Captain Alistair Cook and Sri-Lankan Cricket

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 Captain Alistair Cook and Sri-Lankan Cricket

I am officially on digital retirement, but if I do not pen few lines on Alistair Cook, I feel very uncomfortable.
Apart from Mahela and Sanga, Alistair was my favorite cricketer.
I enjoyed watching his stylish strokes, typical of English cricketers of yesteryear.
I was very unhappy he had to take the burden of the captaincy, thinking he will fail in his batting.
He did not.
I want him to continue play and beat Sachin’s record.
I firmly believe he can do that in couple of years.
He should not let his body burn out but should pick and choose where and when to play now that he is not the captain.
Five test matches in India was not the right choice.
He should do that in mainly in England and Australia.
I also think he should drop out of 50 overs which generally ruins the master strokes of a good player.
 
Thank You Alistair for your contribution on and off the field.
 
One more point I have noticed lately, you have gone bit haggard.
Before you took up the captaincy you had a lovely boyish smile and a chubby face.
You need to get that cheerful self now that you are a dad.
Kids do not like to see a grumpy dad.
Chubby face will come once you start enjoying family life and cricket.

Good luck and I am watching YOU closely even if you score only 30 runs.
 
In my opinion 30 runs is the base for an opener and any run in excess is a bonus.
If you get that 30 base consistently not only you will have a 50 average when you retire but certainly will go pass Sachin’s record.
 
Below is a collection of my blog writings that include  a comment on an Andrew Strauss’s innings against India.

Captain Cook masterminded his Timing and Batting
Sunday, July 27, 2014

They say class is permanent and form may have temporary setbacks.
 
Two examples are Mahela and Sanga.
They go through patches of bad form but when they come back, they come back in style.
I think Cook as a batsman is a Class Act.
 
He knows it and poor English commentators should “Eat the humble Pie, NOW.
 
What the selectors should do is to find him a partner, and possibly make him come, one down.
One does not send the best batman to guillotine, first up especially when the guy is out of form.
There is a lot to learn from Mahela and Suaga.
Not only they are friends but complement each other.
 
Poor Captain Cook does not have good pal to comfort him in the thick of things and in the field.
I am writing this before he gets his ton.
Whether he gets his ton or not, I will always watch him play.
I say you won't see a guy like Mahela for another 20 years but I watch him play all the “wrist-ky”  shots for a few moments, even he makes only 30 runs.
 
This phrase is applied to Sanga too, but with a little revision, watch when you are in 70 to 80 and do not get out to a part time baller.
Getting run out, I do not blame.
Your legs are “achy becky” at thirties.
 
The last phrase applies to Captain Cook, too.
 
Do not let him run a lot.
 
He is a big guy unlike Mahela and Sanga, and has to carry a Big Frame on his legs.


Where are the Gentlemen in Cricket?


Monday, June 9, 2014

Where are the Gentlemen in Cricket?
I sometimes feel ashamed to be a Sri-Lankan.
There are hundred of reasons but I will list only a few.
 
1. Our politicians lie blatantly and what is worse is that they are proud of it.
 
2. Sri-Lankan including politician do not work on a schedule or on at least a flexible Time Table.
 
Our politicians only have private agenda.
 
Good example is our ethnic issue we are prolonging and procrastinating (both sides).
 
3. We have the most ugly constitution in the world, and generation of politicians who promise to change it abrogate their responsibility.
 
4. Then, the Buddhist Insurgency (that is how I wish to call it unfortunately), the latest fashion, Buddhist monks have taken over police duty while our policemen will kill suspects not convicted arbitrarily.
 
The explanation generally is that they were taken to a hide out / dug out and were exploring hidden weapons and the suspect got hold of a weapon and attempted to kill a policeman.
 
This is kids stuff and explanation.
 
5. I never thought, cricket will be on this list.
Let me explain why I do not watch Sri-Lankan Cricket now.
One of our ex-minister of sports was known to have used his goons to kill university students.
That was his sports, primitive hunter gatherer mentality.
Another was good at rigging polls at massive scale.
Rigging vote was his sports.
He also had a penchant for female athletes.
Another one was a thug who suppressed the voting rights of minority.
Thuggery was his sports.
 
I have dealt with many other issues especially mass scale corruption in building a new cricketing venues and plundering money even in laying Grass not on the cricketing turf but he was a TURF man by default.
 
Only reason we became proud was cricket.
 
That was because of winning the World Cup.

I have a prediction, they we will not go beyond the quarter final in 2015.
 
I need not analyze the reasons.

When cricketers become politicians (except Arjuna Ranatunga), they think they can use their influence to win games by hook or by crook.
 
That was what happened in England.

Win the game by hook or by crook.
He was supposed to be coming from a premier Buddhist School (when we look at some monks this is not an aberration) in Colombo.
He was under scrutiny for his balling action.
He should have been prudent in his selection and choice of activities on the field.
 
He wanted become a hero and actually became a minion in front of ardent Sri-Lankan expatriates.
 
I am not defending the English cricketer.

I am ashamed of the umpires too.

They could have been proactive after the first warning.
 
They did not.
Many of their umpiring decisions were pretty bad.

Sri-Lankan captain should have been conscious of the fact that his team mate was under scrutiny and he could have pulled him out of the deep end of the pool.
 
He did not.
 
He allowed him to sink in disgrace.

One of the reasons, I think is that the Sri-Lankans do not have self belief of winning, even in such a low key match.

The glory of the winning was under the dark sky, just like the typical weather in spring in England.

If they do not have that self belief how can they win the World Cup?

Cricket sometimes is a mind game, the present day cricketing is noted for its lack.

Not dirty tricks under the carpet.

For some unknown reason, I felt he was not ready for the top job and now I feel he is not good at shepherding the minnows (size of the country not the population).

He was predicted as the most valued player in the last world cup.
 
He could not complete and compete at the last world cup.

He will be in the next world cup.
 
He will surely burn out well before the final stages of the game.

He comes as a baller and only balls when the conditions suit him and not the team.
 
He does not believe in his balling.

How can he give confidence to younger players when he himself does not have confidence?

That is the bottom line.

When he balls he might get blasted but then as the captain he can withdraw himself easily which option Malinga does not have.

I am not suggesting Malinga is a better choice.

Good player does not become a good captain.
 
Good example is Cook.

England is ruining his talent but they have many talented players and during the next few months they will find a good captain.

Unfortunately, we do not have a pool (for captaincy).

Like politicians our cricketers will slit the next one in line and I do not think we play as a team.

Every player is trying to secure his place and secure his pocket with money not glory.

I am sorry, Sri-Lankan cricket lovers, for my scathing remarks.

I will not write anymore on Sri-Lankan cricket.
 
That was my resolve for many years now.

But keeping silent is very bad.

That is why our politics is in ruins (on the field and outside).

I am writing on behalf of the spectators not on behalf of the cricketers.
 
I do not care for them now.

I would pen down few lines on Chandhimal before writing my obituary (like the obituary on Democracy) on cricket.

Like the comments of South African sport writer Chesterfield (I hope I got the name right), I have a query on him.

He queried who is this Chandhimal, before the last world cup?

I was not much interested last time, I wrote a response under his comment thinking it was Chamara De Silva (I thought Chesterfield was not picking up Sri-Lankan player names which are not like Christian names but he had made a mistake but in fact, I made a mistake).

That was the first time I knew about Chandhimal.

My current comment is who ruined Chandhimal?

I think it is Sri-Lankan sports writers and Dhilshan.

Dilshan was sent as an opener by one of the cricket selectors to ruin his career.
 
Dhilshan knew that the AXE was on him and he thrived on the challenge.

What happened was the CHEAP and CHIEF selector had to go.

I think Sanath (chief selector) has to go before the voters oust him in the next election after failing at the next world cup, if he wants to keep his parliament seat with a big pension.

That is what I call a wise counsel (from me to him).

There was a very bad taste in my mouth, when Angelo (them vying for the top post) let Chandhimal get his century, risking a loss in a one day international in England.

When did Chandhimal win a game for us after that?

That was self before the game (both Angelo and Chandhimal).
 
One was eyeing for the top post and the other to secure a as a regular player.

Both ploys were bad when there is collaboration.

One succeeded and the other is out of the team.

This is total mismanagement.

What we need is Total Quality Management (TQM).
 
We do not have it now like the Singer's Punchhewa, who was behind our victory as a non player.

We also need good sports writers like Chesterfield.

We do not have any.

I think Chesterfield is in heaven and I am told by Maha Brahma, they are not allowed to play or watch cricket in heaven.

They only allow Mega Cassino Play, just like in Sri-Lanka.

Our Cassino owners have direct access to Heaven, Hell (for players), Cricket and Sri-Lanka.

Postscript;
Mind you there were three ex-captains on the field when this happened.
 
The incident ruined their (bad taste in their mouth) image too, especially taking into consideration Mahela who walks out when he knows, he is out.

I think both Mahela and Sangakkara should retire, if they feel their body is out (I call it the burn out syndrome), in style now but not after failing under a bad captain.

I respect whatever their personal goals and decisions and wish them happy life after retirement.

Both of them have done wonders.
 
I think Dhilshan is already showing signs of burn out and reconsider his options,too.


Who says one day cricket is dull?

Monday, February 28, 2011

We had a fascinating game of cricket today.

The match was between cricketing fanatic India and the game's originator England.
It was nice to see England captain Strauss take man of the match award beating, the legend of India, Sachin Tandukar.
There is is no match for the young blood of England and it was no fun for Sachin and his weary legs.
I suppose when time comes one has to retire and there were guys on this side of the Palk Straight who wanted to join the team and we were wise enough to spare him the agony. Trying to entertain your fan base is not good for your physique and health our Sachin also will retire and become a sporting ambassador to the Asian continent who are keen on betting and bringing bad name to the game.

I hope Indian spectator would be nice to him the day he fails and retire.
Anyway cricket was the winner taking the game to the wire and making a tie was a big achievement and neither side deserved to lose this match.
It was a good starter for the tournament.

A star was born and that is Andrew Strauss and English fans should be proud of him.
 
Not only he brought ashes home (team game) but brought the 50 over game to its heights.
But you boys must make sure you beat Australia in this tournament.
We will be cheering for England all the way.
We are fed up of Australian arrogance and I saw somewhere England was written off.
I predict a final with England and South Africa and it does not matter who wins if you make it into that point even though I favour South Africa.

Digital Obsession

Digital Obsession
I had a brief visit to Singapore.
Trained clinician (even doctors are digital slaves now) I observe people.
Singaporean children were very nice and many a times they offered me their (unlike our kids) seats, which I accepted politely BUT I found young Singaporeans were glued to their cellphone screens.
They were nibbling with their nails until they break away.
No eye contact and friendly smiles.
Although, all sales girls and salesmen never displayed their cellphones.
Yesterday, I went to a computer shop in Kandy  to report the faulty computer transaction my friend had made for his daughter in the university.
The guy was on the phone (to avoid listening to fault reporting) and I told loudly that if this guy is like this we should return the faulty computer and asked for full refund.

Come home, I called my friend that he should not have bought a defunct organization's (HP) product and go for ASUS.

මගේ ලමයි දෙන්නා කොම්පියුටර් ගේම් ගහනවා. දුවනවා. හැන්ඟෙනවා..කඩු සටන් කරනවා.. ළමයි නෙවෙයි..ස්ක්රීන් එකේ ඉන්න ඇනිමේටඩ් මිනිස්සු!.. එක වැඩයි..හිනා වෙනවා..විස්කෝප වෙනවා.. උඩ පනිනවා.. 'ඕ ශිට්' කියනවා...'ඕ මයි ගෝඩ්' කියනවා.. කොල්ලා හිටපු ගමන් අමතක වෙලා අර 'එෆ්' එකෙන් එන වචනෙත් කියලා වට පිට බලනවා අම්මට ඇහුනද කියලා..බලා ඉන්නකොට පවු හිතෙනවා..

අපි ඇත්තට කරපුවා මේ අය TV ස්ක්රීන් එකක කරනවා.. ඇඟ මහන්සිවෙන් නැතුව සෙල්ලන් කරනවා..අපි දාඩිය දාගෙන කරපු සෙල්ලන් මේ ලමයි කිසිම මහන්සියක් නැතුව කරනවා...සීමා, වැටවල් නොතිබිච්ච අපේ ලමා කාලේ TV ස්ක්රීන් එකෙන් ලබා ගන්නව.. 
අපි සොබාදමත් එක්ක කෙලින්ම ඩීල් දාගෙන හිටියේ. පලතුරු කෑවේ ගහෙන් කඩලා, සෙල්ලන් කරේ පිට්ටනියේ, ගස් ගල් වල නැග්ගා, සත්තු ඇල්ලුවා, මාලු ඇල්ලුවා, වැව් ඇල දොල වලින් නෑව, ගෙදර ඔක්කොටොම හදන බත් - එලවලු - කරවල කෑව. දැන් ඉන්න ළමයින්ට සොබාදමත් එක්ක කෙලින්ම වැඩකරන්න බෑ.. අතරමැදියෝ ඉන්නවා..පලතුරු කඩන්නේ සුපර් මාකට් ගස් වලින්! නගින්න ගස් නැති හින්ඳා බිත්ති දිගේ බඩ ගාන්න හදනවා, දොරවල් වල එල්ලෙනවා, සෝෆා උඩ දුවනවා..ටැන්කියක මාලු දාගෙන උන්ව අල්ලනවා, බාත් ටබ් එකේ, ස්විමින්ග් පූල් එකේ නානවා…

අපි පොඩි කාලේ බට්ට පැන්න හැටි අපේ කෙල්ලට ටෙලිෆෝන් එකෙන් විස්තර කරන්න ගිහින් මගේ හොඳ පණ ගියා..(ඉන්ග්රීසියෙන් බට්ට පනිනවට මොනවද කියෙන්නේ?? බටිස් ජම්ප්ස් ද? කවුරු හරි පින්වතෙක් මට කියලා දීපල්ල ප්ලීස්) ඒ අය ඇඟට එක්සර්සයිස් කරන්න යන්නේ ජිම් එකට. අපි ගියේ වත්තට, කැලේට, පිට්ටනියට. අපි හොරෙන් පොල් කට්ටෙන් රා බොනකොට මේ අය කූල් බියර් ගහන්නේ කෑන් වලින්..අපි මය්යොක්ක බයිට් කෑවට මේ අය කන්නේ රෝස්ට් චිකන්...අපි වැස්සේ මඩේ සෙල්ලන් කරලා මඩ කරියෝ වගේ ගෙදර ඇවිල්ලා හෝදගෙන ඉස්කෝලෙ යනවා.. දැන් එකෙක් තෙමුනොත් අම්මටත් උණ ගැනෙනවා..බෙහෙත් පෙත්තක් නොගිලපු අපේ ලොකුම බෙහෙත වුනේ කොත්ත-මල්ලි..දැන් ඉන්න උන් කොත්තමල්ලි වලින් දවස් හතක් නෑව්වත් හරි යන් නෑ.. වැටුනහම පේන් කිලර්ස් නොතිබුනාට පේන් ඉවසගන්න අපිට හයියක් තිබ්බා.. දැන් ඉන්න උන් දවස් දහයක් අඬනවා ඒ වැටුනු වැටිලි වැටුනනන්..

ස්වභාවධර්මය අපේ අයගෙන් ඈත් වෙනව. පොලොව පෑගෙන් නෑ..තණකොල, බොරලු පෑගෙන් නෑ..ගස් ගල් ඇඟේ වදින් නෑ.. නිදිකුම්ඹා ඇනිල තියා දැකලත් නෑ..කොන්ක්‍රීට් ලෝකෙ, මෙට්‍රස් උඩ ජීවිත.. වයි ෆයි නැත්තන් හිස් ජීවිත.. එහා ගෙදර එකාට හෙණ ගැහුවත් කමක් නෑ..සන්ස්කෘතියෙන්, ඉතිහාසයෙන් ඈත් වෙන ජීවිත..

ප්‍රශ්නයක්ද? නෑ ප්‍රශ්නයක් නෑ... අරුමයක්ද?..අරුමයක් නෑ..වැරැද්දකුත් නෑ...පරිණාමයේ විධිය. ‘Cyber human’ හැදීගෙන එනව. මුලු ලෝකෙම ස්ක්‍රීන් එකකට ගන්නව..මුලු ලෝකෙ එක්ක තත්පරෙන් සම්බන්ඳ වෙනවා..ඒ කාලෙ අපි දෙයක් ගැන දැන ගන්න පොත් හොයාගෙන දුවන්න ඕනෙ..අද ළමයෙකුට රොකට් සයන්ස්සුත් ඉගෙනගත හැකි ගූගල් කරල.. (අපිත් ඉතින් වෙන ‘රොකට්’ ජාතියක් ගැනනන් හොඳට දැනගෙන හිටිය)....

ගල් යුගයේ මිනිස්සුන්ට වඩා කෘෂි-යුගයේ අය වෙනස්. ඊට වඩා කාර්මික-යුගයේ මිනිස්සු වෙනස්. අපි ඉපදුනේ ආතල්-යුගයෙ (ඒක මම හදාගත්ත යුගයක්!)..අපේ ළමයි Cyber යුගයේ. අපි ජන්ජාල කරගෙන කරපු වැඩ දැන් උන් කරන්නේ අන්තර්ජාලයෙන්..'ගැජට්' වලින්..මොබයිල් එකෙන් පෙම් හසුන් ලියන්නේ (ඒකත් කෙටි පනිවිඩ; 'ඩූඩ් අයි ලව් යා' කියල), මූණ බලන්නේ ෆෝන් කැමර එකෙන්, සෙල්ලන් කරන්නේ ටැබ් එකේ, පොත් කියවන්නේ ලැප්ටොප් එකේ, දවස් පහක් වයිෆයි නැතිවුනොත් උණ ගැනෙනව..මාසයක් විතර නැතිවුනොත් දිවි නහගන්නත් බැරි නෑ.. techno man දැන් cyber man වේගෙන එනව..මුලු ලෝකෙම මොබයිල් ෆෝන් එකට ගත්ත, ඒත් තනිවෙච්ච මිනිහා හැදීගෙන එනවා. ආගම්, සන්කෘති, ජාති, කුල, ලින්ග බේද නැති, ගහ කොල සතා සීපව නොදකින අමුතුම මිනිහා බිහිවේගෙන එනවා.. ප්‍රශ්නයක්ද? නෑ ප්‍රශ්නයක් නෑ... අරුමයක්ද?..අරුමයක් නෑ..වැරැද්දකුත් නෑ...පරිණාමයේ විධිය.... එහෙම නේද?

Kam Leng Hotel in Singapore

Kam Leng Hotel in Singapore
  
This is where I stayed on a brief visit to Singapore.









It is located in a place where there are lot of eating houses and Wine Stores.
Latter was my main interest.
Close to Sarangoon street, Mustafa Center, Komala Villa and the newly built Green City Mall.
City Mall had a bread stall with many delicacies.
This blog piece is to thank the Kam Leng Hotel staff including the chambermaids.
It was an old building refurbished with modern amenities.
From outside it looks pretty old looking but inside was neat, clean and tidy.
It reminded me of the Hospital Accommodation at Macclesfield Hospital in Manchester. 
The staff was friendly and the service including meals (besides the Wine Store), cleaning and laundry were excellent.
The price of course is within reach of an average visitor.
I used to stay in expensive hotels in Singapore a decade ago (what a fool I was) on my way to New Zealand.
I used to take break in Singapore, since the flight to Christchurch was an agony (except the flight from Christchurch to Greymouth, through Hokitika.
The last part was in twin engine 20 seater which I enjoyed the most (ten minutes distance but over 30 minutes on take off and landing).

This is beside the two seater Air Ambulance with a sick patient on board.
 
It is bit away from Changi Airport but MRT (bus stop right in front and the Ferrer Park tube nearby) station a walking distance away.

I will be visiting this hotel soon. 

Bird's Park in Singapore

Bird's Park in Singapore

This was a comment I made in reply to a email from one of my friends abroad.

The story was accompanied (not related to the topic though) by photos of various birds.

I was more interested (there is a chapter on Ceylonese birds; my current book) on the birds (not the flightless birds) than the message.

I was looking for a house sparrow but sadly was not there in the pictures.

Last time I went to Singapore to investigate why house sparrows have vanished in Ceylon.

I went to the Singapore National Library spend over half a day reading the only book on House sparrows and photocopied few pages.

Recently I went to Singapore for a brief visit and the day before my return I went to the Bird's Park.

Sadly I was the only one in the bus onwards and return.

I met a German Family (only other visitors) with kids and followed their footsteps since, it was easy for me to avoid food stalls.

They were very sharp, I wish I could have spoken German.

I paid a big some and applied for a lifetime membership BUT they did not issue a membership card (clever ploy).

I have to go there within a year to collect the membership with all the benefits and the news letters.

Singaporeans love birds whereas we import catapults from China to kill them.

I had the pleasure of feeding over 20 pigeons on a rainy day (reminded me feeding pigeons at Trafalgar Square in London High Street ) in a crowded eating house.

Pigeons, Mynas and House Sparrows were plenty in Singapore.

Essence of Buddhism

Essence of Buddhism

Buddha’s teaching was memorized (nearly five hundred years), scrutinized (various councils), classified (Abhidhamma) later in book form (Ola leaves) to present form.

One has to believe that less than 20% of the original teaching remains to this day.

I believe less than 1% of the textural content is necessary for the true understanding of the Dhamma.

Dhamma is not a scholarly (waste of precise time) exercise or pondering on matter or mind.

Appamado (do not waste time) Amata Padam!

Ekayana Maggo -One Way Only-Traffic!

It is all about “Taming the Mind” of all distractions. 

The way forward is meditative attention to being of existence (more of mind than matter).

Only the Mindful guys and girls would reap its benefits.

I do not believe that he wasted his time on exegesis.

In fact, scholarly guys (girls) would faulter while simple mindful guy (girl) would prosper!

He actually made it simple for even an ordinary guy with ordinary mind to comprehend its desired goal.

In that sense Dhammapada should be one’s guide and inspiration.

What I mean is, if one delves into Abhdhamma in a scholarly intent he or she will get entangled, not disentangled.

This is where other faiths fail since their Dogmas and Doctrines are rigid, exclusive and not inclusive of all Mankind.

Dhamma is for disentanglement from the deeply entrenched entanglement (attachment to the Wrong View or Dogma).

Be mindful and be simple minded and reject all dogmas that has no substance but Hate.

Beautiful Mind

Beautiful Mind

Let me list, a few of our emotions and then see how we can avoid feeling bad or confused.

This is based on a power point presentation to undergraduates in their Preliminary Course in English. Seeing students of different faith I avoided the Buddhist Terminology but in fact expanded on the four Wrong Directions which young one’s, including individuals of different religious faiths, political ideology, racial orientation and above all some teachers (ill conceived) with hidden agenda.

1. Fear

2. Anger

3. Hate

4. Aggression

5. Resentment

6. Envy

7. Rejection

8. Guilt

9. Pride

11. Boredom

12. Loneliness

13. Jealousy (Green eyed Monster)

14 Paranoia

Why not

1. Hope

2. Happiness

3. Love and

4. Self Control

5. Tolerance

These were the same emotions which went through young minds of our generation 60 years ago.

Most of them ended up with “Reactive Depression” not “Endogenous Depression” but there was no counseling of any kind at disposal.

I think in this modern age of Digital Obsession, there is more expressed “Emotional Intolerance”.

In fact, digital media like Facebook, to some extent YouTube thrive on this malady.

I think politicians from China to Russia to Middle East (Israel and Palestine included) to importantly USA base their strategies on hate anger and resentment.

Emotions like relationships have various shades and connections.

We can shape our emotions, the way we want them to be (for good as well as bad intentions).

How can we progress?

In away according to Professor De Bono;

It is to have beautiful Mind or get rid of the wrong Directions and Intentions.

I did a survey on technical terms in psychology and found psychological terms easily outnumbered the technical terms in physics, mathematics and philosophy all put together.

The corollary of this is that Religious, Political and Racial Doctrines can thrive on these minor and major psychological maladies.

It is interesting that Buddha had crystallized the themes into four categories. 

During the talk on “Making Choice in Life”;

Ajahn Brahm taught the four considerations when face with making a decision.

Not for selfish reason

Not with ill-will

Not out of stupidity

With no Fear.

This is the Buddha’s teaching on four “Agati”, namely,

Chanda-gati, Dosa-gati, Moha-gati, Bhaya-gati, or the four kinds of corruption.

Chanda-gati, corruption induced by desire, is deviation from the right path in pursuit of bribes or for the sake of those one loves.

Dosa-gati is taking the wrong path to spite those against whom one bears ill will, and

Moha-gati is aberration due to ignorance.

But perhaps the worst of the four is bhaya-gati, for not only does bhaya, fear, stifle and slowly destroy all sense of right and wrong, it so often lies at the root of the other three kinds of corruption.

Agati: the 4 'wrong Paths' are: the path of desire, the path of hate, the path of confusion, the path of fear bhaya. One who is freed from these evil impulses is no longer liable to take any wrong path.

Satara Agati -Four unprofitable directions

The term 'Agati' in Pali mean wrong course or going bad way.

There are four bad ways,

a) Chandā agati - the going a bad way through ill will

b) Dosā agati -the going a bad way through hate

c) Bhayā agati - the going a bad way through fear

d) Mohā agati - the going a bad way through ignorance or delusion

Glimpse of Mind in Abhidhamma

Glimpse of Mind in Abhidhamma
Abhidhamma is colossal and any attempt at simplifying it is difficult, simply because of the fact that Abhidhamma in Buddhist terminology is an attempt to finely describe the working of the Mind.

It is a conceptual framework  of “phenomena of existence” of physical and mental formations; i.e; analysis of mental phenomena and their conditioning.
 
This analysis is the basis for expounding the very nature of existence of the being (Bhava) conditioned by Anitta (impermanence), Dukka (unsatisfactoriness based on impermanence) and hence Anatma (selflessness).
 
The expression of this at fine mental formation is Upppada (beginning), Thithi (rising to a peak) and Bhanga (dissolution) of one thought moment to another with similar beginning, crescendo and dissolution; i.e; in other words “a state of flux” of mental formation and dissolution.
 
This formation does not end at physical death but extends into the next round of existence in Bhava. The mental process is described as a stream (Bhavanga Sota) which invariably accompany the being.
 
One experiences only one thought moment at any particular time. No two thought moments coexist. Each thought moment hangs onto some kind of object. No consciousness arises without an object either physical or mental.
 
When a person is fast asleep and is in a dreamless state he experiences a kind of consciousness which is more passive than active (note no mention about subconsciousness in Abhidhamma akin to Freudian analysis). It is similar to consciousness at the time of conception and at the final moment of death.
 
This type of consciousness in Abhidhamma term is Bhavanga. Like any other consciousness it consists of  genesis (Uppada) steady state or static (Thiti) and cessation (Bhanga). Arising and perishing it flows on like a stream not remaining the same for two consecutive thought moments. According to Abhidhamma no two type of (conscious and subconscious) of consciousness exist.
Bhavanga is not a sub-plane but a continuous stream of existence.
 
In Abhidhamma the word that aptly describe the state of the mind is Javana (running). This Javana thought moment lasts seven thought moments or at times of death five thought moments. Javana state is arrested by Thadarammana when an object (physical or mental) of attention is registered by the thought process and consists of two thought moments.
The death occurs immediately after the Cuti consciousness. Though, with death, the physical body disintegrates and the flow of consciousness temporarily ceases yet the stream is not annihilated as the Kammic force that propels it remains.
 
Death is  only a prelude to rebirth.
 
As Patisandhi (relinking) is the initial thought moment of life so Cuti the final thought moment. They are the entrance and exist of a particular life. Cuti occurs between Javana and Patisandhi, Thadarammana and Patisandhi and Bhananga and Patisandhi.
 
So the Samsara is the conditional existence (sort of cause and effect process) of beings, all inclusive (not only human but Deva and Preta included) and the goal of Buddhist Practice is to strive for Unconditional Existence of the Mental Culture (not a zero sum game or state) of Bliss without attachment (Tanha).
 
Way to achieve this is by one’s own effort of Meditation (not just meditation) with clear understanding of the above premises of Anitta, Dukka and Anatma.
 
Mind’s response to sense organ’s perception of an impulse as part of an object (Kaya/Rupa) of attention sets in a chain reaction.
1. Impulse has to be above the threshold value.
 
2. That causes to arise sensation from the sense object.
 
3. Perception of that sensation as agreeable, disagreeable or neutral.
 
4.Volitional (Cetana) attachment (Tanha) to that Citta (i.e; awakening of the life stream (Bhavanga sota)  of continuity).
 
5. Momentary focus of attention to that state of Mind.
 
6. Brings to life the mental phenomenon associated with that state of mind (within the Mind or arise from sense organ).
 
7. Attention to the same until another (Citta) thought process begins.
 
Upppda, Thiti and Bhanga process recurs in an undulating form in each thought moment of the present. 
In terms of the life process, Patisandhi, Bhavanga and Cuti operate, in the ever recurring Samsara Cycle.
 
Javana is the most important of all where the free will operates and the action (good or bad) falls into either Kusala or Akusala Kamma. One owns or inherits the merits or demerits of his or her action or deed.
Thought process has 17 thought moments and Javana has 7 thought moments and Tadarammana has two thought moments and the rest of the eight thought moments are given separate names starting from Atita Bhavanga to Votthappana ending in Javana and Tadarammana.
 
This in essence embodies the basic tenets of Abhidhamma but does not include all the finer classifications.

Linx Distributions and Peppermint-07-Boot Splash Gone Awry

  Further Comments.

Below are two discussions currently running in 
LinuxQuestions.

I am a Distribution Hopper for over 20 years with gray hair covering my vertex and decided to settle on few of my favorite distributions on merits.

Number one reason is easy to handle and configure.
Not too, heavy on RAM.
Have all the software packages.
Runs on both old (32 bit) and new (64 bit) hardware.

I prefer the PAE (just what PCLINUX did under Linux STAR until his retirement).

Why have two CD?DVDs for one ?

Laptop is not my favorite!

Reliable, stable workhorse and run at least one year without updates.

Only Debian “Fits the Bill” with distributions for all the platforms including Apple Platform.
Only caveat is one has to understand how Linux Works especially Debian and partitioning, partition table and bootable partitions including MBR.
 
Peppermint (currently version 8) is my Web Console, light weight (it is getting fatter by the minute) and can download almost all the software in Debian Store House (over 66,000).

AntiX (Mepis- Just Downloaded Version 16) my Utility Kit but Knoppix and Puppy Linux are my favorite trouble shooters.

Elementary Linux is pretty good if one is interested in audio and video play.
 
Emmabuntus now in 64 bit version is another good Linux distribution for kids as well as adults.

I am currently downloading MultiSystem (French Distribution) boot DVD (it used to be a CD few years ago)which is very useful in having several (I am not sure of windows) Linux Distributions in a USB Disk, Flash Drive or on a MicroSD chip. 

This is very useful to test a distribution without installing in your Hard Disk.

One can install MultiSystem as a software,too.

Go to Pendrive Linux Site, download the sh file and extract the utility and follow the instructions.
One need root permission to install in your Linux Distribution. 
I installed it on (PCLinux) my system breezily in about 3 minutes.
It has to be a Ubuntu based distribution and Debian does not support it.

For Debian it has its own USB creation package or Use UnetBootIn.

Not for text and writing books and Lyx (for program editors)is too advanced for a beginner.

I have found a very easy solutions.

One is to use MultiSytem software or DVD to have Multiple Linux distributions on a USB Hard drive or Flash Drive.


Other option is to install as many distributions (including Windows - Beware UEFI booting option but one can send Windows into hibernation by clever ploys) in your hard drive/s.

Have multiple operating systems (Windows for occasional Local TV watching (mostly cricket)) in Two Mega SATA (not SSD, the have low volume) disks with 4 GiB RAM extensible for 8 for Gaming.

I currently have seven (7) distributions (apart from Windows) in two hard drives and Windows forcibly sent underground (one has to be very very crafty to do this without destroying one’s hardware).
Unfortunately Windows (Developers) guys coming from India and USA has serious “Paranoid Disease Untreatable”; that is they cannot cohabit with Linux!

LinuxQuestions reproduction not edited including TYPOS!
TL;DR: I would love to know which distro made you stop distro hopping and you are happy with! May be no matter what happens i will stick with one of your preference! ;)
So, I am a serial distro hopper. Been using linux for a long time (Really Long Time) and have been distro hopping ever since. Primarily i started with ubuntu as everyone else does, then Linux mint, then Arch, then Manjaro, then Elementary, then OpenSUSE and OpenSUSE TW, and a lot i cannot even remember the names. But i am getting pretty tired.
I mean, i like UBUNTU but i don't like their 6 months release schedule (I do want fairly updated apps). I like Linux mint, but not their arrogance on holding updates back and making custom firefox and keeping same old softwares for another 2/3 years(ow, sorry, that's a core Ubuntu LTS issue, no complain here, just making some points).
I like arch, but come on, the installation is pain on the ass(Antergos? No thanks! Pretty much same thing, fails now and then) and you know, the breakage now and then is hell of an annoyance. Manjaro? A lot of controversy surrounding. I am not a fan of XFCE i guess. And community editions are not really my cup of tea. Just install Manjaro cinnamon and install couple of QT apps and see how ugly they look (Manjaro GNOME is okay though). I know, they will fix it someday.
I like fedora, but their "Restriction" is too much for a daily drive and their repo contains a lot less software. NOW, one thing i do like is openSUSE TW. And their approach, BUT the gnome updates always break extensions (and themes) without which it's quiet unusable for me and recently they dropped support for synaptic touchpads and replaced it with libinput ( The mouse movement is horrible, no way to customize mouse acceleration from GUI). I really really do like GNOME with extensions. Ow, i love it. KDE Plasma? You won't believe what i did do to like this DE and what not! I like simplicity, KDE is a mess in that sense. If you like KDE its fine, i am not judging, just a personal preference. :) So you get the problem i am facing, right? I know they all are linux, they are same at underlying structure and you can always customize it to your liking.
But, If you were a distrohopper and recently stopped, i would love to know which one made you stop distrohopping. :)
[–]krav_mark 70 points
Debian Stable. Because it is stable and secure and it just works and keeps working.
For me it is the trustworthy general purpose distribution. Am using it on everything from servers to laptops to rapberri pi's. They all are the same base just run different software.
Never really understood distrohoppers who install another distro most of the time only because they want to try some DE. You can install most DE's right on your current distro like from debians or ubuntu's repo's. Why change distro's for a different DE ? Just install the DE on the system you already use and so are familiar with.
Debian doesn't have the very latest versions maybe but it does have the most stable ones. And I need to get work done so want something versatile and reliable. Debian stable has everything I need.

Peppermint-07-Boot Splash Gone Awry

I have been trying to get my Boot Loader (of Peppermint-07) to mount more than seven operating systems in one go but Boot Splash of Peppermint could not.

Additionally its boot splash was magnified so large the icons were outside and not visible on the Desktop.

There was no way to minimize the output (Boot Splash) and on right click would show on a folder icon.

What I usually do is to reinstall the distribution, in this case Peppermint but it failed on three attempts.

Mind you the console was an old TV not a normal computer video output.

I was patient and tried installing Debian but it failed to rectify.

Then I tried Linux Light and it got it working once on first boot up but on restart went back to the Peppermint boot loader in MBR.

Then I tried 4M Linux but it could not read all the partitions in two SATA disks.

Then I tried Puppy Linux but it refused to update the boot loader.

Usually Puppy Linux does a good job.

Only one I did not try was Ubuntu (I did not have a latest distribution).

I am going to download its 64 bit version.

Then finally I tried Elementary OS and it figured out my problem and made a cute boot splash with all the distributions including Puppy (it identified it as an unknown distribution).

I made a big mistake of using CD/DVDs without Internet connection.

Usually these distributions would update the (in this case Peppermint’s faulty boot loader) packages at the end of the installation and remove old and redundant packages.

I was lazy and our Internet download speed was very slow.

"Middle Path" the viable route!

"Middle Path" the viable route!

The Knowledge and Fame tend to ruin of the fools

Dhammapda Verse 72

To ruin indeed, the fool gains knowledge and fame; they destroy the bright lot and cleave his head (that is his wisdom).

How true is this statement to the Current and Old political leaders.

Below is the cotextual nature of the beings in the universe (not only this World Order), aliens included who do visit us roughly in 5000 year cycles.

Buddhist do not fear any beings Worldly or Otherwise (Gods or Peta included).

No need to pay offer Puja to any Worldly being/s including current or future political leaders (included).

Namarupa

Abhidhamma meaning.

This compound should be understood as NAMA alone. RUPA alone and NAMARUPA together.

In the case of Arupa planes there arises only Mind, in the case of mindless planes (asanna), only matter and in the case of Kama Rupa planes both mind and matter.

The Nama are meant the three aggregates, of Vedana, Sanna and Sankhara.

5 "S" for Linux

 5 "S" for Linux
 Reproduction
For the future of Linux Community of Developers we should have a strategy in ISO style.

1. Sort.

2. Set

3, Shine or Refine

4. Standardize.5. Sustain

I looked at the the successful companies and found no Linux derivative there.

This is the failure of Linux. We do not have a Business Model to boast about.

We have a Logo and a Mascot where are they standing at present?

If you look at the list in the first 20 we have IBM, Google, Microsoft and Intel and Yahoo at 66 but no Linux.

Like Coca Cola we should be in the Number One.

The simple reason is we do not know how to market our products.

Do not merge with the big companies.

Look at Yahoo having merged it is in the 66th place whereas Microsoft is in the top 5.

Why?

1. Embrace

2. Expand

3. Extinguish or Explode

We call EXPLODE it in this country since we a firecracker happy nation (to show politicians are in the vicinity) to Explode at any moment.

We knew for over 30 years how to avoid and escape from bombs now we have to escape from (all powerful but impotent in deeds) politicians.

Unfortunately we do not know how to escape from the stranglehold they are imposing on us.

So merging with big companies or the politicians (Obama and his expensive social program) is not the way forward.

The way forward is to scrutinize the activities and put them the Acid Test of "5S".

First of all we have to SORT all the Models.

I will do it in my way but my analysis also a Primitive Model to work with.

1. SORT

Sort all the essentials (LIVE CDs, Servers, Desktops, Netbooks most importantly O.E.M.s).
Sort the Origin-Debian series, Knoppix and Live CDs series , Puppy series. Ubuntu series, Redhat. Centos Series... Mandriva series, Slackware series, Gentoo series etc.

I am almost finishing with the Live CDs with subcategories named after our ancestral mammals the Apes (Light Weight, Middle Weight, Heavy Weight type of apes and monkeys) with x-Windows to go with it.

2. SET

Set a business Model with a strong Logo for Live CDs, Desktops and Server and O.E.M.s (that will be the future netbooks).

Target is to get within the first 10 if not it is not marketable.

3. SHINE rather REFINE the most essential basics for each category worth marketing.

4. Standardize

(Linux is standard based operating system and this should not be a problem).

5. Sustainability

This is the difficult part without a strong Business Model.

This is only possible if all the Linux derivatives in each category pass a gold mark or the gold standard (for Live CD I have chosen PCLinux as the Gold Standard of usability) and move up the ladder in the 100 in each category.

That is my wishful thinking.

When I did my survey (now the time for a research) I found lot of good stuff has gone into dormancy because of lack of support like a business model would have.

To name a few are MYAH, Linux Console. ADIOS. O.L.P.S and many more.

It is a shame that the good work of dedicated developers are now in the attic instead of in the classroom or in the living room.

I have shown the way.

We must revive and take Linux out of the doldrums and develop some marketable products.

I will be willing to work with even the devil if my suggestions are taken to heart by Developers but not business crooks.

Please make some critical comments.