Hi Everybody,
I had some extraordinary news this week. I learned that the Spanish versions of The Reluctant Buddhist and Buddhism and the Science of Happiness have actually penetrated to the high Andes. In fact to the famous city of Medelin. That just blows my mind I have to say. But it speaks volumes for the clear universality of the message, even when it's conveyed by someone like myself, just trying to put their thoughts down about the value of Nichiren Buddhism, to any life, anywhere, in any circumstances. Anyway, I just wanted to share that with you. OK, so we're talking about Buddhism and ethics. And we've talked a bit about the fact that all the world's major religions come with clearly defined sets of commandments, dogma even. Buddhism doesn't, and that's where we pick up the htread.
' So Buddhism sets out to describe for us in great detail what it sees to be the way that our lives work.That is to say, what kinds of thoughts and actions are dysfunctional in that they lead to anxiety and suffering, both for us and for those whom our life touches. What kinds of thoughts and behaviour lead to a greater sense of hope and optimism and well-being, again for us and for those around us. That is the accumulated body of understanding and wisdom about human nature and human behaviour that Buddhism presents to us. That basically is what it's all about; a profound understanding of the motives and impulses that drive human behaviour, and their effects on our sense of well-being. Tha tis one of the reasons for example, why many modern psychologists are so interested in the body of Buddhist understanding.
But the key point perhpas to take away from this brief exposition is that Buddhism is essentially observational rather than prescriptive. That, I suggest, is a key differentiator between Buddhism and other great religious traditions. So how does that work you might ask? What does it mean in practical terms in our daily life? Essentially it means tha tin the light of that deep understanding of human nature that it presents to us, Buddhism argues that it's your life. No one else can live it for you. No one else can tell you how to live it. Only you can resolve all the various influences and impulses and opportunities and challenges that come to bear upon you as you travel along your unique life journey. No one else can do it for you. And so, by the same token, only you can be responsible for the ways in which you resolve those influences.
That is the very heart of the issue.
As Daisaku Ikeda explains it for us,
' Shakyamuni Buddha explained the fundamental spirit of Buddhism as a sense of individual responsibility. ' You are your only master. Who else? Subdue yourself and discover your master' In other words we must each take responsibility for our own self-discipline and for cultivating meaningful lives.'
Just commit that line to memory....we must each take responsibility for our own self-discipline and for cultivating meaningful lives, because it is genuinely life-changing.
So Buddhism opens up for us a completely different perspective. Whereas all other major religions are built around what might be called codes of behaviour, describing in precise terms, as we have seen with our brief look at the Ten Commandments, what is entailed in the struggle to lead a good and value-creating life. Buddhism is built essentially around this idea of personal responsibility. The metaphores that are commonly used vividly reinforce that idea. We alone are the gardeners of our own life garden. We alone are the authors of our own life story. In every way it is our deal, our choice, our responsibility, and we have to get on with it. Buddhism does of course offer intimate and detailed guidance at every step along the way, the owner's handbook if you like, that has been drawn up on the basis of many centuries of experience of human behaviour in a tough world. And the daily Buddhist practice is the essential support programme, that helps us to develop the wisdom and the compassion and the courage and the personal discipline, to enable us to handle the responsibility more effectively.
And Buddhism argues, that discipline and that courage are certainly needed...because life in this world is tough.
Indeed Buddhism was created out of the recognition of life's toughness, and that how we choose to respond to that toughness, determines the very nature of our lives. Not just for some of us, but for all of us. Without exception. For those who have a generous supply of the world's goods, as well as for those who don't. It's just that the nature of the toughness is different. '
That's it for today.
I like that passage even if I say so myself. I think it opens an essential window on Buddhism.
I hope you like it too.
See you next time.
Best wishes,
William
The Case For Buddhism is available on Amazon and a paper back and as an e-book.
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