104-The future - Buddhism in daily life
07/15/22 • 6 min
The future
In a small town in ancient China there was a very famous temple. One of the monks was very old, but the story went that he had "psychic" powers and could "tell fortunes".
Since he was also frail, he usually stayed in his room, from where he watched the world through a small window. His days of interpreting the future had long since passed, and he only wanted to spend his old age in the monastery.
One fine day, a businessman from the capital came and very generously filled the donation box. He asked about the "fortune teller", but got the answer that he no longer took part in the temple business. The visitor therefore asked for the abbot.
When the abbot came the man said: "I come from far away to ask this monk about my future, gladly I donate a large sum, only let me to the old master". Just like all undertakings, a temple needs the means to bear the expenses incurred, so the abbot replied that he would try to make an exception possible. The abbot went to the old monk, who also agreed to help.
The businessman was led to the old monk's hermitage, where he asked the visitor to put his hands forward.
The monk looked at the palms, making the strangest noises. "Hmmmm", "Ohhhhh", he grunted to himself as he looked at the lines of the hands, the man became quite agitated.
"Master, what do you see", he finally asked, "will my future be good"?
"The future," the old man spoke, "is still unclear, but it is in your hands! You have great possibilities, however, I see that you will have to decide several times. Depending on your decisions your future will be. But note: if you have to make a decision and you do not make it, that is also a decision".
"But the great future of your life lies in the fact that you can change your life by changing your attitude"!
Then the old monk turned back to his window, and the visitor went out.
There are no signposts at the crossroads of life
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin - British actor - 1889 to 1977
Copyright: https://shaolin-rainer.de
(Please also download my app "Buddha-Blog English" from the Apple and Android stores)
The future
In a small town in ancient China there was a very famous temple. One of the monks was very old, but the story went that he had "psychic" powers and could "tell fortunes".
Since he was also frail, he usually stayed in his room, from where he watched the world through a small window. His days of interpreting the future had long since passed, and he only wanted to spend his old age in the monastery.
One fine day, a businessman from the capital came and very generously filled the donation box. He asked about the "fortune teller", but got the answer that he no longer took part in the temple business. The visitor therefore asked for the abbot.
When the abbot came the man said: "I come from far away to ask this monk about my future, gladly I donate a large sum, only let me to the old master". Just like all undertakings, a temple needs the means to bear the expenses incurred, so the abbot replied that he would try to make an exception possible. The abbot went to the old monk, who also agreed to help.
The businessman was led to the old monk's hermitage, where he asked the visitor to put his hands forward.
The monk looked at the palms, making the strangest noises. "Hmmmm", "Ohhhhh", he grunted to himself as he looked at the lines of the hands, the man became quite agitated.
"Master, what do you see", he finally asked, "will my future be good"?
"The future," the old man spoke, "is still unclear, but it is in your hands! You have great possibilities, however, I see that you will have to decide several times. Depending on your decisions your future will be. But note: if you have to make a decision and you do not make it, that is also a decision".
"But the great future of your life lies in the fact that you can change your life by changing your attitude"!
Then the old monk turned back to his window, and the visitor went out.
There are no signposts at the crossroads of life
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin - British actor - 1889 to 1977
Copyright: https://shaolin-rainer.de
(Please also download my app "Buddha-Blog English" from the Apple and Android stores)
Previous Episode
103-This world is a brutal place - Buddhism in daily life
This world is a brutal places
The world is a master of horror, but also of goodness!
The world takes its own course. A glorious day is awakening in the East.
Will we see each other again tomorrow? We do not know. You do not like it?
Never will the son be the new king, who will rule?
Open the gates, the gateless gate is invisible.
Once he is king!
What have we promised?
We are tired, what do we want to achieve?
An heir to the throne?
The queen was a servant of Satan!
What do we know?
What does it matter?
Did we sign this like this?
Are you coming with me?
Everything here is in the name of the teacher of all teachers.
Look at me, you are suffering!
Enough!
Move aside.
Do not interfere, for this world is a brutal place!
Give it the death blow, do it!
The foolish think that shame is a crown!
Please forgive, the end is near!
You are a traitor, let's go.
Who will help?
Persuasion, where is the crown? We should leave!
Who helped?
What can I do?
Have you sworn allegiance to me?
I'll go as I please!
The king is dead, long live the king!
Do not force them to use violence.
Ignite their desire.
That is not true.
Do not destroy him!
The color of flowers is not always the same!
The flowers are so common.
Burn it, it's bad!
These are troubled times.
Lift up peace, born a king, in a peaceful land, in the end a nothing.
Do we deserve this?
NO
Sorrow in the heart!
Is the child blessed?
Only through suffering we know joy!
Participation in happiness.
Your example shines.
What have you achieved? Sickness, old age and death?
Do you have an heir?
Can we do worse? Are we safe? What is security?
Questions upon questions.
Come on, we gotta go! Wherever!
What do you want?
Deny the divine commandment!
The kingdom is becoming a disgrace.
Are you affected by the guilt? Did you determine the events?
Who has taken up arms? I beg you, think it over! But it is no longer so!
Have we done enough?
Everything is possible!
Shall we do nothing at all?
I speak for myself! Only for me.
The dead greet you!
From the tomb it smells of revolution, the sisters are enemies now.
Come to me, the dead greet you, O King!
I went ahead, the others are waiting here.
Your Majesty!
This world is a brutal place!
What did you expect?
I deny!
ALL
How could it come to this?
When I see, I see. My eyes are so tired.
Fall on your knees, recognize the evil place!
As I decree it!
We are of his blood! We have nothing to fear!
Or are we?
Will God hear us?
The day would come, and it has come! Regardless of all doubts.
Condemned to death!
This world is a brutal place. But in the end there is also a beginning.
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam
"Incidentally, I am of the opinion that Carthage must be destroyed," is a saying attributed to the Roman statesman Cato the Elder (234-149 B.C.)
Copyright: https://shaolin-rainer.de
(Please also download my app "Buddha-Blog English" from the Apple and Android stores)
Next Episode
105-Animal experiments - Buddhism in daily life
Animal experiments
Do you know how many animals have to give their lives for animal experiments every year? The numbers are disgusting, an unbelievable 3 million animals suffer year after year in Germany alone.
Unbelievable sums are converted with this animal murder, each quantity of national funds blown.
In spite of broad resistance in the population, the politicians, who are often "supported" by the economy, stick to the cruel practice, although the sense of animal experiments is also doubted in science on a broad front. This has a very simple reason, a fat profit is made with this disgusting mischief. The profiteers of these machinations are particularly despicable.
The prospects are even worse than the actual state, because of a completely hare-brained EU chemical regulation (REACH) up to 60 million animals will be "consumed" in toxicity tests in the near future.
If you dive deeper into the topic here, you will lose your composure (to write the article I had to go through the details). Animals are treated like dirt in our country, locked up in small cages, killed for nothing.
We humans make life hell for animals. If I imagine that we already treat the animals we eat badly, what will happen to the animals used for animal experiments?
The "consumption" of animals for pseudo-scientific purposes is astronomical, every year 2000 monkeys alone are slaughtered for the privilege of humans. So-called "surplus animals" are not taken into account in statistics, i.e. many more animals die than indicated in the official figures. In Europe, almost 23 million animals are "consumed" in animal testing, we should all be ashamed of ourselves.
In tests for cosmetics alone, animals are subjected to the most horrible tortures, the safety of the products is supposed to be ensured this way. Things that are not allowed to be tested here (and in the EU), the companies then give to tests abroad, where the rights of the animals are even worse.
The absolute hammer, however, are "patents" on genetically modified animals, from which unscrupulous business enterprises hope for fat profits in the future, a thoroughly degenerate system, the animals as a commodity.
Here, Buddhists in particular are called upon to take a clear position, products that have been produced with animal testing, I leave them, I do not participate in animal murder.
One issue is the consumption of meat or fish, a completely different story is the murder of countless innocent creatures for the production of medicines or cosmetics.
Support non-animal research methods and manufacturers that work without animal murder, who can enter the minds of animals?
The way is the goal!
Who fully consciously cultivates immeasurable kindness, mindful of the frailty of all mortal, the earthly fetters loosen. He who with a clear mind cultivates kindness even for one living being, is by this alone a righteous man. He who neither kills nor lets kill, neither does violence nor lets do violence, he who is kind-minded towards all beings, has no enmity to fear
Buddha - honorary name of Siddharta Gautama - 560 to 480 before the year zero
Copyright: https://shaolin-rainer.de
(Please also download my app "Buddha-Blog English" from the Apple and Android stores)
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