Skillful Actions and Karma

Things will get better despite our efforts to improve them. - Will Rogers

A layer below the obvious humor here, there is a sublime Buddhist truth.

A Buddhist will say that things get better or worse depending on our skillful or unskillful actions. Too often, despite our best intentions our unskillful actions hinder improvements.

Mindfulness and concentration provide insight into the present moment, and of how you continually contribute to your present experience and to those in the future.

For example, when others cause us pain, we're intensely aware of what they are doing.

However, often we're not looking at what we're doing which is influencing their painful behavior.

Many times you can't avoid the way others are behaving toward you -- it's past karma. But with mindfulness you can avoid the unskillful ways you're reacting to their behavior. You find that the way you are reacting to the situation feeds back into the situation, influencing what those around you are doing, and making a painful situation worse.

Therefore, the goal is to respond to this moment with mindfulness, and work just with that moment with skillful actions and attitudes. By doing this you are creating new karma to both help the current situation and to feed into a better one in the future.

Earmark Conniptions

The Republicans roadblocked the federal budget this past week to throw a political conniption about earmarks. The shallow press played into this hysteria with their usual mindless incitements.

Let's look at a few things.

What is an earmark? Simply, it designates funds for a specific use.

How much of the federal budget is earmarked? Earmarks in the current budget bill amount to $7.7 billion, less than 2% of the overall spending.

What is an example of an earmark? Since the 2010 budget is stalled, I looked at the 2009 federal budget.

I looked at Agriculture and Rural Development (just because it was first in the A to Z list), and drilled down selecting the highest dollar amount in each of the categories.

Republican Senator Inhofe (OK) requested $894,000 specifically for biomass-based energy research.

So the money was earmarked for energy research in Inhofe's state.

You decide whether there is justified outrage or just political posturing from the Republicans this week.

(By the way, this research occurred as I ate breakfast.)

Damien Rice - 9 Crimes - Official Video

That which we seek to possess is subject to loss.

Eternity is Now

The Buddha represents the power of life in the field of eternity -- to be eternally alive.

Eternity isn't some later time; eternity isn't a long time; eternity has nothing to do with time.

Eternity is that dimension of here and now which thinking and time cuts out.

This is IT; if you don't get it here you won't get it anywhere.

The experience of eternity right here and now is the function of life. - Joseph Campbell

Steel Wheel Interstate

A good project for America right now would be to invest in our shrinking and congested freight railway system.  

Our highways are not free; they cost roughly $32 million per mile. A large portion of this expense is caused by either expanding them to meet increased trucking needs, or repairing them due to the damage caused by trucks.

On the other hand, a single train can move as many containers as 280 trucks while using one-third as much energy.

A recent study found that an investment in improved rail infrastructure would get 85% of all long-haul trucks off the nation's highways.  Due to efficiencies and reduced fuel expenses, it would also leave the nation’s economy 13 percent larger by 2030.

So why don’t the railroads build the infrastructure they need?  America’s major railroad companies are publicly traded companies answerable to shareholders. So asking them to incur these new expenses would be like asking the trucking industry to entirely pay for our roads and highways.

So is nationalization the answer? Perhaps not (but other countries have successfully done it). 

What the government can do is make creative use of public/private partnerships. For example, it could provide loan guarantees to the railroad to improve its lines. Also, reduced capital gains taxes for investors in rail infrastructure could help direct capital to where it is needed. Flat-out grants, akin to federal highway money, would also be appropriate.

I'm not talking about bailing out a failing industry, but about helping an expanding, more energy-efficient one to grow fast enough to meet pressing public needs.

Moon River - Sungha Jung

The quite passion and calm with which he plays is amazing. Why wouldn't a tear escape from your eye when you see this child play?

What Do You Lose?

Thus said the Lord Buddha, "If beings knew as I know the results of sharing gifts, they would not enjoy their use without sharing them with others, nor would the taint of stinginess obsess the heart and stay there. Even if it were their last and final bit of food, they would not enjoy its use without sharing it, if there were anyone to receive it."

“Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (Matt 19:16) Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. (Matt 19:21, 22)

What is it you lose by clinging to your possessions?