Good Karma Music Stories

While being in university, my fellow classmates and I have less than optimal conditions for note-taking. I decided to record the classes and share it on a public platform for those who need it.

Earlier today during carpentry class, I noticed a student was struggling on a particular cut. Without thinking about it, I stopped what I was doing and helped him out!

Last December I heard of a woman with a brain tumor and no family in a nursing home. My co-worker was going to take her to a concert, but the home wouldn’t let her leave. I thought it was unfair and decided to bring the concert to her. I took my kid and his friend to visit her last Christmas and sing to her. We decided to start going every month after that. Then, another kid joined us. Then we added a nursing home. Then we added another kid. Now I have 4 kids who go to two nursing homes every month for going on one year now. They play their violins and sing songs. It all started over one injustice and turned into these little kids being able to help and share kindness with so many people over and over. When bad things happend to good people, other people can turn them into more good.

Since I have retired from teaching Philosophy, I have devoted my time to spreading the Dharma. I wrote a book on the Bodhisattva way of life and published it at my own expense as a gift to all sentient beings. The book is entitled, Ocean of Compassion: A Guide to the Life of Universal Loving. I have also started, at my own expense, a radio program called The Life of Universal Loving. It is at www.blogtalkradio.com/the-life-of-universal-loving. On this program, I give teachings on the Bodhisattva way of life and feature artists whose work and lives communicate spiritual messages. I also blog on the Bodhisattva way of life on the Huffington Post’s GPS for the soul section. All of this work is a gift I dedicate to the goal of everyone reaching the complete enlightenment of a Buddha. I would very much like to have one or more representatives of Paramita on my program for an interview and to introduce your music to my listeners. Bodhicitta motivation inspires my work, now.

I like to forget my good actions immediately after I’ve performed some. One summer night, 6:00 p.m. or so, I was returning from the gym. At that time, I lived together with my parents and had no job at all. Professional future was nothing but a wander. It´s very usual up here for many people to taste some smelling hot coffee with a sandwich at night, instead of dining.So, I was coming back home from an exercises routine and, halfway, under a roof with a huge hole in, inside an abandoned house´s dirty and stinky garage, there stood that old couple, forgotten by mankind, dressed in rags. I’ve seen animals best treated than that old couple. But, despite all the poverty on this huge world, there seemed to be love between that poor old man and that humble lady, there in that absence of any material comfort, two people left astray from the so called “civilized society” which was supposed to aid them in their old age. Promptly, I decided to go home, prepare some hot tasty coffee and a juicy sandwich, and rushed to that poor stinky spot in order to still try to find them laying around. For my happiness, both of them were still there and the light in her eyes, when I gave her that fresh tasty meal in a cold night is worth more than a million thank you´s.

I used to live in Rotterdam. Frequently I took a stroll in the busy shopping streets in the Rotterdam Centrum. There often I pass by a homeless person. Frequently I (try to) to talk to him, in the hope of understanding his situation. Unfortunately his story was often incoherent, despite my best efforts.This one time, it was very late and dark. And definitely pass dinner time. I saw this homeless person again and I thought by myself “How should I help him?”. I don’t want to give him money. You never know how he will spend the money (drugs?).So I asked him if he was hungry, which he replied yes. Then I asked him what he wanted to eat. I offered him to go to a Chinese restaurant (and there were very good ones in Rotterdam.) He said he was satisfied with having a McDonald meal. After I gave him the take away, I went home. I gave him food to fill his stomach. He gave me the chance to Paramita Dana.

Just after moving to a new home my wife and I notice that the neighbors had a very noisy labrador retriever that used to bark and mourn constantly. After sone days we visited them realized that the dog was recovering from broken his leg months ago and his owners were afraid of walking him since then (he used to scape from the dog-collar, eventually he was hit by a bus), that is why he was so noisy and anxious. So we volunteer to walk him. We have been doing that for the last weeks and got very happy with our new friend.