"Police are not my friends" (video)

Wisdom Quarterly interview with "Caroline" (Occupy Cal)


"Police are not my friends."

If police are not your friends, why are you their friend?

"Because I'm a Buddhist, and we don't expect to succeed acting the same way as they do. They drag people to jail by the hair like cavemen. It's sexism. There's racism. It's a police state."

Why are you participating in tomorrow's campus strike and teach out?

"We want student loan gouging to stop, bank greed, police abuse, endless war, fee increases, cut courses... There are so many issues that anyone not participating has to be questioned for apathy or ignorance."

Police drag demonstrators away by the hair
There is a lot of controversy at UC Berkeley after two videos surfaced showing law enforcement officers dragging two "Occupy Cal" demonstrators by their hair. The images triggered outrage among the faculty at Cal. Officers forcefully yanked people from their huddle, eventually forcing them to the ground. At one point in the video, an officer is shown pulling Prof. Celeste Langan by her hair and then arresting her. More

The Buddha on Friendship
Sharon Salzberg (adapted from The Force of Kindness, Sounds True, care2.com)

The Buddha often emphasized the characteristics of a good friend. He spoke about a good friend as one who gives a kind of happiness based on knowing our interconnectedness. Learning to be a good friend to ourselves and being one to others is really the same thing. Here are wise words about friendship from the Buddha as we approach Thanksgiving: He spoke about a good friend, a true friend, as being someone who is a helper, who protects us when we are unprotected, surprised by life in some way. The friend is a refuge when we are afraid. A good friend is constant in our time of happiness and... More

Interfaith Community, which has joined occupations, is being arrested.

• Police to conduct review after "Occupy Cal" arrests
• CHP officer shot near Sac; police execute suspect
• Police (LAPD) shoots man in downtown
• VIDEO: Raided Oakland demonstrators chant
• Occupy Yale, the Ivy League, and New Haven
• Student loans add to angst at Occupy Wall Street
• Brilliant students seek jobs beyond Wall Street

• VIDEO: fully armed SWAT used to evict Occupy Philly
  
• Police investigate officer involved shooting
• Police shoot, kill armed man in Green Bay
• Story, photos: Police shoot, kill man outside tavern‎
• Elkridge man dies after police shoot him 8 times
• Report: Hoboken man almost gets shot over bottle of beer
• Campus police shoot man at Elizabeth City State Univ.
• Police shoot man carrying assault rifle on N.C. campus

VIDEO: Portrait of a protest

• 
  Panorama: 360° view of L.A. City Hall encampment
• 
  Audio slide show: Through the words of an artist
• 
  Audio slide show: Nightfall to daybreak

• SF police shoot, kill man after foot chase
• Police dismantle "Occupy Oakland"
• Cain accuser's lawyer says witness to speak
• Public money expected in 49ers stadium
• AUDIO: Taliban stones, shoots mother/daughter
• OH, AND, BTW: Banks quietly ramping up costs

"Metta World Peace" rules!

Wisdom Quarterly

It is not often one can look up to a sports star. (Unless it's a towering human titan with remnant DNA from our gigantic past due to manipulation from fallen space beings like asuras, nagas, and devas). But Ron Artest is different. He would not let anything stand in the way of a name change to wear kindness, friendliness (mettā or maitri in Sanskrit), altruism, and peace like a badge for all to see. (Badges are available from tee-shirt dealers in the form of yellow jerseys for $32.99).

(Jayamangalani) From the sutra on loving kindness. By the power of this discourse, the "demons" and ogres (yakkhas) do not bring up fearful visions. A person making effort regarding this instruction day and night (by reciting and practicing) sleeps comfortably and is freed of bad dreams among other benefits.

Metta is a Pali (an exclusively Buddhist language) word that means "altruistic love" -- loving kindness, loving friendliness, agape, fraternity, eudaimonia, non-enmity, non-animosity, non-separation.

We are all connected on some level. And in recognition of this, to break down the barriers set up by illusion, we practice loving-kindness meditation. world peace speaks for itself.

And it speaks of one of the results of cultivating metta. The other result is immediate, our own peace of mind, relief, and reconnection.

There are 11 benefits to developing metta, and those are to be expected from someone who develops metta to the level of absorption (jhana). Otherwise, the benefits may sound preposterous and overblown. Metta cultivated to any extent benefits oneself, others, and everyone. It is not possible to benefit others without benefiting oneself.

It is altruism nonetheless, just as harming others invariably harms oneself. Altruism exists but is not achieved instantly. As the delusion of self and separation fall away by progressive insight, metta is the natural outcome. There is no wisdom without compassion.

There are three poisons and their opposites, the Three Antidotes:

1. Altruism or non-greed (alobha): selflessness, concern for the welfare of others, a traditional virtue in Buddhist and many other cultures, the opposite of selfishness. Instead of being "selfish," one expresses an enlightened self-interest by being both for one's own welfare and the welfare of others simultaneously, knowing that any benefit to others does indeed benefit oneself now and/or in the future
2. Loving-kindness or non-hatred (adosa): metta, consideration for others, friendliness, nonresistance, acceptance, allowing. It is the opposite of frustration that flows in harmony with others and the situation, accepting what is and choosing what to do from there (even if that means working to oppose it). It is freedom from anger, cruelty, wrath, and annoyance (which is where anger starts).
3. Wisdom or non-delusion (amoha): insight, realization of the Four Ennobling Truths, which reveals our interdependence and interconnectedness. Far from being alone and separated, we are intimately tied and experiencing much of the same thing. Therefore, just as we would want to be treated we would be wise to treat others. It will come back to us by the mysterious workings of karma.
   

June Full Moon Day Buddhist Fest (L.A.)

"Irrigators route the waters; fletchers fashion arrows; carpenter carve wood; the wise control themselves" - the Buddha

Poson is the full moon (eight precept) observance day in June. While eight precepts are observed every new and full moon, June marks a very special observance for Sri Lankans around the world, particularly in Los Angeles. It commemorates the day Buddhism came to the Buddhist island.

The great King Asoka, an Indian emperor who went from conqueror and slaughterer to great Buddhist benefactor. He lived 200 years after the Buddha. And his daughter and son, Sanghamitta and Mahinda, were fully enlightened monastics.

They traveled to the island and set up a citadel of the Dharma that has survived and preserved the message of the Buddha to this day. The Los Angeles Buddhist Vihara in Pasadena and Maithree Vihara in Sunland and Lankarama Temple in La Puente/City of Industry [as well as Sinhalese temples throughout America] will hold celebrations on Sunday, June 19th.

All are welcome, with exotic food and refreshments served at noon, meditation, monastic chanting, and the opportunity to observe the precepts. (Come dressed in white according to ancient Indian custom).

• Los Angeles Buddhist Vihara (8:30 am - 5:30 pm)
  
• 920 N. Summit Ave., Pasadena, CA 91103
• (626) 797-6144 labuddhistvihara.org

• June 26 at Dharmavijaya.org on Crenshaw Blvd., L.A.