\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n
\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n
\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

P:<\/strong> Can you tell the difference between your bag and somebody else\u2019s bag?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Can you tell the difference between your bag and somebody else\u2019s bag?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

P:<\/strong>\u00a0Can you make your way to the subway station?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Can you tell the difference between your bag and somebody else\u2019s bag?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

Q:<\/strong> No, I can get home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong>\u00a0Can you make your way to the subway station?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Can you tell the difference between your bag and somebody else\u2019s bag?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

P:<\/strong> How forgetful are you? Do you lose your way home?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> No, I can get home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong>\u00a0Can you make your way to the subway station?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Can you tell the difference between your bag and somebody else\u2019s bag?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

I am doubtful whether I should stay in this profession. I wonder if I am taking an opportunity from somebody who should use these resources.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> How forgetful are you? Do you lose your way home?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> No, I can get home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong>\u00a0Can you make your way to the subway station?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Can you tell the difference between your bag and somebody else\u2019s bag?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

I find that this forgetfulness is an obstacle to my profession. I have a scholarship for my Ph. D program, and I am happy about my position. They are not kicking me out yet, but I always have self-doubt about whether I should continue with my studies because science is based on proof and evidence and I am having trouble catching up with the things that I think I should be doing. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I am doubtful whether I should stay in this profession. I wonder if I am taking an opportunity from somebody who should use these resources.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> How forgetful are you? Do you lose your way home?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> No, I can get home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong>\u00a0Can you make your way to the subway station?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Can you tell the difference between your bag and somebody else\u2019s bag?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

Q: I\u2019m a very forgetful person. I have been able to handle my daily life. However, the problem is that I\u2019m a researcher and I\u2019m doing my Ph. D in biomedical sciences. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I find that this forgetfulness is an obstacle to my profession. I have a scholarship for my Ph. D program, and I am happy about my position. They are not kicking me out yet, but I always have self-doubt about whether I should continue with my studies because science is based on proof and evidence and I am having trouble catching up with the things that I think I should be doing. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I am doubtful whether I should stay in this profession. I wonder if I am taking an opportunity from somebody who should use these resources.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> How forgetful are you? Do you lose your way home?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> No, I can get home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong>\u00a0Can you make your way to the subway station?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Can you tell the difference between your bag and somebody else\u2019s bag?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n
\n\n\n\n

Q: I\u2019m a very forgetful person. I have been able to handle my daily life. However, the problem is that I\u2019m a researcher and I\u2019m doing my Ph. D in biomedical sciences. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I find that this forgetfulness is an obstacle to my profession. I have a scholarship for my Ph. D program, and I am happy about my position. They are not kicking me out yet, but I always have self-doubt about whether I should continue with my studies because science is based on proof and evidence and I am having trouble catching up with the things that I think I should be doing. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I am doubtful whether I should stay in this profession. I wonder if I am taking an opportunity from somebody who should use these resources.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> How forgetful are you? Do you lose your way home?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> No, I can get home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong>\u00a0Can you make your way to the subway station?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Can you tell the difference between your bag and somebody else\u2019s bag?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

I should not say that because I fully recognized that there will be consequences to my choice. So all choices are equal except when you make a choice you have to be aware of the consequences and be willing to accept this consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Make A Good Choice?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-make-a-good-choice","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 12:09:08","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 17:09:08","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14112","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14107,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-22 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-22 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I\u2019m a very forgetful person. I have been able to handle my daily life. However, the problem is that I\u2019m a researcher and I\u2019m doing my Ph. D in biomedical sciences. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I find that this forgetfulness is an obstacle to my profession. I have a scholarship for my Ph. D program, and I am happy about my position. They are not kicking me out yet, but I always have self-doubt about whether I should continue with my studies because science is based on proof and evidence and I am having trouble catching up with the things that I think I should be doing. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I am doubtful whether I should stay in this profession. I wonder if I am taking an opportunity from somebody who should use these resources.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> How forgetful are you? Do you lose your way home?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> No, I can get home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong>\u00a0Can you make your way to the subway station?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Can you tell the difference between your bag and somebody else\u2019s bag?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

So when I chose the path of engaged Buddhism over traditional Buddhism in Korea, I knew there were a lot of issues that came with that choice. I will be thrown off from the actual discipline. There will be renunciation. There will be criticisms. There will be a lot of recriminations. So I could have said, why should I go through all that suffering?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I should not say that because I fully recognized that there will be consequences to my choice. So all choices are equal except when you make a choice you have to be aware of the consequences and be willing to accept this consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Make A Good Choice?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-make-a-good-choice","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 12:09:08","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 17:09:08","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14112","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14107,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-22 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-22 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I\u2019m a very forgetful person. I have been able to handle my daily life. However, the problem is that I\u2019m a researcher and I\u2019m doing my Ph. D in biomedical sciences. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I find that this forgetfulness is an obstacle to my profession. I have a scholarship for my Ph. D program, and I am happy about my position. They are not kicking me out yet, but I always have self-doubt about whether I should continue with my studies because science is based on proof and evidence and I am having trouble catching up with the things that I think I should be doing. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I am doubtful whether I should stay in this profession. I wonder if I am taking an opportunity from somebody who should use these resources.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> How forgetful are you? Do you lose your way home?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> No, I can get home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong>\u00a0Can you make your way to the subway station?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Can you tell the difference between your bag and somebody else\u2019s bag?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

So choose whatever you want to choose, but when you choose there are consequences. You have to be receptive and be fully willing to accept what the consequences are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when I chose the path of engaged Buddhism over traditional Buddhism in Korea, I knew there were a lot of issues that came with that choice. I will be thrown off from the actual discipline. There will be renunciation. There will be criticisms. There will be a lot of recriminations. So I could have said, why should I go through all that suffering?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I should not say that because I fully recognized that there will be consequences to my choice. So all choices are equal except when you make a choice you have to be aware of the consequences and be willing to accept this consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Make A Good Choice?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-make-a-good-choice","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 12:09:08","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 17:09:08","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14112","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14107,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-22 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-22 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I\u2019m a very forgetful person. I have been able to handle my daily life. However, the problem is that I\u2019m a researcher and I\u2019m doing my Ph. D in biomedical sciences. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I find that this forgetfulness is an obstacle to my profession. I have a scholarship for my Ph. D program, and I am happy about my position. They are not kicking me out yet, but I always have self-doubt about whether I should continue with my studies because science is based on proof and evidence and I am having trouble catching up with the things that I think I should be doing. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I am doubtful whether I should stay in this profession. I wonder if I am taking an opportunity from somebody who should use these resources.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> How forgetful are you? Do you lose your way home?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> No, I can get home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong>\u00a0Can you make your way to the subway station?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Can you tell the difference between your bag and somebody else\u2019s bag?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

So it's not whether a choice is good or bad, it's what the consequences are, the responsibility that comes with the choice. We have difficult time making choices because we have an innate nature within ourselves to want to borrow the money but not the sense of responsibility to pay it back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So choose whatever you want to choose, but when you choose there are consequences. You have to be receptive and be fully willing to accept what the consequences are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when I chose the path of engaged Buddhism over traditional Buddhism in Korea, I knew there were a lot of issues that came with that choice. I will be thrown off from the actual discipline. There will be renunciation. There will be criticisms. There will be a lot of recriminations. So I could have said, why should I go through all that suffering?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I should not say that because I fully recognized that there will be consequences to my choice. So all choices are equal except when you make a choice you have to be aware of the consequences and be willing to accept this consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Make A Good Choice?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-make-a-good-choice","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 12:09:08","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 17:09:08","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14112","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14107,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-22 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-22 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I\u2019m a very forgetful person. I have been able to handle my daily life. However, the problem is that I\u2019m a researcher and I\u2019m doing my Ph. D in biomedical sciences. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I find that this forgetfulness is an obstacle to my profession. I have a scholarship for my Ph. D program, and I am happy about my position. They are not kicking me out yet, but I always have self-doubt about whether I should continue with my studies because science is based on proof and evidence and I am having trouble catching up with the things that I think I should be doing. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I am doubtful whether I should stay in this profession. I wonder if I am taking an opportunity from somebody who should use these resources.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> How forgetful are you? Do you lose your way home?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> No, I can get home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong>\u00a0Can you make your way to the subway station?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Can you tell the difference between your bag and somebody else\u2019s bag?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

For example. Shall I take out a loan or not? Doesn't matter what you choose. But if you borrow money, you have to pay it back. If you don't want to pay back, then you shouldn't borrow the money in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So it's not whether a choice is good or bad, it's what the consequences are, the responsibility that comes with the choice. We have difficult time making choices because we have an innate nature within ourselves to want to borrow the money but not the sense of responsibility to pay it back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So choose whatever you want to choose, but when you choose there are consequences. You have to be receptive and be fully willing to accept what the consequences are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when I chose the path of engaged Buddhism over traditional Buddhism in Korea, I knew there were a lot of issues that came with that choice. I will be thrown off from the actual discipline. There will be renunciation. There will be criticisms. There will be a lot of recriminations. So I could have said, why should I go through all that suffering?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I should not say that because I fully recognized that there will be consequences to my choice. So all choices are equal except when you make a choice you have to be aware of the consequences and be willing to accept this consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Make A Good Choice?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-make-a-good-choice","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 12:09:08","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 17:09:08","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14112","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14107,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-22 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-22 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I\u2019m a very forgetful person. I have been able to handle my daily life. However, the problem is that I\u2019m a researcher and I\u2019m doing my Ph. D in biomedical sciences. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I find that this forgetfulness is an obstacle to my profession. I have a scholarship for my Ph. D program, and I am happy about my position. They are not kicking me out yet, but I always have self-doubt about whether I should continue with my studies because science is based on proof and evidence and I am having trouble catching up with the things that I think I should be doing. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I am doubtful whether I should stay in this profession. I wonder if I am taking an opportunity from somebody who should use these resources.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> How forgetful are you? Do you lose your way home?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> No, I can get home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong>\u00a0Can you make your way to the subway station?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Can you tell the difference between your bag and somebody else\u2019s bag?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

\n

We are actually referring to the result of that choice. We have a tendency to want to choose but we also have the tendency to not want to be responsible for the consequences of that choice. That is why we have a difficult time making choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example. Shall I take out a loan or not? Doesn't matter what you choose. But if you borrow money, you have to pay it back. If you don't want to pay back, then you shouldn't borrow the money in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So it's not whether a choice is good or bad, it's what the consequences are, the responsibility that comes with the choice. We have difficult time making choices because we have an innate nature within ourselves to want to borrow the money but not the sense of responsibility to pay it back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So choose whatever you want to choose, but when you choose there are consequences. You have to be receptive and be fully willing to accept what the consequences are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when I chose the path of engaged Buddhism over traditional Buddhism in Korea, I knew there were a lot of issues that came with that choice. I will be thrown off from the actual discipline. There will be renunciation. There will be criticisms. There will be a lot of recriminations. So I could have said, why should I go through all that suffering?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I should not say that because I fully recognized that there will be consequences to my choice. So all choices are equal except when you make a choice you have to be aware of the consequences and be willing to accept this consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Make A Good Choice?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-make-a-good-choice","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 12:09:08","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 17:09:08","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14112","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14107,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-22 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-22 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I\u2019m a very forgetful person. I have been able to handle my daily life. However, the problem is that I\u2019m a researcher and I\u2019m doing my Ph. D in biomedical sciences. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I find that this forgetfulness is an obstacle to my profession. I have a scholarship for my Ph. D program, and I am happy about my position. They are not kicking me out yet, but I always have self-doubt about whether I should continue with my studies because science is based on proof and evidence and I am having trouble catching up with the things that I think I should be doing. <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I am doubtful whether I should stay in this profession. I wonder if I am taking an opportunity from somebody who should use these resources.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> How forgetful are you? Do you lose your way home?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> No, I can get home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong>\u00a0Can you make your way to the subway station?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Can you tell the difference between your bag and somebody else\u2019s bag?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Then you have no problems because the animals living on the hills can\u2019t make that distinction. But they seem to have good lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> But they are not doing scientific research as a profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> But, that\u2019s okay. If people think you can\u2019t make it, either your professor or your boss will tell you. So you don\u2019t have to quit unless they bring it up first. What you are actually doing is torturing yourself. You shouldn\u2019t overestimate your capabilities, but you shouldn\u2019t underestimate them either. The fact that you are in your current position means that you\u2019ve been doing well so far. Don\u2019t evaluate yourself. Let others evaluate you. If your boss thinks you can\u2019t make it and tells you to leave, accept that criticism and quit. Then, perhaps you can go to India or the Philippines to do volunteer work. But since no one is telling you or forcing you out the door right now, have confidence in yourself and go on with your studies. I think you are doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019m kind of waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Don\u2019t wait. Just do your best. There is a saying that goes, \u201cHuman do the work, but the heaven decide the outcome.\u201d It means that you do your best but should not obsess about the results. Right now, you are too concerned about the result. Just do your best. Then, after you see the result, you can then re-evaluate. I think you are still doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Is It Ok To Keep My Job?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"is-it-ok-to-keep-my-job","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:52:43","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:52:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14107","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14102,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-11-15 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-15 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I feel a little frustrated, maybe a little angry, impatient about the need for significant political change. I worry a lot about injustice, climate change, corruption, democracy. I just wonder what is in your opinion, the best sort of Buddhist Way to seek political change but quickly. I mean how do you feel about civil disobedience, do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we are in a serious existential threat over the political issues that we have? I'm just wondering. What is your take?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The essence of Buddhist teaching is the middle way. This actually means doing your best under the situation and conditions that you are in. So the middle way is not talking of some fixed way. Instead, it means you are flexible to change strategy and directions according to the situation and environment you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take an individual for example, it is much easier to change an individual's thoughts than emotions. This is because thought resides in your consciousness while emotion resides in subconsciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karma refers to emotional cognitive habits, and it takes time for you to change that. So if you try to affect change quickly, it won\u2019t work. If you feel disappointed over the fact that your habits do not change quickly then you start blaming yourself and suffer. If the other person\u2019s habits do not change quickly then you start blaming them and become angry at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very natural not to be able to change quickly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But it is very natural not to be able to change quickly. Change needs a lot of failures, trial & errors, and it needs time. So it is this unrealistic sense of urgency that is making us angry, hateful and disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we must have an insight and awareness of that principle before we get started. And that is why we study history. There are many singular events throughout history that have failed. But from a historical perspective, many of them actually succeeded, because that was something that could not happen over just one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you try to accomplish something at once, you will likely fail. Because change and improvement happen over a period of time through repeated failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's take the environmental issue for example. Our environment is at a very critical state. But if you look at the reality we are facing today, it is very difficult to affect change. Because consumption is deeply embedded in our everyday lives. And the values and criteria for success in this society are closely tied with one's capacity to consume more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though consciously we recognize the danger of environmental destruction, our habits force us to go on living the way we have. So, I think no matter how much we try, there's a good possibility we will not be able to change our way of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then is that despair? Not so...<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do You See The Current Political Issues In The Buddhist Perspective?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-you-see-the-current-political-issues-in-the-buddhist-perspective","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 11:36:12","post_modified_gmt":"2022-11-13 16:36:12","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=14102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":13846,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2022-10-18 01:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-18 06:00:00","post_content":"\n


\n\n\n\n

Q: I work in healthcare and I'm a manager. And sometimes I need to let people go because of their performance. For some people, it's not just about poor performance, but actually that their mistakes put some patients at risk. I try to give them enough chances and help them in any way I can, but for some employees, there's just no option but to let them go.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


Knowing their personal situations, I feel very bad about letting them go and also scared because recently in the US there was a FedEx employee, who after getting laid off, went back to the office and killed people.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


I just want to ask you how can I do my job and handle laying off employees better?<\/gwmw><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

P<\/strong>: If your role as a manager requires you to fire some people then either you continue working at your job or quit and change jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to continue your job for whatever reasons then you must accept the responsibility that comes with it and be able to deal with it. If your job involves firing employees, obviously there's always a risk of them being angry at you which sometimes might lead to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways it is like voluntarily joining the army. During peacetime it is a good job because you don't have to risk your life, but if there's a war, you have to put your life at risk. Nevertheless, it\u2019s a choice you're making and there's no other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you make the choice to stay on, there may be small things you can do to lower the risk. For instance, instead of firing somebody with harsh words, try to explain this is your role. Say that you understand the person and that although this is not what you want to do but you have to do it because it's your job. And that you are also an employee at the organization and that you also have to make a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them as a person it hurts you to do this, but because you have to fulfill your role you have no choice but to do this and that you are sorry. Then with those words you may decrease your risk a little. Obviously that person will still be fired and still be angry, but it\u2019s better than kicking them out with harsh criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while understanding other people\u2019s pain and feeling sorry about it, you should still be able to do your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the consequences you face because of your choice you should be able to handle it. It is not a matter of which way is better. It is to realize that with every choice comes responsibility and consequences. And you should be aware of those before you make a choice. It is difficult but if you try to avoid responsibility it becomes a source of suffering. There's always a result based on a cause. If you provided the cause then you should be able to accept the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you are in that position then there is a risk for you to be criticized. And a higher risk for you to be hated. But if you don't like it, change your job, but if there are the reasons to stay on then be prepared to handle the consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Laying Off My Employees Is Stressful","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"laying-off-my-employees-is-stressful","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-16 19:44:45","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-17 00:44:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=13846","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2788,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-18 02:01:01","post_content":"\n

Q: Students, others may be asking themselves, \u201cwhat kind of world are we living in?\u201d after Sunday\u2019s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there\u2019s so much that are bombarded in the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there\u2019s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder \u201cwhat do I do about this?\u201d There\u2019s no hope. It\u2019s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=18I0Nk2l_X8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Go Through Hard Times ?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-go-through-hard-times","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_modified_gmt":"2021-05-14 02:35:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2788","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2675,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-16 22:19:09","post_content":"\n

Q: Lately, whenever you hear about trends towards the future, it's bad new. For example, global warming, rising sea levels, growing income gap between the rich and the poor, wars, starvation, diseases. Any news you hear about future trends is always negative. I can't help but feel pessimistic in my outlook towards the future. Not that it's stopping me from trying to live a good and happy life. But I feel bad for the future generations, not just the next generation but the ones further down the line. We are genuinely leaving them a world that isn't any better than the one that I inherited. My question for you is, how do you keep a positive outlook towards the future?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Yes, what you say is true. There are a lot of negative predictions about the future. So, is this a singular phenomenon that is happening only in the present? I am sure it was the same way in the past. The people of the current generation always worry about the future of their children. When those children grow they will be pessimistic about the future and worry about the future of their own children. This has always been true throughout history from generation to generation, but human kind has continued to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> The history of human civilization is about 10,000 years old. Throughout history, various civilizations were in power at different points of time. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptian civilization, the Aegean Civilization, the ancient Greek civilization, and the Roman Civilization all rose and fell. It is the same with the modern civilization. It will eventually fall. That is why you see a lot of negativity about the future. The biggest problem we see is environmental issue. As you mentioned, there are a lot of problems like nuclear issues, diseases, viruses, and food shortages. A civilization ultimately falls, but then you also see the start of a new civilization. Therefore, when human beings become extinct, a new species will rise. If you look back in history, even amongst human beings, there have been many different types of humans over the millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> We are Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens are only about 150,000 years old. We have been main drivers of civilization for about 40,000 years. If you look at it from the earth's point of view, it's a very short time. So, you should not look at the world from a short-term view. However, if you want this world, this civilization we live in, to last a little bit longer, we do have to change our life style, the way we live. First, we need to re-examine our concept of a good life as defined by mass production and consumption. Unless we overcome this consumption driven paradigm, we will soon run out of our resources. Then there will be competition for those diminishing resources, and countries will end up going to war. Also, if we keep consuming at this rate, the resulting trash will cause environmental problems and change the climate. That's why we need to overcome this consumption driven paradigm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good life is defined by higher consumption in advanced countries, and people in less developed countries will follow this lead. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people whose G.D.P per capita is 20,000 dollars or more. Note that our environment is at dire straits even with a relatively small number of people with high consumption. About 5.8 billion of the world's population who are below this level of income and consumption are following behind. China is fast on our heels: that\u2019s 1.4 billion people. It has a bigger population than all of OECD countries combined. Then, you have India; that\u2019s 1.2 billion people. India is following fast on our heels as well. You don\u2019t have to be an expert to see this. If we go on the way we are going now, the earth\u2019s environment cannot be sustained. We can already see the end of the current civilization, but we can\u2019t stop this. We are all worried about where this train is heading, but we don\u2019t change the way we live. So, we have two choices. We can keep on living like now and destroy ourselves, or change direction. It\u2019s not somebody else\u2019s problem; it\u2019s our problem. Instead of being pessimistic, we need to start changing the values that drive our lives. We must be fully confident in believing that it\u2019s not a good life to earn more and spend more. For example, smokers look for better cigarettes. Drinkers look for better spirits. However, no matter how good the quality of the cigarette you smoke or the spirit you drink, it\u2019s better not to smoke or drink at all. You have to firmly believe that, so no matter how much Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith consumes, if it\u2019s not a good thing, you shouldn\u2019t follow suit. The first question is \u201cCan you exercise such self-discipline?\u201d Try it for yourself. If you are able to do it, your neighbour might be able to do it as well. Then, you can start expanding this movement. You have to take action because worrying doesn\u2019t change anything. Instead of wasting your time worrying, use that time to make the effort to change the way you live and share your positive experiences with others. Then, perhaps, you may be able to transform this civilization a little bit and extend its life, albeit a little. All we can do is try our best. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"How do I Keep a Positive Mind Towards Future?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-i-keep-a-positive-mind-towards-future","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-10 07:33:53","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-10 12:33:53","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/demo2021\/?p=2675","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_37"};

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P<\/strong>: There is no value judgment for any choices you make, there is no good or bad choice. A choice is a choice. So what do we mean by a good choice or a bad choice?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are actually referring to the result of that choice. We have a tendency to want to choose but we also have the tendency to not want to be responsible for the consequences of that choice. That is why we have a difficult time making choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example. Shall I take out a loan or not? Doesn't matter what you choose. But if you borrow money, you have to pay it back. If you don't want to pay back, then you shouldn't borrow the money in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So it's not whether a choice is good or bad, it's what the consequences are, the responsibility that comes with the choice. We have difficult time making choices because we have an innate nature within ourselves to want to borrow the money but not the sense of responsibility to pay it back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So choose whatever you want to choose, but when you choose there are consequences. You have to be receptive and be fully willing to accept what the consequences are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when I chose the path of engaged Buddhism over traditional Buddhism in Korea, I knew there were a lot of issues that came with that choice. I will be thrown off from the actual discipline. There will be renunciation. There will be criticisms. There will be a lot of recriminations. So I could have said, why should I go through all that suffering?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I should not say that because I fully recognized that there will be consequences to my choice. So all choices are equal except when you make a choice you have to be aware of the consequences and be willing to accept this consequences.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How Do We Make A Good Choice?","post_excerpt":"Sunim gave a Dharma Q&A session at George Washington University on Oct. 8, 2014","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"how-do-we-make-a-good-choice","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-11-13 12:09:08","post_modified_gmt":"2022