Hi Everybody,
I'm in something of a hurry. I'm packing to leave for the South of France at the crack of dawn tomorrow, but I wanted to get this episode off before I leave. So if you don't mind I will dive straight into it. We're talking about the Buddhist concept of connectedness. We've looked at the theory for a bit, and last time we asked the question, but what difference to our actual behaviour.
Good question. Indeed it might be perhaps the most important question we can ask ourselves, given that there is so much conflict in society and between ethnic groups. What real difference we need to ask, does all that theoretical stuff make to the way we live our daily lives? What's wrong you might ask with seeing ourselves, as we commonly do, stopping at our skin, quite separate and distinct from everything else on the planet? What practical difference can it make? Science of course, in presenting us with the clearest possible evidence of our deep inrerconectedness doesn't have to take an ethical or a social stance. But Buddhism most certainly does, and thefundamental Buddhist answer to that question would be that everything in our behaviour is driven by our perceptions. Thus a gross misperception, that arises directly from the narrowness of our view, strictly limited by what can perceive with our senses, can lead to grossly inappropriate behaviour. As I have expressed it elsewhere,
' Close to it simply means 'me' and ' you.' That's probably easy enough to handle. Further afield it begins to mean 'us' and ' them.' They are different from us and it begins to get more difficult. You may well be a mild-mannered and altruistc individual who gets on with everybody, but it goes without saying that not everybody is. It doesn't take more than a brief look at human history, old and new, to see that the idea of separation, of them and us, of their lot and our lot, of white skins and brown skins, of Catholics and Protestants, of Christians and Muslims, lies at the root of everything from the brawling between different tribal groups of football fans outside the pub on a Saturday night, to the powerfully disruptive forces of racism, and extreme nationalism and religious fundamentalism. And unspeakable events like Rwanda. And Sebrenica. And Auschwitz.'
Those terrible names may come from a different time and a different space, but they are truly part of the heritage of every one of us. We can never escape from what they mean.
So the Buddhist answer to that first question rings out loud and clear, the difference it makes to us all is simply immense. Immense. There is no other word for it. As soon as we understand that everything in our behaviour is driven by our perceptions, then keeping those perceptions sharp and clear, and keeping our compassion alert and active becomes of the utmost importance to the way we encounter everything in our daily life. Are we creating value in this situation, or are we being carelessly destructive? Are we respecting the views and the concerns of others or are we carelessly trampling over them in pursuit of our own interests.
That clarity and that freshness are some of the benefits that flow from the discipline of the daily practice. That is one of its main functions, to keep that awareness and that compassion fresh and young and active, every single day.'
Right. Enough for today. I'm off on a weeks hols. And I have to say I think I deserve it. Been working very hard. Speak to you when I get back.
Best wishes,
William
The Case for Buddhism is available from Amazon and as a download from Kindle.
People tell me it's good value! Hope so.
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