The erstwhile famous words or lyrics from Bob Dylans’ song by the same title have greater significance in everyday life than just as far as history, politics, and society goes. It can, in fact, be ascribed to the concept of Impermanence which the Buddha referred to, although in many instances people largely also misinterpret the concept of Impermanence. Personally I prefer distinguishing between the differences by writing the one concept with a capital “I” and which is what the Buddha taught, and in the second instance with a small “i”, which is what most people tend to ascribe to it. Impermanence (with a capital “I”) is not an excuse, nor synonym, for mismanagement, incompetence, or lack of planning. It is the natural decay and disintegration of all compounded phenomena – that which is subject to arising is subject to ceasing. All things (perceived by living beings) eventually come to an end, by them self, as a natural matter of course. Though far too often these days when a situation is caused due to incompetence, or mismanagement, then people are very eager to ascribe it to “everything is impermanent, and changes all the time”. Yes it does, but that is not what that situation was.
Although the weather here is also changing, it also still seems a bit confused about things. But I am assured that this is quite typical, to a certain degree, for Scotland when the seasons change. Aside from the very fact that you can of course also very easily experience all four seasons in one day. We are now definitely into spring, which is apparent by the somewhat warmer temperatures, the increase in insects and birds, the increase in green vegetation, both plant and especially weeds, as well as the longer days. I am not sure I necessarily like these longer days, especially when it is still fairly light around 21h00, and then suddenly an hour later you have to go and sleep. And on top of it all I am told it does not improve for quite a while, namely only once we head back into autumn. It just doesn’t seem right! At the same time I have to remind myself that it is actually only 20h00, and it is only because they fiddled with the clocks that they now say it is 21h00. In actual fact the clocks should by all rights also only indicate 20h00, but with the so-called ‘daylight saving’ we find ourselves in a different situation.
While sitting outside in the sun earlier today, enjoying a cup of Hot Lava Java, which I do not get to do all that often, I also recalled how last time I was at Samye Ling in early autumn I had marvelled at the size of the bees there. In any body-building contest they would put the South African bees to shame. These are real brutes, huge, and with proper fur coating, armour and all. These here are easily five times or more in size to what I am used to, and accordingly also much louder. I can only assume that they are more appropriately adapted to the colder weather here. Make no mistake, even though most Brits and Scots are now running around in T-shirts already, to me it is still a trifle chilly. Which I feel much more so when there is even the slightest breeze ‘billowing’. They however reckon that this is comfortable weather; bordering on hot. I guess the insects tend to agree.
There are as many flies here as back home, but so far not near as many ants. In actual fact I must enquire whether they actually have any ants here at all, because so far I have not seen any. Not that I miss them in the least. No way! So that may be a good thing, as especially in Bronkhorstspruit they were a real menace. With the first sign of spring they would attack the kitchen and eventually the remainder of the building with a vengeance, all the counter tops which have just a trace of food on them, the sugar bowl, some fruit, cheese left out of the fridge, sometimes even the taps at the peak of summer, and of course also any plate with anything remotely edible left standing around, making up for the months of having to hide in their ‘not so little’ nests. There are then of course also the mosquitoes, with which we were particularly blessed in Bronkhorstspruit most likely due to the proximity to water. Though I have also been assured that that menace is something I have not entirely been freed from.
I thus also remember from last time at Samye Ling that every early evening, and mostly also on wind-still days, unless you have a lot of hair on your head, it is best to wear some covering or other. Whereas they do not have mosquitoes here, they have their smaller cousins named midges. Not as noisy as a mosquito, but just as much a nuisance. They attack en-masse. Huge numbers swarm together and go for mostly the head and face, but at times also other exposed skin surfaces. Probably a quarter the size of a regular mosquito, they none the less cause as much pain and discomfort. In addition, if any door or window is left open at night with the light on, then you quite like may find your ceiling and walls blackened with the little blighters. Quite silent in approach, but I can recall just as painful on the scalp as the bigger version I am used to. The only remedy appears to be to burn copious amounts of incense indoors, to smear Neem oil on your skin, and otherwise to wear a type of hat with netting very similar to what bee-keepers have, while outdoors during the day. And of course also have netting or gauze in front of windows and doors which you intend leaving open for fresh air, or else ensuring that all doors and windows are kept closed at all times. Interestingly enough it is reckoned that Scotland’s low population as compared to the remainder of Great Britain is due to the midge. Only real men and the feebleminded mess around in midge country. http://2010.midgeforecast.co.uk/index.php/info/midge_facts/
The other thing I am noticing again is how different the birds here look compared to what I am used to. I am, of course, mainly referring to the feathered variety. It struck me last time round how very different even the most basic garden variety bird here is, in that they all look much more interesting, and there also seems to be a much greater variety. There is naturally always the possibility that it is only because I am in different surrounds that there appears to be so much more of a variety, but at the temple at which I was previously I already regularly fed the little guys, and could thus closely observe them on a regular basis. Over time one even begins to recognise the regulars, as well as the different types, though I never bothered trying to identify them by species or type. The identification I am referring to was apart from the obvious or blatant differences, but on a more subtle level in the shading of their plumage, etc. Not like one which had gotten itself caught with some cotton around its legs on the barbed-wire fence at the townhouses where I stayed, and by the time I had managed to find a ladder and blade to free it, it had already pulled off its one leg at the knee in the struggle to free itself. So a one-legged bird is certainly very recognisable.
I also recall how I marvelled at the acceptance and adaptability of creatures in the wild. There is none of the self-pity one finds with humans, but simply a getting on with life. Initially it obviously struggled a bit to find its balance, and to land properly first time round, but in a couple of days it was if that is how it had always been. The fact that I had handled it in the process of freeing it did not in any way make it more accepting of me, though I did feel it was slightly less skittish of my presence than most of the others. Almost as if it knew or sensed that this was not something to be too afraid of. Thus over time I had the entertainment of watching them feed outside my kitchen window, and also allow myself to be irritated by the fact that they had to pick at each and every new edible mulberry, instead of eating one completely before moving on to the next, and thus also leaving some for me to enjoy.
Obviously this entertainment was reserved for the daylight hours, and thus did little in replacing the otherwise boring and mundane TV programs aired by the national broadcaster. Since leaving South Africa, or actually London, I have not seen any TV, and I also do not miss it. But then again, I do not know what television or the programs here are like, and perhaps I would find it more entertaining. Apart from the odd comedy and documentary there seldom seemed to be anything worthwhile on regular South African television. I will admit, though, I do miss occasionally seeing a new movie, and to have the entire experience of being in a movie house. This may seem odd as I would invariably only go when I knew that it would largely be fairly empty, and not swamped with the noise and smells of people around. Fortunately one of the guys allowed me to copy a copious amount of movies from his computer before he went into retreat, and so from time to time I get to watch a movie on my laptop. Obviously they are mostly older ones, and many which I have seen before, but none the less a nice diversion on occasion. I could get myself a TV, like the other caretakers here have got, and money permitting maybe I will consider it one day, but for now I am quite content to not have one.
The other item of which I have not had very much of here, much to my delight, is dust. I am not sure whether it is due to the high rainfall, which hence also keeps the air generally very moist and small particles clumped together and down on the ground, or if there is some other reason. Where I was previously it was largely hot and dry in summer, and cold and dry in winter. This meant it was mostly more dry than anything else, and dust was always a major issue, to the extend that one could even call it a problem. Any surface, given less than a week, would be covered in a fine layer of dust. Many would also interpret and classify dust it as dirt, but I guess that is of course entirely open to interpretation. What after all is dirt? What is dust? Both are remnants or indicators of impermanence, as well as the very concept of Impermanence. They are the beginning and the end, and not only in terms of Buddhist teachings, but many other sacred teachings make reference to dust and decay as well.
Often there is also an indication that there is not only an abundance of dust within our realm, but largely it is a normal or natural consequence of existence. Thus we are not entirely dust-free here, but it is less of an issue. The moment you have sand around, and wind, then you have suitable conditions for fine particles to be carried through the air, which will eventually settle somewhere on a surface. In addition, apparently a very large portion of house dust is actually dead skin. Among much of these motes of dust is also an abundance of mites. Little nasties in the sense that some living beings are born with a natural aversion or allergy to them, while others seem to be less affected by them. I can recall from youngest childhood having various respiratory issues, mainly associated with my nose and sinuses, but also resultant headaches and similar problems. Many of these phenomena have been less pronounced here. My nose and lips have certainly suffered considerably less than back in South Africa, in terms of dryness and being cracked.
Be it as it may, as long as impermanence is an existing phenomena, so long there will always be dust. Everything that arises will eventually cease to be, and with physical or material objects they do and will break down into individual particles, consisting of even smaller components until one comes to the atom, with its nucleus consisting of a protons and neutrons, with a varying number of electrons spinning around the nucleus. Everything is held in place by ‘attraction’, or due to electrical polarity. As long as there is an equal number of protons and electrons the atom is ‘stable’, and not much happens. When, however, the attraction between the various components alters or ceases altogether, as we should well know from human relationships, then the entire situation becomes less than stable, and things start to fall apart. In some instances there is an unstable existence right from the word go, but we shall not concern ourselves with these now, other than to say that as with human beings the situation can invariably be quite explosive. Any relationship or situation with these criteria is doomed to impermanence quicker than others. But ultimately all existing attractions cease, all bonds break, and it is the end.
All things are in a continual flux, they are constantly changing from moment to moment, in fact from less than a second to less than a second. It happens so fast that we do not register and or realise it even at all. But regardless, change is the only constant. Just as time is changing from one second to the next, so everything which we perceive, all things which came together or were in one way or another created will cease to be. Material things, ideas and designs, relationships, poems, stories and songs, teachings, information and knowledge, all will pass away.
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust -- and from the ashes the phoenix shall arise?
!O-3|-W;-
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