Meaningfulness in Limitations - Seeking Wisdom in Small Devastations
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In the vastness of this infinite universe, how we seem to drift away in surrender. We are just flying dust, meaningless in front of the glittering stars that fill the night sky. In our humility, we realize how small we are before the wonders of this cosmos.
We are one of the billions of beings that inhabit this planet, among trillions of planets spread across countless galaxies. This universe flows with a rhythm that is beyond the limits of human understanding. There may be civilizations out there that are far more advanced, that have transcended our limits and witnessed miracles that we have not even imagined.
In the depths of this thought, we find humility. We realize that our struggles, our ambitions, and our interests do not have real meaning on a larger scale. All of our successes and failures are but a small part of a long period, and will eventually fade into the memories of fate.
However, do not let this paralyze us. On the contrary, this should be a basis for realizing the greatness that is outside ourselves. We must lift ourselves above our limitations and seek a deeper meaning. Within our limitations, we find opportunities to grow and develop.
As conscious beings, we can contemplate, dream and create. We can build relationships, inspire others, and seek understanding in life. Even though we may be insignificant in this universe, we can give meaning to our own lives and those around us.
So, even though we may be nothing on a cosmic scale, let us create meaning and beauty within our limitations. Be a human being who is big at heart, who forges relationships, who creates art, and who pursues wisdom. Our lives may be short and small in the midst of a vast universe, but how wonderful it would be if we could put a meaningful shine into the moments we have.
Legitimacy as the key to democratic politics
Two days ago, while heading to my friend's house in Kuta, Bali. I passed Jl. Legian and had a chance to look at Paddy's Pub, which was the site of a terrorist bombing in 2002. Now the condition is very good and crowded with visitors. Two months ago I went to Paddy's Pub just to enjoy a beer with my friend.
We can imagine that the events of 2002 were a dark time here. In the name of religion, terrorist groups kill other people. The bombers are willing to sacrifice themselves and their families due to brainwashing and the doctrine of heaven which is not necessarily true. The whole world is in shock due to the number of people who have died due to bomb attacks from terrorism.
Bomb attacks carried out by terrorist groups have not happened only once, but Indonesia has had enough of this kind of violence, starting from the Christmas Eve bombing in 2000, the first Bali bombing in 2002, the second Bali bombing in 2005, to the church bombing. in 2018. The terrorist group carried out violence arbitrarily without any legitimacy from the community.
On the other hand, when the police ambush an armed terrorist group, gunfire ensues between the police and the terrorists. Many people died as a result of gunfire between the police and terrorists. Police and terrorists both committed acts of violence and many people were killed. But the difference is, terrorists commit violence and murder without legitimacy. While the police do this with legitimate actions.
Legitimacy is the spirit of democracy, the basis of all policies of a democratic country like Indonesia. Legitimacy is an action that has the support of the wider community. Of course, this support is obtained from considerations that are in line with the Indonesian constitution and the sense of justice from the community.
Legitimacy can be obtained if the action is based on valid law. There may be different opinions about legal law, but I take the philosophy from Habermas about legal law is there a law that has been agreed upon equally and freely by many people. Therefore, Legitimacy must be approved by a process of deliberation. All data and points of view are put forward so that which one is the best will be fully legitimized. In other words, legitimacy is a policy that leads to the common good through the process of selecting a common point of view.
Back to the discussion of terrorism. In Indonesia, this is an act without legitimacy because it is not in line with valid law, nor is it considered by the public with common sense and a clear conscience. Acts of terrorism are only aimed at the interests of certain groups which are very dangerous for human civilization. The ideology of terrorism was created by intolerant people who should not be allowed to exist in a very democratic Indonesia. Every act of intolerance is never in line with a democratic society.
Legitimacy is formed from a continuous communication process. This communication must be carried out with truth and honesty to achieve mutual understanding between groups and communities. Everyone has the right to express their point of view openly and accompanied by equality and freedom of expression. In terms of expressing opinions, there are usually parties who have conflicting points of view. This difference in point of view often creates tension in communication. This is known as communication distortion.
When communication distortion occurs, people who express opinions must communicate intensely. Must be able to find new ways of communicating to be able to understand each other. Communication is the key to creating a peaceful democratic society. Therefore, communication should not just stop, because it will lead to war. This has often happened in human civilization. Fighting terrorism is not only at a physical level but also at a mental level. At the level of thinking to fight terrorism, it is necessary to communicate wisely with the whole community.
When anger comes
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Three days ago, I returned to Jakarta due to family matters. From Bali, I used a motorbike which took quite a long time. When he arrived in Jakarta, the situation was still the same as before. Congestion in the capital is like an incurable disease. This is because of the increasing urbanization every year. People in Jakarta also do not have a good awareness so the atmosphere of the city is even more cloudy.
While driving on the road, suddenly a motorcycle overtook me from my left. I was so shocked and almost cursed. The motorcyclist was a young man around 25 years old with a woman riding on the back of the motorcycle. Not long after, I met another motorcyclist who had overtaken me but was in front of me. At that time the road was jammed. He did it again at high speed.
Someone he overtook was also shocked, but with emotion chased the young man and kicked him to the ground. There was a fight between them. The young man and woman he was riding with were seriously injured by another driver's kick. I tried to separate their fight, and they stopped.
After things calmed down, they agreed to make peace. They also agreed to compensate each other. I think the highways in the city of Jakarta are still the same. Too many demons here. A person's anger can become a conflict that may threaten a person's life. When I got home, I remembered what I had seen. I also remembered that I too had been overcome by anger.
When anger came over me, it felt torturous in my chest. In theory, anger is an emotional reaction that arises in us because of a situation that we cannot accept. Anger can result in harsh words, destructive actions, or even hurting others. When anger comes to us, we are like people who are possessed by the devil. Personality, tone of voice, and body feature change. After the anger goes away, we sometimes become confused about what happened before.
From the research, I have found that anger arises from both external and internal resistance. External and internal rejection will create tension that leads to anger. Both of these rejections usually come together with a desire to change. The desire to change is so strong, that everything is done to change. No wonder there are acts of violence and even murder when anger comes.
Anger can also arise because of the values we believe in being despised by others. For example, if something very personal and important is violated by others, this will trigger anger inside. And the most painful thing is, anger wrapped with regret and a sense of one's helplessness. That is people who hate themselves. This can result in suicide.
Know, my friend. When you are angry, you are poisoning your body. If you realize it, your blood pressure will increase when anger takes over you. Your heart will beat very fast when anger overwhelms you. I am reminded of the adage that says "anger is a poison that we have swallowed, but we expect others to feel it". In other words, anger is stupidity.
Here I conclude that people who suffer from anger are caused by wrong ways of thinking. If you know or practice ZEN, then you know how to relieve suffering from anger, because ZEN practitioners understand the world as it is with full awareness. Therefore, the role of awareness is so important. When anger arises, we just need to observe it gently. Wisdom and awareness we can get by this gentle observation.
Don't judge people by their anger. Because angry people are becoming different people. It's useless if you judge someone from that kind of situation. Angry people are people who are suffering. Angry people don't need to be judged. All they need is our love, understanding, and wisdom.
Don't Be a Rat Mental Person
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Two days ago, while I was enjoying live music in a bar with a bottle of beer, an old friend came up to me and greeted me very nicely. We also talked about our current life. But at the end of the chat, my old friend felt his life had ended. He shared that he was very disappointed because the hard work he had done so far did not advance his career and did not even develop.
Then, my friend thought about moving to another company. The goal he works for is only to improve his career in the highest position. With a high position, will have a high income (salary). I thought that my friend's heart and mind had been ruled by greed. When greed has taken hold of the heart and mind, it's no wonder one must continue to prove himself to others. Therefore, my friend worked very hard and was able to exceed the work target as best as possible.
Even though hard work is not enough to be able to climb a career and position in the workplace, politics must be carried out in the company. He must be brave and have the heart to deceive, slander, and bring down his friends in the company where he works. His conscience has been locked firmly by the greed that can torture his life.
The family was neglected, there was no time for children and wife. He thought the family would be fine as long as he still had a lot of money. The greed that overtook his heart and mind also tormented his own body. A few weeks ago he was admitted to the emergency room due to an acute stomach ulcer. About three months ago, he also just finished appendicitis surgery. Such a terrible journey to climb a career. The body must be ready to be sacrificed. The doctor said that the ulcer was caused by too much stress so the stomach was injured. So, why have a lot of money and a high position if the body and mind are not healthy?
Such is the mentality of people with rats, they will lose their lives to pursue careers and high positions. His quality of life has decreased, often torturing himself, his family, and the environment around him. People like this will race to pursue careers and positions to the point of sacrificing everything. Even though they are victorious in getting careers and high positions, they are still rats that torment themselves and those around them.
Are you also a rat-minded person? Be aware, my friend a career is a creation of turbo-capitalism, a career is an invention of capitalists in the 20th century ago. With a career path, people will be ready to work hard and sacrifice their lives to enrich the capitalists. Broadly speaking, a career is hidden slavery that few people know about.
In pursuing a career, people will be more selfish, thinking about their interests, so they have the heart to cheat, slander, and bring down their friends. This has become commonplace in the world of business and politics. In the end, people's quality of life is getting worse. Not surprisingly, the rate of divorce and domestic conflict is getting higher. What's worse, their children become victims of the selfishness of their parents who are slaves to capitalism.
In this post, I want to invite you to get out of the world of the rat. Let's get out of the career ladder that will ruin your life. We have to find balance in our lives, namely social, spiritual, economic, and others. Stop being blinded by money, power, and position. It will bring a lot of disaster in the life you live.
Remember that you are working to make ends meet, not living to work, let alone trying to climb to the top of your career. Understand the current pattern of turbo-capitalism. In many advertisements and luxurious lifestyles that we often see, injustice and slavery are hiding behind them.
Don't want to be stuck there and become a greedy rat chasing money, a career, and a high position. In the end, it sacrifices your life. Remember that the most important thing to realize is that we are not a job. Work is only to meet the needs of ourselves and our families. We can develop our talents at work but don't get caught up in work. Our life in this world is only temporary, don't spend your life just pursuing a career.
Suffering is an old friend that we must welcome
A few days ago, my friend and I went to a bar to enjoy a few beers. I just accompanied my friend who was upset and a little frustrated, because he had just divorced his wife. I don't know how many bottles of beer he drank. My friend looked so exhausted from drinking too much.
Whether conscious or not, my friend said to me “don't grieve, everything that disappears will come back in another form. The moon will shine brightly when it doesn't escape the night. Just like the moon, we will shine when we embrace the darkness.”
We've been at the bar for over three hours. Seen a bartender cleaning, and the bar is about to close. My friend is still chugging the beer bottle into his mouth. The separation will indeed cause tremendous pain. He is 40 years old, but he must be separated from his wife and children. Then I asked "is there no other way?" he also replied, "the separation that I experienced today can not be avoided anymore". At the beginning of marriage, the seeds of hatred have emerged, then develop over time. The hatred has poisoned all the love that has existed before.
Hearing this, I was reminded of the words of Gautama Buddha, "Whatever we build and care for with passion, it can disappear in a matter of seconds". Life is like a dream, like shadows and illusions that keep trying to ensnare us. Life is so fragile. In human life, separation is the most severe suffering. There are various forms of separation experienced by humans. From divorce to death, it is an inseparable part of human life. We must realize that this is unavoidable.
Everything that appears will pass away, everything that is born will die, and everything that is brought together will separate. We will all experience this, it's just a matter of time and turn. Although it sounds trivial, it takes a hard struggle to live it. Maybe we can forget about it for a while, but many events will remind us, that all this is only temporary. We are stupid, thinking that our love story will last forever. We assume the possessions we have today will make us rich forever. In fact, with just a little shift, what we have can just disappear. Including our lives too.
We may ask, why does separation feel so painful?
Because separation leaves memories. We will remember the happiness that we want to repeat, but can't. When the memory of happiness comes with the memory of parting, the feeling that comes is really painful like a stab in the chest. It must be realized that memory can be the most painful prison and torture. People who experience happy memories in the past but are aware that they cannot be repeated will become inner torment within themselves.
People who experience separation will feel lost themselves. It was like he was being torn in two and half of him was leaving him. Finally lived a half-life. No wonder separation can create extraordinary suffering. Of the few people I've met when going through a breakup, they seem dazed. People who are alienated from the world, feel lonely, upset, sad, and frustrated.
So, how do we recover from separation?
The most important thing to realize is that memory is garbage in life. Memory is the futility of past experiences. With this understanding, we must put some distance into memory. Do you want to live in a pile of garbage? Living with garbage only makes us feel smelly. Memories only make us feel claustrophobic. The days we run will feel so heavy and we will be lost in memories. Once we realize it, we will wake up from the garbage that pollutes our lives.
The next thing to be aware of is emotions. It is only a temporary state. When separation occurs, sometimes feelings of sadness arise, then we become angry, over time there is also a sense of disappointment, then become happy, happy, maybe back again sad. It's just a temporary state that comes to us. Therefore, we should not get caught up in the emotional state that comes.
For me, recovering is not the right word. Since no self is sick, there is nothing to restore. For me, self-concept is a narrative of the creation of our minds that do not understand life. If the self does not exist, then separation also does not exist. Then what separates if the self does not exist? We are all a network that is connected to everything that exists. No human being is complete, separate, and permanent.
Everything we feel and think is only a temporary event that will surely pass. The pain that comes from separation must be seen as an old friend. The suffering we feel must have time to go and a time to come back. When suffering returns, welcome it as our old friend. Maybe what my friend said is right. We will surely shine when we embrace the darkness. Darkness is our old friend. So he told me not to grieve. Because in this universe, everything is connected and bound by a huge network.
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Learn from Balinese artists
Yesterday afternoon while hanging out and enjoying coffee in Ubud, Bali. The weather that had been hot suddenly became cloudy. Not long after, heavy rain fell and wet the earth. At that time I was with my friend who was born and raised in Bali. He is an artist and also the owner of a coffee shop in Ubud, Bali. The daughter came to her father. He said he had just returned from the city of Banjar, and participated in a regional music and dance competition there. The little girl's face looked happy because she had won first place in the city of Banjar.
My friend who owns the coffee shop said that all Balinese will learn the art. All Balinese people can dance even though they are not experts, all Balinese people can make music even though they are not professional musicians, and many Balinese people can paint and sculpt stone or wood. Whatever the Balinese touch will become a beautiful work of art. Balinese culture is indeed so beautiful, religion in Bali is so colorful but still tolerant, taking care of each other for the sake of beauty. No wonder, people all over the world want to go to Bali to learn about beauty.
People who learn the art of the heart will be happy, not easily sad, and not disappointed when experiencing failures and plans that do not match reality. People who understand art are connected to a much deeper dimension of life. This is proof that Balinese people are happy people. Happy people don't cause trouble to others. This is one of the things I like about the Balinese people.
The art teachers in Bali are very skilled at educating aspiring artists so that the resulting art has a very epic beauty. Art and beauty have become a tradition in Bali, so we don't have to die to get to heaven. Balinese people have created a paradise through the beauty of art and culture. In this way, Bali has become an example for other nations. There are many people from all over the world studying art in Bali. Many people from all over the world seek inspiration and happiness from the many works of art in Bali.
Many people from various countries go to Bali to study art and beauty, but many Indonesians are reluctant to learn from Bali. Even though Bali is still part of Indonesia. Maybe there are still many Indonesians who are stupid so they still feel at home with a life full of chaos. There is still a lot of poverty, religious radicalism, the loss of conscience, and common sense. This proves that the Indonesian nation must learn from the beautiful and exotic Bali.
Another reason why Indonesians do not learn from Bali is the religious formalism that still dominates Indonesian education today. This can be seen in the way of teaching in each school. Memorization is still being cultivated, blind obedience is still the main tradition. It is not surprising that education in Indonesia is of low quality. In Indonesia, education is dominated by religious formalism which teaches educators to obey without deep understanding. This blind obedience diminishes the value of spirituality and wisdom. So that the outer appearance is more highlighted than the inner one.
This kind of education pattern will kill the common sense of generations. A critical attitude and a rational way of thinking logically are considered enemies and dangerous. As a result, the way of thinking of the Indonesian people is getting narrower. Beautiful art is considered an idol and must be destroyed. Artists are considered sinners who mislead people. Indirectly, these narrow-minded people have killed their conscience.
It is time for Indonesian society to change. We must be together to advance the nation by educating reason and conscience. Art education must be taught to generations of the Indonesian nation. Just as the Balinese do, the Indonesian nation must learn the art. Even though you don't have to be a professional or an art expert, it is enough to be able to have a sense of beauty that makes life and this nation meaningful. Art will make human life more beautiful and lead to a higher level of life. Art should not be separated from human life because it provides unlimited beauty.
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Using Religion to Rape
A few days ago, a religious institution was involved in a rape case committed by a senior institution there. This is not the first case, but many times this kind of institution has raped female students. These passionate religious leaders have lost their conscience and common sense, so they have the heart to make young female students an outlet for their lust. Many parents are tricked into entrusting their daughters to dirty-brained religious leaders. But it was too late because she was 3 months pregnant.
Incidents like this have happened several times in Indonesia, they have been doing it for several years. Most of the victims of rape are children and women who will take religious education at the institution. With cunning and a lot of money from the perpetrators of rape, these cases are buried and lost. The victims, especially women, experienced great trauma over the occurrence of the act of raping themselves.
From cases like this, I get the assumption that nowadays religion is no longer a light in life. But religion has become a tool to camouflage itself from hypocrites and also violates the law. Religion that looks good on the outside but rots on the inside. Many religious leaders in Indonesia invite people to throw bombs at innocent people and rape young women who want to study religion. Religious leaders like this destroy their religion.
I don't know what was going on in their minds when they would rape this weak victim? Is it possible to quote verses in the book to justify burning lust? Some of the things that I think happen to rape in religious institutions are that the religious leaders there see women only as inanimate objects that can create lust for religious leaders. This view only demeans women.
These lewd religious leaders have power in a religious institution. People trust them because they think religious leaders are holy people. But it turned out to be a hoax. People are very easily deceived by trusting religious leaders with lewd minds. Now religion has become a tool to take advantage of other people as well as young women.
It is time for society to realize and learn from all the tragedies that traumatized children and women. It is time for the rights of children and women to be returned, namely to get protection from government authorities and legal representatives. Society and the younger generation must be more critical in their thinking. This is the importance of philosophical education for the youth. Not only that, the law must be enforced fairly and firmly. Don't compromise even if the offenders have power.
The most important thing is, that we must enter into the spiritual side to go beyond religion. Spirituality is a teaching that is full of wisdom, happiness, and compassion for all living beings that exist on earth naturally. The religions of the archipelago that were embraced by the ancestors of the Indonesian people are very close to the teachings of spirituality. Therefore, the Indonesian nation must also study the religion of the archipelago and combine it with philosophical teachings. The Indonesian nation, especially the younger generation, must rise from ignorance and fight perverted religious leaders to protect children and women. Don't be fooled by religious masks.
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About Self and awareness
When you are in front of a mobile phone screen or desktop screen, you realize you are reading this article. When you are eating or drinking, you are aware of it. You can even notice the voices heard by you. Then, how about you? Do you realize who you are? You are not your name, race, religion, or ethnicity. These are just social structures that stick to you and can be changed whenever you want. An interesting topic to discuss is the self. Yes, how mysterious he is.
In an ancient civilization about 2000 years ago, Plato founded an academy and it was written there "know thyself". From what I've heard, if a person does not know himself, then he is not allowed to enter the academy founded by Plato. Even in eastern traditions such as Zen and Buddhism, the foremost teaching is self-understanding. Ki Ageng Suryomentaram, a prominent Javanese scholar, once said, "A person who has realized his true self is a person who has attained enlightenment".
In a scientific study related to self-concept, especially in the field of neuroscience, experts say that there is no such thing as a self. It's an illusion that seems to exist but doesn't exist. In a philosophical reflection, the self is something that is not fixed or changing. There is no fixed self-concept. For example, when we are in our first social environment, we use certain self-concepts. But when we move into the second social environment, the self-concept that we use will also change. This is called impermanence.
If you study Zen, you will find an understanding of the self in study and meditation. One of the most important teachings in Zen is the concept of non-self. Here we will see the self as a social form that continues to change, depending on circumstances and situations. This non-self concept has the main core, only the combined elements are constantly changing. In this Zen tradition, the basis of inner enlightenment is the understanding of emptiness and self-transformation. The self is the outward appearance of man, not the essence of man. The deepest core of man is the self-observing consciousness. It is this consciousness that observes all emotions, thoughts, and the human body. Mind consciousness does not have a matter, but is capable of creating material bodies like the brain and other organs. This is called life.
Many do not understand that life was before the mind, emotions, and body. So they only prioritize the needs of the body rather than life. Life is the source of everything, therefore we need to go back to before the self and touch life which is the source of everything (inner awareness). Many people say that a successful person is a person who has a lot of wealth and also a high position. But in the Zen tradition, wealth and position will be the source of one's suffering. Wealth and position will make a person greedy and reverent. This will keep us from happiness and inner peace.
In the Zen view, a successful person can move before the self, or before the mind, emotions, and body. In this way, one will be able to act according to need based on clarity and peace. This is enlightenment. By realizing it all, we will be more open to the intelligence of the universe. Thank you for reading.
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Society is a prison for us
Yesterday, I was invited by my friend to her nephew's birthday party. I know my friend's nephew. Her name is Shanty, she is 18 years old girl. This year she will enter university having just graduated from Senior High School. I asked Shanty, what major are you going to take at the university? Shanty chose an economics major. However, the study program was not in line with her heart.
Shanty aspires to be a singer and dancer, but for fear of failure and fear of not having an income, Shanty takes a shortcut. Choose an economics management study program so that it is easy for her to get a job and earn an income. This is not the case with Shanty. My high school friend has also experienced something like this, choosing a study program that is not by his conscience. As a result, while in class, my friend was never interested in learning. My friend only pursued passing grades and didn't get any knowledge at university.
People like this usually live in depression and sadness, graduate with not very good grades, and get mediocre jobs and mediocre salaries. It's ironic. Even after getting a salary, they will pay a fairly large living bill, so there is nothing left to save or invest. I feel sad when I hear stories like that. They are young people full of hope. But all hope is lost because of the rules of society. The rules of society kill the dreams and souls of youth.
Society is our colonizer. Society has bound and suffocated us with the rules they created. Everything we do and use has been judged by society. Starting from the way we talk, and clothes, to the way we pee, it's also under the public's opinion. When we fail to do something, society will view us badly. This will cause damage to the way we see ourselves. So that we live in the shadow of the evil created by society.
When a person feels hungry and has no other choice but to steal some bread, society is ready to punish him. However, when someone needs support from the community, there are only insults and judgments. Such is the social construction created by society. This is an authenticity assassination. With the social construction of society like this, we don't become fully human. We constantly deceive ourselves into conforming to society's rules.
We will never feel inner freedom if the rules and norms of society still strangle us. The only freedom that exists is trivial. The mind will continue to hurt and we can only find ways to treat it trivially too. We will continue to fear society's judgments. To free the mind from the grip of society's rules, we must transcend society. We must be able to go beyond the falsehoods we make for ourselves.
When we can transcend society, our minds will be free from the grip of social construction. When we are free with ourselves, we can freely love others not because of the fear of society's rules, but because of the love and freedom that comes from within us. When we want to be singers or dancers, we will focus on learning to sing to be successful, even though there are still obstacles to be faced. Be yourself without having to be afraid of people's judgments.
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Religious Radicalism and National Ignorance
In June 2022, religious radicalism groups are causing problems again in my country. They make the capital city of Jakarta restless and even the entire archipelago. These radical groups interfere with the progress of the Indonesian nation. They dared to oppose the ideology of the Indonesian state, namely Pancasila, they also dared to oppose ancestral religion and culture which was full of wisdom and wisdom.
Religious radicalism groups have become too disturbing, so they must be cleaned up to the roots. Law enforcers should act more firmly against people who embrace this radical ideology. Education and tolerance in Indonesia must be given more attention because the next generation is the key to peace in the future.
For too long, these radical groups have been allowed to create problems in Indonesia. Radicalism groups have too often trampled on the nobility of the culture of the ancestors of the archipelago. The social environment is often damaged by their ideologies so people are influenced by them. How stupid would the Indonesian people be if they allowed radical groups to destroy the Indonesian nation? How long do you want?
The ideology of radicalism originating from an arid and terrible country managed to enter Indonesia and was able to indoctrinate the Indonesian nation. The low quality of education in Indonesia creates stupid human resources so the doctrine of religious radicalism is very easy for these groups to carry out. Education in Indonesia does not train future generations to think critically, rationally, and systematically. As a result, the doctrine of radicalism continues to spread like cancer.
Not only that, but politics in Indonesia is also very corrupt. There is no social justice happening in Indonesia. Social inequality is often found in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta. This corrupt politics and injustice make people angry so that radical groups can easily provoke them to become followers of this radical group. Corrupt politics only cares about political parties and their power. They turn a blind eye to what is happening at this moment. As a result, people no longer respect the law because of the actions of their government.
Many discourses and speeches want Indonesia to become a developed country. However, as long as the ideology of radicalism still exists, a corrupt government is still in power, and the quality of education is still low, Indonesia can't become a developed country. Because these three things are obstacles to the progress of the Indonesian state and nation. If the Indonesian people want to progress as the discourses discussed, then all must work together to get rid of the three obstacles to the nation's progress.
The education system in Indonesia must be completely overhauled. Educators must be able to train generations to think critically and rationally. The main elements that must be developed in the education system are common sense and self-awareness. In this way, the ideology of radicalism is not easy to enter to indoctrinate the next generation.
The people must also have the courage to jointly suppress the dirty government and political parties so that social justice becomes a reality. Law enforcers must also be firm in dealing with corruption that often occurs. That way, the people and law enforcement can work together in fighting corruption. It is also an effort to fight poverty and ignorance.
Religious radicalism is an ideology that torments and fools the Indonesian people. By overhauling the education system and fighting corruption, the ideology of radicalism cannot develop in Indonesia. This ideology has been a thorn in the flesh for a long time, it is time for us to remove that thorn so as not to hurt the Indonesian people. It is time for the Indonesian people to unite and rise from the colonialism of radicalism. This is all for the progress of the nation and the State of Indonesia.
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Our attention is the most precious treasure
In around 2000, a television film series entitled Keluarga Cemara, in English is the fir family was very popular in Indonesia. Not only the film series is very popular, but even the soundtrack of the song is also very popular today. I just opened Facebook and saw some people posting the song. Even yesterday also saw other people posting that song too.
The first lyric in the song is "The most precious treasure... is family". I think this song is dangerous. Why? Because in every lyric, people adore family too much, as if the family is a perfect thing and can never be wrong. As a result, people went blind in the presence of their families.
Many do not realize that family can be very dangerous for themselves. Family is a source of problems for mental health. For example, husband and wife infidelity, siblings can be hostile to each other or even kill each other to fight over family inheritance, and family economic crises can also cause fights.
A friend once said to me “the most painful thing is being hurt by your own family”. Remember, the family can kill you. Many people have high hopes for their families, but end up in great sadness. Families are often a source of great trouble. In this case, we need inner clarity.
People who have just heard the cypress family song will usually romanticize the family. Romance has given the wrong view of a family. We need a critical attitude and common sense in responding to this. There is something more precious than family, and we must find it. I think our attention is the most valuable treasure. Because our attention is rooted in our life and consciousness. If we practice our mindfulness, then we can change our lives for the better.
Our attention is our world, so what we pay attention to will fill our life. If our attention is directed to sad things, then our life will be sad. Conversely, if our attention leads to the development of science, then our insight into knowledge will develop. This is what we must be aware of.
Attention is closely related to our concentration. Without concentration, it will be very difficult to do any task. Work and study require concentration to sustain life properly and correctly. Practicing our attention can increase concentration on work or study. We also have to be fully aware of this.
As I explained above, if our attention is directed to destructive things, suffering will come. If our attention is directed to happy things, happiness will come. Very simple, but many people are not aware of this. The most important thing is to train our attention. One way is, at some point in time, we pay attention to one object consciously. Calmness and clarity of mind will emerge, and life will feel quality.
All the problems in the family will never end. Family problems always come and go. Just be aware and watch your attention. That way, everything will be fine.
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My Supernatural Power
I have been in Bali for almost two weeks, I stayed at my cousin's house in the Ubud area. Balinese people are so unique. Three days ago, when I went out to buy breakfast, an old man greeted me and said “good morning sir” with a smile. Then I returned the greeting with the Balinese language "rahajeng semeng".
After that he asked me “Your aura is so strong, what kind of supernatural power do you have?” I was shocked to hear the old man's question. In my opinion, this is not an ordinary question. Maybe even for the unique Balinese, this is a strange question. I answered spontaneously, “I will walk when I want to walk, I will eat when I am hungry, I will drink if I am thirsty, and rest when I am tired.
The old man smiled at me and said regards. I continued my journey to find breakfast in the Ubud area. When I walked home, the street was so very quiet, the old man I met earlier was nowhere to be seen. When I got home, I went to my room and thought about what happened this morning. What supernatural powers do I have? The answer to my question was too Zen. That's because I have been practicing Zen for eight years.
For me, Zen is a teaching that is already perfect as it is. There is nothing to add or subtract. In the world we live in, it is complete as it is and we are only aware of it without having to judge and provide concepts. Let the sun shine bright, let the green trees wave, and let the gentle breeze blow.
Everything has been perfect, nothing special for anything. This is the supernatural power that I have. I can't predict the future like a card forecaster, I can't change the weather from rainy to sunny or vice versa, nor can I get rich quickly, let alone heal the sick and prolong life. I am not a holy person.
But, I can cry when I'm sad, I can scream when I'm angry, I can laugh when I'm happy, and I can sing when I want to sing. I will give food if someone is hungry, I will give water when someone is thirsty, I will give medicine if someone is sick, and I will comfort as best I can if someone is sad.
From moment to moment I live as it is. There is no need to worry inside me because everything in this world is perfect as it is. This is where tenderness and inner clarity come from. Our hearts become more sensitive to whatever is around us. The intention to help is not even to get a reward from God but the intention to help naturally. For me, this is the highest supernatural power.
Many people in Indonesia are following the spiritual path to become powerful, immune to weapons, gain wealth, and want to get to the highest position. Such spiritual goals are very dangerous. Because the ego will be strong. Ambition and attachment to the world are getting bigger, emotions are difficult to control. In the end, this will result in suffering (suffering yourself and others).
I feel I want to meet again with the old man I met three days ago. But I don't know where he is now. Maybe he was in his village to celebrate the Hindu festival of Galungan on June 8 yesterday. Or maybe he never really existed, just a visualization of the mind. I don't know, Bali is full of uniqueness.
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Banyan Tree Philosophy for Balinese People
I have been in Bali for five days. For me, visiting Bali is the same as visiting heaven. It's not just me who feels it, however, many people around the world who have visited Bali will feel like they are visiting heaven. Many people around the world also forget that Bali is part of the State of Indonesia. Because I like to ride motorbikes, I always use motorbikes to get around. Unlike other tourists, I prefer to visit remote villages in Bali. The villages in Bali are so beautiful, harmonious, beautiful, and fragrant with the aroma of incense.
Two days ago, a large banyan tree located on the edge of a rice field caught my attention. When I saw the big banyan tree, it was very soothing and also thrilled my soul. Lush leaves and large tree trunks provide coolness and shade around it, it is only natural that the banyan tree is so close to the hearts of the Balinese people. For Balinese indigenous people, the banyan tree is the abode of the gods, so this tree is considered a heavenly tree. Therefore, banyan trees are often found in various temples where Hindu rituals are sacred in Bali.
Balinese people believe that the banyan tree is the mother of mankind. The banyan root is so sturdy and strong that it becomes a symbol of might. Banyan leaves that are so dense and soothing become a symbol of purity. If we remember that the world continues to experience global warming as well as climate change and ecological disasters, it seems that the world can implement what the Balinese people believe.
The Hindu tradition in Bali provides a deep philosophy for the banyan tree. The banyan is a symbol of the trinity of Hindu gods in Bali. The bark represents Lord Vishnu, the root of the tree represents Lord Brahma, and the branches from the trunk represent Lord Shiva. Therefore the holy places in Bali are so close to the banyan tree. They preserve the banyan tree in every village and also take care of it. The banyan tree and humans become a symbiotic mutualism, namely banyan and humans protect and preserve each other.
If you go to Bali and travel to remote villages, you will see various offerings and incense under the banyan tree. Because for the people of Bali, banyan is also a symbol of fertility and health. So the banyan tree is revered by people who want to have children. This illustrates that banyan is so close to the Balinese people and their Hindu traditions.
In an ideology adopted by the State of Indonesia, namely Pancasila. There are five basic principles of the state. The third precept is a picture of a banyan tree which means "Indonesian Unity". The Indonesian Ministry of Defense has also mentioned that the symbol of the banyan tree is the shade and strength of the Indonesian nation. A place of shelter for all Indonesian people. All tribes, religions, races, and cultures take refuge under a banyan tree in peace and harmony. The unity of the nation in Indonesia must be stronger like the roots of a banyan tree that are sturdy and continue to grow bigger.
I remember all the members of the United Nations who agreed to achieve peace and mutual prosperity in 2015. They discussed 17 big agendas that must be achieved together. The five main cores that are so closely related are the development of health, education, reducing economic inequality, to preserving of a better environment. In all of these things, I think the banyan tree is very big in everything they talk about. From the banyan tree, we can learn strength and giving. Never ignore and forget the banyan tree.
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Interpreting the Meaning of Love from a Zen Point of View
In 1999, my friend and I formed a rock band. Over time, our band disbanded because all my friends were married, except for me. In 2008, my friends and I separated because we were living our separate lives. The songs that we often perform at music festivals are songs that are often sung by **Ari Lasso**. The title of the song we played was “**Arti Cinta**” (*meaning of love*).
Currently, some coffee shops often play this song. Even when I'm at home, this song keeps repeating in my head. Finally, I reminisce and remember the experience of being in a band when I was young. Ari Lasso's distinctive voice sings the song with the initial lyrics "***Arti cinta yang sesungguhnya***" (***The real meaning of love***). It's a very nice sound to listen to. Naturally, if he became one of the best singers in Indonesia first.
Lately, I also read a lot of books about love. The books I read have a philosophical as well as a Zen point of view. Several classical philosophies provide a lot of study about love. Such as "*eros*" which discusses love that involves lust, "*philia*" which discusses love that involves friendship, to "*agape*" which discusses true love that is willing to sacrifice for its partner. The three types of love are so familiar in the world of philosophy.
At first, I thought *eros, philia, and agape* were the highest forms of love. But my view changed when I studied Zen and the Dharma tradition. These three forms of love are the lowest because they involve feelings and emotions. It's just empathic love. Love that changes easily due to circumstances. In Zen view, supreme love is love that imparts knowledge to all.
This form of love will teach people about the state of the world as it is. This emotionless and fragile love will open eyes and offer a path of liberation for all beings. I call it **Teflon love**. Yes, like the *Teflon pan* in your kitchen. Have a clear mind and leave no traces of thoughts and emotions in it. With this, anyone is free to do what is needed from time to time. This form of love will change the human mind for the better and be full of awareness.
No excessive analysis and thought. Everything was realized without a word. Life becomes clean without a trace left behind. When angry, only needed but not grasped. When anger is no longer needed, there is no grudge attached to the heart. When you are sad, there may be feelings of disappointment and regret. But the sadness does not stick and is easily released when the sadness ends.
Teflon love is the highest form of love in the world. The existence of the self as a human being has no blemish. Everything will appear, stay only for a moment, then vanish without a trace of stain being left behind. This form of love is not attached to anything and can feel inner freedom. Teflon love relieves social struggles and organizes the world with the principle of justice. There is no anger and hatred attached to the heart. This is the true meaning of love from the point of view of Zen and the Dharma tradition.
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I miss Indonesia completely
I was born in the city of Jakarta in 1983. At that time, the city of Jakarta that I lived in was not as crowded as it is today. There were no traffic jams at that time. And at that time, Indonesia was still under the rule of the New Order. Pancasila nationalism became a program of the New Order government so that Indonesia is still like original Indonesia. The Javanese are still Javanese, as well as the Sundanese, are still Sundanese.
Even though the New Order era had some problems, the government still took firm action against radical groups. They have suppressed almost nothing left. Until 1998, the power of the New Order led by Suharto (the second President of Indonesia) ended and was replaced by a period of reform. Two groups destroyed the New Order era. The first is a nationalist democratic group, the second is a religious radical group that was often suppressed by the New Order government.
In 2001, I left the city of Jakarta for the city of Yogyakarta to study there. Even in 2009, I was working on the island of Borneo. In 2016, I returned to Jakarta. How surprised I was when I returned to Jakarta. The situation in my hometown seems to have changed, unlike in Indonesia. Even in 2017, Jakarta was controlled by a government that allowed intolerance and religious radicalism to develop.
I have a hobby of long-distance motorcycle riding. When I did a tour around the island of Java. I see very different changes. I don't feel like I'm in Indonesia. I saw people who dress up like Arabs (from small children to old people). Women's bodies are covered by cloth from head to toe. I feel like I'm in an Arab country. I no longer see the beauty of Javanese and Sundanese women who are so graceful. I no longer see the culture of the archipelago developed by their ancestors. All I see is a nation experiencing an identity crisis. How very unfortunate.
This is due to the shift in the value of nationalism, from Pancasila nationalism to Arab nationalism. Because several groups in Indonesia want Indonesia to be part of an Arab country. Thus, they left the ancestral culture of the archipelago and chose Arabic cultures. In addition, the government also failed to maintain the cultural identity of the archipelago. Not only that, the quality of education in Indonesia, especially in Java, is very low. Education in my country is currently dominated by radical religious groups. They measure a person's faith only from the outward appearance of the body. However, they allow hypocritical behavior and corruption to be tolerated, often even preserved.
Even though not everyone in Indonesia wants to be an Arab, including me. Some groups who are nervous about this situation want to restore the teachings of the ancestors of the archipelago which is rich in culture. However, there was no response from the Indonesian government. I support groups like this. The government should be more sensitive and should not silence radical religious groups that erode the identity of the archipelago. Because this could lead to a big conflict like what happened in Ambon.
The educational revolution must be implemented immediately to give birth to generations that are critical, rational, and also systematic. This will free generations from the shackles of ignorance and poverty. In addition, social justice must also be realized in Indonesia. Because economic inequality can teach the teachings of religious radicalism. With the realization of social justice, the government will have clear laws for the people, so that radical groups have no space in Indonesia.
Although many places in Indonesia have lost their national identity, Bali is not like that. I love Bali because the Balinese people there still maintain and preserve the ancestral culture of the archipelago. When I'm in Bali, I feel like I'm back at my home. Bali is an island that still has natural wealth and preserves the ancestral culture that is so fascinating. No wonder many people from various countries are so happy and peaceful when visiting Bali.
Although Bali is not perfect and there are still many social problems there. There is still a lot of poverty and patriarchal culture there. but at least Bali can be a place to treat my longing for Indonesia. Maybe I'm not the only one who misses a sublime and glorious Indonesia. Surely many people miss Indonesia with its archipelagic values. I hope this longing is not just wishful thinking. But this longing can be realized so that Indonesia returns to the ancestral culture of the archipelago and releases foreign cultures that have long damaged Indonesia.
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Contextual spirituality for self-awareness
Yesterday, at 11 p.m., my stomach hurt so much. I immediately woke up from sleep. Even though the night was very cool and calming. But suddenly my stomach hurts. I already suspected that the pain in my stomach was due to the combination of the super spicy coffee, wine, milk, tempeh, tofu sauce, and the beer I had previously consumed. I immediately opened the medical application from my android and consulted with an online doctor. Just order the medicine and it will come in 30 minutes. The modern technology of the 21st century is indeed extraordinary.
While waiting for the medicine to come, I did meditation and also some Yoga postures to warm my body. Fortunately, these stomach aches lessened, this is also because I was able to accept the situation that came to me. When the medicine arrived, I thanked the taxi bike driver who took the trouble to deliver this medicine to me. I ate a little snack before taking this stomach ache medicine. Then sit cross-legged and wait for the effect of the medicine.
15 minutes later, I fell asleep until the next morning. I opened the bedroom window and saw the sunny morning weather. Even the pain in my stomach is gone. My habit every morning is to do meditation and also yoga, after that, I have breakfast and write. Everything has returned to the way it was.
For me, this is a life without obstacles. It doesn't mean a life that doesn't have problems or challenges. The point is, that the world and the life we live in will continue to change. There is no situation in that we run the same all the time. It's the same with our bodies. Sometimes our bodies feel sick and need rest, sometimes they are healthy and ready to do any activity. Everything is temporary. Likewise with the mind, sometimes we feel angry and sad, then the next day we feel happy.
This is life, like the clouds and the sky. Sometimes cloudy clouds come to cover the sun, but not long after, the cloudy clouds go and turn into a clear sky. We just have to live it. That way, we become aware and aware of what is happening right now. Spiritually practicing ourselves can also help us to be aware and ready to accept any situation that comes our way. And then we will know and be ready to do what has to be done. No need to think much, just keep walking amid change with a straight path with a clear mind.
It is a contextual spiritual that is open to all circumstances. We need to train ourselves in a contextual spiritual way that gives inner peace and also gives life direction and skills to respond to all changes. This contextual spiritual path is Zen. Combining Buddhist and Taoist teachings. For me, Buddhism is a logical and systematic path. Taoism is so natural. These two teachings are in one school, namely Zen.
With regular Zen practice, we will realize that suffering will come. We can observe all the emotions of suffering presents such as anger, disappointment, and sadness. Just observe the emotions that arise without judgment. This is called inner clarity. In inner clarity, we can accept and think about what to do. This inner clarity will create our ability to understand the situation. We can act appropriately according to the circumstances we experience.
Zen spiritual practice in my opinion is important to do. Because with this spiritual practice, we can increase the deep awareness in the mind. The results of this spiritual practice are amazing. Our life feels flawless from moment to moment. Are you interested?
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About justice from a song lyric
Last night, when the rain just stopped, the weather was a little cold. I left the house and walked to my favorite coffee shop. Usually, this coffee shop is quite busy, but last night there were only two customers enjoying coffee there. One of the workers at the coffee shop played an old song called “Robot Bernyawa” which was sung by “Iwan Fals”. Robot Bernyawa in English is "Living Robot". This song is about poor people who are questioning their rights. It seems that Iwan Fals deliberately made this song to support workers whose rights have been taken away. This song is dedicated to those accused of being work disruptors, or those who stand in front of capitalist factories demanding justice. Below is a piece of the song from Iwan Fals, entitled Robot with life
https://youtu.be/-o9ZsTtAykI
The lyrics of the song are very critical, bold, and by reality. The demands of the workers never came true. In every demonstration of the workers, they only demand the rights of the workers, guarantees of safety, wages, and other rights. Indonesia is called a democratic country, all aspirations that come out of the people's conscience must be raised. Freedom to voice aspirations should receive legal protection. But the reality is so bitter. The ruler is still the ruler. A power can determine the fate of workers, namely continuing to work or being laid off.
The modern era which is said to be the era of enlightenment is inversely proportional for the marginalized. They are humans who are likened to animate robots. Must obey the master. Like a dairy cow that has no power when its juices are taken away. Their voices are not heard because they are not allowed to speak. Maybe the law of nature has always been like that, the strong always win over the weak, getting rid of those who are powerless. Is it possible that current conditions can change? The strong protect the weak, and embrace those who are powerless. We all know that it's just wishful thinking. Dreams can only be consolation when we see the reality of life that is so bitter and never sweet.
When I was a teenager, I often saw workers demonstrating for justice. Then I asked, "what is the true nature of justice?" justice is so beautiful when spoken by law enforcement and intellectuals, but so painful when questioned by people whose lives are uncertain. Justice is always formulated in the Indonesian constitution and laws, poetry and novels always write about justice, and even the preachers exaggerate justice in their sermons. As if, humans on this earth crave justice. But, why are there still many who demand justice if justice is something that humans desire?
Maybe justice is just an ideal, or people have misinterpreted justice. Humans only scream for justice for themselves when they are victims of oppression, then they forget when they have had the pleasure. There are even those who do not care about the suffering of others when they are in power. If the goddess of justice exists, then today she is weeping for those who are no longer voiced when they see the oppression in front of their eyes. The goddess of justice also weeps for humanity that is collided with interests and weeps for justice that who knows how long it will become a reality. Hopefully, the workers will no longer be robots.
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Give meaning to your life
Five days ago, my office held an iftar event at a large restaurant. Our table was already provided by the waiter at the restaurant. At that time, our company manager paid for all the meals we would enjoy. When the Maghrib call to prayer hasn't sounded, all of my co-workers seem busy chatting with each other, except for the manager and me. The manager's face looked sad and confused, so I tried to ask him how he was feeling.
Then, the manager told him about his life problems. My manager is 43 years old, he doesn't have a wife and kids yet. Suddenly a thought crossed his mind about the purpose of his life. He told me that he had a lot of wealth which he had acquired at the age of 25. He has worked hard and achieved success in his career. But his confusion appeared when he was at his peak. "Hey Daffa, what does all my wealth mean after I die?" Ask him to me.
I smile when I get a question like this. Maybe my manager is not the only one asking questions like this, it could be that my readers have asked the same questions like “What am I living for? What am I working for now? What are all my current achievements and achievements for if later I will also die?”. When you question all such things, then you are in the question of the philosophy of Nihilism.
Let me explain a little about this school of philosophy. So, Nihilism is a branch of philosophy that believes that everything in the universe has no meaning. Even human existence does not serve a single purpose for the Nihilists. Even though everything is meaningless, the followers of the philosophy of Nihilism make their meanings for their lives.
For many people, being born into the world as a human is an advantage. We are given brains and minds so that we who are born as humans are smarter than other creatures. But we as intelligent humans will end up the same as other creatures in the world, which will face death. All the things we have achieved will end with time.
An analogy to the philosophy of nihilism and absurdism was also written by a philosopher named Albert Camus. He wrote a book called "The Myth of Sisyphus". The contents of the book tell of a king named Sisyphus who was punished by Zeus to push a large rock up a hill, then the rock rolled down when it reached the top of the hill. Sisyphus pushed him again from the bottom to the top of the hill, then rolled down again when he was on the hill. And so on for a lifetime.
From the book written by Albert Camus, the life we live today is almost the same as the analogy of King Sisyphus. We have a cycle that repeats itself every day of the week. Maybe some people will feel sad when Monday because the weekend has passed. But on Tuesday you can be happy because of a salary increase or position. It could be that today we are happy because we just got a girl/boyfriend, but tomorrow we can be sad because a girl/boyfriend cheated on us.
So, the essence of the nihilistic philosophy is "Nothing really matters in life", from time to time, life experiences an iterative cycle. Sometimes you feel happy then feel sad again. If in the view of nihilism there is nothing meaningful in this world, then we must give meaning to the life we live. We are still allowed to work, so we must do the best for our lives so that we can give a good meaning to ourselves and life. Although in the end, we will die, at least what we have done during our lives can benefit many creatures, both humans, animals, and plants.
Life is like waves and rainbows
Yesterday, my niece Susan, came to visit the house. She immediately asked me to carry her. She is six years old. I can no longer carry her because her body has grown so big that her weight makes my waist hurt.
Her younger sister is also the same. When she was a baby, I often carried her fat little sister. Currently, her little sister is four years old. Has become a slender and adorable girl. It feels like time has gone by so fast.
Sometimes I feel confuse. I am currently 35 years old. It feels like just yesterday I learned to ride a motorcycle, then ride a sports bike around the city of Jakarta. But now, my back feel hurts when I ride a sportbike for just 15 minutes.
Now I live alone at home. In the past, this house was filled with my busy family. My mother, father, older sister, grandmother, and grandfather live here. Two housekeepers helped us to clean the house and do the laundry. So, the total family in our house is seven people.
My mother, father, grandfather, and grandmother are now dead. My sister currently lives with her husband and two children. The housekeeper who used to help us is also in her hometown. Now I just live alone in this house in silence.
In this solitude and silence, I learned an important lesson in my life. Everything in our life will be lost someday. Nothing is truly eternal. This is the law that never fades in this life.
Life is like a wave. Appears, enlarges, and then disappears. Likewise, what happens in life, we have family and friends who can make us smile, in the end, they are no longer with us. Even thoughts are like that, whether good or bad thoughts are temporary.
Do you think that thoughts are real? No! Our thoughts are not real. We will be confused and dissatisfied if we assume that thoughts are real. Temporary thoughts will only come and then go away. Many people are depressed and stressed in the long term because they are trapped by their thoughts.
Many people have a misunderstanding about life. They think that in life they have something permanent, so they work on it (wealth, position, and enjoyment). If they take a closer look at life, then they see something different. Nothing is permanent in the life we live. Everything will keep changing.
Life is also like a rainbow, it has many beautiful colors. However, when we approach the beautiful rainbow, the rainbow does not really exist, the rainbow is only air with variations in colors reflected by the sun. Even we can't touch the rainbow. So is our identity. Many think that our identity is complete and absolute. Over time, our traits and personalities change. Even our tastes, ways of thinking, and ways of living are changing.
So, waves, rainbows, mind, and self have something in common. It seems as if it is real and fixed, but in reality, it does not have a permanent existence. We have to be aware of this so that we can let it go easily when it changes. You don't have to chase wealth too hard, you don't have to be afraid of losing your position, because wealth and position are like waves and rainbows that seem real but are actually empty. There is but not there because everything changes so fast.
This moment and this moment, I exist. In the next second, I changed. So, in this case, I exist as well as not exist. This continues until the self returns to the creator.
After I studied Zen, it turns out that there is one thing that has not changed, namely the observer who is always aware. He observes all changes that occur in the world as well as in the mind. Do you know who the observer is? He is his true self. This identity has various names, some call it pure consciousness, some call it Buddha-nature, some say God, divine light, Christ within, and so on. Whatever his name, he was never born or died.
Even though the waves rise and fall, a beautiful rainbow appears and then disappears, the mind and self are constantly changing. Pure consciousness is always there to observe any changes that occur. Pure consciousness which has no concept can recognize everything. Life will feel meaningful if we have known the pure consciousness that is within us.
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My nation is a stupid nation
I was born an Indonesian, born and raised in Indonesia made me think a lot and then criticize it. Before I criticize my nation, I will tell you that my country is a maritime country, and has a long coastline. However, it is very strange that the State of Indonesia still buys salt from other countries. Indonesia has a wider sea than the existing land. This is a form of ignorance of my nation.
According to available data, Indonesia has a coastline of 54,716km. should, with such a wide coastline, Indonesia is very easy to create a large salt pond. However, until now, the State of Indonesia still imports salt every year. From the data I have read, from 2010 to 2020, Indonesia bought 2 million tons of salt per year, although salt imports had decreased in 2012 and 2013, in 2014, salt imports increased again. I don't know why the Indonesian people are so stupid that they keep importing salt even though they have such a wide sea and coastline.
In addition, the Indonesian nation is also a spiritual nation. Various religions in Indonesia grow and develop. All religions in Indonesia teach peace with the environment and nature. Even indigenous Indonesian religions such as Kejawen also teach the way to liberation and enlightenment. Such a teaching is the highest achievement of mankind. However, in the 21st century, the Indonesian people are still poisoned by foreign religions and cultures. These foreign religions and cultures have killed the original Indonesian culture. I don't know why my people are so stupid to choose a foreign religion and culture that has been corrupted and decayed and left their ancestral religion and culture.
Indonesia has many intelligent people, they learn and explore great schools of thought. They also formed a political party that refers to these ideas. But in practice, political parties actually carry out their work far from the ideas and thoughts that were initiated. Many political parties commit corruption, they steal a lot of state money which is actually people's money. Many political parties are also connected with religious radicalism and have never done justice in every field. However, my nation is still being deceived by corrupt and radical political parties. In the end, Indonesia has a corrupt and unfair government.
The fatal stupidity committed by the Indonesian people is destroying Indonesia's nature. The destruction of nature in Indonesia is continuing. In 2020, Indonesia's 296,942 hectares of forest were burned (possibly also deliberately burned) to clear land for palm oil and factories. The rivers in Indonesia are also polluted. The most obvious thing is the Citarum River. 32 companies dispose of their waste in the Citarum river. Most are companies engaged in textile, paper, and food. Even though Indonesia has beautiful natural resources, the Indonesian people are destroying nature. Forests were cut down, mountains were destroyed for the mining of the capitalists.
Why are Indonesians stupid? Due to not being able to understand the situation, so many missed opportunities. Many even destroy the opportunities that are in front of their eyes. This is what is happening to the Indonesian people today. The Indonesian people are systematically fooled by the State. Education policies issued by the government only fool their people. The president chooses a minister of education who is not competent in his field. To become a developed nation and country, we need people who can think logically, rationally, and critically, and also have a clear conscience.
Education in Indonesia still has low quality, creativity, logic, rationality, and critical attitude are destroyed by the current education system. Schools, parents, and the community no longer educate the nation's generation properly. Schools still use the Dutch colonial era curriculum. After Indonesia's independence from colonialism, the curriculum and education system of the colonial era are still being implemented and even preserved to this day.
The colonial-era education system, which is still being implemented today, has made the Indonesian people insensitive to human rights. I have seen that humans are only seen as a resource that can be used for economic and political gain. Until now, minority groups in Indonesia continue to be forced to accept injustice. This nation is divided and stupid, this nation will always be left behind in the development of world civilization. Although the State of Indonesia is independent of colonialism, the Indonesian nation is not yet independent. The Indonesian nation is still being fooled so the nation's ability to think logically, critically and reason well is very low. How long do you want this to continue?
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Global Politics is like Kindergarten
In 1993, when I was five years old, I started studying in kindergarten. At that time, there were not many schools, so I had to go to a place quite far from home. The environment in the Kindergarten school is also diverse. The first time in kindergarten, friends at school form small groups (like gang groups). Because it is not considered dangerous, so the teacher does not care about the formation of groups built by the kindergarten students. However, something is interesting, namely the dynamics between these groups.
A first group is a group of old thugs, namely a collection of seniors who are big and also very confident. A second group is a group of new thugs. They are also big and have strong self-confidence. There is also a group of would-be thugs. They are ordinary bodies, but greatly admire other groups of thugs. There is also a geeky group. Usually, they are afraid of thugs, and also don't want to be thugs. Usually, they are often bullied by the thugs but become beloved by the teachers in the kindergarten.
The group dynamics created by children in kindergarten can also be found in various places. When I was in the workforce, I found the same pattern when I was in kindergarten. Even as I look at politics globally, the same pattern is becoming more and more apparent. How funny modern humans are today. If I pay attention to the world of global politics, America and the European Union are old thugs. We can see that America and the European Union have a lot of money and also a strong military. Their followers also exist, such as in Canada, Japan, and also Australia. They are considered the coolest group and also the most feared group in the world.
China and Russia are new groups of thugs, they are groups who dare to oppose the rule of old thugs. Russia's attack on Ukraine is also an attempt to challenge the old thugs who have dominated many countries in a kindergarten called Global Politics. The next group is the would-be thugs, namely Brazil and India. They have great resources, they are also an influential State in their environment. In my opinion, they can become global thugs in the future if their progress is not hindered by anyone.
The last group is the geeky group, the weakest group among the other groups. This geeky group is often the victim of oppression and only follows what the gangs say. In the world of global politics, these geeky groups are countries located in Asia, Africa, and South America. This group is also often overlooked in the complexities of global politics. So, Such are the dynamics and patterns of the world. Since then until now has never changed. From kindergarten to world politics, the Patterns and Dynamics remain the same. The dispute between Russia and Ukraine may be the final conflict because their nuclear strike will destroy us all. It is also possible that their Nuclear will destroy the earth and the next mass extinction.
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Digital fasting needs to be done
Sunday has entered the month of Ramadan. Where Muslims around the world fast for a whole month. During fasting, Muslims are not allowed to eat, drink, smoke, have sex, gossip, etc. This is done so that the people who practice it are free from the passions that continue to encourage the inner being within themselves. In addition, fasting will get better body health.
Sorry, I forgot to say happy fasting for the Muslims here. Talking about fasting, yesterday I talked about digital fasting in a discussion forum where I usually hang out and enjoy coffee. At first, they were surprised to hear the discussion I proposed about this digital fasting. However, after we discussed it more deeply about this discussion, a bright spot emerged. So, it is not only traditional fasting that is carried out in this month of Ramadan, but digital fasting must also be done.
Digital fasting is when we are free from the digital world. People who do digital fasting will leave smartphones, laptops, computers, or anything related to the digital world for a while. No browsing on google, no Facebook, Twitter, etc. This is done for the sake of mental balance and physical health without the digital world. After being able to get out of the digital world, our world as humans awaits us. We have family and friends to greet or socialize with other residents. And there is also a wide world for us to explore further, from the beauty of the sea, trees, mountains, to cities. They are waiting for us to be touched.
You may ask, why is digital fasting important? Several things must be considered to answer this question. First, the digital world makes people addicted. The meaning of addiction is, that people cannot be separated from the digital world so people are constantly looking at their smartphones or laptop screen.
Second, the digital world will make people depressed and stressed. A lot of fake news has sprung up in the digital world, many people have been deceived and have lost a lot of money in the digital world, many people bullied someone through the digital world until finally the victim of bullying feels depressed and commits suicide. This is terrible.
Third, digital fasting creates serenity and peace. Our eyes and brain will rest if this is done, the body will be more relaxed without looking at the smartphone screen all day long. Our life becomes more quality because we can gather with family and friends. That way our hearts will be happier. Regret becomes less when death comes because life becomes quality.
Then, another question arose. How to do digital fasting? Many of us do activities in the digital world, and many of us work and earn money in the digital world. You can fast digitally one day a week. Saturday or Sunday is a great choice to get out of the digital world. In some spiritual traditions that I run there is also a day to be used as a quiet day to find silence within myself.
Or, you can take a specific time of day to do a digital fast. For example, from 7 pm to 6 am, you can get out of the digital world completely. No need to reply to messages or emails, all messages and emails must wait for a reply tomorrow. The world we live in is so fast and uncertain, now digital fasting is everyone's need. It's not just ascetics who only have a quiet space, but we can also have a quiet space for ourselves. Come to think of it, we live in this world only for a short time. Do you want to spend the rest of your life staring at a smartphone or laptop screen all day? Make the best use of your time.
The lead image source by Syaifulptak57 on Pixabay https://pixabay.com/illustrations/selamat-datang-menyambut-bulan-6116047/
Difficult and Easy is the path we choose
Whenever I'm hanging out and discussing with my friends, I often talk about Zen to them. My friends often comment to me "*hey Daffa, why don't you quote classical texts and don't also refer to orthodoxy, especially Dharma in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Vedanta?*" they said.
I also responded to their comments and replied “For me, the path of liberation is very wide, as wide as the universe. Reaching the path of liberation can be followed by a difficult path such as religious orthodoxy, and there is also an easy path such as Zen. It all depends on our choices.”
In my article today, I will explain a little about the two paths to liberation (which means liberation of mind). The first path of liberation is the path of religious orthodoxy. In the way of religious orthodoxy, too many moral rules to be observed such as traditions, rituals, etc. Even the purpose is not clear.
An example is the path of liberation taught by Gautama Buddha. The four noble truths and the eight paths are part of the four paths of truth. The method of knowledge taught by Gautama is very complex. Then there are the three basic characteristics, in reality, the four foundations in the life of consciousness, the five constituents of human existence, the five hindrances to mental liberation, to the three defilements present in the human mind.
All of the lists I have listed above contain many concepts of Sanskrit and Pali or ancient languages in Indian tradition. I could have explained all of those concepts if asked to explain them. In addition, there are still interpretations of the teachings that I wrote above. You'll get confused if you dig deeper.
If a person becomes confused and finds it difficult to learn a concept of religious orthodoxy, as a result, that person will get lost in many concepts. People will be lazy to study it further. Today we live in the digital age, people move faster. The complex path of religious orthodoxy will take longer to learn and understand.
Likewise in the traditions of Yoga, Hinduism, and Vedanta. They have very deep and broad concepts and philosophies. Yoga movements and positions are taught so very difficult. There are many levels and types of Hindu meditation that make people confused to learn. So that people do not get confused in such complex teachings and concepts, a new and easy way must be needed.
As far as I know, all paths to liberation return to one concept, which is "the present". At this moment, are you conscious or unconscious? Are you lost in your emotions and thoughts? Or are you lost in the memories of the past or the shadows of the future?
You will be shackled if you drift into your thoughts and emotions, you will suffer if you are drifting into the memories of your past or future. This concept is very simple and its application must be practiced continuously.
The past is past and will not be able to come back again, we can only learn from the past that has passed, then returns to the "present moment". Likewise, the future will never be known will happen. We can imagine many things for the future, we can plan many things for the future, but we must return to the reality and truth of the present. This is the concept of the path of liberation that I do. For me, this is the essence of Dharma teaching.
What is the best thing I can do at this point? If I am cycling, then I am cycling with all my heart. If I was working as an employee, then I would be a good employee. At this moment, we will live fully and we will be liberated. That's enough. There are no complicated concepts to do and think about, no moral rules to make your head spin.
So, there are many paths to inner liberation. With a complicated or easy and simple way, please choose which one is suitable for you to live. I choose the easy and simple path because I don't like complexity. haha
*The Lead Image Source by* ***Pixabay*** https://pixabay.com/photos/bonsai-trees-plants-4634225/
Desire to be recognized by others
Two days ago, I met a friend from high school. He has a desire to continue learning to the highest level. It was a very cloudy day and it was going to rain soon. He greeted me while I was waiting for intercity transportation in front of his office. "Hey Daffa, where are you going? Stop by my office first," he said.
I didn't expect to meet Ardi by chance here. When he entered his office, it was raining very hard. So, I decided to wait for the rain to stop in my friend's study. Just as I sat down, Ardi immediately spoke up and said, "I have completed my master's degree on time, even the test scores that I got were all A, I became the best graduate in the university, the thesis that I wrote deserves to be written down, are you interested? to read it?” a proud aura with every word left his mouth.
I just smile. Then he talked about himself again “next week I will go abroad to prepare my doctoral proposal” he said. Again, Ardi underlined the reason why he is very special and very important to be in the international community. Ardi feels that he deserves to be part of the scientific community. Sometimes Ardi likes to quote sentences from books he has read.
Honestly, I don't feel happy with conversations like this, but because I respect Ardi as my friend, I persevered and listened to Ardi's words, who always prided himself in front of me while waiting for the rain to stop. It seems that Ardi needs someone who can show off his success and give recognition to Ardi.
I felt disgusted and annoyed when the topic of conversation was directed to me, he said "Your writing is not widely read huh? In my opinion, the sentences you write lack style, sometimes your arguments in this paper are not structured with strong logic." There are still long sentences directed at me. In essence, my writing is not as good as Ardi's. He felt that he was far above me.
Although I was a little annoyed by his words, it seemed that Ardi did not need a response or defense from me. I didn't expect words like what Ardi said, but Ardi's words didn't make me feel down and discouraged.
“Ardi, every writing I write will find its destiny. Every article I write will be tried by readers, some of my writings will be executed, and some will go to museums. Hahaha... The museum I'm referring to is a library with a lot of books piled up on the bookshelf, drowning among the many books. I hope my writing is read for sure bro” I said with a smile.
The situation outside Ardi's office was still raining, the clock was already showing 05.30 pm. Ardi made two cups of coffee for us to enjoy. "Thank you Ardi," I said. Then Ardi offered me to add sugar, but I chose to enjoy coffee without sugar.
While sipping Ardi's coffee, he continued to talk show-off about his outstanding academic achievements. Indeed, I have to admit that Ardi deserves “with discrimination” as a predicate. Many of my friends say that Ardi is very smart in academics. Many of the meetings that Ardi attends are opportunities to show his stardom in academic achievement.
"Hey Daffa, in the next few years, you will see me again as a doctor" With a smile he said that to me. Smiling too, I confirmed his prediction. I believe with all my heart that Ardi can take the academic journey to become a doctor, even the position of professor can easily be achieved. Ardi missed a title like that.
The rain finally stopped, the Maghrib call to prayer had sounded. I said goodbye to Ardi after finishing the coffee which was no longer hot. The online motorcycle taxi driver was waiting for me in front of the office, so I didn't take the intercity transportation because the sky was almost dark. From everything Ardi said to me, I remembered a title in a magazine I had read 12 years ago *“Vanitas vanitatum mundi!”* namely the story of **Marlyn Monroe** who became stressed due to the pressure of the entertainment industry which forced her to continue to be a shining star. In her stardom, **Marlyn Monroe** lost herself, Marlyn felt a sense of futility and a sad emptiness despite being a star.
But sometimes other people always have the desire to be a star, even a sun that gets recognition from the whole galaxy, be it with wealth, intelligence, generosity, and also with deceit.
***The lead image source by*** ***Unsplash*** https://unsplash.com/photos/2RouMSg9Rnw
Religion's greatest enemy is stupidity
The place where I was born, namely Indonesia, is an archipelagic country inhabited by many people, various ethnic groups, cultures, and religions are here. But recently, there have been a lot of sibling conflicts that have occurred because of different religious points of view. From cities to remote villages, religion is part of the daily life of Indonesians. There is no place in Indonesia where there is no religion. It can be said that 95 percent of Indonesia's population embraces religion.
From the survey that I have researched, some developed countries have 30 to 40 percent of citizens who no longer adhere to their religion, on the other hand, in poor and developing countries only a few people are not religious. From the results of my research, the cause of citizens who will not give up religious dogma is the government's failure to provide a sense of security to its citizens.
The government that should serve the people has become the oppressors of the people, becoming corruptors who steal people's money. Law enforcers are silent about this happening, even they often violate the law. When the state and government fail to provide a sense of security to the people, the people will run towards religion. I've heard the words of a religious leader who reads "**it's okay this country is damaged, but after a death, we will find peace in heaven**" said religious leader.
Btw, the post I wrote today was not to invite you to leave religion. But what I will discuss in this post is to invite religious people to rise against the real enemy of religion. Therefore, I hope you read it to the end so you don't misunderstand my writing.
Religion is often the reason for a problem, many people are divided as a result of being pitted against each other by religion. Bad prejudice started that gave rise to fear, hatred, and anger eventually occurred in inter-religious relations, even within the same religion often quarrels occurred. Violence in the name of religion continues to this day, without a good response from the government.
Then, how can religion run with the ideals of peace that many people hope for? This is a challenge for the entire community at large. Therefore, society must know the greatest enemy of any religion.
Thousands of years ago in Indonesia, various religions could live together peacefully and without conflict. If we are serious about finding out the real enemy of religion, then the answer is stupidity. Yes, the ignorance of religious people is the biggest enemy of religion itself. They see religion as god so they forget the real god.
There are several things to note to know the enemy of every religion. The ignorant religious people are afraid of the changing times. They can't move on from the past that was full of glory, so they want to go back to the past, it's only natural that their way of thinking is backward and not advanced. Often they oppress especially women and children who are weak.
Because they are afraid of changing times, they fail to adapt to the progress of the times, eventually, they become poor and stupid amid advances in science and technology. They just become technology users who are constantly lied to by groups who are more advanced than them. In the end, these fools despaired and longed for heaven that might never exist.
Ignorant religious people are also afraid of differences, so they often attack people of other religions and continue to cause problems for people of different religions. They don't have empathy anymore, they don't care about the common affairs, let alone the affairs of other groups. Starting from the way of worship to their daily behavior, it always destroys the peace of living together. Every progress of science and technology they always block for the sake of blind obedience to the teachings they profess.
Such are the characteristics of a religion that has been corrupted, decayed because of the ignorance of its people. The old teachings that are no longer useful they still defend and they obey blindly. The religion will be destroyed along with its ignorant people.
How can it be like that? Because of laziness to learn, until finally stupidity was born. People are getting lazy to read new books critically. Ignorant religious people believe in only one book they worship blindly. All books and ideas for the development of science they ignore, sometimes they hate it.
Their ignorance is often used by political groups to gain or maintain power. In every campaign leading up to the general election, religion is often an issue of discussion so ignorant religious people choose this rotten political group. They are easily provoked and make the state of the country chaotic.
As a citizen of Indonesia, a country that is still developing and not yet developed, I invite religious friends to be smart and critical. Religious people must continue to learn and read more quality books to be able to respond appropriately to changing times. Religious people must follow the development of science and technology carefully so that they do not become a stupid nation and are no longer used or provoked by dirty political interests.
If religious people have become intelligent and also critical, then religious people can act as liberators from the oppression that occurs. Religion embraced by religious people can be a vehicle for realizing social justice for all people. All religious people can move together and help each other to create a just and prosperous world. This is an ideal that is still far from being achieved. But we can make it happen if we are aware of this.
***The lead image source by*** ***Pixabay*** https://pixabay.com/illustrations/peace-peacebuild-peacebuilding-2288958/
Temporary is Beautiful
I went to a coffee shop to just relax while reading a book in my bag. After finishing reading one chapter, the coffee shop played a song that I thought was unique. **Taylor Swift's** song "*All too Well*". When I look at the lyrics sung by **Taylor Swift**, it turns out that the lyrics are quite interesting. A song that tells about sorrow and pain, begins with love. A memory of a painful event. The story is quite simple, but the lyrics are very touching to the heart.
In the song, **Talor Swift** offers something beautiful in the wound, there is also a critique of patriarchal culture in the lyrics. Where a man plays with a woman's life, then leaves her with such a painful wound. The most powerful in the lyrics of the song is an image of the event that is in her memory. It reminds me that times and events are so unique like cotton and clouds are so fragile.
This song has such deep memories. A painful wound can be an inspiration in a song that is sung on the temporary basis of the existing reality. As we know and we realize that everything is temporary, nothing lasts forever. Such a strong love will end, happy life will be picked up by death.
When viewed from a different angle, this is very sad, everything seems to be in vain. Whatever we have earned and fought for will be lost. But from Taylor Swift's point of view, it's not like that. Sadness can be an inspiration. Many valuable works emerge from sadness and a wound. Starting from a painting to a song.
Everything temporary and fragile is not something we should lament about. Instead, we should celebrate it with laughter and song. Because this is how life is. I was reminded of the words of Nietzsche, a German philosopher who reminded me to always say YES to the life I live. Life is so complex and turbulent with the contradictions and fragility of life. So, Live and transcend the morality of refusing to live in the name of heaven that never existed at all. So says Nietzsche.
Temporary will be felt more if we experience failure, fragility will be more felt if we have had a broken heart. We will never understand the meaning of life if we never feel failure and heartbreak. Wounds and suffering are the doors to self-maturation. We have to hold him tight and love him. We need to go into the wound and look at it with full awareness so that our hearts and minds can open and become wise. This is a higher level of dharma teaching.
Life is beautiful and meaningful if we can see the deepest wounds. With a piece by Taylor Swift, she taught me a little wisdom in her life.
***Image source by*** ***Raphael Lovaski*** https://unsplash.com/photos/RjD01Is-KnI
How to deal with the slander that comes
There is a saying that **"slander is crueler than murder"**. I think the saying is true, because if we are killed by someone, then we only lose our bodies. But, if we are slandered, we can lose our jobs, our self-respect, and even our lives.
I have also been slandered several times. Maybe they were jealous or misunderstood me, so they slandered me. Many lies were spread to other people about me. Some of the slander that were uttered had an impact on my life, and some of it was just a small slander that had absolutely no meaning.
The most painful slander for me is the slander committed by the closest people. It hurts when I think about it, but over time, the slander and pain finally disappeared.
However, did you know that in this digital era, slandering someone is getting easier? I have seen a lot of lies that are spread on various social media, slander on the internet is so commonplace and common.
The impact of the slander is so terrible, many people are angry and feel humiliated when they are slandered so that the intention of revenge arises. In the end, conflicts occur due to slander. The most dangerous of this slander is a major conflict that occurs between races, ethnicities, or religions.
Then, a question arose in my head, Why is slander so painful? There is something that must be understood to answer this question. Humans have a strong ego but are so fragile when slandered or insulted. Because in the ego there is arrogance, the structure of the ego is what makes humans feel miserable if they are slandered.
People who suffer from being slandered, are caused by brainwashing in the past. Since childhood, some people are taught to get praise, but when they don't get praise in life, then that person feels disappointed and suffers. The next brainwashing, humans are taught to be afraid of being criticized or insulted. Many people educate their children to avoid reproach or humiliation. This makes one's mind becomes fragile when it gets insulted in the form of slander.
Zen is here to reveal our true selves. Human identity existed before likes and dislikes, human identity also existed before insults and praise. People who do not understand or do not know who he is, then that person will be easily hit by praise and insults, including slander.
People who continue to train themselves in Zen, think that slander is not a disaster. Instead, slander can be an opportunity to train the mind to recognize its true identity. Every praise and insult is always directed to the abstract ego, so taking compliments and insults seriously is too stupid.
When slandered, our emotions and anger are so hot. Take this an opportunity to observe the emotions that flare up inside. The purpose of observing emotions is to experience and find out how temporary emotions are. At a certain point, emotions are just guests who just pass by, without disturbing the inner being within us. We will realize that emotions and anger are not permanent.
So, being a victim of slander will be very painful and suffering if you don't have the right understanding. Here, Zen offers serenity and inner peace to respond to any situation. We can take lessons from a slander that comes to us, and we can also recognize our true identity in Zen.
***The lead image source by*** ***MoteOo in Pixabay*** https://pixabay.com/vectors/lazy-son-student-home-mother-1458443/
Let's make peace with ourselves
in this 21st century, we feel the ease of doing work with the help of technology. As time goes by, developing technology is getting more sophisticated. Starting from transportation, communication, to other work becomes easy and cheap. Even today humans are competing to create a new life with the help of technology. Naturally, if humans can become God over the earth with the help of existing technology.
But unfortunately, technological advances created by humans are not in line with human happiness itself. Even though people currently live with various conveniences assisted by advanced technology, depression, and suicide are increasing in the 21st century. From data collected by the WHO, more than 300 million people have depression recorded there. Then, what is the use of all the progress and development of science and technology today if humans are increasingly suffering?
Symptoms of depression experienced by a person are a rapid rise and fall of mood within two months, so it is very disturbing for work and daily life. The most severe form of depression will encourage a person to commit suicide. Although depression can be cured with therapy, many people are not aware that they are experiencing depression, although some are aware of depression but do not seek treatment to cure depression.
Actually, depression is experienced to make a person suffer, starting from a conflict with oneself. Although a person has had various conveniences and pleasures provided by science and technology today, that person is still hostile and always at war with his thoughts and emotions, especially thoughts that are often painful.
Several things make people conflict with themselves, one of which is not understanding the nature of thoughts and emotions. People who conflict with thoughts and emotions assume that what they are thinking is reality, but it is not. As a result, those who think thoughts are reality actually hold tightly to the thoughts and emotions that come to them, so that they are carried away and carried away by the flow of thoughts and drown in them.
Because they do not understand the nature of their thoughts and emotions, they are also unable to manage their thoughts and emotions properly, so they suffer greatly when they are sad or angry and will feel very anxious when happy or rejoice. People who are not able to manage their thoughts and emotions properly also often get into conflict with other people.
The only way to get out of this mental suffering is to make peace with yourself. There are so many diverse thoughts and emotions inside us that are just illusions that can create an illusion in our lives. But many do not realize and assume that thoughts and emotions are a reality, then hold on to them so tightly that they drift away.
What should be done when emotions and thoughts arise in a person, just observe and be aware of it. In a simple way like this, slowly the suffering experienced by a person will go away and disappear. This kind of process can create a good relationship with ourselves. This process will also create inner clarity and peace. When we can control the emotions and thoughts that arise within us, then we easily make peace with ourselves, and can even maintain good relations between humans and other creatures.
***The lead image source by*** ***Unsplash*** https://unsplash.com/photos/5FsE88h3Wak
Review of the book “Anti-Corruption Philosophy” published in 2012
I just finished reading a book that I bought three days ago at an online store. This book discusses corruption, but there is something unique about the contents of this book. The book entitled "Anti-Corruption Philosophy" is not like any corruption book in general, because this book does not only discuss corruption from a political and economic perspective but also discusses corruption from corrupt actors.
This book has been published since 2012, but I only found out a few days ago. In this book, it is discussed about corruptors who have lost their humanity. The human soul is dead and rotting. This man, whose soul has rotted away, no longer thinks clearly and healthily, his only thought is stealing people's money to satisfy his greedy desires. These people hold high positions, ranging from political party leaders to presidential ministers.
In theory, corruption is an illegal activity that uses public goods for personal gain. So, the ruling elite (government) has a great opportunity to do this, plus, the law enforcers (police) do not dare to do anything in front of the rich and powerful.
However, corruption is not only limited to that. Corruption has a much broader meaning. In short, corruption is an act that makes things worse. This can be done by anyone, from parents who do not educate their children properly, to religious leaders who give hate propaganda to their people. They are the real criminals. People will commit corruption if the economy, politics, religion, and culture are filled with injustice.
The impact of corruption is very terrible, namely, the people will live in poverty, injustice is evident in front of the eyes, social inequality has become a common thing. Countries that have a high level of corruption will continue to be trapped in poverty and ignorance and will be destroyed in the end.
One of the things that commonly happens in a country with a high level of corruption can be seen from the behavior of the people in that country. Human relations are no longer good, brothers deceive their brothers, rulers deceive their people, law enforcers do not dare to act decisively on rich people. The economic and political system is rotting and spreading like cancer.
In this book, it is also written that the perpetrators of corruption are committing suicide, because he keeps stealing people's money. Over time, the people will be destroyed and the corrupt will no longer have an object to steal, they will also be destroyed in the end. Corruption has damaged societal values which will destroy society both economically and morally.
This book is very good to read because at this time we who are in Indonesia are trapped in a situation of corruption which has become a very strong culture. Perpetrators of corruption do not only occur in the government sector but also occur anywhere. Several anti-corruption activists have tried to make changes, but there has been no impact to eliminate corruption.
***The Lead image source by*** ***Unsplash*** https://unsplash.com/photos/znZFuVcGen4
Get answers from Asian philosophy
It has been more than 10 years that I have studied and studied philosophy systematically. During that time, many debates occurred when philosophy was associated with theology and religion. To me, the debate is completely pointless and pointless. Some of the issues that are often debated include religion and science.
Religion is based on belief, while science is based on reason and logic. The relationship between religion and science is complex and often the subject of debate. Then about God and suffering. A friend asked a religious person “why do humans continue to live in disasters? Isn't God all-powerful and all-loving? Why does suffering happen to innocent people?” This question never gets a satisfactory answer and is often debated.
Then, about creation. Religion believes that the process of creation of the universe in a matter of days, meanwhile, science explains the process of creation with the theory of evolution. Then about heaven and hell. For religious people, good people will go to heaven after death, and vice versa, bad people will be put into hell after death. However, until now, there has been no real evidence of the existence of heaven and hell. This debate also never got a satisfactory answer.
There are still many issues of discussion like that which give birth to a long, pointless debate. However, this empty debate can be answered if we understand the teachings of Asian philosophy. Asian philosophy is based on the teachings of the Dharma. In the teachings of Asian philosophy, one's faith is not born from belief, but from long experiences such as Zen, Meditation, Yoga, etc. There is no difference between religion and science, they are all paths to liberation and enlightenment.
In Asian philosophy, the suffering that comes to humans does not come from God, but from human error itself. The thing that makes humans suffer is the error of thinking that becomes a strong ego. The human ego creates desires that are not in line with the existing reality until finally, humans become suffering. God does not participate in human suffering.
Asian philosophy also teaches that heaven and hell are human states of mind. People whose hearts are filled with hatred will suffer mentally, those who suffer mentally are like people in hell. If a person can train his mind to find peace within himself, that person will certainly be happy, like someone who is in heaven. So, heaven and hell do not occur after death but exist now.
So, Asian philosophy provides a logical and also simple answer in conveying a discussion without having to carry out empty and useless debates. In this way, we can get the path of enlightenment and liberation by studying the teachings of Asian philosophy. Don't get stuck in pointless empty debates, because Asian philosophy can provide logical answers to get out of empty debates. Thank you.
***The lead image source by*** ***Unsplash*** https://unsplash.com/photos/7AcMUSYRZpU
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