After The Decade of Peace, Love is Still the Answer

As of December 31 11:59:59 PM, the International Decade of Peace ends. It began with a bang in 2001. But will peace prevail over the current "War of Terrorism??"

Who knows?

When this decade of peace ended on December 31, 2010 at 11:59:59 PM, we were at war in Afghanistan and Iraq for seven years.

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When this decade of peace ended on December 31, 2010 at 11:59:59 PM, we were at war in Afghanistan and Iraq for seven years.

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In my humble opinion, the closest Buddhists get to God as the divine energy/being is The Absolute. However, this concept is not limited by a belief in a permanent self or immortal soul. The closest one could get to it is a psychic projection of one's passions as the various buddhas represented in Tibetan iconography. In essence this is a primitive form of psychotherapy which has had over one thousand years of refinement.

Foremost, there is error in belief in a deity who is immortal since it violates what Shakyamuni Buddha said, that the worship of an immortal soul which is permanent is animism. This is similar to the commandment of the Judeo-Christians by God that he is "the Lord God" and no one should have any other god before him. What this really means is the worship of an immortal God which is permanent is also animism. For we should beware of aspiring to become like God lest we fall into the ego delusion of the permanence of an immortal soul, and suffer needlessly as a result.

One need only look at various fundamentalist cults of the monotheists to see the depth of suffering in their delusions.

Yet I am too aware of my own limitations as a Buddhist. Buddhism is no better than any other religion when in the hands of the powerful and out of the hands of the people. In this respect, Jodo Shinshu may have the potential of becoming a model of democracy since no discrimination is made between young and old, rich and poor.

However, when we look at Buddhist nations like Burma (Myanmar) and Thailand we see that the secular establishments like the media or the military are doing a disservice to Buddhism.

Furthermore, when Buddhist clergy use sutras to condone violence and bloodshed as during the recently ended civil war in Sri Lanka, it violates what the Buddha taught and mocks his Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path to spiritual happiness known as nirvana.

For this decade of Peace from 2000 to 2010 was broken in the early morning of September 11, 2001. It has taught me that we need to moderate male dominant role models so that we are embraced by the peace of mind that is the Buddhadharma, through meditation and related great practices.

Indeed, when each of us quietly works toward democracy in our host nations, we work towards a global chain of spiritual love and happiness that stretches around the world.