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The Video Clip of the Dalai Lama and the Small Child. A Buddhist Critique

Business, Science Critiques / By /

I first met the Dalai Lama, aged 36, in 1972 when he came to pay respect to Ajahn Buddhadasa of Thailand, a Buddhist monk-teacher with a radical vision, who lived in the forest in southern Thailand. …

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A Nose and a Hand-kerchief. Cultural Differences. Different Strokes for Different Folks

Articles / By /
While teaching a residential course last week in the Pauenhof Buddhist Zentrum, in Germany, I heard a graphic example of differences in culture. I have expanded on it to make a point.
A person went to India and witnessed Indians blowing their nose with head pointing down to the ground – one finger on one nostril and then the other nostril.
The Westerner said to her travelling companion: “That’s disgusting.”
A little while later, a Westerner in India blew his nose into their handkerchief and then put their handkerchief back into their pocket.
An Indian turned to his companion and said: ” She put her handkerchief back into her pocket. That’s disgusting.”
To summarise: We easily jump to conclusions about the behaviour of another with no idea how our behaviour may appear to others.
From The Ballad of East and West by poet Rudyard Kiplin (1865-1936)
Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet,
Till Earth and Sky stand presently at God’s great Judgment Seat;
But there is neither East nor West, Border, nor Breed, nor Birth,
When two strong men stand face to face, though they come from the ends of the earth! |
Do you have an example of cultural differences?

Sgt Pepper established The Beatles as The Buddhas of Rock Music. Intro, short comment on each song with some lyrics

Books, Photos and Music / By /

I remember sitting at the top of a cheap hostel in Istanbul in late June 1967. A young American turned up and pulled out a copy of the latest album from The Beatles called Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. …

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Guidelines for Managers for Dharma Teachings, via Zoom

Articles, Retreat Environments / By /

I am writing to thank all managers for your immense support which enables the Dharma Teachings/Practices on Zoom to take place.

The number of Zoom/Skype meetings have grown over the months.

I have written Guidelines for Zoom Managers for my Zoom Dharma Teachings. I have mentioned details which will make it easier for myself with the workload and benefit those who register for Zoom teachings. The Guidelines show point of mindfulness for the managers to iron out and enable me to tweak any details I overlooked.

I teach in five time zones. I can set up a time zone but perhaps there is a change weeks later of one hour for summer or winter season in UK or elsewhere, or different time zones within other countries, or I make mistake. The two time zones fail to connect. Oops. It has happened. Apologies.

Some of the points listed below may be useful for other managers ensuring Zoom programmes take place with co-ordination with international content and time zones.

I have noticed on the statistics on this blog an ongoing increase in views. For example, there were more than 250,000 views of this blog since January 2021. It only takes a very tiny percentage of comments/inquiries to make a lot of daily emails in the in-box.

You may have more points. Let me know If any point is not clear. I can adjust text and send again to managers. Read the Guidelines carefully.

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