Friday, December 19, 2003

The concept of karma is one fraught with difficulty. A typical statement: "Thus from a Buddhist standpoint, our present mental, intellectual, moral and temperamental differrences are mainly due to our own actions and tendencies, both past and in the present." (from "Buddhism in a Nutshell," by Narada Mahathera, available freely all over the web).

Our, as they say in the bible, we reap what we have sown. So, if you are poor, disabled, destitute, or dim-witted, this is your own fault. Isn't it easy to ignore the suffering of others, since they have brought it upon themselves? From what little I understand of Indian culture, I gather that it is this attitude towards karma that keeps the caste system in place. The people on top are there because they have earned this privilege based on their accumulated merit; those on bottom, well, it is the result of their bad deeds.

Buddhism asks that we accept the results of karma, but the key is not to be proud and disdainful. Instead, we must feel compassion for those who suffer. Yes, you were born into poverty, and you are there because of the laws of cause and effect, but I still feel sympathy for you and hope that you may better your condition. Keep in mind that we could well end up in such bad conditions ourselves, if we too are harsh and judgmental towards others. So, I guess it is in our own self-interest to have compassion for the less fortunate?

Or, there, but for the grace of my past good deeds, go I.

Wednesday, December 17, 2003

A nice summary giving voice to the appeal of Buddhism to people who are willing to make up their own minds about why we are here, how the universe works and how we should act:

Higher Buddhism is pure science. It has no place for theology, and it has got nothing to do with creator gods and fighting lords. It rejects the phantom of a separate soul entity residing somewhere in the body. It rejects a saviour by whose favour one can go to heaven, it rejects the superstitions of an eternal hell and an eternal heaven, it rejects the idea of prayer to bribe the god, and it repudiates the interference of Priests. It is the religion of absolute freedom, which is to be gained avoiding all evil, doing all good and purifying the heart. It is against alcoholism, and killing animals for food and sport. It is a brotherhood, embracing all humanity, and the world of animals as well as gods. It preaches the inter-relationship between man and man. Whole humanity is one brotherhood. It is the friend of enlightened progress, and preaches the sublimest Truths of meritorious activity and shows the Path strewn with the flowers of good thoughts, good words and good deeds, right insight, right aspirations, right speech, right profession, right effort, right fixity of thought and right illumination of mind. Only by self sacrificing activity happiness can be found. It preaches against asceticism and Sensualism. It preaches against unscientific monotheism, polytheism, pantheism, nihilism. Its teaching is that ultimate Truths are to be realized, not simply believed as dogmas.

From: Our Duty to the Peoples of the West, by Anagarika Dharmapala (1927)(Maha Bodhi Journal, Vol.35, Sept. 1927)

Tuesday, December 16, 2003

From the book "What the Buddha Taught," by Walpola Rahula (Grove Weidenfeld, publisher):

Among the founders of religions the Buddha ... was the only teacher who did not claim to be other than a human being, pure and simple. Other teachers were either God, or his incarnations in different forms, or inspired by him. The Buddha was not only a human being; he claimed no inspiration from any God or external power either. He attributed all his realization, attainments and achievements to human endeavor and human intelligence. A man and only a man can become a Buddha. ...

Man's position, according to Buddhism, is supreme. Man is his own master, and there is no higher being or power that sits in judgment over his destiny."


Hmm. Again, the responsibility rests entirely on our shoulders, no pleas to an outside force to save or help us. Man is the center of things, at least as far as raising himself up to enlightenment and escape from this physical world. For a "do it yourself" generation, that rejects authority, what could be better?

Monday, December 15, 2003

From "Toward a Meaning of Buddhism for Americans," an essay by Philip Kapleau:

Among Buddhists he [Buddha Shakyamuni] is revered not as a deity or a savior who takes upon himself the sins of others, but as a fully awakened, fully perfected human being who attained the liberation of body and mind through his own efforts and not by the grace of a supernatural being.

Buddhism thus has an appeal to the person who knows there is no God controlling and directing our lives, but knows there is something behind this world we inhabit. Only through our own efforts will we discover it. I think of the phrase "self reliance."

Friday, December 12, 2003

I will use this site to post material that I have found useful when studying Buddhism and thinking of methods that might help it sink some roots in the U.S. My vows:

-I will not pontificate;
-I will try to regularly update;
-I won't talk about how my day has been.
-I will not shamelessly violate copyright law
-I will endeavor to make this a helpful site.

comments? I'm at: lightsource@gmail.com
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