And, in widening circles, sending metta to all those recovering from accidents in the world, and to all those recovering as a result of violent crime, social unrest, and war. (I think of Thanissaro Bhikkhu, now visiting in Thailand at the moment when the civil unrest has turned bloody...) May they all find true happiness in their lives.
And thinking these thoughts, I find myself struggling with the attempt to fit all this in with the concept of karma. Many of the people suffering in this way are the innocent victims of circumstances beyond their control--at least in this life, and I have a really hard time taking past lives into account. The laws of cause and effect make good sense to me in almost every aspect of our lives, but how do we apply them to the case of that nine-year old boy who narrowly escaped death in a plane crash, and who will suffer from the trauma of it for the rest of his life?
It's a tough one to wrap my mind around. In the meantime, it does make sense to send metta...
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5 comments:
Wonderful sentiments, Peter. That boy's suffering will no doubt be great - let's hope that it leads to wisdom and emancipation for him...and others.
As to karma, if you can't accept it, then don't. Life - for you, for that boy, for all of us - is just like this. In other words, life is the way it is, and can be no other way. Myriad events have built up to this present moment, and for that poor boy this moment is as bad as it gets.
Trying to make 'sense' of it is isn't perhaps the point. Cultivating the wisdom of acceptance and compassion most certainly is the point, however. And you've displayed plenty of these in your caring post, Peter. Thank you!
My apprehension of karma is to see the interconnected nature of so much, the web of consequences - which is profound, and lamentably ignored in our culture. For example, when I worked in an international organisatin I noted how many friends died young in countries torn by war or dictatorship, not just from direct consequences of the war, but in accidents, from cancer or heart attacks at a young age... But it certainly doesn't go, except as an acceptance of unnkowing, beyond this life. In South Asia at the time of the historical buddha, such a belief was the norm, I believe. Knowing that is enough for me not to worry about it.
The flat, blatant voyeurism of the news coverage of this young boy is disturbing, isn't it? Perhaps in response to the mystery and arbitrariness of it, which we cannot bear.
When last in Saigon a year ago I came upon a flower shop that had been there in 1968 when I was serving with the US Navy. It had become very upscale and when I entered an older man my age was cutting flowers with one arm and his left foot. I bought some flowers and asked him if his injury was from the 60's and he nodded yes and said a "claymore mine". I said that I had been hit with one too!
We went to lunch and exchanged many recollections of the war and of his long adaptation to overcome his injuries. He was very fulfilled and had a beautiful daughter I met as we parted to whom I gave the flowers.
The Libyan boy is alive and lucky to have a world to explore in spite of his misfortune and if Lao, the flower cutter, can overcome his trauma then others can too. By the way he was also blind but that was from birth.
Acceptance in spades I'd say.
It seems that karma has no point, only flow and so, by trying as best we can in our lives to unfold the 4 Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path we create compassion in realms we may never know. What a simple way to love, long after we are gone.
PS. If you haven't seen it yet, don't miss, "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring" written and directed by Kim Ki-Duk----an exquisitely beautiful and potent tale (jataka) about karma.( available from NexFlicks)
speace, m
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