#dukkha
The Tsaatan (or Dukkha) are an ethnic minority who fled to Mongolia from Russia during WWII. It’s a small group, less than 300 people according to the most recent census, mostly living near Tsaagan Nuur.
They herd reindeer for milk, which they make into yogurt and cheese. Over centuries, the reindeer have been bred to have spines strong enough for riding. They hunt for meat, killing a reindeer is rare.
Photos by Joel Santos.
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We find in the contemplative work of African-American writer W. E. B. Du Bois themes which run parallel with the teachings of the Buddha. Included among them is the painstaking reality of suffering and cyclic existence - the microcosm of tragedy and comedy which enacts itself in human relationships and nature, forming a macrocosm encompassing all. These multidimensional dynamics, although cloaked in shadows, were valuable guides on both of their contemplative paths.
Continued: https://unityinplurality.blogspot.com/2020/07/dark-water.html
“Long tongues of dark and golden land lick far out into the tossing waters… It is a mighty coast—ground out and pounded, scarred, crushed, and carven in massive, frightful lineaments… Near us lie isles of flesh and blood, white cottages, tiled and meadowed.”
~ Du Bois, Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil
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A core text of Mahāyāna Buddhism, the Lotus Sūtra introduces the single vehicle upon which all beings ride to awakening. No one is excluded or left behind.
Its parable of the herbs depicts a majestic range of plants receiving the same medicinal rain, according to their diverse needs.
Such a story offers insights into how to craft an inclusive path of regenerative remedies for social and ecological ills. May all receive the reprieve offered by rain.
https://unityinplurality.blogspot.com/2020/04/regenerative-remedies.html
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I was doing some research into Buddhism, and hit upon a revelation that I had to share with all of you real quick!
In the West, we tend to view Buddhism as being inherently contradictory. “How can it be a pursuit of joy when all of life is suffering, and we need to practice non-attachment to escape it?”
This is due, in part, to a mistranslation of Sanskrit terms, which do not have an exact equivalent in English. When we translate dukkha as “suffering,” it would perhaps be more accurate to say “unsatisfactoriness.” The Buddha taught that our misconceptions lead us to find life to be pervasively filled with a sense of wrongness and dissatisfaction.
What is the biggest misconception, the biggest “ignorance,” then? That is that we exist as an individual self that is separate, cut off from the rest of existence. Attachment to an object or sensation is a product of one feeling a disconnection from that object or sensation - when, in reality, we are all part of one huge, wonderful whole. There’s nothing to attach to in the first place, once you realize it was a part of you and you were a part of it all along!
Ignorance of this truth also breeds aversion, or hatred, as well. When you come to accept that we are all one, you could never bring yourself to hurt anyone or anything else, for that would be tantamount to hurting yourself.
I’m sorry to spring this on all of you out of the blue, but I’ve kind of been having a spiritual awakening recently, and I’m incredibly inspired! Thank you for reading, and may the Tree of Life always shelter you!
