Photo 1 The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate strait, a mile-wide with three-mile-long channel between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. This iconic bridge is one of the most internationally recognised symbols of San Francisco, California, and the United States of America. The Frommers travel guide considers the Golden Gate Bridge, possibly the most beautiful, certainly the most photographed bridge in the world. It was opened in 1937 and had until 1964, the longest suspension bridge main span in the world at 4,200 feet (1,300 meters). Photo 2 London Bridge is a bridge in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, United States. It is a relocated 1831 bridge that formerly spanned the River Thames in London, England, until it was dismantled in 1967. This bridge is a reinforced concrete structure clad in the original masonry of the 1830s bridge which was bought by an American businessman, Robert P. McCulloch in 1962 who had the bridge dismantled, brought over, then rebuilt brick-by-brick. McCulloch had exterior granite blocks from the original bridge numbered and transported to America to construct the present bridge in Lake Havasu City, a planned community he established in 1964 on the shore of Lake Havasu. The bridge was completed in 1971 along with a canal and links an island in the Colorado River with the main part of Lake Havasu City. One popular rumour has it that he thought he was getting the rather more iconic Tower Bridge of London. Photo 3 Tower Bridge (built 1886–1894) is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London which crosses the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London from which it takes its name and has become an iconic symbol of London. This bridge consists of two towers tied together at the upper level by means of two horizontal walkways, designed to withstand the horizontal forces exerted by the suspended sections of the bridge on the landward sides of the towers. The vertical component of the forces in the suspended sections and the vertical reactions of the two walkways are carried by the two robust towers. Photo 4 The present London Bridge refers to several historical bridges that have spanned the River Thames between the City of London and Southwark in central London. The current crossing which opened to traffic in 1973 is a box girder bridge built from concrete and steel. This replaced a 19th-century stone-arched bridge which in turn superseded a 600-year-old medieval structure. This was preceded by a succession of timber bridges, the first built by the Roman founders of London. This bridge which is the subject of the popular nursery rhyme “London Bridge Is Falling Down” is not to be confused with the Tower Bridge, an iconic symbol of London. Let’s sing this rhyme mindfully, London Bridge is falling down, Falling down, falling down. London Bridge is falling down, My fair lady. How about this mindful version? “Kilesa” is falling down, Falling down, falling down. “Kilesa” is falling down, My fair sati. A bridge (sankama or setu) is a structure built to allow persons or vehicles to proceed over obstacles like rivers, valleys or gorges. The Buddha mentioned building bridges for the public good as an example of a meritorious deed. The Blessed One said, “Those who layout a park or garden, who construct a bridge, a watering place or a well or who build a rest house, their merits increase both day and night.” The construction of roads and bridges, the building of rest houses and the making of provisions for travellers had always been an important and popular expression of Buddhist generosity during the reign of King Asoka of the Indian Mauryan dynasty. While yogis are practising Vipassana meditation, it is essential to treat this mental training with the utmost reverence and meticulousness. Slowing down gives sati or mindfulness a chance to keep pace with the movements of the body by noting each one in detail. The scriptures illustrate these 2 qualities with the image of a person crossing a river on a very narrow footbridge. There is no railing and swift water runs below. Obviously, this person cannot skip and run across the bridge. He or she must go step by step with care. Similarly, a yogi can also be compared to a person carrying a bowl brimful of oil. You can imagine the degree of care that is required not to spill it. The same degree of mindfulness should be present in our practice. - Sayadawgyi U Panditabhivamsa, In This Very Life, page 32 & 33 - A person carrying a bowl brimful of oil has to be very careful and move calmly and gently so as not to spill the oil. A person walking along a very narrow footbridge barely wide enough for a foot to be placed has to be very careful and move calmly and gently so as not to fall down. Like these two persons, a yogi ought to be very careful with bodily movements, performing them with mindfulness, calmly and gently. - Sayadawgyi U Panditabhivamsa, Raindrops In Hot Summber, page 12 5-
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 13:51:02 +0000
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