. And now, to go to the merit of my post. I ve just learned that it's so different to pracitce metta from the distance, than when the war and hatred is on our doorstep. I live in Poland now, I know Ukraine, went there for holidays. My ancestors and family members lived there. Some of them fought aganst invading Russians, some were killed by them in the past. Or were imprisoned, or sent to Syberia, like people from Mariupol today. In XX Century, Russians killed more than a million of Poles, Bucha style. They almost raped my grandma when she was a child. So the energy of fear and hatred is so strong now. All nations in this region had their share of violence, cruelty and atrocities, but only Russian are still proud of it, and eager to continue.
And I start to hate them, even I know it's wrong. I feel emphaty and compassion, but also hatred. I start to perceive Russians as orcs, no - humans. Pests. I got poisoned. I want to burn all the Russian books I used to love so much; Dostoyevski, Tolstoi, Bulchakov, Pielevin. I know that Dhamma teaches as that dukkha and unwholesome actions are just part of the world, but now my soul cries to do something real, instead of just meditating. I wish I could shoot an orc, instead of just collecting money for those who fight. But Dhamma teaches me to stay away from that, keep emotional distance.
And this is the paradox od Dhamma. It's practucioners wish to remain peaceful, but if the Buddhist country gets invaded, like India in IX Century, or Tibet, or overrun by hunta, like Myanmar nowadays, how can the Dhamma floursh, and our pracitce?
If Russians invade my country - again - and commit another Bucha massacre in my neighbourhood, will Dhamma help me in dealing with that?
How do we fight against Evil as Buddhists? Not the internal, kilesa /asava stuff, but bunch of fellow humans, murderers, looters and rapists, lead by insane dictator?
