There is a nice dream at the end.
One can skip the introduction and go straight there.
It is related to a wedding but heavily edited.
There is a sub heading, Dream, below.
Not to forward email connections to my latest blog pieces.
Besides, I am finishing my book on "Linux Essentials" and it had topped 400 pages. Perhaps, the longest book of mine. It got bloated up simply because I decided to add an account of my Tech History from RadioShack to Intel NUC.
My NUC does not have Audio. I have an audio jack, if I need to play some music. In addition, I have a tiny barrel shaped Speaker Radio for music into which I can stick the SD card or USB with all my favorite music.
There won't be any blog pieces on Linux,too.
Zenwalk 15 is install only and No Live Session and hence No Comments in my blog site.
Reason, for me not directing to any of my blog pieces are many.
One particular reason being I have now become a firm believer of Rebirth and many of my blog pieces are biased towards Buddhism and it's Kamma Principle. I do not want to upset the sensitivities of my Hindu and Christian friends.
For them, I have a book coming out soon "Uncertainty is the Certainty".
It has a mixture of science, philosophy and Dhamma in essence.
To make it over 100 pages I have added Sigalovada Sutta as a compendium.
It is something everybody should peruse at leisure.
My base is Kalama Sutta, Brahmajala Sutta and more importantly the Karaniya Metta Sutta (Universal Loving Kindness).
But my base is Dhammpada with 423 Verses. When I get stuck with a Contentious Issue it provides me the Insight.
Dhamma part I have now dished out and finished.
My another New Year Wish is not be at the funeral of my close friends.
I am pretty sure I am going to meet them in my future lives and I do not want to see their pathetic end in this life.
Disease
Disability
Death
Debts if any are unpleasant.
I have only a few left and more than 50% of them have left us.
The ones who are living are left in Ceylon.
There is no chance of me witnessing their exit.
There is no chance they witnessing my exit.
Let me start with the last one who left us and progress to the first one who left us.
This one had a particular nickname which I should not state here, however appropriate it is. Mind you, it is hearsay and his death not confirmed. He was not in our major clan but joined us one before the last.
He came to see me nearly 30 years ago, before leaving Ceylon. He was a "Chemistry Special" guy, may have gone to UK first but my "Gut Feeling" is, he ended up in United States.
He was a guy who used to take steroids without a prescription. He had all the tell tale Side Effects of Steroids and I helped him to wean off this nasty habit. I am glad to say he passed 70 in spite of his steroid habits which is normal for a Ceylonese adult.
Before I left Ceylon, I tried my best to find about his whereabouts over 6 months and failed. I got the hearsay message from another friend (senior Agriculture guy) of mine, living near our house. I collected my first water plant (out of over 25) from him.
It is called Kumudu.
I am a guy who politely tell guys who have gone for Meditation Sessions after the age of 50, the followings;.
Do not be stupid.
Stop this practice.
Take your medicine.
Live a normal life
Enjoy life
Promote Somanassa Chitta
This guy had gone for Meditation Sessions in his twilight years, in America.
I told the guy living nearby, if he has gone for these sessions he won't last 6 weeks.
True enough, he kicked the bucket.
These Mad Ceylonese Buddhist Monks in America who are fabulously rich are driving gullible Ceylonese MAD who have no understanding of Basics of Dhamma and leading them on the Garden Pathway.
Besides, these monks drain money from their pockets.
It is totally against Buddhist Teaching.
I have discussed these issues in my books on Mind (Light and Heavy Versions).
My blog pieces like this here are in-between topics on mind and matters.
This is my opinion based on my own Research.
Do not Listen to this Guy Paul Ankar.
He is a misguided Buddhist.
He is twisting Dhamma.
He has the gift of the gab and a wonderful vocabulary.
Pali has no synonyms in English.
That is the bottom line.
Learn Pali before delving into Dhamma.
The one who lost life after him was again a Chemistry Special guy.
He ended up as a psychiatric wreck.
I sort advice from a senior friend and a psychiatrist who said please do not volunteer help until he comes to you.
The TRUST in you is important.
Yes he was avoiding me.
I could not help him.
His childhood story was pathetic.
The one who left next was an Engineer.
He was the nicest of all.
He had aortic valve problem for which he had a mechanical prothesis.
He had many minor and major depressions but he overcame all of them with his own skills.
He became a loner.
He became an Indian Sadu convict and with perseverance I put back on the Buddha Track.
He wanted to abruptly stop all his anticoagulants treatment. Half of the family came and visited me in the University.
After about one hour session, I got him back to logic and proper senses.
I think he lived up to 67 years.
Unfortunately, he got caught to MA-RA program in Ceylon.
I point blankly said he is political animal to which he got offended and stop contacting me.
I got to know of his passing away two years after his demise.
The first one to leave us died around 57 years of age. He was my closest friend.
I did not know that he had passed away until two years later.
I was very busy during this period having rejoined the University at the age of 55.
He was two years older.
It was a sudden death most likely due to a heart attack. He was the Sports Master when he died. He should not have been tasked with that post.
He was a very good mathematics teacher.
He had an underlying illness which I never probed and he never sort any advice from me.
It was big loss but I made sure to go for the 2 year Dhana.
One of them who is left in Ceylon has become a real drunkard. He was a banker.
I wanted to wean him off.
Posted a Dhammpada to begin with.
On second thoughts weaning him of his last pleasures is not welcome.
Could not contact him before leaving Ceylon.
Most likely gone abroad.
The other guy was the one who joined the clan last. He failed his 'O' Level and missed our class. Went to another school in Kandy for third shy and ended up as an agriculture graduate with a postgraduate degree.
Man with shear perseverance.
His goal was medicine.
Brief note about my Tamil friend from Jaffna.
Donald Williams.
His father was a school inspector.
He went to Jaffna and I stayed in Kandy.
I entered University but he failed to enter medicine. He probably ended up in Australia.
Coming to the present guy, his craze was medicine.
I suggested why not try Pharmacy and Pharmacology.
Besides there is lot of money in this field.
He did pass the Pharmacy Course in flying colours.
I dished out all my Pharmacology books to him in addition to the Dhamma Collection.
He was very unhappy to see me leaving.
He did not have any friends.
He became deeply religious and that was not to my licking. He went for daily meditation in the nearby temple.
I told him not to do so.
You would end up mad.
In reality he used to see things unnatural in sleep and waking hours.
I do not know how he is doing.
He has two doctors in his family but no doctor friends to chat now.
Last guy is the real alcoholic.
I met him on the last day of my retirement.
Quite by accident.
He was going to see his son in law just born in Peradeniya Hospital.
I said come back on his return and I have lot of books to dish out.
He did.
He was the one one who introduced me to Real Dhamma in essence.
He was teaching Buddhist Monks English.
I persuaded him not to do so, since these young monks are the ones who ruin Buddhism.
Their goal is to go abroad and make money.
Less English they know they would remain in Ceylon.
Additionally, he was teaching Buddhism to very young children.
I told him they should learn science first and Buddhism second.
He was a good Science teacher.
I could not wean him off his bad habits.
He has many bad friends who are also alcoholics.
I ask him to bring me the Sigalovada Suuta, which he did.
Pointed to the ill effects of alcohol.
Unfortunately I had already published my book "Joys of Alcohol ".
Buddha has done a better job in a few sentences.
This guy was not among my close friends.
He told me on my own I had given my 'O' Level notes. I had made a good impression on him. We used to discuss a Dhamma Topic at Peradeniya Railway Station. Soon after, he goes for a drink to Kandy by train.
I had shared drinks and good food with many of my friends but could never give an alcohol treat to him.
One day, I said we go and have a drink at Royal Mall. We went there but the bar was closed.
It was a Poya Day.
He did first year in Borella Ayervedic Hospital and gave up to become an English Teacher. He had a broad knowledge on local medicine. I coaxed him to write a book on local medicine but his alcoholism and other domestic problems prevented him doing so. It is strange he has no cirrhosis.
There another guy I could not have drink.
His wife prevented him from meeting me on two scheduled occasions. In fact, I blasted this lady just before, I left Ceylon.
He had a few medical problems and he was taking about 10 drugs.
I told him you are mad to believe his consultant.
The idea was to bring the lot to 5 drugs but could not do so. I think the current shortage of drugs in Ceylon may have helped him. We had a good Mesna Tea before I left.
I managed to collect all the names, telephone numbers and addresses of most of our classmates.
I posted that list to him.
Then there was another guy we used to meet and have a Mesna Tea.
He was mathematics guy married to K.N. Jayathilake's only daughter. Professor of philosophy.
He used to have 100 odd questions for me.
They were really amusing and he used to tell you are down earth guy, "Why not practice?".
Then I say, the moment I do that I lose my down to earth attitude. He knew I volunteerly avoided practicing for the last 25 years. I guess he had never read any of my books.
There is no need.
I have already discussed them with him.
Some of the ideas for books have probably come from those lovely discussions.
Of course we enjoyed company and the good cup of Mesna Tea.
I won't say anything about the BAD guys.
Once is who stole my photography album.
The other stole my valuable stamp album.
I gave it to him for safe keeping while I was in UK.
What a stupid idea.
He never returned it but died of a gall bladder cancer.
There were many others including close family members who stole all my valuable collections, cameras, overhead projectors, hifi gadgets (including valuable books), my childhood writing from "Wall Paperes" in School.
I do not regret. I slowly began to let go for possessions.
I dumped them. Won't go to their funerals.
I was angry to begin with but not any more.
Let Go Principle in Action.
Dream
Not in any way related to our Real Wedding.
I was late for the wedding.
I went out for something insignificant and came rushing to the Wedding Hall.
When I came I saw a guy using my room for his own use.
Worst of all he was treating patients using my own stethoscope as a public advertisement.
He was not a doctor but an ordinary guy.
I was not welcome to my own room.
I was rushed to the room reserved for the bridesmaids.
Not a bad idea even in a dream.
I discovered that I was not wearing shoes but only bathroom slippers.
I call the guy who was acting as me and told him my plight.
Go out and quickly buy me a pair of shoes.
He asked for my credit card.
I said NO.
I will settle it later.
I could not trust him with my credit card who was acting like me in my absence.
While I was waiting for my shoes bridesmaids came one by one to the dressing room which was a present surprise.
Yes, if my dream wife did not keep time with the auspicious time, I had a fair share of substitutes.
Yes, he came with a brown pair of shoes which was matching the suit, I was going to wear but with a problem.
It had tall platformed base which I hated.
I was abruptly woken up.
No more of the dream.
I missed the next in line of bridesmaids of their frontal views in their nice dresses.
Yes, it was a dream.
Sorry for padding up with other things including Dhamma.
Even dreams are transient and follow the Uncertainty Principle.
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