When you relinquish illusions about the nature of life, death and creation, you can accept the reality that we are all the products of and the subjects of accidents. The greatest accident which befalls our lives is the accident of birth. One sperm hits one egg and you are it. Which particular sperm hits which particular egg basically determines what kind of body you will have, what kind of upbringing you will have, and what your social position will be ultimately. Beauty queens and wealthy trust funders will be aghast at the concept that they haven't "made it on their own with hard work". Yet the reality is that most of what we are is an accident of genetics. If you can learn to accept this view of life, you will be blessed with a whole new view of the world and your place in it. There is no need, for example, to fear accidents. Accidents can actually change your life for the better as easily as change it for the worse. You can be released from the fear of death, because you will have to accept that your death will be an accident, unless you end it yourself. Fear of failure diminishes when you realize that whatever you may do could be destroyed or enhanced by an accident. While planning and living with hope for an accident-free future are human qualities which can be used to make our lives more bearable, it is just as helpful to maintain a basic awareness that life is rooted in the great accident of evolution. One large meteor could end this accident of life on earth in an instant.
Sutra
I was introduced to the Lotus Sutra twenty years ago in Provincetown, Massachusetts. A popular translation of it, with companion text, was published shortly thereafter. The sutra is a verbal form, reportedly preached by the historic Buddha to his followers. In essence, sutra is ancient wisdom in parable or allegory form. Like the Christian gospels, sutra was transmitted verbally before being written down. Think about the implications of this. The difference between sutra and the gospel is the method of verbal transmission. Sutra transmission, by memorization and recitation, became the sole purpose of a whole cult of hundreds of followers (monks) of the historic Buddha after his death. Early Christianity developed as a secular religion, practiced and transmitted in a greater communal context. I feel neither tradition is better nor more reliable than the other. Just different. Certainly both traditions have been corrupted by politics and materialism.
Don't we all have a personal sutra we cherish? "What people do is more important than what they say," for example. Or, "A fool and his money are soon parted." This is what separates Buddhist thought from Christian belief, in my opinion. Buddhist wisdom is handed over to the listener/reader for use and testing. Christian 'faith' is a commitment to 'follow the rules', as delivered by some potentate figure, a priest, minister or self-appointed preacher. Buddhism is about the individual quest for understanding the Universe through personal evolution by practice. Christianity is about salvation through submission to the will of an authority, a Pope, a bible, a synod, a congregation.
Buddhism threatens that element of human nature which reverts to following the pack under stress. Buddhism, in its pure form, turns its back on conformity and submission to the will of others. So is it any wonder that both Islam and Christianity cast a wary eye in the direction of Buddhism? Is it any wonder that Islamic leaders historically tore down Buddhist monasteries, massacred monks by the thousands and destroyed any vestige of Buddhist wisdom in their path?
Peace is an inherent quality of Buddhist thought. Conformity is not. To be Buddhist, one must turn away from what is is expected of one's life by others. This is a necessary first step to self-discovery and eventual selflessness. Those who are drawn to the dependent conformity of Christianity and Islam are puzzled by this aspect of Buddhism. Their puzzlement often tuns to fear, derision or worse. This is of no concern to the Buddhist, since true Buddhism is not in the competition for control of the masses.
Don't we all have a personal sutra we cherish? "What people do is more important than what they say," for example. Or, "A fool and his money are soon parted." This is what separates Buddhist thought from Christian belief, in my opinion. Buddhist wisdom is handed over to the listener/reader for use and testing. Christian 'faith' is a commitment to 'follow the rules', as delivered by some potentate figure, a priest, minister or self-appointed preacher. Buddhism is about the individual quest for understanding the Universe through personal evolution by practice. Christianity is about salvation through submission to the will of an authority, a Pope, a bible, a synod, a congregation.
Buddhism threatens that element of human nature which reverts to following the pack under stress. Buddhism, in its pure form, turns its back on conformity and submission to the will of others. So is it any wonder that both Islam and Christianity cast a wary eye in the direction of Buddhism? Is it any wonder that Islamic leaders historically tore down Buddhist monasteries, massacred monks by the thousands and destroyed any vestige of Buddhist wisdom in their path?
Peace is an inherent quality of Buddhist thought. Conformity is not. To be Buddhist, one must turn away from what is is expected of one's life by others. This is a necessary first step to self-discovery and eventual selflessness. Those who are drawn to the dependent conformity of Christianity and Islam are puzzled by this aspect of Buddhism. Their puzzlement often tuns to fear, derision or worse. This is of no concern to the Buddhist, since true Buddhism is not in the competition for control of the masses.
Quiet
Sometimes the quiet comes when I am full. Sometimes the quiet comes when I am empty. The quiet never comes when I am busy being me.
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