Leaving no traces, the kids of Gaza

[Rich]

Hi Amelia, I believe that donating money will help those children already injured or traumatized. What to do to stop the violence is beyond my comprehension. I can say that I experienced a time in Arab countries over 40 years ago when people were loving and peaceful so it's not impossible.

Kind regards. /\

[Amelia]

Thank you Rich, I should have mentioned that the money does provide relief in other necessary ways.

[Jinyo]

Might the people in all lands learn to share and live together. Might there be no more violence. Might the children of all nations grow up in peace.

It has not been so for thousands of years, and it is not so today. But there is still tomorrow.

Gassho, J

Willow

[Meishin]

John

[Nameless]

Many here in the States are unaware of exactly what's going on over there. To spread such awareness fits with practice. Awareness that we are helping fund a slaughter. Matters not if our words are useless, just like giving we don't do it for anything to attain, we do it because it's what we do, and then we move on. Much metta to the Israelis and the Palestinians, to all children who have lost their lives in wars. To all the broken homes and broken hearts. May all experience kintsugi.

Gassho,
John

[Joyo]

Sadly enough, I read a comment on fb today from some ignorant fool, claiming it's a good thing these children are getting killed, as they are "messed up" and future terrorists. I find it very difficult to extend my compassion to these such people, and the "Zionists" who claim Israel has every right to do what they are doing.

Metta to all children who suffer, from war and from the hands and mouths of those who are not worthy to take care of them.

I dedicate my sit to them through this week.

Gassho,
Joyo

[Jinyo]

Hello Joyo,

in a messed up world it is very difficult to extend compassion to those who we witness causing harm to others. I think what Buddhism teaches (and what many other faiths teach) is that the real evil is greed, hate and ignorance.

Within those three terms are many sub-clauses and fear is one of them.

I don't want to get into a political discussion here (the politics of Israel/Zionism is complex) nor an equally complex debate of what is encompassed within that huge void between terrorism and colonialism and the hate/despair that fills up that void. But our response isn't complex - we see a terrible carnage happening and want it to stop.

How do we feel compassion for all the sentient beings involved - even those who we might perceive as perpetrators?

When I struggle to extend compassion I remind myself that human beings are inextricably bound by a karmic chain of cause and effect and it is an accident of birth which side of a divide an individual is born.

I try to sit with the fear, real and imagined that drives human being to commit terrible acts. I try to sit with compassion for the level of indoctrination an individual may have failed to free themselves from. I try to sit with the lack of will and determination we all may exhibit when a bad situation needs turning round.

.... and then I struggle with the knowledge that my silent thoughts achieve nothing and wonder what can be done?



(today is the commemoration of the start of WW1. In the UK the lights will be switched off for an hour between 10pm and 11pm. My grandfather was seriously injured and also lost a brother in that war)

Metta to all those affected by war,

Gassho

Willow

[Jishin]

I have a Jewish background but I am certain that I could be Hitler under the right circumstances.

Gassho, Jishin

[Kokuu]

Today, one hundred years ago, the first shots were fired in 'the war to end all wars', WWI. Sadly, that not only proved not to be the case but it set the stage for future conflicts, not least the devastation of WWII only two decades later.

The death of anyone due to armed conflict is a tragedy, but particularly those of civilians and children. I have my own thoughts on the rights and wrongs of the current engagement between Israel and Palestine but the situation is so complex and with so many hurts on both sides, it is hard to see a peaceful resolution. But, as Rich says, peace has been possible before and we must hold out hope it can occur again. In my own lifetime, the seemingly intractable conflict between people in Northern Ireland has largely become a thing of the past.

Much metta and strength to all inhabitants of both Israel and Gaza. Both must be a frightening place to live right now and a death on either side is a great loss for family and friends of that person that need not of happened. I wish I knew what else to do but today can just sit for all involved and pray that one day any further killings will be seen as too much.

Gassho
Kokuu

[Meishin]

I have a Jewish background but I am certain that I could be Hitler under the right circumstances.

Gassho, Jishin

Call Me by My True Names


Do not say that I'll depart tomorrow
because even today I still arrive.
Look deeply: I arrive in every second
to be a bud on a spring branch,
to be a tiny bird, with wings still fragile,
learning to sing in my new nest,
to be a caterpillar in the heart of a flower,
to be a jewel hiding itself in a stone.
I still arrive, in order to laugh and to cry,
in order to fear and to hope.
The rhythm of my heart is the birth and
death of all that are alive.
I am the mayfly metamorphosing on the surface of the river,
and I am the bird which, when spring comes, arrives in time
to eat the mayfly.
I am the frog swimming happily in the clear pond,
and I am also the grass-snake who, approaching in silence,
feeds itself on the frog.
I am the child in Uganda, all skin and bones,
my legs as thin as bamboo sticks,
and I am the arms merchant, selling deadly weapons to
Uganda.
I am the twelve-year-old girl, refugee on a small boat,
who throws herself into the ocean after being raped by a sea
pirate,
and I am the pirate, my heart not yet capable of seeing and
loving.
I am a member of the politburo, with plenty of power in my
hands,
and I am the man who has to pay his "debt of blood" to, my
people,
dying slowly in a forced labor camp.
My joy is like spring, so warm it makes flowers bloom in all
walks of life.
My pain if like a river of tears, so full it fills the four oceans.
Please call me by my true names,
so I can hear all my cries and laughs at once,
so I can see that my joy and pain are one.
Please call me by my true names,
so I can wake up,
and so the door of my heart can be left open,
the door of compassion.


Thich Nhat Hanh

Gassho
John

[Ed]

Metta to ALL victims.
Any money send to Gaza goes to Hamas. I would never send a Terrorist organization any money.
Do we really want to drag Treeleaf Forum into a political argument?

The Dharma is impassive, motionless, and infinity in its lessons. All events and sufferings are included along with all delusions and stupidity.
I sit for all beings, live at the edge of the abyssim ready to jump, nothing and everything; and the only enlightenment I seek is to save all sentient beings.
That will take the rest of my days.

In deep gassho to all here.

[Joyo]

Hello everyone, just wanted to add, I do not want to start any kind of political argument as in taking sides with Israel or Palestine. For me personally, I do not trust the news, I do not live there, I do not have enough logical information to really have an informed opinion, other than both sides have done things wrong. As someone said to me"Justification only leads to more violence"

For me personally, I know people who live in my small town, who have posted on facebook some very ugly things about the Palestinians, and are actually rejoicing over the violence that goes on there, as they believe this is a sign Jesus is coming. I have removed them from my facebook because of it. And, like I said, I struggle with having anger towards them.

Thank you Willow for what you said. Very good advice.

As others have said, I will join you all in dedicating our sits to the children, chanting metta for all victims, and doing what we can to make this world a more peaceful, loving place.

Gassho,
Joyo

[RichardH]

I have a Jewish background but I am certain that I could be Hitler under the right circumstances.

Gassho, Jishin

Much agreed. Every people can do evil... including "us", including "me". I think that taking political action is part of engaging. but opening divisions here will not lead to agreement or benefit. I think we can agree that action should not come from hate, or seeing any people as the evil other. Even while engaging in opposition or protest.


Gassho
Daizan

[Daiyo]

Hi all, I think that if we wish to leave the world better than it is today we can not afford to act the same ways that turned the world the violent mess it seems to be.
So, deepening division does not help IMHO.

I don't support terror and violence, no matter whether they come from an organization or from a state.
Violence use brings violent plans.

I kept reflecting on Morgan's words and came to the conclusion that in fact WE CAN do something.
Maybe it is not an expedited help, but if we stick to RIGHT SPEECH and RIGHT ACTION, we can shine a light on our friends, family, neighbours just by not spreading hatred, for example in small ways like not giving likes to hateful posts or retweeting hate words. Not to mention speaking that way.
It maybe of very little help today, but we've been taught here and there that time is just a convention. Isn't it?

Gassho, Walter

[Cumminjd]

Leaving no traces, the kids of Gaza

Walter you always seem to have really wise words. We thank you for that. To change the world. People need to know how to truly see the world. From my research I found a group of Israelites and Palestine's that are called "we refuse to be enemies" where they practice spiritually together and mourn lost ones together. That's the real magic admits the chaos.

Gassho
James

P.S everyone should check out the we refuse to be enemies Facebook page to see that there is light admits the darkness