Category: Buddhism

Exploring the philosophy (and practice) of Early and Later Buddhism.

Ancient Church Full of Spirits!

North Devon: Ghost-Hunting at St Peter’s Church – Bratton Fleming! (26.8.2025)

Of course, if there is some type of residual leftover following death – then I will be more than willing to experience its presence. No problem – no resistance. I am free – so I choose to sit here. There is a sense of profound peace about it all – but at the beginning there was a mixture of sweat and coldness happening all at once. Many ghost-hunters find this significant – but these things can be experienced in many places. Whatever the case, my body has now adapted to its environment and I habitually wrap a blanket around me – like robe.

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I Can See Your Thoughts...

Dialectical Materialism & Rebirth for Marxists! (26.8.2025)

In a moment – things dialectically change forever. When the axe fell on the neck of Charles I in 1649 – the ancient convention of an absolute monarch in England ended forever. How could this have happened? Well, there was a Revolution which saw tens of thousands fight and die in England so that the emerging bourgeois class could usurp political power from the aristocracy. There was no future for the absolute monarchy. And yet the agency of the “moment”, despite its nature, continue to manifest unabated. Rebirth is not reincarnation – the Buddha hinted about the former but rejected the latter. Rebirth may not be what the average Marxist thinks it is. An effective Marxist regime must be replicated effectively from one generation to the next.

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Zen of Galmpton! (24.8.2035)

Here we are. Zen is Ch’an in reverse – which is good as perception is the wrong way around. Turn it the right way around – and Zen becomes Ch’an the right way around. Not always an easy task – like catching a steam train whilst it is obscured by it’s own smoke. What a joy such contradictions are. They exist to test our perception and determination. As such, nothing else matters. We all look up – and we all look down – just like every koan (gong-an) you may have viewed. Still, none of it matters if you cannot lay it all down. None of it matters at all.

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The ceremony to proclaim the recognition of the Annamite Range–Ho Chi Minh Trail (on the Lao side) as a national historical heritage

Lao People’s Democratic Republic – Ho Chi Minh Trail Recongised as “National Treasure”! (22.8.2025)

The survey identified 18 locations along the trail as historic heritage sites that bear testimony to the shared struggle, solidarity, and friendship between Laos and Vietnam during their respective national liberation movements.

Maj. Gen. Vongsone highlighted that the Ho Chi Minh Trail through Laos was not only a vital transport and supply route of strategic military importance, but also served as a strategic stronghold and base that significantly contributed to Laos’ struggle, the national liberation movement of the Vietnamese people in the South, and the revolutionary struggle of the Cambodian people, ultimately leading to victory over foreign aggressors and the liberation of Southern Vietnam.

He further emphasized that the section of the Ho Chi Minh Trail running through Laos also served as a vital supply route for the front lines in Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Today, it stands as a symbol of shared struggle and the enduring solidarity between the peoples of Laos and Vietnam.

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Western POWs Were Also Victims of Japanese Imperialism!

China: Lurch to Right Paints Japan as “Victim” of WWII! (17.8.2025)

Earlier this month, Hiroshima and Nagasaki held their annual atomic bombing commemorations. From Ishiba to local officials and citizens, speeches focused overwhelmingly on Japan’s suffering under nuclear attack, with little mention of Japan’s wartime aggression abroad. In Nagasaki, residents interviewed stressed the horrors of the bombings but rarely acknowledged Japan’s role as an aggressor.

The emphasis has shifted public perception. An NHK poll found only 35 percent of Japanese now see the war as one of aggression, compared with 52 percent in a 1994 survey.

In contrast, 67 percent of respondents said they “still cannot forgive” the atomic bombings, up 18 percentage points from a decade ago.

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The Youth Hold the Future in Their Hands!

Laos: “If Youth are Empowered to Lead – Real Change Follows!” (13.8.2025)

“By first understanding our rights and choices in life, and knowing that our feelings are valid even if we are unsure or afraid, young people can transform from passive to active participants in life,” he says. Through peer education, social media content, and youth-led activities, Anan has taken on the role of mentor, guiding others through similar processes of discovery and empowerment. He sees voice as central to agency. “By finding our voice, we can contribute and be heard when decisions are made about our futures.”

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