23
July

Buddhist Belief – Who Was the Buddha?


“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path. ”

~~~ Buddha

As you know I haven’t posted much here in the past couple of months. I did get a guest article up last week, but I haven’t done much writing about Buddhist Belief myself during this time. There are a variety of reasons for this – the most prominent one has to do with my own health issues. They are sapping my energy to an extent I would never have imagined. The other is the writing of my own book, Lost and Found, which is a memoir of my youthful life. (http://www.wecould2.com) I was falling behind on this and needed to devote more energy to it. It’s a book I need to finish in this lifetime. I’m the only one who knows how it’s supposed to end.

This blog about Buddhism will never really be finished. The blog may come to an end someday, but the words about Buddhism will be with us for a long time. I may not write here with the same regularity as I have in the past, but I won’t abandon it.

I also find my passion for the topic of Climate Change has prompted me to take on another blog (http://www.ronrink.com) on that topic.

So, I’m busy – I’m tired – and I’m still a Buddhist. I will continue to write here – just not as often.

Now, on to today’s article.

Buddhist Belief, meditation, nirvana, mindfulness, karma, peace

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to actually meet the Buddha? I know, he died over 2,500 years ago – but has it ever crossed your mind as to what it would have felt like to see him – listen to him teach – and maybe follow him around for awhile?

I have – and I can see where trying to re-invent him for today leaves open the possibility of making him into what we think he might be. We have a slew of quotes and teachings purported to be right from the Buddha’s mouth, but we still have the possibility of taking those words and molding them to fit what we would wish him to be – sort of doing a make-over to fit what we’d like to see.

For example, what did he look like? In some areas of the world he’s sort of squat and has a big belly. In other areas of the world he might be quite statuesque. There are so many images of him it’s impossible to form a solid conclusion. We just don’t know what he truly looked like – and – you know – it doesn’t truly matter!

What does the Buddha mean to those of us who follow his teachings? We have a sort of archetypical view of him, don’t we? So many of the representations of the Buddha capture the essence of what he taught – what he stood for. We often see him represented as touching the ground – which means his wisdom is well grounded – he is connected to this planet we live on. Often his eyes will be represented as clear, relaxed and aware.

That fits, doesn’t it? The word Buddha means awakened mind. Buddha means awake and aware. This makes me wonder – if when we think about what it would be like to have been around when the Buddha was alive – maybe what we are really looking for is we want to meet our own awakened mind. Hmmm, maybe now we’re getting somewhere!

Looks to me like what we should be doing is getting down with who we truly are. The only opening to our awakened mind is us. Who are we? How do we live our lives? There are teachers all around us who write the books and do the retreats and pass along the teachings and traditions of Buddhism. They’re kind of like radio receivers and transmitters. They picked up what they were taught and they are now passing it along to us. When you realize how most of these teachings have survived for so many years, you start to get the idea there just might be something in them we should learn.

To cut to the chase – and to demonstrate why what we’ve learned from our teachers isn’t truly complicated – Buddha was someone who, like us, started out in a materialistic way, then became a seeker, and then claimed he had found a way to get a handle on no longer being materialistic, and said it was possible for all of us to learn the same thing he did.

He added that if we could learn what he learned, we would find true happiness and inner peace.

Metta ….May I be well and happy. My I live in safety. May I be healthy and strong. May I live with ease. May all beings be well and happy. May all beings live in safety. May all beings be healthy and strong. May all beings live with ease.

Namaste — Be in Peace.

Ron Rink
=====================================================

Ron’s Recommended Reading List —

Just click the links that are sort of Grey in color to take you to where you can learn more about each book and how you can purchase a copy for your own library.

Stephanie Kaza — Hooked!: Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire, and the Urge to Consume

Stephanie Kaza, an amazing writer and Buddhist teacher I knew from my 36 years living in Vermont, gathers key Buddhist thinkers to reflect upon aspects of consumerism, greed and economics. Certainly, many other authors have examined consumerism from the lens of their religious traditions, but this book’s Buddhist perspective is unusual, and its pairing of consumerist critiques with core Buddhist concepts is generally fruitful. Check this one out! Hooked!

Stephanie Kaza — Mindfully Green: A Personal and Spiritual Guide to Whole Earth Thinking

Another one from my Vermont friend — Stephanie Kaza, a biologist and professor of Environmental Studies at University of Vermont, combines Zen Buddhist practices and teachings with her 40 years as an environmentalist for this guide to enlightened environmentalism, proposing a belief in the interdependence of people and nature as the genuine way to “go green”: “When we come to see ourselves as part of the green web of life… we are naturally drawn to respond with compassion.” A good read for Buddhists or anyone from any religion. Mindfully Green

Anam Thubten — No Self – No Problem

No Self – No Problem
shows how to realize the ultimate meaning of life in each moment by dissolving all notions of ego-identity. It asks that spiritual seekers wake up to their true nature, which is already enlightened. Based on Buddhist wisdom traditions, this easy-to-read book discusses in simple, but profound and inspiring language, how we can live a life full of love, satisfaction, and happiness. No Self – No Problem

Sharon Salzberg — The Kindness Handbook

“It takes boldness, even audacity, to step out of our habitual patterns and experiment with a quality like kindness–to work with it and see just how it might shift and open up our lives. This book is an invitation to do just that. — From The Kindness Handbook

Eckhart Tolle’s amazing best seller, A New Earth

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s wonderful book, My Stroke of Insight: Nirvana is just a breath away!

And this one by Sharon Salzberg and is entitled: A Heart as Wide as the World: Living with Mindfulness, Wisdom and Compassion“.

This is a new one for you by Pema Chodron entitled: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
=====================================================
Always remember this wonderful quote from Buddha ….


“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

~~~ Buddha

Shanti everyone, … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)


“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

~~~ Buddha

Have a peaceful day!! —

Ron Rink

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Ron Rink under Buddhist Belief | Comment now » |
13
July

Jennifer Beals — Buddhism and the Dalai Lama

As I’m sure many of you have noticed — I’ve been AWOL from writing my articles here. I have had more issues with my health and those issues have truly sapped my energy to the point where writing became more of an energy drain than I had to give.

Today, this is still not an original, but it’s an article I read which I found of considerable interest. This article features one of my favorite actors, Jennifer Beals and offered some of her thinking on the subject of Buddhism which I hope you will find interesting and enlightening.

I will be back to a more regular writing cycle again soon.

Thanks for your patience.

Be well, be in peace,

Ron Rink
===============================================

Actress speaks on Buddhism and the Dalai Lama

BY LILLI KUZMA

Contributor

Last Modified: Jul 12, 2011 10:19PM

Jennifer Beals is well-known to many Americans as an acclaimed actress with a long list of film credits, including her starring role in the break-out hit, “Flashdance,” and her work with Denzel Washington in “Devil in a Blue Dress,” and her TV roles on “The ‘L’ Word,” “Lie to Me” and most recently, “The Chicago Code.” But Beals is also a practicing Buddhist, and has been involved with the upcoming visit to Chicago by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama on July 17-18. Beals, 47, was born and raised in Chicago, and now resides with her family in Los Angeles. She spoke recently by phone to Pioneer Press.

Pioneer Press: What is your formal involvement with the upcoming visit by the Dalai Lama?

Jennifer Beals: I was the spokesperson, interfacing with the press to let people know he was coming. I was the person who was running through the streets going, “His Holiness is coming! His Holiness is coming!”

Pioneer Press: Are you a member of the Theosophical Society in America?

Beals: No, I met the president (of the Theosophical Society), Tim Boyd, when we did a television interview together and I’ve been to the Theosophical Society (center in Wheaton) a few times, played in their labyrinth, they have this amazing labyrinth, and a beautiful library there.

Pioneer Press: For the Dalai Lama visit, will you be present?

Beals: Absolutely.

Pioneer Press: At both of the events?

Beals: Yes, absolutely. I believe on the 17th I may speak.

Pioneer Press: Have you met or been in the presence of the Dalai Lama?

Beals: Yes. I haven’t met him, although I feel like I have met him personally, because he makes you feel that way when he’s in the room. And he’s also very funny.

Pioneer Press: How did you get into Buddhism?

Beals: I don’t remember exactly how it began. It was 14 years ago. Formal study would have been 10 years ago. It’s a very interesting thing. The Buddha doesn’t want you to take anything on faith, but to investigate it on your own, so it requires a lot of analytical thinking. So I started studying at a center, I had a teacher who was a (Buddhist) nun. Before that, I had enjoyed meditating in a group, and remember saying to a friend that I really enjoyed the meditation part of yoga class and wish I could find just a meditation class.

Pioneer Press: Was your family religious?

Beals: No, not at all, in fact I begged my mom to take me to Sunday school. She wouldn’t take me, she had grown up Catholic and (didn’t want that experience for me). Then I asked to go to temple school, but of course we weren’t Jewish. So I just read the Bible at night before I went to bed. And I found a catechism at the back of Silver Surfer magazine that I sent away for.

Pioneer Press: You attended the Francis W. Parker School in Chicago. How did your education there influence you?

Beals: Being a progressive school, we studied world religion early on, and I think every school should have that, so we don’t learn to discriminate, especially out of ignorance. Being in a progressive school was helpful, but you don’t need to be at a progressive school to understand such beliefs. I was just fortunate that it was progressive enough at that time that the curriculum taught world religions, and the need to embrace pluralism — that everyone has a voice to be heard, and that is part of humanity and democracy, and a good way for us to not end up hurting each other.

Pioneer Press: You grew up in Chicago, but do you have a connection to any of the suburban towns in Chicagoland?

Beals: I lived in Evanston for about three months after my father passed away.

Pioneer Press: Your late father was African American, your mother Irish American. How did being biracial impact your life?

Beals: Well I think in a lot of ways. We could talk about that for all eternity. But one thing, vis-à-vis this conversation, is you get to see both worlds, and you get to understand that they are in more ways similar than different. I mean, I really felt like I was able to be in both and not a lot of people are given that. Certainly there’s a sense of otherness that comes with that, but there’s also a sense of clarity.

Pioneer Press: Through some of your acting roles, you have helped to promote acceptance of gender issues, from being a female welder in “Flashdance” to The “L” Word series and the gay issues, to your most recent role portraying Chicago’s first police superintendent. Are these roles ones you have sought out, or are you sought out for these roles of a trail-blazing woman?

Beals: I don’t know. If given a choice, I pick roles that are more interesting to me, but it seems to have just happened. I’ve gotten really spoiled now, with having parts that mean so much to a lot of people. Pioneer Press:

How do you see the world right now, with where we’re headed?

Beals: I was at the World Peace Talk the other day that His Holiness gave, and he was talking about how we have the opportunity to make the 21st century better than the 20th century, how the 20th century was so violent. There were a lot of great things that came from the 20th century, certainly in terms of civil rights and human rights, but that we have the opportunity right now to make changes to make sure the 21st century is a more peaceful one.

Pioneer Press: For the visit of the Dalai Lama this weekend, what are you hoping to get out of it, and what are you hoping others will get out of it?

Beals: Well, for me, I always hope I will get a deeper level of understanding of his teaching, because there are so many different levels upon which you can comprehend. And so for me, a deeper understanding. As for other people, in terms of developing a kinship of faith, I just hope other people can take in the teaching, and realize that the ways in which we are similar are more numerous than the ways in which we are different, and what binds us all is our desire for happiness, and our ability to show compassion. Belief in compassion and importance of compassion binds us, not only any religion that I know of, but also people who aren’t religious. It’s just a moral, ethical standpoint or view. The ability to love and the ability for compassion and affection are already hard-wired in our brain, and it’s through our awareness that we can extend it to other people.

Copyright © 2011 — Sun-Times Media, LLC

Technorati Tags:

Posted by Ron Rink under Buddhist Belief | Comment now » |