- When asked to summarize his teachings, the Buddha said…
“Nothing should be clung to as I, me or mine.”
“Nothing should be clung to as I, me or mine.”
- Nothing whatever should be grasped at and clung to as "me" or "mine."
This is the heart of Buddhism ...
- What a tall task, for any of us ! I remember sitting on a panel in Woodstock, Ontario a number of years ago. "The Marathon of Unity". It was a very powerful weekend, no doubt. Just after my own talk, we were able to have a break; after Sara and I returned and listened to the Al-anon Speakers. The main speaker opened with a point I've held very dear ever since. For fear of misquoting; I'll attempt to para-phrase by noting it thus ... "Anything, I've ever let go of, has claw marks all over it !" What a powerful image this paints; if we can sit and quietly appreciate the emotion she is attempting to convey with this passionate picture. We each have a story to tell, some are more gifted in their ability to paint the picture of their lives. Not too long ago we said goodbye to one of this generations most well travelled, and well respected Popes. Beyond being the Head of modern Catholicism, he was a man of Peace. Unfortunately; bound by eons of Vatican Law and Tradition, he was unable to bring much reform to the diseased body that is the Catholic Church. He did, however reach out to many heads of state, and did not back down to obvious disregard for human life. I am humbled by the legacy of Peace & Love he left behind. ((Has this last guy even left the house yet!?)) More recently we were all blessed to receive His Holiness, The 14'th Dali Lama. I assume a great deal here; but who can argue the fact that the world weeps, and is SCREAMING, for his teachings. On his tour; the world received a man of great wisdom, and ((who knew?)), Humour! We gaze upon these men and history dictates that we're supposed to see God Like creatures beyond our own human, fallible senses. Guess what!?; they are every bit as human as you and I. I may blaspheme here, but I'm going out on a limb. I'll guess that they've both had to wipe their own asses. I'd even go so far as to speculate that they've both experienced the horror of a "Finger Break-Through!". You all know that disaster, less than quality paper means cleaning under the finger nail!
My point here is pretty simple; normal, average people, called to greatness. Were they special, extraordinary, or maybe just those simple types you'd normally lose in a crowd. Well, I'm sure a little research would surprise you! I'm not prepared to bicker semantics, and argue whether or not there exists here some supernatural calling. I'll simply point out the powerful force for Wisdom, Goodness, and Change that each of these very mortal men possess. I'll point out here how they both took time, to address the very real need our world has for their teachings. Right or Wrong, agree or disagree, one cannot argue this worlds desperate need for tolerance, acceptance, the base realization that ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL. This teaching is miserably lacking everywhere. In the West, where we're drowning in Conservative bickering back and forth, there is very little if any acceptance of each others differences. Don't kid yourselves, our biblical based laws and half-ass ed attempts at democracy dictate a need for Tolerance, but there is very little Acceptance.
- Luke 17:2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
- Matthew 10:34"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
These are the words of the very man, they all claim to worship and believe in. I am in no way trying to misquote the man, or even be so presumptuous as to try to interpret his words. I'm only pointing out that these are very strong statements. He tells us, not to suppose he intends peace, I take that to mean that I shouldn't assume I know the content of His Words. I figure, He probably wanted me to know that He intended Change, more than peace as change can be very "un-peaceful" sometimes! He tells us that it'd be better to jump in a lake, with a BIG ROCK tied to our neck, than it would be to cause a little innocent one to commit a sin, or "do a bad thing". Yet Pedophiles are released everyday!
I asked my self a question a long time ago, your probably kinda familiar with it yourself. I thought and pondered "Why am I here?; What's it all about?; Is there a point to it all?; Is There a God?." Now I wonder how many have thought this very same question. It seems to me, from what I learned in my very short Thirty-Nine Years, that we've all, pined and longed for the answer to this timeless query. Seemingly right back to The Aztecs, The Ancient Egyptians, peoples we've yet to discover ... I can only assume that the men quoted and discussed here today; at some point, lie in their childhood beds; maybe stared off into the evening stars and pondered ... "What is My purpose". I wonder if their answer was the same as mine. I wonder if they came to the very same Epiphany, that caught me by surprise as I showered the other day. You see, my lovelies, it came to me, I sit and practice, I read and share, I'm an open book, I exist, I am Here Today, For You ... and each of you ... for me. The answer to it all is quite simple it seems, as you sit and ponder, think of the one person whom you could look at Today, and say ... "I AM HERE FOR YOU". All of our wisdom, All of our knowledge, All of our teachings, and Learning's, All of our acceptance ... All of our Love & All of our Peace ... is meant to be shared with each other for the betterment of the species. We are all here, quite simply, for each other. Better yet, I'd be willing to bet, these men understood, before each of us, that ...
I am here for you ... Love, S.
