Expert: Alex Wilding - 2/28/2011

Question
1)What steps should be taken to begin seeking inner peace? Are there any effective ways to begin meditation on my own while I still don’t have the means of being able to go to a center or temple that assists in meditation?

2)What can I do to continue to achieve right mindfulness and concentration in modern society?

3)What is the view of government from the Buddhist view point and teachings?

4)How do Buddhist teachings view uprisings like the one’s seen in the Middle East currently? How should a Buddhist handle themselves in the event of such uprisings?

5)Is there any proof that the afterlife in Buddhist teachings exists? Do you think that one should live their life wholesomely merely for the sake of achieving a better after life, or should one live their life wholesomely for the sake of humanity?

Answer
Hi Colin,
Your question is long, so I can only answer briefly.
1) Yes. Make your sessions regular - once a day is good. Sit comfortably but with a really, really straight back. Briefly think that you are letting go of agression, greed and delusion - let them "drop to the floor". Then focus for some minutes on the sensation of breath as it passes in and out of your nostrils. Don't analyse it, certainly don't control it - just watch. If you are particularly distracted, you can count the breaths, but this is not necessary. At the end, if you feel any benefit, think that you will use it to be a better person and make those around you feel better.
2) Keep working at it.
3) Which government? Frankly, it should not be their concern.
4) Violence breeds violence. It's the violent governments that have bred violent revolt. Ideally one should completely peaceful, but that is hard unless you renounce everything; at the very least we should seek a peaceful way whenever that is at all possible. It is probably not helpful to divide actions into "right" and "wrong", but certainly there are more or less skilful ways of acting.
5) Yes, there is evidence, but there cannot be hard "proof". Living well for a good afterlife is of course a good thing, but living well for the sake of others is far, far better. We know it as living as a "bodhisattva".