Month: November 2022

In Search for Functional Government in the Era of Modern Globalization 2 – the Wreckage with Last Five Hundred Years of Westerner Civilization

Posted on by PathFinder

The book, On the Muslim Question published in January 2020 is a fearless, original book. Anne Norton argues that rather than simply a “clash of civilizations” between the West and Islam, what is really in question, is the West’s commitment to its own ideals: to democracy and the Enlightenment trinity of liberty, equality, and fraternity. In the most fundamental sense, the Muslim question is about the values not of Islamic, but of Western, civilization. She persuasively pointed out that in disputes over Muslims, we can see “Western” nations struggling to decide what democracy means to them and how truly democratic they are. It also shows that, though democracy requires the courage to live with those with whom we are profoundly different, in many places people are managing to do so quite successfully every day. 

Some people upset that this book either doesn’t treat the “Muslim question” as the kind of question they wish it were (e.g. how to get rid of Muslims), or upset that it challenges their narratives with differing opinions and critiques making use of inconvenient facts. The author informs us that this very same fear-fueled conversation was had about the Jews too before WWII, but history ever repeats itself. But then as now, it is a great insult to suggest that our institutions and history are all so weak that they will come tumbling down just because a single-digit percentile of our fellow citizens contribute by bringing in different experiences and thoughts. The West and its democracy and liberalism are not so small as to have no place for those who think differently from us.

With many citations, Anne Norton argued that Islam is not a powerless minority that we should want to change, but ourselves! The author asks the reader to consider if the reasons to hate and fear perhaps come from within rather than from without. The author talks about how Muslims have been victimized by the West EVEN AS the West victimizes itself. It is a book which presents the side of those we think ourselves superior to by virtue of them being other (and not being allowed to be otherwise), and which asks if our current state is how we want to be as a society. As the author points out, we cannot claim to uphold the values of freedom, equality, and fraternity if we do not extend those values to everyone who comes within our fold.

I would further argue that American’s anxiety came from its lost of value in meaning and purpose as compare to Islam’s life outlooks. Iran in the Bible describe surprisingly that the prophets and writers of the Hebrew Bible, like Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezra speaks of Persia as chosen by God, chosen for the good and for the blessing of all people. The Hebrew Bible chronicled prophecies, people and events related to Persian kings, epic battles and royal decrees that changed the world and how Jewish people became one of the favored people groups of the Persian empire. I would think that we can not deny there is a total crash of civilization between the West and the Muslim as well. Koch Brothers Exposed (American Billionaire Conspiracy Documentary) | Real Stories is a 2014 exposé on the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, who helped finance the conservative political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity.

Koch brothers, like many Americans and Baby Boomers, had a philosophy that profits are above everything else. They are trying to buy America. Over the years, Koch brothers had spent over 80 million dollars to at least 85 organizations to serve their agenda, and to build an ever-growing right-wing presence. Through vast networks, scripts were written. For example, they funded Texas governor $76K. They take over the state legislature. They designed their grant agreement with universities in such a way, they will exercise maximum control and influence on campus. Many of these grants came with very significant strings attached. They have very clear stipulations that give the Koch brothers excessive control over various aspects of universities’ internal affairs. They set up a pattern that universities are expected to give up their values to exchange for money, and programs they start tend to be one point of view only. They now have financial agreements with 150 colleges and universities. They spent tens of millions of dollars to get their point of view instilled in classrooms, among faculty members. Koch brothers can buy the senate, what is next, the president?

Meanwhile, record-Breaking Two Million Migrants Encountered At U.S. Southern Border. U.S. immigration policy is pushing migrants to take more dangerous routes. There are huge disturbing deadly human smuggling cases occurred. We are a immigrant country, why not allow more people coming? We are short of low cost labor, which is part of the reason causing inflation! Ultimately America is in question: a nation made a moral battleground. Is America to be guided by reason or the revealed word of God? Has the reach of the mind in science, the reach of the hand in technology, gone beyond limits set by nature? With all the tools and the pleasures of modernity at hand, are we too complaisant and too comfortable?

This similar trend of keeping up with the Jones for money and power seem to also start to develop in the Middle East. In November 2022, Qatar hosts the most popular sporting event on the planet: the FIFA World Cup. According to some estimates, the World Cup will cost Qatar around £138 billion (US$220 billion). This is around 60 times what South Africa spent on the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which cost $3.5 billion. As a result of such a large-scale event, it is no surprise that Qatar could potentially reap numerous benefits that spread far beyond the realm of the sporting industry.

The Western mindset of civilization reminds people of the The Bible story of Lot’s wife turning into a pillar of salt . Jesus used event as an example of what not to do just before his Second Coming back to earth. According to Bible scholars, it should be noted Lot’s mate did not miraculously become a mineral for merely taking a quick glance behind her to see the destruction of her home in Sodom. The English word “look” used to describe her action in Genesis 19:17 and 26, comes from the Hebrew nabat (Strong’s Concordance #H5027), which means to look intently in a favorable manner.

In a similar notion, Book Daniel 10 raised an interesting question: who is Prince of Persia? Pastor David Guzik commented on the passage as a great illustration of the principle of non-duality – God has no counter part – Princess Persia is God’s way to test the strength of Daniel’s prayer, his faith and will. This is one of the most revealing passages in the Bible dealing with spiritual warfare, helping us to understand what it is and what it is not. Who are our friends? Who is the enemy? What is our work in the world? A conflict outside is only a reflection of conflict within. Who am I?

In The Splitting of Europe – Global Capitalism with Richard Wolff, Prof Wolff looks at the divisions of Europe: over immigration, Brexit and the Ukraine War, and why capitalism needs divisions like these especially during it’s time of crisis and inequality. “They’re so needy to accommodate the nationalism so that their working class doesn’t turn against them that that same nationalism that saves them condemns them to be unable to become a unified capitalist competitor in the world. And they know it, and they suffer from it.” – Richard Wolff

The US has demonstrated an undeniable neglect towards its citizenry, for the benefit of a relatively few. That phenomena is well-documented and numerically demonstrable. And yet, those same forces are expanding globally. In a world with an ever-expanding population and diminishing resources, it is understandable from a Malthusian perspective. But not from a Human one. The neoliberal disease has spread deep into western societies and are now experiencing terminal decline due to a higher cost of living thus pricing their labor out of the international market. RIP Europe.

The EU right now is in a deep structural crisis (Neoliberalism stands in the way), but it’s also in a moment of deep self-reflection and awareness of the need to re-invent itself. The road will be bumpy, but there’s enough political flexibility to pull it off. Richard Wolff is less optimistic about the US and the UK with their 19th century party system that allows for no political experimentation at all. Richard Wolff believe, Brexit was a measure aimed into the very future unfolding right now. Britain has a predesigned separate role in the war in Ukraine than the EU, which couldn’t be done as a member.

Richard Wolff lived in Denmark. Many there are still not aware of The last 30 years of neo-liberalisation and what it really means. Due to a very slow and “Down-played” transition to neo-liberalism here in DK , people have not Yet fully seen or understood what it means, actually many have not yet at all realized what is going on and when Richard Wolff tried to explain, many think Richard Wolff was nuts. But The case is: many working-class people and people are not aware of having been seduced by narratives “placed” in mainstream media in order to “re-Educate” the Danish population so that most people turn neo-liberalistic. Just as you say: immigrants, refugees are blamed for been the guilty ones. So are “Lazy Robert”, “Poor Carina” and other narratives that serves to pinpoint who are the guilty ones and also gives you official license to shame-blame and stigmatize. And also gives license to victim-blame people that are sick, not able to work permanently or temporarily and so on, blaming as many for Being lazy, not taking responsibility, for faking, for cheating in order to illegitimate the welfare state and any kind of social security, because these terrible people steal your money, steal your future.

This has happened parallel to huge reductions in social welfare and our public welfare institutions are soon to implode due to Extreme mismanagement. But more working-class people and other groups not well of . They are more and more deliberately distracted by neo-liberalistic parties trying to polarize and make people extremely angry and full of hatred. Nasty business with a national election coming up in a few month. We have a social-democratic government BUT for years their politics have been “social-democratic neo-liberalism” and also socialist parties have turned more and more neo-liberalistic in many ways. So I really Fear that our national parliament becomes even more neo-liberalistic after the referendum. Ukraine: to many Danes – if you tell Them that you do not agree with The Way it is tackled or you are not so sure of who are: The good gays and The bad ones and so on – you can almost be sure to be Called traitor, a Putin-lover …

The globalization of 20th century had turned into global crisis. China, acclaimed as number two economic power, is not without serious issues of its own. The huge disparity of wealth is so huge that China topples the inequality rankings. Its GINI COEFFICIENT FELL TO 0.466 IN 2021 FROM 0.474 A DECADE AGO.  China’s Gini coefficient for income peaked at 0.49 in 2008 before falling to 0.47 in 2020. 秦晖教授认为，全球化在西方那里造成了社会不平等的加剧，在中国这里本来应该增加社会平等的一些功能，也没有真正能够落实。 这样，用二十世纪的资本主义和劳工来战胜十九世纪的资本主义，全球化在全球都造成了不平等加剧的现象。如果我们说，以前中国改革决定的是中国的命运的话，那么现在，中国改革在某种意义上还决定着世界的命运，决定着全球化到底趋向于一种良性的进步，还是趋向于劣币驱逐良币。秦晖：21世纪的全球化危机（上）， 危机（下）。从这个意义上说，不要迷恋中国的崛起。

近年来，中国农村出现了一个特殊群体——留守儿童。 所谓农村留守儿童，是指随着大量农村成年男女向城镇转移就业，而大多数人没有带孩子一起去，导致许多农村儿童远离父母或单亲，成为农村家庭的留守儿童，大多依靠祖父母或祖父母的监督。 随着中国农村剩余劳动力向城市转移，农村出现的留守儿童是一个特殊的社会群体，需要高度重视和关注。

While social problem accumulated in each country and region, war and regional tension escalated. Unlimited War became a popular concept in the army, with far reach consequence to ordinary people, and the future generations. Modern war is turning Humanity spiral down into black hole of self annihilation. Let us not forget the adage that “With great power comes great responsibility”! 《超限战》提出可以透过不流血手段达到传统战争可以、甚至不可能达到的效果，它是立足于现代暴力冲突的演变与现代经济、文化、科技领域的高速发展上的。它强调了技术在未来战争中的地位，但是同时也提出军事思想仍是现代军队的重要组成部分。《超限战》一书立足于美国在越战後的历次战争，特别是波斯灣戰爭与科索沃战争，并且与网路攻击、亚洲金融风暴、国际极端恐怖主义相结合，认为未来的战争将是无处不在的，包括金融、貿易、網路駭客、媒體與國際法等範圍，何时何地都将是战场。This type of thoughts is exactly what Buddha taught to us, the cause of our suffering and karma: ignorance, greed and hatred caused by illusion.

In Search for Functional Government in the Era of Modern Globalization – Theories on Where the Government Power Come From ?

Posted on by PathFinder

Observing American democracy experiment of the last 240 years, and this recent midterm election, again more and more theatrical performance and embarrassment were displayed before the public. Election debate maybe sometimes a good way for the public to see different perspective and get more understanding for issues. But the deterioration of the quality of candidates and lacking of systematic way to select government officers, had make such platforms more like a show business rather than evaluation of true competence.

Thus these elections become a waste of time/resources/energy. Even worse, it actually prove the antithesis of government, and spread distrust of governance, which is what those advocate for small government are seeking for. And with such huge disparage of power and wealth, the general public has no reason and no resource to waste any way when had so much emergency needs that need their immediate attention.

For millenniums, people argue about where the source of power come from. Initially was the theory of Divine Right of Kings, Enlightenment Movement brought along the concept of “social contract theory”, which says that people live together in society in accordance with an agreement that establishes moral and political rules of behavior, the right to rule come from people. Now with quantumn physics, we also know nature had a right for itself as well – the Divine right of Nature. When human’s activities upset the nature balances, Nature will turn against us, just take the example of the polluted water source and earth penalize human being’s violation of the nature law.

So a civilized society does need good governance. Just like people need traffic light for the smooth operation of clearance. That was why after witness the brutality of war, Thomas Hobbes wrote in Leviathan, to set out his doctrine of the foundation of states and legitimate governments and creating an objective science of morality.  Much of the book is occupied which demonstrating the necessity of a strong central authority to avoid the evil of discord and civil war. The destruction of French Revolution proved Thomas Hobbes’ insight has its point. The Great Britain civil war under Oliver Cromwell made England republic only for a very short period known as the Interregnum from 1649 to 1660. The numerous wars and eventually the WWI and WWII proved Rousseau’s argument does not seem to hold.

And contrary to John Locke theory, Human does not have total control of its destiny. He unconsciously dream walk under the influence of karma. However he can defy the gravity of karma to a certain degree by the sheer will of his own effort. We existed in spiritual form before we were born into this physical world to learn spiritual lessons. “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”  Buddhism core value teaches us about THE THREE UNIVERSAL TRUTHS, we each is a miniature of the cosmos Source. Our ultimate path is to return to the Source by attaining spiritual enlightenment :

  1. Nothing is lost in the universe ( form is Emptiness; Emptiness is form)
  2. Everything Changes (Impermance)
  3. The Law of Cause and Effect (Dukka, Karma, Samsara)

Ultimately governance is to establish and maintain orders, macro, meso and micro. It is also a service. Not only the most disadvantaged group really needs the help, but a functional society need social customs and a code of conduct to run smoothly. And those orders bring harmony, balance and peace. When the ruling class does not have the welfare of its people in mind, it disrupt such balance and the status quo will not last long. Because the world belong to the public (天下为公)，small group of people can in short time control resources and wealth for their selfish benefits. History had numerous lessons of downfall of dynasties. Good governance requires learning of maturity, wisdom and true service. And those qualities depend on the consciousness development about privilege and obligations.

从孔孟思想到陆王心学，儒家思想是如何贯穿中国封建社会两千年的

Confucianism’s Four Book and Five Classics (《四书五经〉） layout a framework of the relationship between people in family, community and government. A set of practices including not only education, but selection of officers through imperial exam at each level of government. This talent selection system had been working well since 6th century to the late 19th century, and provide a foundation of individual character development and social stability. 《儒家政治理论及其现代价值》一书比较了民主思想和民本思想的不同。对儒家政治理论中的宗法精神与鬼神观念、家国理论、君主集权理论、君权运作理论、德政理论、纲常理论、人才思想、臣道观、民本思想等都进行了阐释，提出了有价值的见解 。以孔子为代表的儒家学派是“入世”理念的实践者，他们提倡积极的人生态度，希望对社会发展做出自己的贡献。在这个前提下，民本思想的基本功能则是在肯定君主统治合法性和专制制度合理性的前提下，通过对拥有绝对权力的统治者的道德启发实现官民双方的互利互惠。作者认为民主思想对人类的政治制度建构和政治文明建设做出了巨大贡献， 而从民本思想中发展不出现代社会的民主思想。

王守仁接受了陆九渊的“心即理”学说，完成了心学体系，提出“心外无物，心外无理”，认为身之主宰便是心，心之本体便是理，心之所发便是意，意之所在便是物，心外无物。认为“心”与“理”合一，不可分离。

黄俊杰：“儒家民主政治”如何可能？——从当代新儒家出发思考一文则探讨了儒家式民主政治之可欲性与可能性，认为徐复观构想中的儒家式民主政治，在理论上之困难在于过度注重“积极自由”而忽视“消极自由”，并且未赋予人民以平等的参政权，儒家以社群为中心的道德观忽视个人权利；而在实践上的困难则在于忽视自耕农阶级在现代商业资本主义社会中的脆弱性。本文指出，儒家式民主政治的提法有其创见，但不免有“时代错误“之嫌。

王守仁（心学集大成者）与孔子（儒学创始人）、孟子（儒学集大成者）、朱熹（理学集大成者）并称为孔、孟、朱、王。王守仁的学说思想王学（阳明学），是明代影响最大的哲学思想。他是明代著名的思想家、文学家、哲学家和军事家，精通儒家、道家、佛家, 是心学集大成者。他一生文治武功俱称于世，集立德、立功、立言于一身，被誉为“真三不朽”者，他的心学对明后期哲学与文艺影响巨大，其影响一直延续到近代而且传播中外。在中国历史上，称为“两个半圣人”，即孔子、王阳明和曾国藩，孔子和王阳明各占其一，曾国藩只算半个（曾国藩：靠山山倒，靠人人跑，人生只有两件事靠得住…）。王阳明的心学与佛教异曲同工，对现代社会的诟病将有巨大的启示。

Modern society is showing the many signs of demise of the predatory, outdated system that is capitalism which the theory of democracy is based on. According to new polling, just half of young Americans hold a favorable view of capitalism. This tracks with other, similar polls, but why is it happening? What is it about capitalism that is so unappealing to young people? Some statistics give some insight. At the end of 2022’s first quarter, Americans age 70 and above had a net worth of nearly $35 trillion, according to Federal Reserve data. That amounts to 27% of all U.S. wealth, up from 20% three decades ago. Americans at retirement age had a median wealth 19 times that of those in the under-35 age group. The median American net worth picks up after age 35. Americans between 35 and 44 years old had a median net worth of $91,110, six-and-a-half times that of those under 35. How the Baby Boomers Ruined Society in America explain some of the reasons.

The modern education focus on skill rather than character cultivation, secularization total mislead human about the ultimate purpose of life. Individualism take over as the guiding principles. Anne Ryan’s objectivism replace Bible as this modern mentality dominate the mindset of society, especially the elite class. Computer information revolution turned out strengthen the western reductionist way to thinking. Break down of social relationships at level of family, community pull the rug out from under the very foundation of society, leading the civilization into dead end. That is how urgency we need to return to classical teaching of truth – Confucius and Buddhism, and Bible.

Meanwhile the middle class has seen modest growth of 7 percent in their net worth since 1995, it has not yet recovered to its previous peak in 2007. This tepid recovery is driven by declines in home-ownership and stock market participation since 2007—if you do not hold assets, you cannot benefit from recovery in asset prices. Michael Hudson discussed in his book The Destiny of Civilization: Finance Capitalism, Industrial Capitalism or Socialism: The world economy is fracturing into two powerful groups of nations, with very different philosophies and objectives. Hudson answers our questions about the repercussions. “Globalization is on its deathbed,” says economist Mike O’Sullivan.。 In The end of globalization, The question now is: What’s next? Tracing the historical successes and failures of globalization, O’Sullivan forecasts a new world order where countries come together over shared values rather than geography. Learn how big regional powers like the United States and China will be driven by distinct ways of governing trade, technology and people — while smaller nations will forge new alliances to solve problems.

After industrial capitalism, financial capitalism, is civilization heading into state capitalism? Globalization causing extreme unbalanced wealth distribution. Everybody desire for the benefits of globalization, but thug away the responsibility of maintenance. All want to transfer the cost to other. And thus war is a constant result of dispute. The war in Ukrainian for example, is another indication that the implication can be including nuclear destruction. According to Professor Jeffery Sach, U.S government had agreement with USSR in 1990 to not expand NATO to Russia’s border. Alas just in 30 years, NATO had expanded five times to put pressure on Russia, causing Putin to threat the usage of nuclear weapon. Similar situation happened with Iran, North Korea.

U.S had weaponize the dollar and economic sanctions to these countries, causing tensions of relationship and constant threat of outbreak of war. The Hopi prophecies are coming true — here’s why we should pay attention. The prophecies’ warnings about Western man’s way of life is out of balance with the Creator’s Law. An indigenous group has disappeared every year since 1900. What unique and immemorial relationship with existence has humanity expunged in the name of progress? The answers are starting to haunt civilization in ways we cannot measure.

Master Chanlu from Taiwan has very insightful observation of the democratic election and politics in general. The bottom line of all these election is not to help the help the general citizens, rather it is just shows to cover the hidden agendas. Although he is talking about Taiwan, it is generally enough to apply to human nature and society with such underpins. I wrote down the excepts here. 常律老和尚精湛開示錄 常律老和尚谈到三纲五常，长幼有序，要长治久安不是靠政府，而是靠佛弟子。 从蒋经国之后，李登辉，阿扁，马英九，蔡英文四任总统，我们可以确定一个真相，台湾谁来当总统都已经一样了。民进党，国民党，执政党，在野党来当都一样。都是以政党利益为优先考量。 他们绝对不会去考虑人民的福祉。 所以以后选总统都不要去选了。 浪费时间。 选谁都没有用了。这是可以确定的。台湾总统一代不如一代了， 越来越糟糕。 我们不要梦想未来会出明君，常律老和尚说他可以铁定预言台湾不可能再有明君出现。 只要有两党存在就不可能。

因为台湾的民主政治不成熟。不成熟的民主， 你却去采取美国几百年的政治的那一种模式，套用在台湾，行不通。 你要像新加坡这样，李光耀总理看到民主政治不成熟， 他不敢大胆的改变那么快速。 台湾的民主才有几年，却拿美国，英国那种自由民主来套用在台湾政治，一定失败。 李光耀总理知道一个未成熟的民主国家，一定要半威权，半民主。 不能完全彻底的开放，自由。否则就会失去国家的命脉。总统三番两次请和尚到总统府去讲话，因为长期的，总统了解和尚对政治有超越的观察力。为什么这么多历届的总统，在野党也好，执政党也好，各县市长，立委经常来请教常律老和尚， 难道他们头脑是那么肤浅， 会请教一个出家师父，老和尚吗？ 因为常律老和尚会给他们idea。 比如马英九总统就是采用常律老和尚建议的四个政策和很多建议。 但是当时的在野党民进党以党派利益至上，多方阻扰马英九的行政令， 为抵制而抵制。 政党的恶斗，结仇太深。 还有统独的问题，也在互相斗争。 所以台湾谁来当总统都一样。

而新加坡的政府很强势，所以他们没有游行，政府说了算。 但是政府的霸权是霸的有道理。 他们的公务员薪水很高，但没有贪污。 常律老和尚跟马英九总统谈国防，监察院的问题，法院如何改变， 司法的弊端，还有孔龙法官，司法，检察体系都有谈到，但是都被当时的在野党打枪。同样，当民进党有好的政策，国民党也全力抵制。 互相较劲。 所以这个国家没有前途了。 常律老和尚再次提出菩萨一直指示要改变这个国家，就是应该在台湾的地理中心（心脏），埔里，集结更多男众出家人，用男众出家人强而有力的功德力来改造这个国家。 可是好像没有人能听得懂和尚的话。 男众你们听只是这样听。 没有那种要牺牲自己来救国家，纵使出家是牺牲也好，就像当兵要打仗，男人要牺牲生命才能保卫国家。 没有人要来。 菩萨再怎么指示也没有用。 这就是我们的业力太重了。

常律老和尚根据他弟弟开世界工厂大企业的经验，已经正德团体中很多开大工厂的志工，大家看法都一样。 还引香港为例，香港人家家请外劳作保姆，帮助带孩子，做饭，整理房间，外劳作保姆费用合理，香港人每家都出得起，夫妇都在外面上班， 拼经济。 这样才对呀。 这个道理所有企业家，大家都知道。工厂请不到工人。 台湾的政府订的对外劳工人的福利很好，增加了企业的成本。 工厂的成本，生产的成本。 很多企业家都请常律老和尚跟总统建议，老和尚尽了力，大家听都听得懂，但是政府没有接纳。国家的政府实在是头脑坏了。办公人员没有生活常识，没有社会经验，整天都坐办公桌，死办公，不会去外面听听民间人家的反应。 台湾政府请技术经验的专家是按照其本国的薪金水平来参考的，但是请泰劳，菲佣，竟然是比照台湾本地的薪资水平给外佣。 结果增加了工厂的成本。 非常笨。 这种政府实在是没有用。

Modern Chinese Hallelujah – the Ugly Side of PRC

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There are a lot of problem with society, Globalization does make things much complicate and easy to get generalized by name. But as a global citizen, we take a certain stand on issues to support the true democracy and universal value of peace, equality and justice regardless in what countries/region, hopefully to support a environment of minimal code of being human, holding the government officers accountable, treating people equally under the law. Due to the long history, there is a total difference of Modern China which was led by CCP, and the ancient China. Below are some of the recent news we hear from recent China lost children, CCP officers abusing of power.

People missing alarm remind of one assembly line of human organ removal crime by the army doctor. This is more serious than war crime. 《活摘－十年调查 》:中国军医曝光大陆活摘器官一条龙黑幕. Nothing – 5G, computer chips, China 2025 dream can justify this kind of barbarousness. 人在做事天在看，头上三尺有神灵。 Chinese Communist Party is a party of corruption and gangster. In fact, religious concerns are considered by many as an important reason that explains why many individuals decline deceased and live organ donation and/or the willingness to accept a transplant.

2022年8月31日，联合国人权事务高级专员米歇尔·巴切莱特发布了一份关于中国对待新疆维吾尔族穆斯林和其他穆斯林少数民族的报告。报告发现，中国对这些群体的待遇可能构成危害人类罪。报告的结论是，该省“发生了严重的侵犯人权行为”，报告将其归因于中国针对维吾尔穆斯林和其他穆斯林少数群体的“反恐和反‘极端主义’战略的应用”。报告也显示，“关于酷刑或虐待模式的指控，包括强迫医疗和恶劣的拘留条件，是可信的，对个别性暴力和基于性别的暴力事件的指控也是可信的”

All of the issues starting from CCP had an ideology of Marxist’ violence, disregard ethics and basic respect of humanity. CCP are frightened by its own lack of democratic legitimacy, increasingly repressive on religious freedom. During Culture Revolution, they brutally persecuted many religion leaders and broke down temples, burned religion texts. The insanity is based on hatred without any basic conscience restrain. 害人狂魔 中国共产党90年罪恶史。

曾任中国佛教协会会长喜绕嘉措向上反映说：“ 你们共产党毁坏寺院，焚烧经书，欺辱僧尼，滥杀无辜，蒋介石，马步芳没有做作过的事，你们做了。 这些年的毛病，一说假话，二不认错，三乱整人，四无佛心，不讲人道“。 这些直言不讳的良心话，为喜饶嘉措招来了”反党叛国“ 的罪名。 在文革中又被揪斗，于1968年含冤去世。

十世班禅喇嘛也为他那仗义执言的 《七万言书》付出了沉重的代价。 毛泽东把《七万言书》说成是无产阶级敌人的反攻倒算。 在后来的二十多年中，班禅喇嘛经历各种批斗软禁， 以及近十年的铁窗生涯。

The book Nine Commentary about Chinese Communist Party is another public crying for justice based on refugees came out from the persecutions of 1989 June 4th Tian An Men Event. Communist party ruled on the simple reductionist adage of “Cat that can catch mouse is a good cat, regardless white or black”, the lawless for the ruling class and iron fist suppression for the subjects, reveal the true color of this political group.

CCP boasted their virtue of holding socialist policy, they are the second largest economic power but the reports we hear sounds like the high pressure ruling will not work. Can we learn from the past not to create more trauma? 民本、民权、民生是一个为社会服务的政府应有的宗旨。“水能载舟,亦能覆舟”原是魏征“纳谏”的话,唐太宗李世民常用告诫后人。CCP 应该重返以儒家四书五经为本的规范和公务员考试 摈弃所谓的阶级论，摈弃马克思唯物论的偏差。 实事求是，言行一至， 才能获得人们的拥护和支持。

An American Government Put on By the Oligarchy and Serve the Autocracy

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Now that mid-term election is just over, there seems campaign is kicking off for the 2024 election already. American power that being enjoy the dazzling shows that confusing everyone: The government do not govern, but on the election all the time. According to election commission data, Presidential candidates raised and spent $4.1 billion in the 24 months of the 2019-2020 election cycle, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission that cover activity from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2020. It is said that elected officials earn anywhere from $193,400-to -$400,000 per year. But what had they do for people? Now FTX a Ponzi Scheme Scam by SBF With HUGE TIES to US Government? If so, Democrats are in the middle of the ‘biggest financial fraud case in US history’.

So much that has occurred in the last 3 or 4 years is so wrong. Dr. Robert Malone is one of the clear headed, as early as in March/April 2020, Robert Malone & the dark horse podcast was one of the few voices speaking logic, questioning why there was so much fear spreading propaganda behind Covid. Every move made was calculated and designed to stop society having freedom of choice. We are thankful that there are still people of conscience like Dr. Malone putting himself and his reputation on the line so many times to help humanity see through the propaganda. A lot of people who made a lot of money on Covid-19 are good friends of Mr. Bill Gates. Dr. Malone has traveled quite extensively, but every time he turn around, there he found the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. For the first time in history the ineffectiveness of a medicine is being blamed on those who refuse to take it. Dr. Malone spoke of we are dealing with the multi-factoria condition in which we have some absolutely nefarious actors that have exploited what has occurred here, and this includes various players involved in the Global Financial system. They are the ones behind this and triggered all these. Robert Malone Reveals Bill Gates played a key role in advancing a lot of the mistakes that happened here.

The working class and the poor did not have a say. But You won’t believe who is going after Bill Gates now! In this video, not only Russell Brand, but we take a look at the 50 groups that are targeting him for his global domination in the agricultural and technological sector. This may be surprising to you, but they all have one goal in mind- to stop Gates from controlling the world food supply. With great power comes great responsibility. It is time for Bill Gates to use his resources and platform to find solution for supporting people’s right and dignity, rather than promoting initiatives that benefits himself and his corporate cronies. Some comment: This is what happens when a software thief actually believes that he is a farmer and a scientist. Another damage he did was on education. Some audience suggests: Bill Gates should be the first person to be responsible for to lost of teachers job. Next should be Klaus Schwab followed by Alejandro Mayorkas then Merrick Garland then John Kerry, Adam Schiff, Nancy Pelosi, Eric Swalwell, Chuck Schumer, take your pick.

Dr. Malone think of Bill Gate’s logic had been there was just not enough data or not enough tools to process all the data. And now we’ve got these cool new things like machine learning and deep learning artificial intelligence etc, now if we just had enough data from everybody in the world, we could run that into our massive metaphorical spreadsheet, really figure out how to make the world on Rails. What we see in the last three years has just been a chronic bungling. The banishment of this affair has demonstrated a profound level of incompetence and what blow people’s mind is that WHO and CDC, a lot of these other actors have been involved in these. That does not work in Dr. Malone’s deep learning algorithms. We should stop defining Humanity by using the computer language of economics, we should stop defining human beings as economic entities as numbers on the spreadsheet. Humans are so much more than that. The art has turned dead, all it about is how rich you are, how much money you can make. You can make your jet, your boat, fancy cars, what you got at the bank, how much power you have, What happen to the communities, what happen to spiritualism, what happen to commitment to our children, commitment to education, commitment to Future Generations? All these talk about Green living int he Green world, there is a whole lot of talk and exploitation of Nitrogen loads in Dutch Farmers as ways to justify other agendas. The folks that has been advancing these agendas have been doing so for so long and they have amassed such massive amounts of capital, that they are going to have their way with us. Senator Rand Paul Has A Message For Biden About COVID-19.

Michael Hudson | Economy is one big PONZI SCHEME. A financial network connects to a political network that connects to a corporate network, and then even a philanthropic and even cultural network – and what you get is a very strong entrenched power and amplified power. Scary stuff that appears to amplify at a global level the insights of C. Wright Mills ( The Power Elite ) and G. William Domhoff ( Who Rules America? ). In the second quarter of 2022, 68 percent of the total wealth in the United States was owned by the top 10 percent of earners. In comparison, the lowest 50 percent of earners only owned 3.2 percent of the total wealth. The 1% own 57% of private companies, according to the Federal Reserve.  Jeffrey Sachs Explains Why America Is Entering A Horrific Financial Crisis… The 1% own more than 50% of the equity shares in both private and public companies. Much of their wealth comes from soaring stock prices. Professor Sach had worked extensively in Russia, Central Europe, in China and other parts of the world. He said America has three decades of militarization of American foreign policy, data showed that there have been more than 100 military interventions by the United States since 1991. USA is a country of 4.2% of the population in a big, diverse world, the West, meaning the US and European Union, and G7 together is a small part of world Population, perhaps roughly 10%. We should learn to get along. Instead, we are using weaponry – a military first approach to any problems. U.S called for Nato enlargement, no matter what other countries say may be armful to their security interests. We brush aside other countries’ interest. That not only make the world more danger, it also put American in more danger.

https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying data

Another public figure with a great historical context and practical insight is Professor Hudson. Michael Hudson: A New Bipolar World. US finance capitalism vs. China’s mixed public/ private economy spoke of Western and U.S financial oligarchies’s aim is to shift economic planning out of the hands of elected governments to Wall street and other Financial Centers that are under U.S control . A U.S policy use the international monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank to demand privatization of the world’s infrastructure for countries to be dependent on U.S technology, oil and food exports. So what does it mean by autocracy? Government that seek to govern their own economy and avoid that kind of fictionalization and privatization, (Thatcherism and Reaganomics). Germany and Europe are now being forced into a depression and de-industrialization as a result of the sanctions that the Americans have told them to impose on Russia.

What in American Dream that Delude the People ? 7  Twelve Dependent Links Arising

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Don’t Indulge the Wild Mind： The Buddha said, “Be careful not to believe your own mind; your mind is not to be believed. Be careful not to get involved with sex; involvement with sex leads to disaster. After you have attained Arhatship, you can believe your own mind.” – Sutra of Forty-Two Sections, Section 28 第二十八章．意马莫纵 佛言。慎勿信汝意。汝意不可信。慎勿与色会。色会即祸生。得阿罗汉已。乃可信汝意。

Staying Mindful of Moral Precepts Brings Us Close to the Way： The Buddha said, “My disciples may be several thousand miles away from me, but if they remember my moral precepts, they will certainly attain the fruition of the Way. If those who are by my side do not follow my moral precepts, they may see me constantly, but in the end they will not attain the Way.” – Sutra of Forty-Two Sections, Section 37 第三十七章．念戒近道 佛言。佛子离吾数千里。忆念吾戒。必得道果。在吾左右。虽常见吾。不顺吾戒。终不得道。

“You were invigorated by mindfulness of God, migration from oneself to God—which is the greatest migration—migration from ego to the truth, and from this world to the unseen world.” ― Ruhollah Khomeini

“If you have divine motives, material benefits will follow suit but they are no longer material; they have become divine.”
― Ruhollah Khomeini

Desire is the tie that binds us from lifetime to lifetime. Desire and will are twins. The use of our will, good or ill, in past lives turn into our rewards/reparation for this time life. 佛经说：“欲知前世因，今生受者是；欲知来世果，今生作者是。”说的今生所受的善恶性果报，都是自己所种的业因，是自种因，自受果。请看32 个详细图解佛教因果定律， 点击每个图可以看到高清。

Each of us are ultimately answer to ourselves. Self governance start from each individual responsible for self cultivation in thoughts, speech and actions. Confucius Great Learning said to us: Cultivate the self, regulate the family, govern the state, then lead the world to peace. 物格而后知至；知至而后意诚；意诚而后心正；心正而后身修；身修而后家齐；家齐而后国治；国治而后天下平。

What in American Dream that Delude the People? 6 Thomas Sowell: Citizen vs. United Case and the Elitist Social Movement that Metastasized into Woke Culture

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I am not familiar with politics, but Paul Craig Robert had written three blogs about election being stolen, can turn into another similar confusing situation as that of January 6th 2021 which caused a upheaval of the country. All these happen make me distrust so called “Democracy”. Politics is bought by money, government had openly allow campaign donations which had a huge loop hole to round about doing all kind of manipulation by the will of the big donors and political know-hows which can swing the votes. Of course a lot of it has to do with the Supreme Court voiding much of the campaign finance laws in “Citizen vs. United“.  In 1995, Thomas Sowell examined the elitist social movement that has now metastasized into Woke culture. Many comments that Thomas Sowell is a greater American mind, gave us some clue of the core of the issues.

Election reflections at Liberty Pen website reminds us that election night may have held the promise of a red wave but delivered the same old stagnate pond. Discontent in America was not what many of us thought. ………. A great deal of wisdom is displayed in an ancient Chinese adage: “When I talk, I put on my mask. When I act, I take it off.” – another contraction! In other words, talk is cheap; actions are what matter. Consider that about three quarters of respondents told pollsters that they felt America was going in the wrong direction, yet when the time for action arrived, they reinstalled the status quo. 

Not to mention nowadays big organization can easily use technology to distribute centralized plan without much staff. The book Rules for Revolutionaries: How Big Organizing Can Change Everything published in 2016 actually gave you detail account of how this can be done in today’s anarchy environment. It offers a riveting, behind-the-scene narrative of how a small “distributed organizing” team operating on the fringes of the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign was able to identify, recruit, train, and activate hundreds of thousands of volunteers to make over seventy-five million calls, launch eight million individually sent text messages, and to hold more than one hundred thousand public meetings in an effort to put Sander’s insurgent campaign over the top. This is the very reason why Socrates Hated Democracy. Because such operation is a phenomenon of separation of state and church, and can be easily taken over by the motto of the end justify the means.

The similar scheme of operation is also nowadays applied to business process. The book Capital is Dead: Is This Something Worse? It’s not capitalism, it’s not neoliberalism—what if it’s something worse? 2019.  Author McKenzie Wark argues that information has empowered a new kind of ruling class. Through the ownership and control of information, this emergent class dominates not only labour but capital as traditionally understood as well. And it’s not just tech companies like Amazon and Google. Even Walmart and Nike can now dominate the entire production chain through the ownership of not much more than brands, patents, copyrights, and logistical systems.

While techno-utopian apologists still celebrate these innovations as an improvement on capitalism, for workers—and the planet—it’s worse. The new ruling class uses the powers of information to route around any obstacle labor and social movements put up. So how do we find a way out? Capital Is Dead offers not only the theoretical tools to analyze this new world, but ways to change it. Drawing on the writings of a surprising range of classic and contemporary theorists, Wark offers an illuminating overview of the contemporary condition and the emerging class forces that control—and contest—it.

But of course judges ARE fallible human beings affected by the same politics as anybody else. If court decisions WERE made on the basis of defined objective principles, all Supreme Court decisions would be rendered unanimously, not split 5 to 4 as most of the important decisions are. So in the end, the federal, state, and local laws are no more and no less than what the federal judges say they are.

It is surely a paradox to say that we live in a “democracy” when the reality is that a majority of five of the nine unelected Supreme Court justices with lifetime tenure trump the elected President, the 535 elected Congresspersons and Senators, the 50 state legislatures, and every state and local court in the nation. The paradox is that an unelected judiciary appears to be essential to preserving democracy. Examples of what happens in countries where the judiciary is weak can be seen in Latin America where all too often the law is whatever the president or junta of the day says it is. Nobody’s liberties are safe where the judiciary can be overruled by the whims of chief executives and legislatures.

Americans instinctively understand this paradox. Presidents and Congresses have often criticized the courts, but none has ever succeeded in defying them. Mr. Jefferson famously tried to remove the Federalist “midnight judges” appointed by his predecessor John Adams, and was administered a thumping rebuke not only by Justice Marshall but by his own party in Congress. FDR nearly destroyed his otherwise-popular presidency by attempting to “pack the court” with justices favorable to his views. Now Democratic party has embarked on the same unproductive path of trying to influence (intimidate?) the Supremes into reversing their positions. Thus, as much as we are prone to criticizing the courts,  we instinctively understand that they should remain the supreme authority on the law.

IS there a way to “improve” the decision-making processes of the courts, presumably to make them more true to the Founder’s ideals as expressed in the Constitution, without disturbing their cherished role as final arbiters of the law? Judge Wilkinson, a Federal Appellate Judge, sets out to answer that question.

Judge Wilkinson compassionately offer an explaining the paradox of judicial democracy of American constitutional law undergone a transformation in Cosmic Constitutional Theory: Why Americans Are Losing Their Inalienable Right to Self-Governance (Inalienable Rights). Issues once left to the people have increasingly become the province of the courts. Subjects as diverse as abortion rights and firearms regulations, health care reform and counterterrorism efforts, not to mention a millennial presidential election, are more and more the domain of judges.

What sparked this development? In this engaging volume, Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson argues that America’s most brilliant legal minds have launched a set of cosmic constitutional theories that, for all their value, are undermining self-governance. Thinkers as diverse as Justices William Brennan and Antonin Scalia, Professor John Hart Ely, Judges Robert Bork and Richard Posner, have all produced seminal interpretations of our Founding document, but ones that promise to imbue courts with unprecedented powers. While crediting the theorists for the sparkling quality of their thoughts, Judge Wilkinson argues they will slowly erode the role of representative institutions in America and leave our children bereft of democratic liberty.

The loser in all the theoretical fireworks is the old and honorable tradition of judicial restraint. The judicial modesty once practiced by Learned Hand, John Harlan, and Oliver Wendell Holmes has given way to competing schools of liberal and conservative activism seeking sanctuary in Living Constitutionalism, Originalism, Process Theory, or the supposedly anti-theoretical creed of Pragmatism. Each of these seemingly disparate theories promises their followers an intellectually respectable route to congenial political outcomes from the bench. Judge Wilkinson calls for a plainer, simpler, self-disciplined commitment to judicial restraint and democratic governance, a course that alas may be impossible so long as the cosmic constitutionalists so dominate contemporary legal thought.

But things happened in 1960s may give us some more insight. Judge Wilkinson argued in All Falling Faiths: Reflections on the Promise and Failure of the 1960s , a warm and intimate memoir, that 1960s inflicted enormous damage on our country; even at this very hour we see the decade’s imprint in so much of what we say and do. The chapters reveal the harm done to the true meaning of education, to our capacity for lasting personal commitments, to our respect for the rule of law, to our sense of rootedness and home, to our desire for service, to our capacity for national unity, to our need for the sustenance of faith. Judge Wilkinson does not seek to lecture but to share in the most personal sense what life was like in the 1960s, and to describe the influence of those frighteningly eventful years upon the present day.

Judge Wilkinson acknowledges the good things accomplished by the Sixties and nourishes the belief that we can learn from that decade ways to build a better future. But he asks his own generation to recognize its youthful mistakes and pleads with future generations not to repeat them. The author’s voice is one of love and hope for America. But our national prospects depend on facing honestly the full magnitude of all we lost during one momentous decade and of all we must now recover.

But to me, I think fundamentally, American history indicated that people had put their judgement above the God, the separation of State and Church had brought out all the disorientation and paradox in constitutional interpretations.

What in American Dream that Delude the People? 5 Oglala Sioux: Black Elk Speaks – How the Result of American Revolution Affects Native American

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Although I had not been following economic much, but occasionally some of the news still let me feel uneasy that we may have economic storm that will lay off many people. Everyone follows the cycle of nature law, what goes up will go down, what goes down will go up. Just as the Yin Yang Symbol indicated, there is an inherent dynamic equilibrium that strive for balance. Change is constant, nothing is absolutely bad, nothing is absolutely good, just as there are spring, there are autumn and the seasons cycle goes on forever. America is now having Pluto return to the place when the country was founded, and Pluto is about creative destruction.

Wise people will take full advantage while they are young and take all opportunity to cultivate perfection of their characters， by making adjustments and expanding their consciousness. Time Waits for No One.

The American Revolutionary War not only determine the future of the American colonies, but it also shaped the future of the Native peoples who lived in and around them. Native Americans played a major role in the Revolutionary War, a role that is often minimized or misunderstood. Including them in the history of the war is crucial to understanding the full story of the founding of the United States. This part of history is another indication of the contradictory hidden in the collective unconsciousness of American experiment.

Even before the outbreak of war, the colonists were angered by the ways that the British government tried to manage the relationship between its colonists and Native Americans. The British were concerned by violence between white settlers and Native peoples on the frontiers and attempted to keep the two groups apart. While most Native communities tried to remain neutral in the fighting between the Crown and its colonists, as the war continued many of them had to make difficult decisions about how and when to support one side or the other. While many Native Americans fought with the British, battles on the frontiers involved very few professional British soldiers. Most of the fighting was between Native warriors, American Loyalists, and rebel militia. This war did not end when General Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown in 1781. In fact, as the war east of the Appalachians came to an end, the war on the frontiers became more intense; 1782 became known as the “Bloody Year.”

While the Revolutionary War cost Britain the Thirteen Colonies, it cost Native Americans much, much more. In the peace treaty, in addition to recognizing the independence of the United States, the British ceded to the new nation all British territory east of the Mississippi and south of Canada. This decision was made without any input from the Native Americans who lived on those lands, most of whom had chosen to side with the British precisely because they wanted to block further white settlement. When settlers did flood into the newly acquired territory, many of them justified harsh treatment and expulsion of Native Americans with the belief that all Native peoples had supported the British during the war. When Native Americans fought back against the United States, they found very little support from their former British allies.

The Result of American Revolution affected Native Americans by opening up western settlement and creating governments hostile to their territorial claims. Even more broadly, the Revolution ended the mercantilist economy, opening new opportunities in trade and manufacturing. The book Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux , an authentic recollection, taken down in 1930 by a professor/anthropologist, of a Sioux medicine man and warrior’s life, an Indian who was present at both the defeat of General Custer (1876) and the massacre of Sioux women and children at Wounded Knee in 1890. The speaker, Black Elk, tells with great poignancy his early visions as a youth that propelled him to be a healer; of the betrayal of his Sioux people by the whites when gold was discovered in the Black Hills of Dakota territory; of the “rubbing out of Long Hair” ( the defeat of Custer), of Black Elk’s travels in Europe as a performer in Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show; and finally of his return to the frontier to witness and fight against US soldiers at Wounded Knee. He also recounts the assassinations of Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull by the Reservation police. This is a book that should be on the reading list of every US high school’s American History class. It is a rare insight into the broken treaties and the final betrayal, incarceration and placing on reservations of the proud, independent Sioux nation. It is the end of the frontier and the end of a way of life.

In Buddhism, we learn about cause and effects – the law of karma: that every volitional act brings about a certain result. 因果不虚。 If we act motivated by greed, hatred, or delusion, we are planting the seed of suffering; when our acts are motivated by generosity, love, or wisdom, then we are creating the karmic conditions for abundance and happiness. An analogy from the physical world illustrates this: if we plant an apple seed, the tree that grows will bear apples, not mangoes. And once the apple seed is planted, no amount of manipulation or beseeching or complaining will induce the tree to yield a mango. The only meaningful action that will produce a mango is to plant a mango seed. Karma is just such a law of nature, the law of cause and effect on the psychophysical plane.

What in American Dream that Delude the People? 4 The Epic of America and the Ksudrapanthaka’s Story of Sweep and Clean

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The term “American Dream” was coined by James Truslow Adams in 1931 book The Epic of America, saying that “life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement” regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. Since then it become a national ethos, the set of ideals (democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity, and equality) in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, as well as an upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers. Civil Right activist Martin Luther King famously said “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” So both Adams and King stress the cultivation of character as the essence of American Dream.

I have not been following much about economy. But seems like we are heading towards devastation. Just from election campaign I heard one of the big issues now confronting the majority Americans are inflation. Financial Analyst Peter Schiff has been warning about “USA Collapse Will Be Far WORSE Than You Think…” Economist Paul Craig Roberts asked: ” Is the Federal Reserve Merely Incompetent or Is There a Dark Agenda?”

This is another irony/contradiction that while globalization has been a popular trend for decades, why American’s competitive ability lagging so far behind the international level? We have everything very expensive here but do not receive good service. University charge a lot of tuition without much elevating the character or skill level for the youth; American pay the highest medical bill/insurance, alas national longevity is among some third world countries; Banks employed so many mathematics, economic PhDs, but average American’s living qualities are declining. It seems that from CPI data, service category takes up a high percentage of the expenses. On the whole, American job holders seems to asking more pay without doing as good a job as international competitors. American Dream should be an inspiration for cultivation of character rather than as security hub for laying back or laziness complainers.

And if we are lacking of skills, we may need to do some serious study and contemplation. I used to have inferiority complex when I was a kid. I was actually a little bit stammer. But I love reading books, and study gave me the peace of mind. Little by little I start to gain confidence in school when I put in effort in study. Now I am in my mid-50th, and I am still study new things. I gain self assurance and sufficiency over the time by continuously study to keep up with development.

Let me tell you a Buddhism story about Ksudrapanthaka. He was one of the 25 sages in the Surangame Sutra. But can you believe that he used to be thought of as stupid by everyone because he could not recital any verses. He had such a bad memory and did so poorly in the Sangha that he was almost expelled out by his brother. Buddha happen to pass by and saw Ksudrapanthaka weeping. So Buddha compassionately taught him just try remember two words 「掃帚」- “sweep and clean” while sweeping the floor. 由於資質魯鈍，常受到別人的嘲笑，所以佛陀教他於掃地時背誦「掃帚」二字。Starting from two words, Ksudrapanthaka persevered for years, and gradually he can remember longer verses. Progressive he thought, desire are like dust, a wise man must remove all desire. To know more detail about how eventually he got enlighten, read the story about Sweeping the Floor of the Mind in Monastic Life.

Ksitigarbha Sutra also teaches how to become more wise and smarter on Chapter 12.

“Moreover, Contemplator of the World’s Sounds Bodhisattva, in the future, good men and women may have high regard for the Great Vehicle sutras and make the inconceivable resolve to read them and to recite them from memory. They may then encounter a bright master who instructs them so that they can become familiar with the texts. But as soon as they learn them, they forget them. They may try for months or years and yet still be unable to read or recite them from memory. Because those good men and women have karmic obstructions from past lives that have not yet been dissolved, they  are unable to read and memorize sutras of the Great Vehicle. Upon hearing Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name or seeing his image, such people should, with deep respect and honesty, state their situation to the Bodhisattva.

“In addition, they should use incense, flowers, clothing, food, and drink, and other beloved material objects to make offerings to the Bodhisattva. They should place a bowl of pure water before the Bodhisattva for one day and one night. Afterwards, joining their palms together, they should state their request and then, while facing south, prepare to drink the water. As the water is about to enter their mouths, they should be particularly sincere and solemn. After drinking the water, they should abstain from the five pungent plants, wine, meat, improper sexual activity, false speech, and all killing and harming for one to three weeks. In dreams, those good men and women may then see Earth Store Bodhisattva manifesting a boundless body and anointing the crowns of their heads with water. When they awaken, they may be endowed with keen intelligence. Upon hearing this sutra but one time, they will eternally remember it and never forget or lose a single sentence or verse.

复次观世音菩萨，若未来世，善男子，善女人，于大乘经典，深生珍重，发不思议心，欲读欲诵，纵遇明师，教视令熟，旋得旋忘，动经年月，不能读诵。是善男子等，有宿业障，未得消除，故于大乘经典，无读诵性。

　　如是之人，闻地藏菩萨名，见地藏菩萨像，具以本心，恭敬陈白，更以香花、衣服、饮食、一切玩具，供养菩萨。以净水一盏，经一日一夜，安菩萨前，然后合掌请服，回首向南。临入口时，至心郑重。服水既毕，慎五辛酒肉，邪淫妄语，及诸杀害，一七日或三七日，是善男子，善女人，于睡梦中，具见地藏菩萨现无边身，于是人处，授灌顶水。其人梦觉，即获聪明。应是经典，一历耳根，即当永记，更不忘失一句一偈。

Of course how to be more effective is another important skills to master. Here someone talk about method of efficiency in study. But we all need to find our own style. Keep trying, do not give up.

What in American Dream that Delude the People? 3 Jill Lepore: These Truth – History of the United States

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These Truth – History of the United States written by award-winning historian Jill Lepore tells this uniquely American experiment, beginning in 1492, asking whether the course of events over than more than five centuries has proven the nations’ truths, or belied them. These transcendent ideas are what Thomas Jefferson wrote in Declaration of Independence: ” We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. ” But over the course next two hundred years, among the supreme court battles, political contentions, foreign wars, social movements, shootings and riots and many struggles, Americans kept arguing what does it means “equal”? what does it means “Liberty”? and what does it mean ” Happiness”? And ultimately, “whether societies of men are really capable or not of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend for their political constitutions on accident and force?”

To answer those question, Lepore traces the intertwined histories of American politics, law, journalism, and technology, from the colonial town meeting to the 19th century party machine, from talk radio to 21st century internet polls, from Magna Carta to the Patriot Act, from the printing press to Facebook News. Lepore wrote: ” A nation born in revolution will forever struggle against chaos. A nation founded on universal rights will wrestle against the forces of particularism. A nation that toppled a hierarchy of birth only to erect a hierarchy of wealth will never know tranquility. A nation of immigrants cannot close its borders. And a nation born in contradiction, liberty in a land of slavery, sovereignty in a land of conquest, will fight, forever, over the meaning of its history.”

Well said Lepore! But in the end, All the struggles are eventually the struggle of the mind. Not to mention the 21st century’s biggest disease for humanity is going to be mental disorder (20th century being cancer, 19th century being tuberculosis). For the last several decades, Ann Rand ‘s “Objectivism” became American, and the westerns’ motto, with Man “taking his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute”. For the millions of Americans absorbed himself in the objectivism philosophy, they had not only lost their life meaning, even more tragically, they had lost their spiritual liberty because of the mental disorientation. To fill some of these voids and black holes, we need Humanities, Philosophy, Political Science, but even more than any other times, we need Religion, Metaphysics and Ethics to come to the rescue. 现代人的双重丧失：意义丧失—人生价值的丧失和自由的丧失——道德和宗教信仰的缺乏和异化而失去了内在的精神自由 。

How we talk to ourselves can change our mental state. It is all about education. That is why Buddha, Confucius, Jesus, Lao Zi are teachers who transform the society through changing people’s mental state. By changing mental state, we change our karma.

很久以前，有一老一小两个和尚一起赶路。路上遇到一条河，河水不深，但河上没有桥。河边有一位年轻女子在那里也想要过河，却又不想弄湿衣裳，于是在那里望河兴叹。老和尚二话没说，背起女子就趟进了河里，帮这女子过了河。小和尚也过河之后，便问老和尚，“你怎么能背女子呢？忘了出家人不能近女色吗？”。老和尚笑了笑，没有回答。 两人又走了十里路，小和尚忍不住又问了起来，“您平时不是教导我们不能近女色吗？怎么能背那位女子呢？”。老和尚答到，“我根本不记得自己曾抱一女子过河，只知帮助了一人。我早把这事抛诸脑后，为什么走了十里路，你还不忘那女子呢？”这个故事的本意，大概是说相由心生，我们心里想到的是什么，这个世界就是什么样子的。 在帮助人这件事上，对方是不是女子，根本不重要。如果心里坦荡，做好事就不会成为负担。所谓君子坦荡荡，小人常戚戚。

With mental disorder on the rise, crime is on the rise as well. It is predicted by some keen observer that jail is going to run out of space. The situation of minority like American Native Indians will be even more difficult. It is said that the Supreme Court is reconsidering the constitutionality of the Indigenous Child Welfare Act. That reminds me of a Chinese story: A diplomat from Qi Region-State went to visit Chu Region-State. The King of Chu intended to insult him. So on the banquet, the King of Chu had a criminal who was from Qi brought to the meeting, and said the Qi people tend to like steal. To this situation, the diplomat from Qi answered: oranges planted north or South of Huai River look similar but taste differently, the reason being the environment. This person was a good citizen in Qi, but becomes a criminal in Chu, which means the culture of Chu tend to lead people downgrade.

根據《晏子春秋》記載，齊國的晏嬰出使楚國，楚靈王想要羞辱晏嬰，便在宴會上故意讓人帶着一個盜竊犯來到面前，說這是齊國人。楚王問晏嬰，是否齊國人生來喜歡偷盜。晏嬰回答說：「橘生淮南則為橘，生於淮北則為枳，葉徒相似，其實味不同。所以然者何？水土異也。今民生於齊不盜，入楚則盜，得無楚之水土使民善盜耶？」即齊國人到了楚國就成爲了盜竊犯，以「楚國的水土導致齊國人成爲了盜竊犯」反駁楚王。

南橘北枳，成语，出自《晏子春秋·内篇杂下》：“橘生淮南则为橘，生于淮北则为枳，叶徒相似，其实味不同。所以然者何？水土异也。”意思是淮南的橘树，移植到淮河以北就变为枳树。比喻同一物种因环境条件不同而发生变异。

The following are some of my favorite maxim. May we all use some of the uplifting thoughts to keep up the good work.

  • 知足者常乐。
  • 人生，是踏上了就回不了头的征程。要记住：面对，不一定最难过；孤独，不一定不快乐；得到，不一定能长久。珍惜拥有，用心生活，坦然无悔，超越自己，和生命一起精彩！
  • 人生路上，遇见善良，学会付出；遇见微笑，学会分享；遇见坎坷，学会勇敢。
  • 上坡的路难走，走上去会很累，但你要是不走，就看不到山顶上的风景；不要忘记了当初，你曾经为了梦想而有过的勇气，把那一刻的勇气，变成此时此刻的坚持，你终将遇见更好的自己。
  • 有谁的幸运，凭空而来，只有当你足够努力，你才会足够幸运。这世界不会辜负每一份努力和坚持。时光不会怠慢执着而勇敢的每一个人！
  • 多要求自己，你会更加独立，少要求别人，你会减少失望。 宁愿花时间去修炼不完美的自己，也不要浪费时间去期待完美的别人。
  • 人生之路是逼着走出来的。不逼自己一把，你永远不知道自己能做多大点事。切断了退路，你自然会想办法寻找出路；掐断了幻想，你才会埋头苦干。
  • 生命不要求我们成为最好的，只要求我们做最大努力。
  • 人活的是心态，你的心态调整好了，再大的困难在你面前，也不会把你吓到；如果你的心态不好，暂时的困难也会被你主观地、无限地夸大，成了一条不可逾越的鸿沟。
  • 我们的命运由我们的行动决定，而绝非完全由我们的出身决定。机会永远都不会平等，但结果却可能平等。

What in American Dream that Delude the People? 2 Reinhold Niebuhr: If We Should Perish, Primary Cause … Would be Induced by Hatred and Vainglory

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If we should perish, the ruthlessness of the foe would be only the secondary cause of the disaster. The primary cause would be that the strength of a giant nation was directed by eyes too blind to see all the hazards of the struggle; and the blindness would be induced not by some accident of nature or history but by hatred and vainglory. — Reinhold Niebuhr, The Irony of American History 1952

Reinhold Niebuhr was an American Reformed theologian, ethicist, commentator on politics and public affairs, and professor at Union Theological Seminary for more than 30 years. Niebuhr was one of America’s leading public intellectuals for several decades of the 20th century and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964. A public theologian, he wrote and spoke frequently about the intersection of religion, politics, and public policy, with his most influential books including Moral Man and Immoral Society and The Nature and Destiny of Man.

The Nature and Destiny of Man contains a great deal of keen observation of human behavior and current events at the outset of World War II. It is arguably Reinhold Niebuhr’s most important work. It offers a sustained articulation of Niebuhr’s theological ethics and is considered a landmark in twentieth-century thought. It issues a vigorous challenge to Western civilization to understand its roots in the faith of the Bible, particularly the Hebraic tradition. The growth, corruption, and purification of the important Western emphases on individuality are insightful chronicled here.  Here is a brief summary comment from a reader:

In the Nature and Destiny of Man, Reinhold Niebuhr, the influential “Christian realist” theologian, deals with big issues: the nature of man, history, and the end of the history. He offers deep – I would say profound – support for his views, but not proof. He offers one interpretation of the meaning of life’s mysteries but not the only possible interpretation.
Niebuhr begins by arguing that the Christian view of man’s nature, compared with alternative views, is more complete and offers more explanatory power. According to the Christian view, man is made in the image of God. Unlike alternative views that establish a good/bad duality between mind and body, in the Christian view, both mind and body are good because both are created by God. Man is made to live in harmony with others and God’s will but violates this harmony when he – inevitably – makes himself the center and source of meaning for his life.
Man has tremendous creative and imaginative powers, and his mind can transcend both itself (since he can make his own thoughts the object of contemplation) and the natural world (since he can manipulate natural forces to create new possibilities and vitalities of nature). Because man cannot find ultimate meaning in what he can transcend, he cannot find ultimate meaning within himself or in the natural world. This is why we turn to religion.
Christianity is a religion of revelation, meaning that Christians believe that God must speak to us in order for us to arrive at a correct understanding of his nature and will. If the Bible is to be believed, God spoke to man throughout history but his message was not clearly understood. Because of our misunderstanding, and because God’s law is so radically different from man’s law, Jesus’ message was highly offensive to his listeners. What Jesus told us is that God overcomes evil not by destroying evildoers but by taking their evil upon himself. God’s love is suffering love.
To live in accordance with the law of love seems to require that we accept the reality of an existence beyond this life. If the reality of this other existence is denied, then Jesus’ statement that “whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” makes no sense.
Yet, we are not to despise this life. To be righteous, to a Christian, means to serve others, and we need to strive after intermediate and partial arrangements that help point the way toward ultimate resolutions and revelations. God provides ultimate meaning. Just as the human mind can provide meaning to a sequence of chronological events by comprehending them all in an instant, so God provides meaning by comprehending all events both prospectively and retrospectively.

Reinhold Niebuhr’s searching for the Hebraic tradition remind us again of the start of Renaissance which was a pivotal time period in history between 1350 and 1600 a.d. It brought European civilization out from the Medieval period to modern times. Bursting with achievements in the arts, literature, maths, and sciences, this period revived the classical works of the ancient Greeks and Romans, from 1000 years before, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas and achievements of classical antiquity.

The publication of The Prince in 1532 was carried out with the permission of the Medici pope Clement VII. It is hard to reconcile a God’s servant would permit something of such profanity to spread around the world. This incident at the very start of Renaissance had stamped a profound moral conflict for this movement which would affect the next 500 years of mental development of the mankind. And it was from aspiration of Renaissance that Rene Descartes (1596-1650) found the expression of Dualism.

It was not surprised to see the collapse of faith in Catholic Church in the next several hundred years and religion is to give way to secularism despite the Protestant Reformation with Martin Luther’s religious reform. The Medici family was famous for wealthy bankers (and three Popes), helped fund the Renaissance, besides being art-loving patrons. Medici bank was probably the most famous Italian bank that set up by Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici in 1397 and continuing until 1494. (Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena S.p.A. (BMPS) Italy, is in fact the oldest banking organisation to have surviving banking-operations, or services). And this part of history is the forerunner of modern banks which control the world in our time.