The Season of Goodwill

The Season of Goodwill?

Here we are again, that time of the year when we try to think of what to buy for those who in many ways already have everything they need. While the poor go empty away. Still, it is the season of goodwill, and so I wish our friends in Westminster, home of the UK Government, well. Now running around like headless chickens in ever decreasing circles, let us hope and pray that they find time to fill in their expense claims. 

Don't forget the expenses

Moving on, the days are counting down to Brexit, to 29/03/2019 when the UK officially leaves the EU. But as said, those we have elected to be in charge of proceedings, seem otherwise engaged and in fact are soon off for the Christmas recess. But they have found time so far to put 3,500 troops on standby for the Big Day. Difficult to know just what lies ahead. Many scenarios are being thrown out by the media, from the dawn of Utopia to Armageddon.

The countdown to midnight

I shall retire and hide my head in some of my favorite texts from our world of faith. Often I muse upon whether such is to hide my head in the sand or is it to raise it up high. Is it to close to our world's affairs or, in fact, to become more involved? Yet in the Pure Land world of "no calculation" thanks is given and the world keeps turning; and hopefully, unlike in Westminster, not in ever decreasing circles.

Whatever, one such text  is the Sutta Nipata, part of the Theravada (Southern School) canon of scripture. This has always been one of my favorites throughout my journey through Theravada itself, the Mahayana (Northern School) and on to the Pure Land. Hopefully leaving all the infighting between those schools and ways in my wake. 

Leave in-fighting behind

The Sutta Nipata appears to give evidence of a genesis within folk traditions prior to the advent of Buddhism. At least, I think so. My first acquaintance with it was when I read an essay by Nyanaponika Thera, which concentrated upon its opening chapter, the "Chapter of the Snake". This speaks of the various "skins" we shed on our movement through the Buddhist path, or perhaps our sailing upon the raft of the Dharma. I think too of the words of the Dhammapada, of how the various travellers are like swans upon the lake "leaving home after home behind". Lovely images to contemplate, always remembering Basho in his own Journey to the North, who recognised that the journey itself is home. 

Basho's narrow road - mind the end of the bridge

Well, goodwill  or not, this Christmas blog is complete. There was a really beautiful verse from the Sutta Nipata that caught my mind yesterday as I took a break from playing Candy Soda Crush Saga. Here it is:- 

A good sight indeed has arisen today, a good daybreak, a beautiful arising, for we have seen the perfectly Enlightened One, who has crossed the flood.

"Morning has broken like the first morning" - a beautiful arising

 "A good daybreak, a beautiful arising"

Related Quote:-

It's Christmas time, and there's no need to be afraid
At Christmas time, we let in light and banish shade
And in our world of plenty, we can spread a smile of joy

Throw your arms around the world
At Christmas time

But say a prayer and pray for the other ones
At Christmas time, it's hard but while you're having fun
There's a world outside your window, and it's a world of dread and fear
Where a kiss of love can kill you, and there's death in every tear
And the Christmas bells that ring there are the clanging chimes of doom

Well tonight we're reaching out and touching you

(Lines from "Do They Know It's Christmas", Bob Geldof/Midge Ure)