Once again, I wish each of you a Happy and Healthy New Year. I appreciate your readership over the past year, and this year, I hope to continue along the same path here at the Daily Buddhism. I don’t have any major changes planned; things should continue as they have been.
Yet, I want to do more.
I know my blogs, especially the Daily Buddhism, have been a real help to some people. Teaching the path of Buddhism relieves suffering for many of you, and it’s wonderful that I can help in that way. Still, I’d like to be doing something on a bigger scale, with people who really need help. How can I help reduce suffering in the world?
With my financial situation, anything involving money is out of the question, but one thing I do have is a large and growing number of readers and listeners. I want to use my blogging skills and listener/reader base to do some good for people who are doing good. I can ‚Äúgive‚Äù publicity to those who need it, and that’s exactly what I am going to do this year.
Take a look at http://www.herobulletin.com
There’s not much there yet, I only set up the site this past weekend. But as you can see, the plan is to feature individuals who are making a positive difference in the world. With any luck, as the site grows, some of those Heroes may gain new donors, or volunteers, or whatever it is they need.
Why am I telling you all this?
As Buddhists, it is our goal and our duty to relieve suffering in the world. This is my new project, but I would suggest each of you decide if there is something you can do to make the world a better place and help end suffering in some way, even if only in your own neighborhood or workplace. Meditation is nice, and an important part of Buddhism, but actions matter just as much.
If you know of someone who is already working hard to make a difference, nominate them to be featured on the new site. They deserve the recognition, and they’ll sure appreciate any support that flows their way. I can come up with a few starter Heroes to feature on the site, but I’m going to need names and suggestions fairly quickly.
Be a hero by nominating one today.
Sign up for the newsletter there if you would like to get updates by email. I don’t know the frequency of updates yet, but I doubt it will be more than one a day, certainly less in the beginning.
Brian, the thought that you expressed, ‘Meditation is nice, and an important part of buddhism, but actions matter just as much’ is a dynamic slogan.
It is clear that some of the ‘Great Traditions’s’ failures are regarding too much preaching and far too little action.
We know the Catholic Church’s silence during the Nazi Period appeared strange and in many cases just immoral. The Quakers were great abolitionist, risking life and property to free slaves. And the connection between Martin Luther King and Thich Nhat Hanh and ‘Engaged Buddhism’ is of symbolic imprtance in today’s world.
Where is the real suffering ‘now’? Without doubt, it is everywhere. But in Gaza we are witnessing a brutal slaughter of innocent (mainly) women and children. Marches have taken hold of the entire ‘coloured’ world, including in places where Buddhism is practiced.
How many Buddhist in the States are showning their concern? How many are showning that peaceful protest and meditation are compatible and often emerge from each other (in line with the Buddhist dharmah). These are controversial issues, and many may think, as some did about slaves, that ‘Arabs’ are too complicated a people to demonstrate loving kindness to.
It is this psychology, not properly resolving inner prejudices, which led the land which gave birth to the Buddha, to embrace more activist traditions after Ashoka’s justly celebrated experience of ‘activism’.