Cattāri Brahmavihārā

As humans, our greatest advantage in the face of adversity and suffering is one another. Without Lord Buddha there would have been no one to show us the Path. Without our parents no one would have fed, clothed and taught us. Without one another, the whole edifice of commerce and civilization would collapse.

In my prepration for the paroxysms that I am confident will reduce our global civilization to rubble, I have tried to learn as much as I can about medicine, herbalism, foraging, self-defense and survival skills. However, the one thing that is lacking is a community of like minded people to turn to.

Whether we look to the jatakas or anecdotes taken from contemporary experiences, it’s clear that the loner can’t make it by themself. So, how does one go about creating a community in a city like NYC that shares common moral and ethical values? When things go south, nothing would be more useful or necessary. Survival and rebirth, if at all possible in this human world, will require a parisa or a Sangha rooted in the realities of the present and not lost in abstraction or cotton candy promises of a better tomorrow without planting the seeds of kusala kamma.

So, while I educate myself in various and sundry disciplines and work on the purification of the heart I must also reach out and try to assemble a community of brothers and sisters to rely on in times of trouble. Wish me luck. Wish us all luck.