If you go down to the woods today
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From: J. Clarke on 1 Nov 2009 08:30 sleazy wrote: > On 2009-10-31 19:27:53 -0400, Sean_Q_ <no.spam(a)no.spam> said: > >> ...you (might be) in for a big surprise, and no Teddy Bears' picnic. >> Use caution getting off your bike to take a leak; a 19-year-old woman >> was fatally mauled by two coyotes on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. > >> SQ > > Gee, big ole mean wild animals bite and maul. Who'da thunk it? > Darwin's theory proven yet again and the gene pool gets some chlorine > added. I hope she was a member of AETP (animals eating tasty people). See my post to TOG. That attack could as easily have happened in Chicago or Boston or San Francisco--Coyotes are urban wildlife these days, not just creatures of the deep woods--and getting killed by them has nothing to do with adding chlorine to the gene pool. At least not to the _human_ gene pool, although some is going to be added to the coyote gene pool as the pack that did it is systematically slaughtered by the Canadian government.
From: J. Clarke on 1 Nov 2009 08:25 The Older Gentleman wrote: > J. Clarke <jclarke.usenet(a)cox.net> wrote: > >> The Older Gentleman wrote: >>> Sean_Q_ <no.spam(a)no.spam> wrote: >>> >>>> Use caution getting off your bike to take a leak; a 19-year-old >>>> woman was fatally mauled by two coyotes on Cape Breton Island, >>>> Nova Scotia. >>> >>> No regrets. >> >> Seems rather harsh. >> >> Count yourself fortunate to live in a place where large predatory >> animals have been eradicated. > > *Sigh* > > http://www.lyricsdepot.com/joni-mitchell/coyote.html Not a particularly well known song on this side of the pond. And the singer who was killed, although her name was Mitchell, was no relation. > And anyway, we still have Gordon Brown and Tony Blair.
From: The Older Gentleman on 1 Nov 2009 08:35 J. Clarke <jclarke.usenet(a)cox.net> wrote: > > http://www.lyricsdepot.com/joni-mitchell/coyote.html > > Not a particularly well known song on this side of the pond. Really? That surprises me, actually. > > And the singer who was killed, although her name was Mitchell, was no > relation. Well, yes, I know that. It was just a lame joke. Never mind. -- BMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Honda CB400F Triumph Street Triple Suzuki TS250ER (currently Beaving) Damn, back to five bikes! Try Googling before asking a damn silly question. chateau dot murray at idnet dot com
From: Vito on 1 Nov 2009 09:16 "J. Clarke" <jclarke.usenet(a)cox.net> wrote | Boston or San Francisco--Coyotes are urban wildlife these days, not just | creatures of the deep woods--and getting killed by them has nothing to do | with adding chlorine to the gene pool. At least not to the _human_ gene | pool, ..... No, but Coyotes and other wild animals killing defenseless humans certainly helps our gene pool by reducing the incidence of the stupidity gene. The whole hubub could have been prevented had she carried a simple pocket pistol.
From: little man upon the stair on 1 Nov 2009 09:23
On Nov 1, 2:36 am, totallydeadmail...(a)yahoo.co.uk (The Older Gentleman) wrote: > *Sigh* > > http://www.lyricsdepot.com/joni-mitchell/coyote.html What else can be expected from "limited beings" who have not acquired wisdom? From "The Way of the Bodhisattva" by Shantideva, 7th century Indian scholar Chapter 8. Far-Reaching Mental Stability (1) Having increased my zestful vigor like that, I shall set my mind in absorbed concentration; Since a person having a distracted mind Is set between the fangs of disturbing emotions. (2) Through dissociating (both my) body and mind, There'll be no occurrence of any distraction; Therefore, I'll set aside worldly concerns And bring my rambling thought to a halt. (3) Worldly concerns are not discarded Because of sticky attachments and thirst for material gain and the like; Therefore, to set these things aside, Someone with knowledge would discern like this: (4) "An exceptionally perceptive state of mind, joined onto a stilled and settled state, Completely destroys the disturbing emotions." Having understood this, first I shall seek a stilled and settled mind; And that's achieved through delight in detachment from worldly concerns. (5) (After all,) any impermanent person Having sticky attachment to impermanent beings Won't see those loved ones again (after death) For many thousands of lives. (6) Not seeing them, I'll be unhappy And my mind won't settle in absorbed concentration; Even if I've seen them, I'll never be satisfied, And, as before, I'll be tormented by longing. (7) From being attached to limited beings, I'm blocked from (seeing) things as they are; I lose any sense of disillusionment too; And, in the end, I'm tormented by grief. (8) Because of thinking only of them, This life will pass without any meaning, And through noneternal friends and relations, I will come to lose the eternal Dharma. (9) Having acted equal to the lot of infantile people, I'll surely go to a worse rebirth state; If I'm led to a lot that's not (even) equal, Then what have I gained by relying on those infantile folk? (10) One moment, they're friends; In an instant, they're enemies. At a time for being delighted, they fall into a rage: Ordinary beings are so difficult to please. (11) Told what's of benefit, they get enraged And cause me to turn from what's of benefit too. But, if their words aren't listened to, They fall into a rage and go, then, to a worse rebirth state. (12) They're envious of superiors, competitive with equals, Arrogant toward inferiors, conceited when praised, And hateful when told what they don't want to hear: When is there benefit from infantile beings? (13) If I associate with infantile people, Then destructive behavior inevitably arises among infantile folk, Such as praising myself and belittling others, And prattling on about the pleasures of samsara. (14) From entrusting myself to others in this way, Nothing but loss comes about in the end, For they'll be, in fact, no-good for me And I'll be, in fact, no-good for them. (15) So let me flee far away from infantile folk; But if encountered, I'll please them with pleasantries, And without becoming overly familiar, I'll conduct myself nicely, merely as an ordinary person would. (16) Obtaining only what's helpful for Dharma, Like a bumblebee honey from a flower, I'll live without having familiars, Like having never seen any of them before. (17) "But I get a lot of material gain and honor, And many people like me." If I hold on to being conceited like that, Terrifying things will arise after death. (18) Thus, no matter what my bewildered mind Becomes attached to; In conjunction with each of them, Thousandfold problems arise and stay around. (19) Hence, the wise have no attachments, (Because,) from attachments, terrifying things arise. As these (objects) will naturally be discarded (at death), Be firm and consider this well: (20) There've been many people with material wealth And there've been many with fame and reputation. But it's never been known that they've passed on to some place Where their amassed wealth and fame have come with. (21) If there are others who belittle me, What pleasure is there when I'm being praised? And if there are others who praise me, What displeasure is there when I'm being belittled? (22) If limited beings, with varied dispositions, Couldn't be pleased by even the Triumphant, What need to mention by the poor likes of me? Therefore, let me give up my preoccupation with worldly people. (23) They belittle limited beings lacking material gain, And, regarding those with material gain, they say bad things; How can any pleasure arise with those Whose company is, by nature, so difficult? (24) The Thusly Gone (Buddha) has said, "An infantile person isn't anyone's friend," That's because the friendliness of an infantile person Doesn't arise except through its serving his own self-aims. (Friendliness through the gateway of its serving self-aims, Is friendliness just for the aims of a "self"; Just as distress at the breaking of some material possession Is something, in fact, that comes from a loss of self-pleasure.) (25) In forests, however, wild creatures, birds, and trees Never say bad things about you And are happy when befriended. When shall I come to live with them? (26) Oh when shall I become detached, Living in caves, an empty shrine, Or at the foot of a tree, And never look back? (27) When shall I come to live in nature, In vast regions, not privately owned, Moving under my own incentive or Staying put, without attachment. (28) When shall I come to live without fears, Having (just a few) small things, a (clay) begging bowl and the like, Wearing clothes that no one would want, And not even sheltering this body? (29) When, having gone to a charnel ground, Shall I come to compare, With the piles of others' bones, My body, having the nature to rot. (30) This very body of mine Will also become (putrid) like that, And because of its stench, Not even the jackals will slink near. (31) Though this body was born as a single object, The flesh and bones that arose with it Will fall apart and go their own ways. What need to mention friends that are other (than it)? (32) A man is born alone, when taking birth, And dies alone too, when undergoing death. As no one else can take a share of this pain, What can be done by encumbering friends? (33) Just as the way in which travelers on a road Take up a place to lodge, Similar is the way in which travelers on the road of compulsive existence Take up a rebirth as a place to lodge. (34) So, let me retire to the forest Until four pallbearers Haul that body out from there, While all my worldly (relations) grieve. (35) Let this body stay there in isolation, alone, Making neither intimate friends nor conflicts. If I'm already counted as if I were dead, There'll be no mourners when I actually die. (36) As there'll be no attendants (hovering) nearby, Mourning and causing distress, There'll be no one to distract this (hermit) From continuing mindfulness of Buddha and more. (37) So, let me live in solitude In lovely, delightful forests, With little trouble, happiness and well-being, Quieting all distractions. (38) Having cast off all other intentions, And with my intent single-pointed, I shall strive (there) for settling my mind in absorbed concentration And making it tamed; (39) (For) lustful desires give rise to disasters In this world and in the next ones as well. In this one, they bring about murder, imprisonment, and knifings, And in the next, joyless realms and the like. (40) Those (bodies) for which sake, you repeatedly begged Before male and female go-betweens, And for which sake, you didn't shrink From either negative behavior or disgrace, (41) (For which) you threw yourself even in danger And even spent all your wealth, And embracing which, You experienced the utmost pleasure (of sexual release) - (42) They were nothing but skeletons, Independent, and never yours! Why not push on, (instead,) to nirvanic release, Which you can fully embrace to your heart's content? (43) That face, which, (at your wedding,) you lifted up first with effort and drew near, Although it was bashfully looking down, And whether previously seen or not seen (by you), Was covered with a veil, (44) That face, which emotionally disturbed you so, Is now unveiled by the vultures And can be directly seen. Why do you run away now? (45) That (face) which you protected (before) From the leers of others' eyes, Why aren't you protecting it now, (jealous) miser, While it's being devoured by them? (46) Seeing this pile of meat Being gulped down by vultures and the rest, (Tell me), is the food of others something to be offered With garlands of flowers, jewelry, and sandalwood scent? (47) If you (experience) fright from seeing even a skeleton, Though it lacks any movement, Why wasn't there horror when it was set into motion By some (intent), like a zombie. (48) You lusted after it, even when it was covered, Why don't you lust for it (now), when uncovered (from its skin)? If you have no use for it (now), Why did you sexually embrace it when covered? (49) Its excrement and saliva Arise from one and the same food; So why, out of the two, do you take no delight in the excrement And yet delight in (a taste of) saliva? (50) Finding no sexual pleasure in pillows, Filled with cotton and soft to the touch, (After all) "They don't exude a foul stench," Lustful people are bewildered about excrement. (51) Lustful, gross, bewildered people, (Thinking,) "It's impossible to make love To cotton, soft to the touch," Become furious with it (instead). (52) If you have no attachment for what is foul, Why do you sexually embrace another (body): A cagework of bones, bound together with sinews, And plastered over with a mud of flesh? (53) You yourself contain plenty of excrement, So manage by yourself, steadfastly with that. Glutton for excrement, You long for yet another bag of excrement? (54) (Thinking,) "But it's the flesh I delight in," You long to touch and look at it. But why have you no desire for the flesh (Here,) in its natural state, devoid of a mind? (55) And whatever mind you might desire, Cannot be touched or looked at, And whatever can, hasn't a consciousness. So it's no use! Why do you sexually embrace it? (56) Though it's no great surprise that you don't understand That another's body, by nature, is something (full of) excrement; But that you don't understand that your very own Is, by nature, something (full of) excrement - that's really shocking! (57) Having rejected the tender lotus, (born from the muck And) opened by the rays of the unclouded sun, What delight is there in a cagework (of bones, full) of feces, For a mind obsessed with excrement? (58) If you don't wish to touch soil and places That are smeared with excrement, How is it that you wish to touch the body Out of which it was excreted? (59) If you have no attachment for what is foul, Why do you sexually embrace another (body): The seed of which grew from a field (full) of excrement And was nourished by it. (60) Is it because of its tininess that you don't long For a foul maggot, born from excrement? You desire, in fact, a body, also born from excrement, (Since) by nature, it's (full) of a lot of excrement! (61) Not only do you not disparage The excremental nature of yourself, You glutton for excrement, You long for other bags of excrement too! (62) Whether it's refreshing (chews) with camphor and the like, Or cooked rice with vegetable curries, Once put in the mouth and then spat out or vomited, Even the ground becomes filthy and foul. (63) If you still have doubts about its being, like this, In the nature of excrement, though it's so obvious, Look at the (ghastly) foul bodies of others, Thrown away in the charnel ground. (64) When the skin is torn open, Great horror comes up from it. Knowing just that, how can delight Come up any more from that very same thing? (65) And that smell sloshed on the body Is from sandalwood and such things, not from the other (person). So why are you attracted to someone else By the smell of something other? (66) If, because of its naturally foul smell, There's no attraction to it, isn't that fortunate? Why do people in this world, who relish what's useless, Slosh it with sweet smelling things? (67) Well then, if what has the sweet smell is sandalwood, What comes from the body in this case? So why are you attracted to someone else By the smell of something other? (68) If the natural state of the body is totally horrific - Naked, coated with a tarnish of grime, Its hair and nails long, Its teeth yellow and stained - (69) Why spruce it up with (so much) hard work, Like a weapon for inflicting self-harm? (Oh dear,) this world is truly bustling with madmen Working so hard deluding themselves! (70) Having seen merely a few skeletons, You were so turned off in the charnel ground; Yet you find sexual pleasure in charnel-ground cities Crowded with moving skeletons? (71) Further, that (bag) full of excrement like that Isn't obtained without a price: There's exhaustion in earning (money) for its sake And torment (later) in joyless realms and the like. (72) It's not possible to build up wealth as a child, So as a teenager, what is there to get pleasure with? Spending adulthood accumulating wealth, What can an old person do with sexual desires? (73) Some people, (though) having gross desires, Exhaust themselves with work all day long And, coming home (at night), their bodies spent, Drop down asleep like the dead. (74) Some must go abroad (on army expeditions) And, with disturbing emotions, have the suffering of being far away. Longing for their children and wives, they don't see Their children and wives, though the years roll by. (75) Confused by desires for what would be of self-benefit, They even sell themselves for the sake of that Which they never obtain, and so (toil) pointlessly, Driven by the winds of others' karmic whims. (76) And the wives of some of those who have sold their own bodies And must follow others' orders, powerlessly, Have to give birth to their children, with them plopping out At the feet of trees or in desolate places. (77) (Some) foolish people, deceived by desires, Wishing to make a livelihood, thinking, "I'll earn a living," Enter into war, (thus) risking their lives, Or go into servitude for the sake of self-gain. (78) Some, having greed, are even bodily mutilated And some get impaled on spikes. Some are seen being stabbed with daggers And some even burned alive. (79) With the torments (involved) in amassing, protecting, and losing it, Know that material advantage is a disadvantage without an end: (For) those distracted by obsession with wealth Haven't the time to free themselves from the sufferings of compulsive existence. (80) (Thus,) for those with desire, drawbacks like these and more are abundant And (any) tastes of pleasure are paltry, Like the snatches of a few mouthfuls of grass (Won) by an ox while pulling a cart. (81) For the sake of that paltry taste of pleasure, Not hard to find for even an ox, This hard-to-find splendor of respites and endowments Is destroyed by those who waste their (good) karma. (82) Whatever hardships there are in exhausting yourself All the time for the sake of the puny desires (of the body) That will definitely perish and (consequently) Fall to joyless realms and worse, (83) With one millionth of the hardship, there would be Buddhahood; Whereas those with desires have suffering Greater than those engaged in bodhisattva behavior, And yet they have no enlightenment. (84) Neither weapons, poison, fire, Precipices, nor foes Compare with desires when I think Of the tortures of joyless realms and the like. (85) Recoiling from desires in this way, I shall enhance my delight in solitude. In peaceful forests, Devoid of strife and emotional disturbance, (86) Amongst (beautiful) boulders, Huge as palaces, cooled by the sandalwood rays of the moon, Joyfully roam the fortunate ones, fanned by the silent, gentle, forest breezes, Reflecting on the aims of benefiting others. (87) Staying anywhere, for as long as desired - In an empty shelter, at the foot of a tree, or in caves - Those rid of the strain of safeguarding possessions Live relaxed, without any cares, (88) Acting according to their own intent, Without attachments, not bound by anyone, Savoring the joy of contentment, Difficult to find for even powerful rulers. (89) Having considered, with aspects such as these and more, The benefits of dissociating (myself), And thus fully quieting my rambling thoughts, I shall meditate on bodhichitta. |