Yoga, Buddhism and 18 Years in Asia – There is No

Enlightenment Here

When we practice Yoga or Buddhism, we hope to and

intend to see the goodness and honest and sincere

effort in other people.

At the same time, we have to deal with a variety of

sensual input that can confuse us or overwhelm us at

times, and we may not always be mindful about what we

are thinking and feeling at any particular moment in

time.

What we eat, how well we sleep, the stress that we are

facing, and our past conditioning all can creep up on

us and influence us in ways that are not wholesome.

Sometimes we are mindful of this, perhaps when we

spend too much time the night before a workday

drinking or watching television.

We then will feel the effects of such an experience

the next day as we try to go about doing our work and

other things.

Other times, what is influencing us to think, feel,

speak or act in a specific way is unknown to us.

Here in Asia, as in the west, all of these factors

play a part in how people think and act each day.

The idea that the people here, and the countries,

cultures and societies that they come from are more

enlightened then those of the west is not true.

In fact, there may be less environmental factors here

that support the idea of practicing Yoga and Buddhism

and becoming enlightened then in the west.

This writer every morning walks out of his place of

residence past a Buddhist temple not more then 100

meters from where he lives.

But on the way there, we find people watching

television, arguing, drinking alcohol and getting

involved in the selling and use of drugs.

People dislike each other, gossip about each other and

lie to and cheat each other.

Individuals deal with personal issues, such as

loneliness, frustration and feelings of being

victimized, abused or abandoned, just as they do in

the west.

We also find people walking their dogs, going to and

from the market, taking their children to school and

going off to work.

We find people taking care of their children and their

parents, looking for and hoping for someone to share

romance and their lives with, and making an honest and

sincere effort to improve and better themselves.

However, seldom do we find any people meditating or

discussing the teachings of Buddhism and how those

teachings can be applied to our modern life and the circumstances of our life.

Television is really a big culprit in all of this,

both in Asia and the west, as we spend too much time

in front of it, time that could be used for working

with the body and mind in ways that lead to spiritual

growth.

Enlightenment is not something that is more likely to

be attained if one lives in Thailand or Sri Lanka

instead of England or The United States.

In fact, with any type of experience studying the

history of the Asian countries which profess Buddhism

as being their major religious or spiritual

discipline, both in how their countries and societies

have evolved within and how they have treated each

other, we will find that Buddhism has had little or no influence or their thoughts or actions.

In fact, it can be easily seen that it is the work and

play of the defilements and hindrances that Buddhism

teaches us about that have been the major forces that

have shaped how people within countries and cultures

and between countries and cultures have interacted

with each other.

The prejudices, hatreds and resentments between the

Chinese and Japanese, The North and South Koreans, The

North and South Vietnamese, The Cambodians and The

Thais, and The Burmese and the Thais, among others,

are just as strong and deep - seeded now as they have

always been in the past.

Enlightenment and the gradual changes and steps toward

it are based on how well we know what it is that we

should learn and practice, and then making a regular

and daily effort to apply those teachings and

practices in all of our mental and physical actions

and activities.

The forces at work in Asia and within ourselves, as in

all the world are working against such an

understanding and practice on a daily basis.

©2004 John C. Kimbrough

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

be reached at johnckimbrough@yahoo.com)