Blogtrotter

Ag dul ar an traein leis Búda.

Bhí mé ag dulta ar an traein inné. Léamh mé an teacs seo le Phroinseascha Fremantle faoi ag tuigeadh "An Leabhar Tibéadaigh na Mairbh." Ainmním sé "Folús Solasmhar." Ar ndóigh, dúirt Doctuir Fremantle orainn, bheadh leabhar sin féin chugainn atá beo fós. Insíonn sí againn cleachtannaí a éisteacht de anois. Nuair tuigimid faoi ciall ar taobh istigh, osclóimid slí go dúiseacht ár nádúr fíor.

Tá teacs úr go raibh treoir a tugtha do dhuine na mairbh agus na heasláin. Ní féidir a shéanadh nach paidreacha ar son na ndaoine atá ag fáil bhás go rabhthar go fóinteach. Mar sin féin, bím fear amhrais go minic. Is deacair agam a chreidiúint ní raibh mé am gan anam go deo. Bhinn creideamh a bheith agam i nDia trócaireach. Anois ní bhíonn mé muinín air. Tá sé sean-cath orm.

Iarraidh mé a fáil fuascailt agam ó chuing saothar saoil, freisin. Aointaim go raibh teachtaireacht leis eagnaíocht anallód. Feictear dom go Na Hionduch agus duine na Hiomalaetha go raibh ag foghlamtha go fírinneacht. Tá scéalaí rúndaí acu go bhfuil linn obair achrannach go maith, go cinnte. Déanaim iontas fúthu.

Chuaigh mé go mall triu an leabhar sin faoi ciall cheannaithe Búdaíochaí. Faigheann mé idir-riaradh na n-idéithe idir an India, Tíbead agus saothar an lae againn ar tir i gcéin. Is cosuil é tráchtas fealsúnacht. Mar sin, bhí sé go scríofa de réir oird. Caithfidh tú a tuigeann gach abairt. Ní féidir leat adhmad a bhaint as an bpíosaí airde seo ar chaoi.

D'fhoglaim mé faoi saothar an bháis. Deir leabhar seo go bhfuil seachran air. Ghlac scáth mé, bíodh sin mar áta. Tá eagla orm faoi ábhar bhásmhaireacht. Tá scanradh m'anama orm, b'fhéidir! Ansin, rinne mé smaointe a bhfuil dlúthbhaint acu le cheile.

Bhuel, mheas mé faoi an búdaithe ar domhan eile. Phlé Fremantle de réir Avalokiteshvara, búda truach. Thug sé cabhair ar duine ina tríblóid. Is mian mór leis féin a thabhairt cúnamh ar lucht lágu. Cuidím sé duine a briseadh as rúdaí saolta atá ar an intinn. Chaill siad cian acu. Ní bhfaighidh stát ciarfartach. Fanfaidh siad ciaramáboc iarbháis. Feicfidh siadsan féin saoirse ina aoibhneas priomhordúil níos luath.

Bhí cuimhne agam faoi idirghabhálaí seisean féin go tobann. Fuair mé iómhá air ar feadh Aibreán seo caite ar an alt bhlog go raibh ag lascaidh leis anseo, "Saoirse Bhreatain Bheag". Chonaic mé ar ball beag radharc aisteach. Chaith cailin ghorm óg bhrógaí chorraí ina traein go tobann. Ní fhaca mé an sonra go follasach. Tháinig sí ní ba beise dom. D'fhan sí ar an Líne na hUaine.

Thuig mé anois. Bhí dhá bróg leis cluaisin bróige "Skechers." Rionnaidh siad an mana amháin acu: "Buddhalicious." Bhí siad an líníocht céann orthu. Shuím Búda romhar leis míongháire bídeach air féin.

Taking the train with Buddha.

I went by train yesterday. I was reading this text by Francesca Fremantle about understanding "The Tibetan Book of the Dead." It's titled "Luminous Emptiness." Of course, Dr. Fremantle tells us, that book itself should be for us who are alive still. She tells to us lessons to listen to in it now. When we understand about its meaning on the inside, a way will open to wake us up to our true nature.

The original text was for giving instructions to the dead and the dying. It is difficult to deny that prayers for the dying may be beneficial. All the same, I am usually often a skeptical man. It is difficult for me to believe that there will not be for me a time without a soul forever. I used to believe in a merciful God. Now I do not have confidence (for this). It's an old battle for me.

Yet I want to get liberation for me from the yoke of a life's labor. I agree that there may be lessons with the wisdom from ancient times. It appears to me that the Hindu and the people of the Himalayas were learning truly. The esoteric stories from them are work of some difficulty for us, certainly. I wonder about them.

I go slowly through this book about Buddhist teachings of experience. I find an interconnection of ideas between India, Tibet and the daily grind of ours in a land faraway. It is like a philosophical treatise. That is, it was written in sequence. You must understand each sentence. It is not possible for you to extract the elevated meaning of these sections otherwise.

I learned about the death-throes. This book tells that it is a delusion. I was scared, however that may be. I am frightened about this mortality material. Perhaps I am frightened to death! Then, I made an intellectual connection between ideas.

Well, I was thinking about the buddhas in the other world. Fremantle discussed Avalokiteshvara, the compassionate buddha. He brings aid to people in trouble. He has a great wish to give assistance to groups of the weak. He helps people to break out of being engrossed in material things. They will lose their sadness. They will not find a state of melancholy. They will leave the posthumous hurly-burly. They will see freedom in the primordial bliss sooner.

I remembered about this same intercessor suddenly. I had found an image of him during this last April on the blog entry that's linked from here, "Independence Cymru". I saw a bit of a strange sight at that instant. Suddenly there was a young black girl wearing odd shoes on the train. I couldn't see the detail clearly. She drew close to me. She left at the Green Line.

I understood now. There were two shoes with the shoe-tag "Skechers." They shared the same motto on them: "Buddhalicious." They had the same drawing on them. Fat Buddha sat with a tiny chuckle on himself.

Griangraf/Photo: "Lucky Buddha image on front of the shoe."