Barre Center for Buddhist Studies

Barre Center for Buddhist Studies

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Beaten Like A Thief

Poem
Andrew Olendzki
Fall 1995

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1995-Issue-02-Fall-PoemThese powerful words echo through twenty-five centuries of humanity to reach our ears today. It makes one’s spine tingle to think how many voices—now long silent—have uttered these words in each of the one hundred generations that have come and gone since Sirimanda first composed them. How many have heeded their message? How many can hear it today?

This is the kind of literature that leads some to view Buddhism as holding a pessimistic outlook on the world.

But in fact it is merely expressing in a forthright and dramatic manner some facts with which we are all quite familiar. Perhaps we would prefer to ignore the facts of aging and death; but the Buddha’s compassion is manifest in his not leaving the world to wallow in the shallow happiness that comes from ignoring our danger.

Above all these stanzas are a call to action, provoking us to wake up from the complacent slumber of our denial and urging us to dwell “without confusion.” This is a reference to mindfulness, the practice of insight meditation. For by nurturing awareness of what is actually going on in our experience—both what is pleasurable and what is painful—we sow the seeds of wisdom. And wisdom, according to the Buddhist tradition, can help us see through the desires and cravings that obscure what is ageless and deathless.

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Insight Journal

Fall 1995

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In this issue:

What Can I Learn From This?

By Narayan Liebenson

Interview

The Parable of the Six Creatures

By Andrew Olendzki

Sutta Study

Theravada in the West

By Various

Article

The Nature of Compassion

By Sharon Salzberg

Article

Beaten Like A Thief

By Andrew Olendzki

Poem

 

All issues:

See all Insight Journal issues

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978 355 2347     contact@buddhistinquiry.org

 

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  • Home
  • About Us
    • New and Notable
    • Mission and Values
    • Solidarity Statement
    • Board of Directors
    • IMS
    • Staff
    • Job Openings
    • Getting to BCBS
    • Mailing List
    • Contact Us
  • Upcoming Courses
    • Current Course Calendar
    • Everything You Need to Know
    • Typical Residential Schedule
    • Self-Study
    • Continuing Education Credits
    • Financial Assistance
    • Teacher Dāna
  • Online Programs
    • Upcoming Programs
    • Wisdom Collaborations
    • Previously Offered Programs
    • Cancellation Policy
  • Teaching Faculty
  • Resources
    • Bhikkhu Anālayo’s Offerings
    • The Daily Sit
    • Insight Journal
    • BCBS Bookstore
    • BCBS Publishing
    • Access to Insight
    • Ways to Engage in Social Justice
  • Recordings
    • Events
    • Courses
  • Generosity
    • Donate
    • Volunteer
    • Teacher Dāna
    • Planned Giving
    • Stock Transfers