Pema Chodron "Common Tactics of Aggression"

[stjdavis]

Pakistan used to be 80% Buddhist now it is 98% Muslim. There is no understanding hate and evil.

[asana1973]

It would take a Buddhist nun to tell the truth in what appeared to me as a a non threatening way..It's very hard to get out of our own heads..to be able to see ourselves clearly particularly in the western world...nice clip...

[chondestes]

Amazing: this is exactly what I thought when I woke up and heard about the planes crashing. I thought "this is what happens, but what's going to happen now?" This was long before I heard the dharma.

[anapanasati1970]

Check out "Yoga Nine Vipassana" on Facebook:

A facebook page with meditation resources, quotes, articles, research, etc.

[wigswest]

Wow, would have like to have heard the contextual video as well.

Obviously posted to incite aggressive responses. The irony is astounding.

[T1Brit]

Very disappointing. Does this woman not believe that evil men exist and will always exist? Does she think the whole world is RIGHT if they hate the US?

Does she know the history of the last 100 years? Was the US responsible for Hitler, for Stalin, for Mao or Pol Pot?

The US makes mistakes - as all great powers do - but compared to the great powers of the past it is by far the most enlightened and benign.

Stick to meditation and leave the defense of the nation to others.

[junkyjuice21]

@T1Brit T1Brit, listen to yourself.

[T1Brit]

First thing I have heard by a buddhist on youtube that I totally disrespect.

The men who committed mass murder on 9-11 were NOT upset about aggression they had suffered at the hands of the USA. They were motivated by a political force that resembles the fascism of the 1930s. It dresses itself in the words amd clothes of Islam - but it is in fact a kind of pseudo Nazi ideology that wishes to conquer the world.

THEY ARE FANATICS

THEY WOULD STILL BE DOING THE SAME THING IF THE USA DID NOT EXIST

[mdevitt88030]

Despite all that has happened.... we need to make a broadly strategic decision. Do we want increased aggression or peace? The only way out of hatred is love. Whether it be in your mind, or on the street. I say we need to help the people that are too scared to talk, to keep a dialog going, to establish that blood and veins point to a soul. Sometimes we catch ourself thinking and feeling that annihilation is an answer--- but it is a fire that brings horrible pain--- and not a lasting answer.

[RenCon100]

All I know is that any true intentions that I had had about becoming a full-fledged Tibetan Buddhist was radically altered by 9/11. Being a victim does not sit well with me and there are some adversarial people and cultures which are definitely not know for their reasonableness. . Despite this, I would say that Pema has given me perhaps the greatest "inner being" instructions that I have ever had, so I still consider myself a practicing Buddhist.

[taijihitman]

@RenCon100 sorry to but in, everyone killed, injured, emotionally hurt, finiacally hurt -who suffered in anyway was exact karmic reaction, there are no victims it was merely the ripening effect of thier karma-no one was innocent. it is hard to grasp but it is true what they did in this life or the inumerable past lifes we cannot know, is it sad yes, was it aweful yes, do we wish there was another way yes, but sadly due to peoples karmas all these terrible things happen. have you heard of Jyotish

[RenCon100]

All I know is that any true intentions that I had had about becoming a full-fledged Tibetal Buddhist was radically altered by 9/11. Being a victim does not sit well with me and there are some adversarial people and cultures which are definitely not know for their reasonableness. . Despite this, I would say that Pema has given me perhaps the greatest "inner being" instructions that I have ever had, so I still consider myself a practicing Buddhist.

[milascave]

In extreme circumstances, some limited military action may be warented, and 911 may have been one of those. But were the people who were outraged about 911 just as outraged by the US bombings of Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Gutamala, Iraq, Libya, and on and on?

We've been dropping bombs on everybody since the fourties. How many people have we killed?

[luyendao]

"Not in our lifetime" is key...we have to work for many future lifetimes, as difficult as it may be to really get, that is the view we should strive for...then our efforts become really far-reaching!

[peacemaker2020]

very nice...

labeed abdal

[Cruth8987]

so true...

[xwaystranger]

On the Contrary...the Dali Lama...just tours around eating with rich people and writing intros to books...while his country eats shit from the Chinese. To not see this Reality, means your self important meditation leads to UNcounsciousness.

[swapvid]

Dalai Lama's rol is important to other people. If he wouldn't tae this place it will be worst for many people. You can figure this out by yourself.

Rethoric (self important or not) is not enough. Thinking is allowed.

Try with or without meditation.

I'm sure you can do it.

[davidsolo]

I wish people would see what a fraud the "Dalai Lama" really is. I challenge anyone to chart his days from before his exile from Tibet where he was BOTH spiritual and political leader (and the resultant persecution to those that didn't fall in line), his collusion with darker powers of the Indian gov't as well as past Nazi war criminals and the fates of those who fail to follow his edict renouncing the Dorje Shugden. He is the best modern example of a wolf in sheep's clothing if you ask me.

[johnnyaught]

@davidsolo : Don't know of all of that is true, but he is a very calculating man. I like him, think he has some wisdom, but respect or acknowledge him more as a political leader than a religious one. I am open for documentation of your statements.

[xwaystranger]

Proof that dressing up in Monk Red, doing Buddhist meditation, and complaining about the US...leads to countries begin taken over....TIBET by the CHINESE. LOL>

[MichaelCarlucci]

Tibet was not invaded by the Chinese because monks dress up in red and complain about the US. Are you missing the bigger point?

Trying to understand HOW an opponent thinks or what their motivation is does not mean you will take shit from them.

[revnazaright]

holograms and explosives, not airliners with jet fuel. look into it.

[revnazaright]

theoretically nice to understand.. but one main problem is that it was elements in our own nation which perpetrated 911, and there where no damn planes.

[Giselle62]

sweetie, what do you mean there were no planes? I've seen the info right from the beginning 911 truth movement and I've never heard that one before--

[nicolatwo]

For revnazaright: Lots of footage of the planes flying into the buildings. Lots of it from all kinds of people filming with their camera phones. The highjackers were followers of the fundamentalist Islam, they did what Osama told them to do. Osama himself may not be doing this for religious reasons. He might very well do it for financial reasons. The buildings might have had explosives added, too, to make sure that the buildings collapse, because the owner of the buildings cashed in on it.

[revnazaright]

blah blah bullshit.. compare the footage and see.

[Lotusutra1]

Understanding why the attack happened is a positive approach. Saying that we caused it is a slippery sloap. I am responsible for my own life and if I'm killed by another does that mean I committed suicide? Whereby Karmic retribution is my fate. I brought it on to myself. I disagree with simple self denigrating solutions. This is the formula that the politics of personal destruction thrives on. I thought that not getting hung up on pain was our objective. What say you Pema?

[nicolatwo]

I like the Lotus Sutra. I have chanted with them for 2 years. But I do not agree with going along with right wing politics and the justification of homelessness accusing them for their own "fate". This has to do with extreme capitalism. I don't know what Pema would say to this. She sounds very caring to me and compassionate. 911 was orchestrated by Osama and the Bush administration using the followers to do the dirty job.

[corvaxxx]

Unfortunately a lot of people perverse the idea that you create everything in your life and take it to mean that if bad things happen to you, you must have done something bad. What I feel is true is that you create everything in your life to learn things from them, ie, 9/11 as an opportunity to learn compassion. She is merely pointing out that aggressive behavior is typically going to get an aggressive response, not that it is karmic retribution.

[Lotusutra1]

We should elaborate on the many categories of "aggressive behavior". Example: People use this term in political discourse to try and gain sympathy from others by painting themselves as victims. If this is true than they should be able to show damages inflicted by the aggressor. Aggressive self defense is used to thwart pending harm from another. Aggressive pursuit of greater understanding and higher achievement. May we aggressively pursue enlightenment and share it. OM...

[lyntonio]

sorry, I really appreciate your Buddhist beliefs,but unfortunately this is cultural relativity at its worse. and it is really uneducated and scarilly naive. these people want your blood because you are Kuffar. read the Koran.

[nicolatwo]

For lyntonio: Please read Pema Chodron's books. She explains this in detail. Most people in the USA understand today that what the USA did was wrong. The reason for the Iraq invasion was their oil resources which Halliburton and other corporations wanted to take. The public was only steered into the retaliation mode to go along with it. Retaliation NEVER causes peace and love in the world, whether it's on a small scale or large scale. War causes war, hate causes hate. We can stop this loop.

[Giselle62]

and if you are going by mainstream party line (which I don't) the hijackers were neither Iraqi, nor were they financed by Iraq--Remember? Osama Bin Laden is not Iraqi?

[nicolatwo]

For Giselle: The highjackers were fundamentalist Muslims who followed orders. Osama is the one who may not have done this out of religious reasons. He most likely is part of the right wing oil agenda. Yes, he is a Saudi Arabian.

[Lotusutra1]

Is there a difference between a right wing and left wing car? Both consume oil? Osama was a freedom fighter against the Russian occupation. After Russia fled Osama's army was out of business. His aversion to elements of a foreign military appearing in "his" territory inflamed his hostility towards the U.S. .

[Lotusutra1]

I beg to differ, Haliburton was highered for their oil pumping services. The Iraqi's own the oil. Our gov't was complaining that Iraq should help pay for the war with oil money of which they still don't. We've kept the oil flowing freely to the market which has brought stability to the world market and reduced the price. We eliminated a brutal dictator at a great cost to human life. You can ask the people of Iraq; Was it worth it?

[nicolatwo]

For Lotusutra1: You study the Lotus Sutra, you are a Buddhist, yet you are not willing to look at the world from a social viewpoint. You look at the world as a Republican. Halliburton and CEO Dick Cheney are interested in obtaining the Iraqi oil, now they have both feet in the door. The Iraqi majority hates the US army. USA invades Iraq and requests that Iraq pays for the war with oil money. What an amazing demand. It's outrageous. It does not get any more hidious with this war.

[nicolatwo]

For Lotusutra1: The oil industry has done nothing but harm to this planet and every single country. They have blocked so much green energy development that even today in 2009! we still have oil as the dominant industry. We could have had all green and clean energy 10 years ago if they had not paid to prevent it from taking root. Saddam Hussein was none of our business.

[lyntonio]

Clearly you have never read the Koran? the common tactics are magnified when dressed in sanctity. JIhad means eternal war on the unbelievers. you are hated because you are Kuffars. its not oil, although they prob want better prices, how else would they finance their battle against the Kaffur. they are in the perfic position to make USA pay for both sides of the war and they know it, it is going to strip the worst kaffur (american jews) of all the power. u r in 4 really dark times.

[mereanataki]

The world has been conditioned to normalise violence and aggression as acceptable means of material defence (greed). Millenia of this conditioning. Reasoning is itself turned on itself without a totalizing intelligence that is independent, free of dogma, concept, patterning, imitating. Peace is not out there. Peace is in here...neglected, vilified, silenced. You are the answer, you need ask any question and commit to it fearlessly sharing this amplifies the journey. It is a human journey.

[tuttaresoha]

The irony and sad thing is - those who initiated the Iraq war - were led by a supposed christian government. It isn't only Buddhism that preached peace. jesus also said turn the other cheek. The point is to really do that and understand that - you need to study and practice these teachings on a personal level yourself. Otherwise we will continue to react with short-sighted aggressive retaliation tactics that brings no gain to anyone at all.

[solusito]

She is beautiful.

[pinedawg]

It sounds nice on the surface, but perverts justice.  What true justice is may be hard to determine, but it's necessary. Those who do evil must be stopped and those who do good must be allowed and encouraged. No living organism survives by doing nothing under threat.

[tonygem]

I think you've hit the nail on the head with regard to Buddhist practice and thought. The purpose of the Dharma is not for us to survive. It may make no sense but the purpose of the teaching is to liberate ourselves, not necessarily survive. I think this is why many people think of Buddhism as ineffective and passive., although i don't agree with that.

[Giselle62]

yeah...there's survival mode and enlightenment mode different paradigms. I'm reading her for the first time and her main thing seems to be about letting go of fear of...everything.

[mereanataki]

Interesting intellectual ping pong, the mind sets up the court, the rules, the cheat moves, then breaks its own rules leaving the thinker bamboozled. Drop all judgements, binaries, inward insecurities and physical. Drop logic. Go past all this and what is there? Who is the thinker and the thought about? Beautiful rhythm of insecurities, perverts, hard to determine, necessary, evil, must be stopped, must be allowed and encouraged, no living organism survives, doing nothing, under threat. E Oho!

[joef1987]

For thousands of years, men have sought to end violence through more violence. What has been the result? You could say that the situation in the middle east today is a result of the US involvement there during the Cold War. And that the situation is a result of the British colonization of Northern Africa and Palestine. And not to mention all of the tension that draws back to the days of the crusades. How can we say today that we are doing anything differently than our ancestors?

[joef1987]

Violence is a short term solution to a long term problem. Buddha famously stated that "Hate is not overcome by hate; but by Love alone is hate appeased. This is an eternal law."

Trying to put an end to violence with more violence is like trying to put out a fire with more fire.

As Shantideva states "Enemies are as limitless as space, there cannot come a time when I shall defeat them all. However, if I defeat this angry mind of mine, it is the same as if I had conquered all my enemies."

[forgetfulmuse]

"Trying to put an end to violence with more violence is like trying to put out a fire with more fire."

Sometimes that is an effective way to contain and prevent the spread of fire. It's a legitimate fire fighting method when it comes to brush and forest fires. So it is with certain types of violence - sometimes water (love) is required, sometimes fire (violence that prevents worse violence).

[joef1987]

That really is quite a clever response, but I'm afraid I must disagree with that logic. When firefighters use that technique they are burning the brush before the fire can get to it and burn it, which thus exhausts the fire's fuel supply(Quite effective!). However, to apply that metaphor to this situation would seem to imply that we would need to kill off the victims of terrorism before terrorists could get to them(which seems to be counterproductive, right?). Please let me know if you disagree.

[forgetfulmuse]

You have a point, but here's what I meant. The prevention in this case would be in the actual production of terrorists, the fire/violence that is inside their hearts. Obviously it's a lot more complex than the fire metaphor allows, but I'll belabour it anyway. When the fire is raging as it is in the hearts and souls of Islamofascist terrorists, indoctrinated to it as they are from early childhood, it has probably gone beyond the reach of water alone (love, peaceful resistance, what have you).

[joef1987]

Very good response. However, we should look at what causes violence. Does love and peace cause violence? I doubt that anyone says that's the case. Then logically, it must be violence that causes violence. Therefore, if violence causes more violence, then how can one put an end to these undesired consequences if one keeps producing its' cause? "For every action there is an equal, yet opposite, reaction." When you treat others with violence, you get that violence returned to you.

[forgetfulmuse]

That goes for Islamofascists too then doesn't it. If someone attacks my child, I will attack that person. If someone attacks my country, I expect response from my country to protect my interests. I don't think sending hugs to the attackers is going to have any effect except giving them a good laugh before they blow our heads off. So what causes them to be violent? It's easy to blame ourselves, but they have to take responsibility in the way they raise their children into a culture of death.

[joef1987]

Buddha stated that "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no man thinks of changing himself" If you seek to make your external world perfect, you can never achieve that as long as you have an unsatisfied mind. There is no end to desire, it is limitless. This desire is the cause of our suffering, so therefore if we remove our desire then we remove our suffering. It is far more productive to attack the enemy within than the enemy without.

[forgetfulmuse]

Tell that to the Islamofascists. ;) I agree, but I think we can still defend ourselves against those who would destroy us without sacrificing those principles. When confronted with clear, murderous insanity, you need warriors, or a warrior spirit. When the the threat is not murderous, you need diplomacy. I believe this is true on all levels.

If there is a nasty smell coming in from outside, you close the window, you don't seek to rid your room of the nasty smell from within.

[joef1987]

Haha true, but what is a nasty smell to us is enticing to a raccoon! :)

[thestudiio]

Pema is a great scholar but I respectfully disagree. The Muslim fanatics have to be dealt with strongly. They burnt our Buddhist monasteries and established Islam in parts of Asia that were Buddhist. America and the West should finish off all Islamic radicals. Even Srimala Srimananda Sutra says the bad karma of destroying evil is offset by the good karma of saving those that evil would destroy. Buddhism itself maintains Dharma Palas to confront invaders of the Dharma like crazy muslim fanatics.

[gruzrg]

sehr gute bücher hat diese frau geschrieben. ich liebe dich

[lmorin99]

"Logic is in the eye of the logician."

 - Gloria Steinem

[pitipua62]

Perfect common sense teaching--love it!!!

[allycatherine]

Pema's statement has faulty logic.

She said the violence was a culmination after hate. Then more violence manifested.

I believe the right perspective is: If ignorance exists then aggression and violence may occur.

Working with our own ignorance is one good place to stop violence.

Working with others to learn (?) non-aggression is another way to stop ignorance.

We have the opportunity to stop the source of violence in our time because we can meditate, communicate, listen & learn.

[sgadhoc]

Can ignorance alone create violence? Not in a vacuum. Would I have the resources to work on my own ignorance if I lived with death, poverty and fundementalism defining my life? Wouldn't it be fantastic if the powers that be, both on the side of poverty and wealth, understood the cause of their and their people's suffering; and were thus able to change their reactions? Hate begets hate in a poverty atmonsphere. Spread the wealth. May we all be free from suffering and the source of suffereing.

[allycatherine]

The basic idea is to be rooted in basic goodness and speak to the capacity for enlightenment in others.

People who have lives defined/shaped/embedded in tragedy have the resources to work with their basic good.

I think we can be honest with ourselves and others and can start good communication at any time, in any circumstances.

The simple act of being honest stops ignorance. To access the basic goodness by being honest with yourself and others is pretty simple.

[jadreemah]

so what is your experience? Are you working with others? what actions have you taken to bring about an experience...an experience sufficient for you transmit to others...which would be based on true experience rather than intellectual opinions..Pema shares experience read Good Medicine

[allycatherine]

I am not sure what you mean by "true experience" rather than intellectual opinion.

Amazing how people connect with respect, aye?

[jadreemah]

theres a video by Ajahm Brahm called "Investigate you way to Freedom" its on you tube

with metta

[Tron108]

Even Pema can see the depths that evil has dragged us all down. She advocates chances of healing perhaps in another lifetime, but not this one. The well meaning people keep talking about love while evil keeps killing us all off. Something even more evil shall come upon us, before the people truly wake up. And you're not going to like that at all.

[PickinPirate]

lol the "evil one"

[istravin]

I can't tell if you're joking. But I don't buy into hatred and aggression, so that's one click for the powers of good.

[dlsa6mono]

nice! this is good stuff. pay real close attention.

[Ed7111]

Thanks...just beautiful....

[mknelson4]

I agree - I wish my fellow Americans would hear this message.

[trombonechops]

Pema has many books and cds available. All of which bring wisdom,hope, and sanity to a world consumed in escalating madness and violence!

[theelfboy]

solid wisdom. Thank you for posting this!

[WEARENOTSIMPLE]

She is right in long turm. And America should help UN.

[worldpolicenow]

Hate the United States? Take a number! We look forward to invading your back-ass country soon!

03 Iraq 01 Afghan

94 Haiti 91 Kuwait 89 Panama 83 Grenada

71 Laos 70 Cambodia 67 'Nam 65 D Republic 61 Cuba 51 N Korea 45 Japan 44 Nazi Germany 44 Vichy France 43 Italy 17 Imperial Germany 15 Haiti 1898 Phillipines 98 Puerto Rico 98 Cuba 93 Hawaii (61 C.S.A. - 63 U.S.A.) 71 Korea 46 Mexico 12 Canada (Sorry) 05 Tripoli 1775 Canada (Sorry)

[kac1964]

This is not a "good thing".

[MetaphysicalSciences]

If only the USA can get behind this truth...

[phelimalexis]

me to

[FrenchConcrete]

I think she is right.