Buddhism – You are not it, You Work to It

One of the interesting things in meeting people of

various ages, walks of life, religions and ethnic

backgrounds is seeing how they talk about themselves

and who they are.

What we say and how we say it signifies much about our consciousness and how we view ourselves and view

 others.

Many times there can and will be a real note of

defiance and pride, almost arrogance in what we say

about ourselves.

At other times, because of poor self – esteem or

confusion, both negative ways of being or even wisdom,

a positive way of being, what we say about ourselves

will be more sedate.

I have found among some in Asia an almost defiant and

arrogant way of expressing what they are as far as an

ethnic group or religion.

But there is no generalized way in which people behave

here, just as in other parts of the world.

Sometimes we find Buddhists who wear amulets and have

their body tattooed with pictures and diagrams that

they think will give them some greater power then

another, or some kind of spiritual insight.

In Islam we seldom see such things, as Muslims live an

austere and directed life, guided more by their belief

in Allah then in supernatural powers.

It is true however, that Islam like Buddhism, having

come onto countries and cultures where some

supernatural practices existed, has been compromised

by these things.

Regardless, we do not need to stick out our chest and

our head up arrogantly and say, “I am a Buddhist” but

instead understand that Buddhism is not so much what

and who we are, but instead something that we are

working to through its practice.

If we get attached to thinking that we are such and

such, we may be setting ourselves apart from others

and that can go against the teachings of Buddhism,

where we are taught to understand that we are all very

much alike and to build on that understanding in ways

that are constructive for ourselves and others.

And these days, with the vast array of technological

toys that we can get lost in and the workings of our

ego and desire, we can get even more isolated form

others, which leads to a host of problems.

We start to see our way as being the best way, and

other ways as being alien or threatening to us.

We tend to put down or look down on those from

different countries, ethnic groups, cultures and

religions, instead of making the effort and searching

out how we are similar and can build on that

similarity.

Both Northeast and Southeast Asia are, regardless of

how they want to see themselves or the image they want

to project, a very dangerous region and the teachings

of Buddhism need to be understood better and brought

into the mainstream thinking there.

Sadly, it seems that the forces of greed, ego, image

and materialism are and have overwhelmed the teachings

of Buddhism.

Perhaps that is partly because people think that they

are born a Buddhist and that in itself enough for

them, instead of understanding that Buddhism is

something that we have to work to understand and

practice on a day to day basis.

©2004 John C. Kimbrough

(John lives and teaches in Bangkok, Thailand. He can

be reached at johnckimbrough@yahoo.com)