Tag: philosophy

Master Shao Yun (1938-2022) - Disciple of Master Xu Yun (1840-1959)

Ch’an Buddhism – Sit But Do Not Wobble! (5.5.2025)

Nowadays, the situation of Ch’an Buddhism in China is precarious. This is because the Ch’an Path is difficult to follow and is not easy to practice. Of course, there are many people who chant the Buddha’s Name and practice Tantric Buddhism – but there are very few who are truly able to practice Ch’an. Many temples focus on building Buddha Chanting Halls which are popular – with the required practice relatively simple to perform – whilst the establishment of disciplined Ch’an Halls are rare. Even if some temples have established Ch’an Halls, but these places often lack dedicated teachers and practitioners who will sit in meditation for long periods of time – and forget about the body and environment. It should be noted that the inheritance of Buddhism in China is largely due to the talents cultivated in Ch’an Halls.

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Transgender Liberation Means Social Revolution!

UK: Assessing the Trans State of Play! (20.4.2025)

What, then, is causing all the controversy? To put it simply, neither side in the argument seems to understand the law – with both making assumptions that are not true. The anti-Trans movement mistakenly thinks Trans-ism has been outlawed – whilst the pro-Trans lobby believes something tangible has been taken away from them. The truth is that the pro-Trans lobby never achieved a change in the law as it stands. What the pro-Trans lobby achieved was a voluntary alteration of the reading of the current law – so that its limitations were interpreted throughout society in a certain (flexible) manner. There may have been an “approximation” of parity between the existing law – and the intended changes the Trans movement wished to make (this may be interpreted as a “high water-mark” in the Trans anti-capitalist offensive).

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Haytor Neidan Self-Cultivation!

Ch’an Dao Blog Article – Neidan As We Get Older! (18.4.2025)

I suspect the ancient Greeks encountered Buddhist monasticism when visiting India (such as Pythagoras), learned the Buddhist method of “looking within”, and then adjusted the technique as a means to “prove” the efficacy of their particular philosophical perspectives (the work of Plotinus may be taken as an example of this endeavour). Later, via the Greeks, a community of Jews (in Qumran) started sitting in meditation to personally attain a “glimpse of Yahweh” – a practice that eventually spread to the reformed Jewish sect of “Christianity” – whose adherents started to meditate whilst sat in the caves found in the Egyptian Desert (this type of Christianity spread to Britain – hundreds of years prior to Catholicism – becoming “Celtic Christianity”).

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Danny Lemoi - Fake Drugs!

US: How Danny Lemoi Killed Himself Via the US Far-Right [Anti-Intellectual] Movement! (5.4.2025)

Socialism is ignored – capitalism is embraced. Although science is correct, the average US citizen cannot afford to penetrate the pay-wall that separates a humanity in need – from humanity that possesses the knowledge and skill to put right the many ailments and diseases that torment the human mind and body. No money equals no treatment. Millions of Americans live with acute and chronic pain every day of their lives – blaming themselves for having no money or not being able to afford the relevant treatment. Americans die of starvation surrounded by food, Americans die of exposure surrounded by clothing and housing, Americans die of ignorance surrounded by educational institutes, and Americans die of medical neglect surrounded by hospitals and medical clinics. Although the US is a very rich country and possesses every single element needed for a continued and sustained good-life – perhaps two-thirds of the US population is excluded from this wealth through poverty. This poverty is a product of the inherent injustice and inequality inherent within the US capitalist system. One-third of the US population leads a parasitic (privileged) existence – living-off the labour and surplus profit earned by the other (impoverished) two-thirds.

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God and Jesus Do Not Exist!

The Objective Study of Religion Through Logic and Reason! (26.3.2025)

Needless to say, the learned Benedictine Brothers were not impressed with my missive – and certainly refused to print it in a Christian academic journal. One Brother took me to one side and explained that the Catholic concept of “Interfaith” was a misnomer – as its true purpose was to have the minds of Buddhists infiltrated by Catholic dogma – and for these Buddhists to “convert” to Christianity as a means to stop their heathen (non-White) souls descending into the fires of hell following their physical death. So far – so good. In military terms – this type of unscripted and quite often messy advance to gain intelligence about the enemy is termed “reconnaissance under fire”. The vehicle through which these Brothers delivered their condescending attitudes was one of racism and discrimination – disguised as religious piety (even those non-Whites who convert – are inferior to White Christians regardless of strength of belief). I was also informed that Asian Buddhists were invariably “Socialistic” – an ideology rejected by the Catholic Church.

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Life of the Buddha!

Laos: Buddhist Temple – “Golden Ground of Ram” [ວັດໃໝ່ ສຸວັນນະພູມາຣາມ – Wat Mai Suvanna Bhumi Ram]

Laos is a Socialist (Marxist-Leninist) State. Religious freedom is guaranteed as a private matter (through the separation of Temple and State) whilst Theravada Buddhism is the tradition religion of the people. Therefore, Laos may be considered a Buddhist-Socialist State – as the Buddhist Masters advocate Socialism and Dhamma in equal measure. In English, this old temple should be literally known as the “New Temple” – due to its relatively recent repair (just over 200-years) – by Royal Command. As to the Pali name – it translates as “Golden Ground of Ram” – “Ram” is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. Throughout Southeast Asia and beyond, ancient Brahmanism spread far and wide from India – before the rise and spread of Buddhism. By the time Buddhism arrived in the region – Brahmanism was already in-place – with the Buddha being associated with Vishnu (even in modern India – many contemporary Hindus count the Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu [Ram] sent to earth to encourage vegetarianism).

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