# dhammapada (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 2 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover dhammapada. Page: Feed: --- ## [Bread and Circuses: If Americans are comfortable and entertained, will many overlook the devolution of democracy? (2019)](https://bobmschwartz.com/2026/08/21/bread-and-circuses-if-americans-are-comfortable-and-entertained-will-many-overlook-the-devolution-of-democracy-2019/) _2026-08-21 · Bob Schwartz · Bob Schwartz_ I published this post in 2019. You may be able to tell it is dated, since it begins with “A good economy, at least for the moment.” So it goes. I’ve been a fan of this book for a long time. If it made sense when it was published in 1985, and made more sense \[…\] ## [Frippisms 3](https://stoicbreviary.blogspot.com/2026/08/frippisms-3.html) _2026-08-21 · Liam Milburn · A Stoic Breviary: Classical Wisdom in Daily Practice_ Discipline is a vehicle for joy. ## [Perfect Words](https://stoicbreviary.blogspot.com/2026/08/perfect-words.html) _2026-08-21 · Liam Milburn · A Stoic Breviary: Classical Wisdom in Daily Practice_ ## [Michael Leunig 87](https://stoicbreviary.blogspot.com/2026/08/michael-leunig-87.html) _2026-08-21 · Liam Milburn · A Stoic Breviary: Classical Wisdom in Daily Practice_ ## [The U.S. national debt has reached another unsustainable level. That is the Trump plan.](https://bobmschwartz.com/2026/08/20/the-u-s-national-debt-has-reached-another-unsustainable-level-that-is-the-trump-plan/) _2026-08-20 · Bob Schwartz · Bob Schwartz_ Conservatives talk about reducing the U.S. national debt, the difference between expenses and income. Trump and his cronies, despite blah-blah-blah, want the national debt to increase to this unsustainable level. When the debt becomes an even bigger emergency than it already is, those in power will call for a drastic end to most government services \[…\] ## [Frippisms 2](https://stoicbreviary.blogspot.com/2026/08/frippisms-2.html) _2026-08-20 · Liam Milburn · A Stoic Breviary: Classical Wisdom in Daily Practice_ Heaven and earth share the same space. ## [Come with Me . . .](https://stoicbreviary.blogspot.com/2026/08/come-with-me.html) _2026-08-20 · Liam Milburn · A Stoic Breviary: Classical Wisdom in Daily Practice_ ## [Michael Leunig 86](https://stoicbreviary.blogspot.com/2026/08/michael-leunig-86.html) _2026-08-20 · Liam Milburn · A Stoic Breviary: Classical Wisdom in Daily Practice_ ## [Frippisms 1](https://stoicbreviary.blogspot.com/2026/08/frippisms-1.html) _2026-08-20 · Liam Milburn · A Stoic Breviary: Classical Wisdom in Daily Practice_ Over the years, I have developed a deep admiration for Robert Fripp. Casual listeners may know him as the force behind King Crimson, and dedicated musicians may know him for the founding of Guitar Craft. I admit that his recordings sounded like noise to me at first, and his words once seemed a bit too pretentious for my taste. My estimation slowly changed as I slowly changed. I have only seen King… ## [Epictetus, Discourses 2.15.1](https://stoicbreviary.blogspot.com/2026/08/epictetus-discourses-2151.html) _2026-08-20 · Liam Milburn · A Stoic Breviary: Classical Wisdom in Daily Practice_ Chapter 15: On those who cling stubbornly to their judgments. There are some who when they hear these precepts—that a man must be steadfast, and that the will is by nature a free thing and not subject to compulsion, whereas all else is subject to hindrance and compulsion, being in bondage and dependence—imagine that they must abide without swerving by every judgement that they have formed.… ## [Privacy-first AI-native browser (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/GMQF8kv7bbEy) _2026-08-20 · **Sponsored**_ No telemetry or ads — built on Ungoogled Chromium with a built-in AI sidebar and CLI. ## [Shark Jewelry As Protection from Trump (2018)](https://bobmschwartz.com/2026/08/18/shark-jewelry-as-protection-from-trump-2018/) _2026-08-18 · Bob Schwartz · Bob Schwartz_ “I would never donate to any charity that helps sharks. I hope all the sharks die.”–Donald Trump As you’ll see in the below post from 2018, Stormy Daniels reported Trump’s attitude towards sharks, which she said was an obsession. At that point, I suggested that shark jewelry might be a way to protect us from \[…\] ## [Sayings of Ramakrishna 289, 290](https://stoicbreviary.blogspot.com/2026/08/sayings-of-ramakrishna-289-290.html) _2026-08-18 · Liam Milburn · A Stoic Breviary: Classical Wisdom in Daily Practice_ A learned Brahman once went over to a wise king and said, "Hear, O king, I am well versed in the holy scriptures. I intend to teach you the holy book of the Bhâgavata." The king, who was the wiser of the two, well knew that a man who has read the Bhâgavata would seek more to know his own Self than honor and wealth in a king's court. He replied, "I see, O Brahman, that you yourself have not… ## [Xenophon, Memorabilia of Socrates 47](https://stoicbreviary.blogspot.com/2026/08/xenophon-memorabilia-of-socrates-47.html) _2026-08-18 · Liam Milburn · A Stoic Breviary: Classical Wisdom in Daily Practice_ Once when someone was in a fury of indignation because he had bidden a passerby good day and the salutation was not returned, Socrates said: "It is enough to make one laugh! If you met a man in a wretched condition of body, you would not fall into a rage; but because you stumble upon a poor soul somewhat boorishly disposed, you feel annoyed." To the remark of another who complained that he did not… ## [Buddha’s Golden Rule](https://bobmschwartz.com/2026/08/18/buddhas-golden-rule/) _2026-08-18 · Bob Schwartz · Bob Schwartz_ Do not what is evil. Do what is good. Keep your mind pure. This is the teaching of Buddha. There is no formal or official Golden Rule in Buddhism. There is no formal or official Bible in Buddhism. The closest may be the Dhammapada, a concise and widely read and studied collection of what the \[…\] ## [The Continence of Scipio 16](https://stoicbreviary.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-continence-of-scipio-16.html) _2026-08-18 · Liam Milburn · A Stoic Breviary: Classical Wisdom in Daily Practice_ David Allan, The Continence of Scipio (1774) ## [Epictetus, Discourses 2.14.7](https://stoicbreviary.blogspot.com/2026/08/epictetus-discourses-2147.html) _2026-08-18 · Liam Milburn · A Stoic Breviary: Classical Wisdom in Daily Practice_ Does no one govern it? How can that be? A city or a household cannot endure even for a brief span of time without one to govern and take charge of it, and can this great and noble frame of things be administered in such good order by mere random chance? There is, then, One who governs it. What is His nature and how does He govern? And we, what are we, His creations, and to what work are we born?… ## [An insurmountable difficulty is a sun](https://bobmschwartz.com/2026/08/17/an-insurmountable-difficulty-is-a-sun/) _2026-08-17 · Bob Schwartz · Bob Schwartz_ Une difficulté est une lumière. Une difficulté insurmontable est un soleil: ‘A difficulty is a light. An insurmountable difficulty is a sun.’Paul Valéry From the Introduction to The History of Philosophy by A.C. Grayling: But the core of questions in epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, political philosophy, the ‘philosophy of’ pursuits, and the rest, remain; they are \[…\] ## [Snippets from the Handbook 3](https://stoicbreviary.blogspot.com/2026/08/snippets-from-handbook-3.html) _2026-08-16 · Liam Milburn · A Stoic Breviary: Classical Wisdom in Daily Practice_ Aiming then at these high matters, you must remember that to attain them requires more than ordinary effort; you will have to give up some things entirely, and put off others for the moment. And if you would have these also—office and wealth—it may be that you will fail to get them, just because your desire is set on the former, and you will certainly fail to attain those things which alone bring… ## [Netanyahu tells Trump to pick a side](https://bobmschwartz.com/2026/08/12/netanyahu-tells-trump-to-pick-a-side/) _2026-08-12 · Bob Schwartz · Bob Schwartz_ There are thousands of people, from undergraduate students of foreign relations and political science to world class experts and statesmen, who know more about the complexities of Israel and the Middle East than the president. But we ve got what we ve got. Most nations think that Israel is on a wrong path. Most Americans think Israel \[ \] ## [The most petty president](https://bobmschwartz.com/2026/08/12/the-most-petty-president/) _2026-08-12 · Bob Schwartz · Bob Schwartz_ There are a lot of adjectives we attach in describing people, some commonly, some not so much. The same applies to our description of the American president. Watching his obsession with prosecuting a decent man, a former Olympian, for the made up crime of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool, brought another word to mind. Petty. It \[ \] ## [Accept your Doppler invite (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/5D3Q1VvyLMkb) _2026-08-12 · **Sponsored**_ Create your Doppler account using the invite code you received. ## [5787: The Jewish Year of Compassion](https://bobmschwartz.com/2026/08/05/5787-the-jewish-year-of-compassion/) _2026-08-05 · Bob Schwartz · Bob Schwartz_ The upcoming Jewish New Year 5787, which begins with Rosh Hashanah on the evening of September 11, 2026, is declared the Jewish Year of Compassion. This obviously has no formal or official effect. I have no position and very limited influence. It is just urging the Jewish communities to focus more on compassion this coming \[ \] ## [Heschel on Politicians](https://bobmschwartz.com/2026/08/03/heschel-on-politicians-2/) _2026-08-03 · Bob Schwartz · Bob Schwartz_ I consider the heart of the problem of human existence is to fight against mendacity, against lying. I would like to use a word which may be too often used, but it’s still the most important word—and that is “honesty,” or “sincerity,” or “trust.” I am against the word “politician.” I have great respect for \[ \] ## [Thomas Merton on Technology](https://bobmschwartz.com/2026/08/03/thomas-merton-on-technology-2/) _2026-08-03 · Bob Schwartz · Bob Schwartz_ I am ambivalent about the benefits and effects of unstoppable technological progress. It is nearly a force of nature. Rain helps our plants to thrive, our food to grow, our rivers to flow, our thirst to be quenched. But it can also overwhelm and destroy, so that we seek shelter from it in a flood \[ \] ## [Laugh at everyone—primarily at yourself](https://bobmschwartz.com/2026/08/01/laugh-at-everyone-primarily-at-yourself/) _2026-08-01 · Bob Schwartz · Bob Schwartz_ The best remedy is a sense of humor. Don’t take your self-centeredness so seriously. Undermine the whole process by laughing at yourself. Recognize the irony: “I want happiness so badly, but my self-cherishing just makes me suffer. Even though I know this, I still can’t abandon my attachment to this self!” It’s very funny, when \[ \] ## [What If President Dennison Is Our National Karma? (2018)](https://bobmschwartz.com/2026/07/31/what-if-president-dennison-is-our-national-karma-2018/) _2026-07-31 · Bob Schwartz · Bob Schwartz_ Note: The immediately previous post explains who David Dennison was. This post, also from 2018, is more philosophical. The final line, at least we will have the open-eyed, open-hearted hope of getting it right the next time , can be seen as an ironic dagger. The point about karma, about reaping what we as Americans sow, \[ \] ## [Why Trump Wanted to Be “David Dennison” in the Hush Money Agreement with Stormy Daniels (Hint: It Has to Do with Her Breasts) (2018)](https://bobmschwartz.com/2026/07/31/why-trump-wanted-to-be-david-dennison-in-the-hush-money-agreement-with-stormy-daniels-hint-it-has-to-do-with-her-breasts-2018/) _2026-07-31 · Bob Schwartz · Bob Schwartz_ Note: This is the first of two posts exhumed from the wayback about David Dennison. The other, which requires knowing who David Dennison was, is next. Update: Following this post, I realized that DD are also the initials of Dirk Diggler. Diggler, the main character in the movie Boogie Nights (1997), is a well-endowed male \[ \] ## [Contemplating randomness](https://bobmschwartz.com/2026/07/31/contemplating-randomness/) _2026-07-31 · Bob Schwartz · Bob Schwartz_ “I am going to build a church someday. It will have a holy of holies and a holy of holy of holies, and in that ultimate box will be a random number table.”Gregory Bateson Randomness rules. Our attempts at order and control, intelligent or less so, benign or malignant, only go so far. Then randomness \[ \] ## [Goodbye Hourglass! Lucky Charms Adds Magical Unicorns! (2018)](https://bobmschwartz.com/2026/07/29/goodbye-hourglass-lucky-charms-adds-magical-unicorns-2018/) _2026-07-29 · Bob Schwartz · Bob Schwartz_ As you ll see below, I was pretty excited when General Mills added magical unicorns to Lucky Charms in 2018. In 2018 they said the unicorns were permanent . Yeah, that s what they told the hourglass. I just went back to check. Not only are the unicorns still in the box, but just this year General Mills \[ \]