Wednesday, January 2, 2019

I AM TWO PEOPLE







I am two people.  Not of a parallel universe, nor a radical personality disorder; but a person with a strong Physic background and a practicing No Bullshit Buddhist. 
 

Physics describes the world around us with concrete laws backed up by provable experimentation and mathematics equations.    Theoretical Physics strives to explain why things are as they are, and the logical consequences of expanding known attributes into the unknown.   Astrophysics attempts to explain the universe; the beginning, the now and  the future of the cosmos.


Buddhism says it’s all bullshit – it doesn’t matter – the NOW is all we have: how we live this day, in each moment, in total awareness can bring us peace and tranquility throughout this short life – and that’s really all that matters.


Steve Hagen, a trained Physicist, now a Buddhist priest explores the links between Science, Philosophy and Perception in his book HOW THE WORLD CAN BE THE WAY IT IS.
  

Steve Hagen is the reason I practice my own version of Buddhism today.
 

My first interest in Buddhism came after reading THE THREE PILLARS OF ZEN by Roshi Philip Kapleau in the 1960’s.   Afterwards I read numerous books with esoteric explanations of Buddhism, many verging on religion and mysticism.  It wasn’t until Steve Hagen’s BUDDHISM PLAIN AND SIMPLE that I was able to codify a simple (No Bullshit) Buddhist practice that seemed practical and worthwhile to me.


I am still awed by Theoretical Physics; but, especially at my age, it is strictly entertainment.   Zen is a way of life. 

   
I have fallen away from my ZEN practice, but now it is time for me to come back.

The beginning of this new year is a good time to explore ZEN as a more peaceful and conscious way to live.
  

If you are interested, I recommend starting with Buddhism Plain and Simple.   I will also post a series of earlier blog post I have done over the years.   My particular Buddhist practice is personal, and I feel each person should develop their own – or not.  There are Buddhist Sangha in almost every state for more formal Buddhist training. 



 

And, of course, you don’t need Buddhism or religions to live a good life and be a good person. 


the Ol’Buzzard   

4 comments:

  1. Though really different from Buddhism, have you ever read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintainence" by Pirsig? It was an especially meaningful novel for me that is semi-philosophical, semi-Buddhist and it really helped me view science more deeply.

    PipeTobacco

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  2. There is a lot that I like in Zen Buddhist practice, philosophy and psychology. Its emphasis on The Eternal Now is very profound.

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  3. Thank you for the giving the book title. I've been away from my Zen for a long long time and now I am going back to it. David doesn't understand what it is. I'm buying Hagen's book for him. Have you ever thought of starting another blog called "Awakening" and teaching Zen Buddhism? It could be the start of something great. Just think about it. Give it time to blossom in your mind.

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  4. Well, aren't we just that much more interesting! I have been on the fringes, but have been on a month long daily meditation. Seriously learning how to chill. I listen to Eckhart Tolle on the way to and from work some days, too. Maybe Trump finally drove me to it! Maybe.

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