humanity's future.

Your land holds secret stores of unbounded possibility, transforming

the energy of different cultures

into the unity of construction,

the flames of conflict 

into the light of solidarity,

the eroding rivulets of mistrust

into a great broad flow of confidence.

On what can we ground our efforts to open

the horizons of such a renaissance?

It is for just this reason,

my precious, treasured friends,

that you must develop within yourselves

the life-condition of Jiyu --

Bodhisattva of the Earth.

As each group seeks its separate 

roots and origins,

society fractures along a thousand fissure lines.

When neighbors distance themselves 

from neighbors, continue your

uncompromising quest 

for your truer roots

in the deepest regions of your life.

Seek out the primordial "roots" of humankind.

Then you will without fail discover

the stately expanse of Jiyu

unfolding in the depths of your life.

Here is the home, the dwelling place

to which humankind traces

its original existence --

beyond all borders,

beyond all difference of gender and race.

Here is a world offering true proof

of our humanity.

If one reaches back to these fundamental roots,

all become friends and comrades.

To realize this is to "emerge from the earth."

Past, present, future . . . 

The causes and effects of the three existences

flow ceaselessly as the reality of life;

interlinked, they give rise to all 

differences and distinctions.

Trapped in those differences,

human society is wracked by 

unending contention.

But the Buddhism of True Cause,

expounded by the Daishonin whose

teachings we embrace,

enables us to break the spell

of past karma, past causes and effects,

and to awaken to the grand humanity

-- the life of Jiyu --

that had lain dormant in our hearts.

My mentor, President Toda,

taught us that when one embraces

the Mystic Law,

all intervening causes and effects

ebb and retreat, and there emerges

the common mortal of beginningless time.

This, another name for Bodhisattva of the Earth,

is the greatness and splendor

of the human being write large,

after all false distinctions and adornments

have been removed.

Awaken to the life of Jiyu within!

When the bright sun of True Cause rises,

the stars and planets of 

past cause and effect grow dim,

and the supreme world of

harmonious unity emerges -- 

the unity of friends and comrades

each manifesting the life-condition 

of Bodhisattva of the Earth,

offering timeless proof that, indeed,

"The assembly on Eagle Peak has not yet dispersed."

Ah, my treasured friends,

whom I so deeply love and respect!

It is critical for you now

to directly perceive

the web of life that binds all people!

Buddhism describes

the connective threads of 

dependent origination.

Nothing in this world exists alone;

everything comes into being and continues

in response to causes and conditions.

Parent and child.

Husband and wife.

Friends. Races.

Humanity and nature.

This profound understanding

of coexistence, of symbiosis -- 

here is the source of resolution for

the most pressing and fundamental issues

that confront humankind

in the chaotic last years of this century.

The Buddhist scriptures include

the parable of "Two Bundles of Reeds,"

aptly demonstrating this relation

of dependent origination.

Only by supporting each other

can the two bundles stand straight --

if one is removed, the other must fall.

Because this exists, so does that;

because that exists, so does this.

 For several brilliant centuries,

Western civilization has encouraged 

the independence of the individual

but now appears to be facing 

a turbulent twilight.

The waves of egoism

eat away at the shores of

contemporary society.

The tragedy of division

wraps the world in a thick fog.

Individuals are becoming 

mere scraps, mere fragments,

competing reed bundles of lesser self

threatened with mutual collapse.

My friends!

Please realize that you already possess

the solution to this quandary.

First you must break the hard shell 

of the lesser self.

This you must absolutely do.

Then direct your lucid gaze toward your friends, fellow members.

People can only live fully

by helping others to live.

When you give life to friends,

you truly live.

Cultures can only realize

their further richness

by honoring other traditions.

And only by respecting natural life

can humanity continue to exist.

Now is the time for you to realize 

that through relations

mutually inspiring and harmonious,

the greater self is awakened to dynamic action.

the bonds of life are restored and healed.

And blossoms in delightful multitude

exude the unique fragrance 

of each person, of each ethnicity,

in precise accord with the principle of

cherry, plum, pear and damson.(1)

Our goal --

the Second American Renaissance.

Holding high the standard of humanity,

we advance --

from divisiveness to union,

from conflict to coexistence,

from hatred to fraternity.

In our struggle, in our fight,

there cannot be

even a moment's pause or stagnation.

My beloved friends,

Bodhisattvas of the Earth

readying yourselves

for the new century's dawn!

With you own efforts

bring about a renaissance here,

in this "magnetic land!"

The certain signs of America reborn,

Los Angeles rejuvenated,

are to be found within your hearts.

With this pride and conviction,

be victorious in your daily life,

overcome your own weaknesses every day.

Never forget that it is only through 

relentless challenge 

-- one step following another -- 

that you can steadily transform

your ideals into reality.

Buddhism is reason.

Therefore, always maintain self-control.

Be the master of your actions. 

Exercise common sense in society.

Keep a smiling countenance at home.

Be courteous to your friends and fellow members,

like a warm spring breeze to the suffering.

Reason exhaustively with the confused.

But, when you deal with the arrogant ones,

be bold and fearless like the Lion King!

Look!

Seen from the Malibu Training Center,

the Pacific Ocean's unbounded expanse

is bathed in radiant California sun.

An ocean of peace across whose surface 

innumerable waves murmur and dance.

Beloved Los Angelenos!

I want you each to be

like the California sunshine,

showering on all people

the bright light and warmth

of your compassion.

Be people who extend hope and courage,

who inspire respect and gratitude

wherever you go.

Buddhism teaches us the means

to overcome life's fundamental pain

-- the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness and death -- 

which none can escape,

and which no degree of wealth and fame

can relieve in the slightest.

Everyone, anyone -- 

when returned to

their solitary human existence,

is but a karma-laden "reed,"

trembling before the onslaught

of the four sufferings.

Seeking eternity within impermanence,

crossing over delusion to nurture confidence,

building happiness from anguish,

rush forward from today

toward tomorrow

in the prodigious battle that is

our human revolution!

For you are the Buddha's emissaries

upholding the ultimate philosophy of life!

Comrades!

Fellow Bodhisattvas of the Earth!

Born here, gathered together here in Los Angeles

that you might fulfill your mission --

Raise your voices in songs of praise 

for freedom, democracy and humanity!

Wave the banners of culture and peace!

Ah, Los Angeles!

Here is to be found SUA,

A palace of intellect for 

the Pan-Pacific era of the twenty-first century.

Here is located the World Culture Center,

dynamo of American kosen-rufu.

And here rises the splendid form

of the future site of the SGI Headquarters --

which will become the mainstay

of the grand endeavor of worldwide kosen-rufu.

Truly a new wind will blow from the west!

Los Angeles, the stage on which

you act with such freedom and vigor,

is the launching site for world kosen-rufu, 

the cornerstone that links East and West.

Walt Whitman, giant of 

the American Renaissance, penned these words:

"Come, I will make the continent indissoluble,

I will make the most splendid race 

the sun ever shone upon,

I will make divine magnetic lands,

With the love of comrades,

With the life-long love of comrades."(2)

Ah, Los Angeles!

The sun rises beyond the Rockies,

spreading its light over the wide Pacific.

Now! In its luminous beams,

let friend and friend pull together

in perfect unity, rowing into the seas --

embarking on a new leg

of our journey of kosen-rufu!

Grip the rudder,

hold firm to your course --

the Stars and Stripes,

the tricolor flag of the SGI,

ripple as a hopeful breeze fills our sails.

The lapping waves beat out their message

of congratulations upon our ship's bow!

Our destination --

America's distant future,

the lights and colors

of a Century of Life,

the brilliant glory of human harmony.

1. "Cherry, plum, peach and damson blossoms all have their own qualities, and they manifest the three properties of the life of the Buddha without changing their character" (Nichiren Daishonin, Gosho Zenshu, p. 784)

 2. Walt Whitman, "For You O Democracy," Leaves of Grass, 1860

 

WU LUNG and I LUNG, A short Buddhist play by Lynette Yetter

Adapted from pages 12 and 13 of the August 2012 Living Buddhism magazine published by SGI-USA, based on the gosho "Wu Lung and I Lung" page 1099 of the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin.

CHARACTERS:
Wu Lung
I Lung
The King

INT. - CALLIGRAPHY ROOM - DAY

Wu Lung and his son I Lung are seated side by side at a writing desk, carefully doing calligraphy with brushes and ink. Wu Lung writes with confidence, due to his long experience. I Lung, however, is timid and writes slowly with nervous attention; for he is just learning. 

WU LUNG
Not like that, son. Watch what I am doing, if you want to become a Master Calligrapher.

I LUNG
(Bowing low) Yes, Father.

The King enters and strides regally up to the writing desk. He lays a scroll on the desk near to Wu Lung. 

KING
Wu Lung, my Master Calligrapher. I want you to copy this document.

WU LUNG
(Bowing low) Yes, my King.

The King exits with great pomp. Wu Lung unrolls the scroll and scans the contents. 

WU LUNG (CONT’D)
I Lung, prepare more ink. We have a lot of work ahead of us.

I LUNG
Yes, Father.

Wu Lung continues to read over the scroll. Meanwhile, I Lung, completely with mime, places the ink stone in front of him and pours some water in it. He keeps the ink stick upright; holding it with the thumb on one side and the index and middle finger on the other side. He presses the ink stick on the ink stone very lightly and describes circular movements with the stick. Wu Lung is still reading the scroll. 

WU LUNG
Good thing our King is not asking us to copy anything Buddhist.

Wu Lung lowers the scroll. He has a very angry and determined look on his face. 

WU LUNG (CONT’D)
For I despise Buddhism.

Wu Lung abruptly faces his son, with great seriousness. 

WU LUNG (CONT’D)
I Lung, I want you to promise me something.

I Lung pauses from his ink-making task and faces his father with full attention.

I LUNG
Yes, Father.

WU LUNG
Promise me that, no matter what, you will never - not ever - copy a single word from a Buddhist writing.

I LUNG
Yes, Father. I promise to obey you and never copy a single word from a Buddhist writing.

Wu Lung smiles with great satisfaction. 

WU LUNG
Good!

Suddenly, Wu Lung’s facial expression changes to one of panic. He drops the scroll and clutches at his heart. He gasps for breath and stumbles offstage where he collapses dead.

WU LUNG (CONT’D)
(From offstage) Gak!!!!!

I Lung is mortified. He weeps in extreme mourning. The King enters with another scroll in his hand. I Lung stops weeping and greets the king with a deep bow.

KING
I Lung, your father’s funeral will be sumptuous as befitting his rank. Now it is your task to carry on your father’s work.

I LUNG
Yes, my King.

The King extends the scroll to I Lung. 

KING
I want you to copy this Buddhist writing, the Lotus Sutra.

Offstage we hear WU LUNG’S VOICE, with a ghostly tremor. I Lung hears the voice, but the King appears to not hear anything. 

WU LUNG
Promise me, my son, that no matter what, you will never - not ever - copy a single word from a Buddhist writing.

I Lung trembles, torn. Whose command should he follow? The king continues to extend the scroll of the Lotus Sutra to I Lung, looking a bit impatient that he has not yet accepted it. 

The voice of the deceased Wu Lung talks at the same time as the king. 

KING
I want you to copy this Buddhist writing, the Lotus Sutra.

WU LUNG
(From off stage) Promise me you will never - not ever - copy a single word from a Buddhist writing.

I Lung closes his eyes and places his hands over his ears in great anguish. 

KING
I want you to copy this Buddhist writing, the Lotus Sutra.

WU LUNG
(From off stage) Promise me you will never - not ever - copy a single word from a Buddhist writing.

Emotion bursting out, I Lung drops his hands from his ears, open his eyes and shouts. 

I LUNG
Yes, Father! Yes, Father!

The King, perplexed gazes at I Lung.

KING
And just what is THAT supposed to mean?

Trembling, and looking at the ground, I Lung explains. 

I LUNG
My father’s dying wish was for me to promise to never, not ever, copy a single word from a Buddhist writing.

Obviously highly irritated at having his imperial edict denied, the King gets a calculating look on his face, as if imagining what future punishments he can come up with to reprimand I Lung for his insubordination. I Lung notices this royal glare and trembles in deep fear. 

KING
(In a threatening tone of voice) I can’t make you break your promise. But can you at least copy the title of the Lotus Sutra?

I Lung, afraid of going against the King any more, hangs his head in remorse and reaches out his hand to accept the scroll. 

I LUNG
Yes, my King.

The King hands over the scroll and exits with haughty triumphant steps. Obviously shaken with deep fear, I Lung sits at the calligraphy desk, mimes rolling out a fresh sheet of paper and places weights on the corners to hold it in place. He dips his brush in the ink and with mortal fear, paints the characters as he recites them aloud. 

I LUNG (CONT’D)
(Stuttering) M-m-m-myo-ho Re-re-re-renge K-k-k-kk- k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k--------Kyo!

Emotionally exhausted, I Lung collapses with his head resting on his folded arms and falls asleep with TWO SOFT SNORING SOUNDS. 

I LUNG
Zzzzzz. Zzzzzzz.

Enter Wu Lung, walking in a happy heavenly dreamlike way. He addresses the sleeping I Lung. 

WU LUNG
I Lung, my son.

Still sleeping, I Lung talks in his sleep.

I LUNG
I’m sorry Father. I’m so sorry I broke the promise to you. Please forgive me Father!

WU LUNG
Forgive you? Why, I have come to visit you in your dreams in order to THANK you for ignoring my order.

I LUNG
Thank me???!!??

WU LUNG
Because I went against Buddhism, I had been miserable ever since I died. But when you wrote myoho-renge- kyo, each word turned into a Buddha who came to encourage me.

I LUNG
(Smiles in his sleep) Aaaahhh! That is great you are happy now, Father!

WU LUNG
(With a stern reprimanding tone, hand on hip and wagging an accusatory finger at I Lung) And I would have been happier a lot sooner if you had thought for yourself, instead of blindly following orders.

I LUNG
Yes, Father.

Wu Lung throws his hands in the air and looks heavenward, shaking his head as he exits. 

I Lung wakes up, stretches and yawns. He has a bright expression on his face. He leaps up and paces around with great vigor. 

I LUNG (CONT’D)
I WILL think for myself, and never again blindly follow orders. And what my heart tells me to do right now is to copy the entire Lotus Sutra for everybody’s happiness.

He sits back down, dips his imaginary brush into the ink and writes with a flourish. As I Lung writes, we HEAR I Lung, the King and Wu Lung chanting strong joyous daimoku in unison. 

ALL
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Nam-myohorenge- kyo. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

The King and Wu Lung enter. I Lung stands. The three characters stand together center stage, take a bow to the audience and together exit. 

THE END

Bicycle Camping in Mexico, Colombia, and Beyond: An Interview with Andreas Hubl and Anita Burgholzer

While fear of violence keeps most US tourists out of Mexico and Colombia, the young Austrian couple Andreas Huble and Anita Burgholzer bicycled and tent-camped all the way through these countries (and many others), armed only with friendly smiles. They are happily pedaling still.
I met them as they rested in Copacabana, Bolivia. We chatted about their almost two-year journey-in-progress.

What were your experiences in Mexico and Colombia?

As a rule of thumb we can say that 99% of the people ALL over the world are good! With a little bit of preparation and common sense you will be able to travel in most of the countries which are "oh so dangerous." We always try to carry our smiles, and even more important to keep our hearts open. Most of the encounters we have are positive. The people in Mexico (and especially in Colombia) were always very helpful, enthusiastic and hospitable. We did not have any problems regarding safety. In those countries, most of the criminal activity happens internally, between rival cartels, the police and para-militaries. If you avoid traveling in high-risk areas (locals will tell you where those are), you will most likely be safe. Even in the States, or in Europe, there's a chance of being robbed at night in the wrong 'hood. In Colombia and El Salvador we felt extremely welcome. Very few tourists go there, and locals treated us like family members. In Colombia, we received many invitations into people's homes, and had a wonderful time. It was just great, far better than we expected.

How did you decide to do this journey?

Traveling and cycling have always been essential parts of our lives. We started saving money – just in case our dream would someday turn into reality. I (Andreas) read a lot of books from other adventure cyclists and was fascinated by the way they see the world. Traveling by bicycle they are part of the environment, and get a much deeper understanding of a country and its day-to-day culture. These stories, written in a sensible and critical way in the natural voice of the author, created a lot of pictures in my mind. They fed my yearning for someday breaking out of the routine.

How did you prepare for this trip?

In 2008 we made our first "test-trip." We spent three weeks bicycle camping on the small island of Socotra (Jemen). It was such a wonderful experience that we decided to set off when the time was right. At the end of 2009 we were no longer happy with our jobs (although now, after seeing how most people live, we have learned not to complain). We knew that we could not wait much longer as we dream of having a family one day. So we set a date (May 5, 2010), and communicated our decision to our families and friends – which was the most important step of the whole journey.

Why was that?

First, we figured out the logistics of what to do with our jobs, flat, etc. before we told anyone. That way when they raised objections, we could explain in detail how we would take care of those situations. Then, the reactions were stunningly good! It was the most important step because once other people are involved in your plans, it gets more difficult to say, "No, it all has just been a joke." The acceptance motivated us a lot. We knew that we were doing the right thing, and that our family and friends support us.

What were your jobs/careers?

I (Anita) worked as a Graphic Designer in a small advertising company. I (Andreas) worked as a purchaser for a company which produces solar panels.

Why do you prefer bicycling, instead of flying or driving?

It is the slowness of our travel that makes it so intense. You are urged to stop in small, remote villages – talk to people with different social backgrounds. Some are bitterly poor, and would give you their last piece of bread. But also many rich people showed us respect and were very hospitable.

What does "slowness" mean to you?

There's a saying which describes "slowness" perfectly: "The snail can tell you more about the way than the rabbit."

On your travels, what have you learned about human beings?

The most important thing for ALL human beings is being happy. For most people this means having good relations with their families and/or friends, a harmonic social environment. No matter if we are rich or poor, educated or "simple," settled down or nomadic – we all have to eat, sleep, love, cry, laugh. We all want to live in peace and harmony.

What countries have you bicycled through?

Austria, our home country - Czech Republic - Poland - Lithuania - Latvia - Estonia - Sweden - Norway - Denmark - Iceland - USA - Mexico - Belize - Guatemala - Honduras - El Salvador - Nicaragua - Costa Rica - Panama - Colombia - Ecuador - Peru - Bolivia. We will continue our trip to Argentina and Chile. Around February 2012 we want to reach Ushuaia, Patagonia – the southern-most city on the Americas. After that? We'll see if we still feel wanderlust. Maybe we'll continue to India and return to Europe overland.

What have you experienced with people in different countries?

Generally speaking you can say that as soon as you enter a new country, the "energy" changes: the environment, nature, the weather and history, praegt – the people, everything. Eastern Europeans are more reserved. It is not so easy to get in touch with them. But once a conversation is running, it can rapidly turn into deep friendship.

In Iceland we experienced a deep connection with ancient traditions and nature. Young, trendy Reykjavikians wear exactly the same, woolen sweaters as their grandparents wear. Ancestral mythology is still very much a part of everyone's daily life.

The USA was a completely different world for us. Everybody was talking to us, wanting to know more about our trip. We were fascinated by the easy way of making contact with people there.

In Latin American countries it depends on where you travel. In coastal areas people were mostly very emotional and outgoing. In the Andes, especially in areas with a lot of indígenas, it got a bit more difficult to get in touch with people. But nevertheless, our way of traveling helps us to meet and learn from people who often live a simple life in harsh conditions where there is not much time and space for an easy-going lifestyle. But be warned – once a fiesta starts, the indígenas turn into hedonistic, happy party-people!

What thoughts do you hold in your minds and hearts as you encounter new languages, cultures, people?

In Eastern Europe we mainly talked with our hands and feet. In Northern Europe the majority speak decent English. For more than a year we have only needed Spanish, which [we now speak] on an intermediate level. Learning the language makes traveling and talking to people much easier. Regarding cultures and people, with open hearts and no expectations, we have never been disappointed or surprised.

How do you think traveling by bicycle and tent-camping (rather than traveling in an RV) affects the way you perceive and interact with other people?

Our style of traveling lets us understand a little bit better about the conditions in which local people live. Sometimes the homes are very simple adobe huts with straw roofs at altitudes of more than 4.000 meters. In Colombia we saw people living in huts made of trash. When we passed, it was pouring rain and the temperature was below 10 degrees Celsius. The water ran directly through their huts. We personally would feel a bit bad if we traveled in such areas with a luxurious RV. On the other hand, our camping equipment is very good, allowing us to withstand very harsh conditions. Our gear is quite luxurious and unaffordable for most of the people here. And many times we need help from exactly these people! In remote areas it is often necessary to ask locals for water, or for a camping spot. The conversations following our requests help us understand and learn from the people. They are happy to have contact with some crazy folks from a far-away country. These moments make our journey unique for us. We experience and take part in the everyday life that has nothing to do with the "white" picture travel books, and TV shows.

How have your travels affected other people?

Two of our best friends are currently traveling overland from Europe to India. They always mention that if we had not made our dreams come true, they most likely would not have made the decision to travel in this way. Also, our blog is a big success. For many people it has become essential to read our stories, and vicariously travel with us.

You can read Anita and Andreas' blog (in German), and see their photos. Maybe you, too, will become inspired to live your dreams.

Article first published as Bicycle Camping in Mexico, Colombia, and Beyond: An Interview with Andreas Hubl and Anita Burgholzer on Blogcritics.org

Book Review: Island Beneath the Sea, by Isabel Allende

Article first published as Book Review: Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende on Blogcritics.
Isabelle Allende's novel, Island Beneath the Sea, is a timeless tale about the nature of power and how even the most powerless of people - a fictional 18th Century African slave woman named Zarité or even me or you - can become powerful in unexpected ways.

Power is explored in many of its different manifestations. The power of money. The power of violence. The power of social status. The power of popular opinion. The power of appearance. The power of addiction. The power of optimism. And most importantly, the power of love.

Many of the characters I see symbolizing a type of power.

Toulouse Valmorain - Power of money
Prosper Cambray - Power of violence
Hortense Guizot - Power of social status
Violette Boisier - Power of appearance
Maurice - Power of optimism
Zarité - Power of love

Island Beneath the Sea is a historical novel set in the Caribbean and New Orleans against the backdrop of 18th Century world changes such as the US war of Independence, the French Revolution and the massive slave revolt that formed the country of Haiti.

During the first part of the book, I felt a mixture of emotions. The story of slavery and the excesses of the slave owners repulsed me. Yet, at the same time the story drew me in with the complex humanity that Isabel Allende finds in each of her characters. Just like in life, everyone thinks he or she is the good guy.

Isabel has said, "With relatives like mine I don't need to use my imagination, they alone provide all the material I need for my novels . . . . Many of my relatives have been the models for the characters in my books, like my grandparents who became Esteban Trueba and Clara del Valle in The House of the Spirits."

Writing characters inspired by people and experiences in ones own life follows the traditional dictum to "write what you know". For example, let's pause to look at another great writer - Ernest Hemingway. Shrapnel hit Hemingway's knee in World War One. He knew what that feels like. So, when his characters were wounded in war, they were often wounded in the same way as Hemingway. He could truthfully write, “I knew I was hit and leaned over and put my hand on my knee. My knee wasn’t there. My hand went in and my knee was down on my shin”.

Keeping with this tradition, Isabel Allende's grandfather seems to not only have become Esteban Trueba in House of the Spirits, but to have also become the character Toulouse Valmorain in The Island Beneath the Sea. Both Trueba (in Chile) and Valmorain (in Santo Domingo) are large land-owners who inherited their property that was neglected by the generation before them. The land was worked by slaves (indigenous peons in Chiles and African slaves in Santo Domingo). They both considered it acceptable behavior to rape girl slaves when they reached puberty and fathered a number of illegitimate mixed-race children. They both considered themselves to be model plantation or hacienda owners, because they treated their slaves better than their neighboring land barons treated their slaves. Both characters reveal love and tenderness to legitimate child descendents.

Valmorain in Island Beneath the Sea, fascinated me. It was intriguing to be able to peer inside the mind of this sugar plantation slave owner - to see his self-justification. Indeed, a whole society supported his belief system that what he was doing was good, just and even divine. It helps me to understand what might be going on in the minds of people in positions of power in any age, anywhere.

The title, Island Beneath the Sea, refers to an Afro-Caribbean belief in a paradisiacal afterworld. The novel reveals the power-structure's self-serving religious beliefs that equality is to be found only in heaven. But, the protagonist, Zarité, is convinced that equality can be achieved in the here and the now. Even through the most daunting of trials she holds on to this dream, this conviction of her heart.

In an interview, Allende said that she writes to entertain the reader. I find meaning deeper than mere entertainment in Allende's work. Like Buddhist leader Daisaku Ikeda has said - reading great literature makes it possible to learn from the lives of many different people, and not just from our own limited direct experience. I read novels seeking those life lessons. In Allende's work I find not only entertainment, but also great wisdom. I believe that Isabel Allende is a living treasure of humanity.

After finishing reading "The Island Beneath the Sea" I felt grounded, confident and filled with hope for the future.

*****

La novela de Isabel Allende, la isla bajo el mar, es una historia intemporal sobre la naturaleza del poder y cómo incluso los más débiles de las personas - una mujer ficticia del 18o siglo Áfricana esclava llamado Zarité o incluso a mí o usted - puede llegar a ser poderoso en formas inesperadas.
El poder es explorado en muchas de sus diferentes manifestaciones. El poder del dinero. El poder de la violencia. El poder de la condición social. El poder de la opinión popular. El poder de la apariencia. El poder de adicción. El poder del optimismo. Y lo más importante, el poder del amor.
Muchos de los personajes que veo que simboliza un tipo de poder.
Toulouse Valmorain - Poder de dineroPróspero Cambray - Poder de la violenciaHortensia Guizot - Poder de estatus socialViolette Boisier - Poder de la aparienciaMaurice - Poder de optimismoZarité - Poder del amor
Isla bajo el mar es una novela histórica ambientada en el Caribe y Nueva Orleans en el contexto de los cambios del mundo del 18o siglo, como la Revolución de la Independencia de EE.UU., la Revolución Francesa y el rebelde masivo de esclavos que formaron el país de Haití.

Durante la primera parte del libro, sentí una mezcla de emociones. La historia de la esclavitud y los excesos de los dueños de esclavos me rechazó. Sin embargo, al mismo tiempo, la historia me atrajo con la compleja humanidad que Isabel Allende encuentra en cada uno de sus personajes. Al igual que en la vida, todo el mundo piensa que él o ella es el bueno.
Isabel ha dicho: "Con los familiares como la mía no necesito usar mi imaginación, sólo ellos proporcionan todo el material que necesito para mis novelas.... Muchos de mis familiares han sido los modelos de los personajes de mis libros, como mis abuelos, que se convirtieron en Esteban Trueba y Clara del Valle en La casa de los espíritus. "
Escribir personajes inspirados en personas y experiencias en la propia vida sigue la máxima tradicional de "escribir lo que sabes". Por ejemplo, vamos a hacer una pausa para mirar a otro gran escritor - Ernesto Hemingway. Metralla golpeó la rodilla de Hemingway en la Primera Guerra Mundial. Él sabía como lo siente. Así que, cuando sus personajes fueron heridos en la guerra, fueron heridos a menudo en la misma forma que Hemingway. Se podría escribir con sinceridad, "Sabía que me golpeó y me incliné y puse mi mano sobre mi rodilla. Mi rodilla no estaba allí. Mi mano se fue y mi rodilla estaba abajo en mi espinilla."
Siguiendo con esta tradición, el abuelo de Isabel Allende, parece no sólo se han convertido en Esteban Trueba en La casa de los espíritus, sino también convertirse en el personaje Toulouse Valmorain en La isla bajo el mar. Ambos Trueba (en Chile) y Valmorain (en Santo Domingo) son grandes propietarios de tierras que heredó de propiedad que fue descuidado por la generación anterior a ellos. La tierra era trabajada por esclavos (los indígenas en Chiles y esclavos africanos en Santo Domingo). Ambos se consideran un comportamiento aceptable a la violación de niñas esclavas cuando alcanzan la pubertad y fueron padres de varios hijos ilegítimos de razas mixtas. Ambos se consideraban sus haciendos como modelos, porque trataban a sus esclavos mejor que los terratenientes vecinos trataban a sus esclavos. Los dos personajes revelan el amor y ternura a los niños descendientes legítimos.
Valmorain en la isla bajo el mar, me fascinó. Fue interesante poder observar el interior de la mente del propietario de esclavos de las plantaciones de azúcar - para ver a su auto-justificación. En efecto, la sociedad en su alrededor apoya su sistema de creencias que lo que estaba haciendo era bueno, justo e incluso divino. Me ayuda a comprender lo que podría estar pasando en las mentes de las personas en posiciones de poder en cualquier época y en cualquier lugar.
El título, La isla bajo el mar, se refiere a una creencia afrocaribeña en un otro mundo paradisíaco despues de la muerte. La novela revelan las creencias religiosas egoísticas de la estructura de poder, que la igualdad se encuentra sólo en el cielo. Sin embargo, el protagonista, Zarité, está convencido de que la igualdad se puede lograr en este mundo ahora. Que pasa lo que pasa, Zarité guarda a este sueño, esta convicción en su corazón.

En una entrevista, Allende dijo que ella escribe para entretener al lector. Me parece significado más profundo que un mero entretenimiento en el trabajo de Allende. Como líder budista Daisaku Ikeda ha dicho - la lectura de la gran literatura permite aprender de la vida de muchas personas diferentes, y no sólo de nuestra propia experiencia directa limitada. Yo leo las novelas en la búsqueda de las lecciones de la vida. En la obra de Allende no encontrar solamente entretenimiento, sino también una gran sabiduría. Yo creo que Isabel Allende es un tesoro viviente de la humanidad.
Después de terminar la lectura de "La Isla Bajo el Mar" me sentí tranquila, segura y llena de esperanza para el futuro.

Hunger in Japan

"I'm hungry," an elderly woman in quake and tsunami ravaged Japan told my friend George yesterday.

Food and water rations are being distributed by the Japanese government. But this woman's community receives only one riceball a day per person.

What can we do to help?

Why not take a break from war and reach out with friendship and affection? It's happened before. Back in World War I the soldiers stopped shooting each other, climbed out of their trenches and celebrated Christmas day together.

Instead of fighting wars, we could get into humanitarian competition, as has been suggested in a peace proposal by SGI Buddhist leader Daisaku Ikeda.

Which country's military can deliver more food and water to the suffering people in Japan?

Can you imagine that instead of bombs, all the aircraft carriers, war planes and helicoptors go to Japan and drop payloads of food and water (with little parachutes attached so they make gentle landings?). The military geeks can have fun figuring out the logistics of how to make this happen.

And that would be so much fun, then the contest could spread to other parts of the world where-ever hunger and thirst are felt.

Another contest could be what Yoko Ono articulated last week on CNN, for architects from around the world to design the most creative and life-affirming structures in rebuilding the quake and tsunami ravaged cities.

But before rebuilding begins, we need to care for the survivors. Scobie-John in Japan reports, "...insufficient rescue of those who have survived, the number of homeless is virtually beyond anyone's ability to look after, people, especially the elderly are in great need of medical and physical help, many are now dieing in the evacuation centres. Helpers & volunteers are working way beyond what they can cope with. Food also is just not around, many are living off one rice ball or piece of pastry for the day, if that. Donations are really needed."

As Buddhist sage Nichiren Daishonin wrote over 700 years ago, "When great evil occurs, great good follows."

We have seen and felt the effects of great evil (whether it is man-made, or caused by neglect by man). Let's set about creating a world of kindness, mutual aid and great good, now.

Donate to the Red Cross (or other aid organization of your choice). Write or call your government officials, urging them to take the lead in helping people.

(First published on http://blogcritics.org/politics/article/hunger-in-japan/#ixzz1HMP8driS )