Six Seasons and a Movie

I love Community. I've always said that there can never be a comedy show as good as Arrested Development, with as much self-referencing gags, recurring jokes, and overall creative genius.... But after finishing Community's third season, I am blown away and needing to ice my abdomen from constant laughter.

Community, time and time again, continues to poke fun at both itself and just about the majority of current television lineup or film clichés. About 5 minutes into season three's episode about Troy and Abed's pillow war, I realized the entire thing was done in the model of Ken Burns' legendary documentary, The Civil War. It's moments like this that make me truly proud to be a huge nerd.

If you are reading this and have not seen an episode of NBC's Community, you need to check it out. It's hands down, without a doubt, the best television on television.

#SixSeasonsAndAMovie

Arab Hospitality... Complete with Arabic vocab!

It's Ramadan (رمضان) here in Jordan (الأردن), the Islamic holy month where Muslims fast during daylight hours and turn their attention to Allah (الله) and purity in their action... It's a Tuesday evening. The sun (شمس) has just set. I can hear the sundown call to prayer (المغرب) from the mosque (مسجد) just around the corner. I'm with my roommates Jordan and Alex. We had just walked to the Iraqi Shawerma (شاورما) restaurant down the block, and are returning with our take-out to our Humble Abrode to feast on the finest food in all of Amman (عمان).

We're passing by the housewares shop on our street (شارِع), Stylish Home, as we see a group of men gathered around an epic plate of Mansaf (منسف). Mansaf is the oh-so-delicious national dish of Jordan--lamb cooked in a dried yogurt sauce, atop Egyptian rice and nuts.

Sers. Look at all this yum.

We pass by the feasting men and say good evening (مساء الخير). Without hesitation, they immediately call us closer and invite us to dine with them, right there on the sidewalk. As per the custom, we declined at first; when they insisted, we knew their offer was genuine and it would have been rude not to partake. We happily grabbed spoons and began digging away at the 20-or-so pound dish.

After our bellies were satisfied, we shook hands, made introductions, told them it was great to meet them, and went on our way for the night. No obligation, no expectation... Just good old, generous Arab culture in the spirit of Ramadan.

Causa Latet Vis Est Notissima

Α Σ Φ

Silence
He has the strength to embrace silence and the will to build an interior life founded upon an honest desire to truly listen to others. Trust in silence transcends the gulf that is created when men feel the need to compete in action or rhetoric. He is introspective and self-reliant.

Charity
He is charitable in the broadest sense of the word. A man who strives for a life of charity and service is more patient, kinder, and more forgiving of the flaws of others. A charitable man sacrifices of himself to help others and seeks no recognition in return. He is humble, reverent, and generous.

Purity
He consistently strives for purity of mind, body, and soul. The man who is pure of thought, word, and deed does not shrink from adversity or lofty goals. There is no self-pity, rationalizations, or apologies. He is moral and a gentleman in the finest sense of the word.

Honor
He lives a life of personal integrity, thereby accruing honor. An honorable man lives up to promises made— to others and to himself. A man of honor is not vain, and is willing to endure scorn or ostracism rather than conform to the pressures of peers, superiors, or the fashion of the day. He is ethical, honest, and trustworthy.

Patriotism
He loves his country, remaining consistently engaged in its affairs. He seeks to know his country and to pass that knowledge on to others. He is devoted to the principles of personal freedom, justice, and civic responsibility embedded in the U.S. Constitution that have made our country. He is loyal, proud, and humble.

A History of Religious Expansion

An interesting, albeit incomplete, look at how the world’s largest religions grew.



Nirvana is this moment seen directly.

There is nowhere else than here. The only gate is now. The only doorway is your own body and mind. There's nowhere to go. There's nothing else to be. There's no destination. It's not something to aim for in the afterlife. It's simply the quality of this moment.

Just this. Just this. This room, where we are. Pay attention to that. Pay attention to who's there. Pay attention to what isn't known there, pay attention to what is known there. Pay attention to what everyone is thinking and feeling. What you're doing there. Pay attention.

Fearing the Loss of Passion

"A lot of people, when they enter meditation, are kind of afraid, especially artistic people... they're afraid that if they pursue this path, they'll lose all their passion, they'll lose all their desire, they'll lose all their suffering; and then they won't--this is especially true of artists--be able to continue. And that's bullshit. It's not gonna happen.

You might wish you can relieve all your suffering; you're not gonna do it. Nobody's ever succeeded; Buddha himself didn't succeed.

You develop a different kind of relationship to your suffering, and that is important. And that can transform it utterly."

-Brad Warner, founder of Dogen Sangha Los Angeles

I can attest to this. As a practicing Buddhist, I can share,  through firsthand experience, that meditation does not force one to lose passion or a vibrant or dynamic personality. As Brad Warner puts it, "they were able to be the kind of distinct personalities they were because of their practice. Because the practice had allowed them to uncover the reality of what they actually were, beyond what they might have imagined they were."


So what does it mean to "be a Buddhist", if we must use those terms? It's really just about trying to conduct your actions with a moral center, and involves a certain level of mindfulness of one's present experience. That's about it.

Simple Wisdom

What the Buddha found, we can find...

No matter what your circumstance is, you will end up losing everything you love, you will end up aging, you will end up ill, and the problem is that we need to figure out how to make that all be all right.

What He actually said was that life is blissful; there’s joy everywhere, only we’re closed off to it. His teachings were actually about opening up the joyful or blissful nature of reality. But the bliss and the joy is in the transitoriness.

Do you see this glass? I love this glass. It holds the water admirably. When I tap it, it has a lovely ring. When the sun shines on it, it reflects the light beautifully. But when the wind blows and the glass falls off the shelf and breaks, or if my elbow hits it and it falls to the ground, I say, “of course.” But when I know that the glass is already broken, every minute with it is precious.

Everybody, every human being, wants happiness. You are your own master. Future, everything, depends on your own shoulders. Buddha’s responsibility is just to show the path. That’s all.

From:

The Buddha: Story of Siddhartha, A Film by David Grubin

Imagine for a moment...

Any thoughts on Ron Paul aside, one cannot deny that this is a powerful speech. Great empathy.