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FEATURE | EASTERN HORIZON 43

violence. Conditions in general a glimpse of a grim future of living for many people has not been
seem to have improved for a large ferocious competition for survival enough and unsatisfying, and at the
part of society but the opportunities and scarce resources. This is not same time with too many unwanted
for better education, health, and seeing the nature of phenomena secondary effects. The other
development are also becoming - conditioned, impermanent, extreme of forgetting about our
a market product, and not widely and finally unsatisfactory. This is wellbeing might also prove useless
available. This sounds familiar? It is Delusion. for oneself and others. Taking care
a result of Greed. of ourselves is also a crucial part
This diagnosis shows a common
of the path but that path is fulfilled
Secondly, many so-called “minority” pattern of egoism, egotism,
when we consider others. While we
groups are rising against the and narcissism. Rigidity and
strive heedfully for our progress
systematic and programmed abuse stubbornness and living too fast a
and development, the veil of egoistic
that has sadly continued for way life resembles cattle going to the
confusion remains. Maybe not any
too long, more than we would like slaughterhouse. We are not even
time soon but we can start working
to acknowledge. The “Black Lives noticing what is constantly going on
on it now.
Matter” movement is an example. right in front of our noses.
Do we need to name here the We are lucky to have a training
I do not think the Buddha taught
numerous amount of violent acts of system, a path, a guiding light
that “life is suffering”. What he
atrocity that have been committed towards better conditions so that
meant in the teaching of the First
in the name of race? Is it that hard many can realize the characteristics
Noble Truth was that the “five
to develop empathy and the will of interdependence, impermanence,
aggregates affected by clinging”
to understand the frustration and and unsatisfactoriness of
or “life with clinging” is suffering
sadness of the people who have conditioned phenomena.
(pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkha).
witnessed such tragedy? What to
We can awake to a meaningful life, How many times do we have to
say about the “Me Too” movement?
free from clinging and suffering as listen to stories on both extremes,
Go ahead and research the amount
individuals that work for the good of incredibly amazing, famous, rich
of rape, abuse, and discrimination
of the many. and successful people committing
towards women, as well as religious
suicide, or extremely poor living
persecution, and ethnical prejudice.
The origin of all this can be
conditions that create tales of
This is a result of Hatred.
traced, somehow simplistically,
misery and suffering for many
to ignorance. It is ignorance of
Thirdly, the economic system has others?
the nature of things, especially of
been tested hard. The dependence
the fragility of the whole world of What can the Dharma do for an
of people on big companies has
experience, and of the imperative aching world? How can we be of
proven too unstable. Many families
need of working together as help, as walkers of the path, to our
have been put in terrible situations
humans. fellow humans, animal friends, and
due to the lack of empowerment,
life-sustaining home-planet?
self-sustainability, and cooperation.
We might not see the end of this
The interdependence of society has
any time soon. It sadly might be Let us go back to some of the main
shown its real absence. Although
a little bit easier to think about topics discussed above.
present in wonderful examples,
this enormous task individually, to
there is very little mutual support. Greed.
forget about everything else, and
This, plus the current delicate state
just focus on our peace. Maybe
Are we as Dharma practitioners
of natural resources, the continuous
this is going to the extreme of
addressing communal issues in a
growth of disposable goods, and a
indulgence, just trying to enjoy as
dharmic way? Are we observing the
culture that fosters individuality
much as we can. Sadly, this way of
cause and effect of the problems we
and consumption, can only provide