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January 17, 2013

So I’m Told God Isn’t a Buddhist!

Source: flickr.com via Patricia on Pinterest

The birth of religion in the Western world was generated from a theistic perspective that venerated a superpower God outside of the self.

In the East, there was a more pragmatic approach in dealing with reality as it presented itself. Taoism and Buddhism in particular face the real illusions of the mind with philosophies rooted in the nature of man—always geared towards finding harmony.

The more you try to define what Buddhism is, the further from the true essence of Buddhism you actually are.

To step into Buddha-nature, is to step into a being state. The mind corrupts such a concept with narrow reference points that can become polluted. Buddhahood exists in all beings.

The Buddha is a guide showing the way to enlightenment.

To define Buddhahood or Buddha as God is an impossibility as Buddhism teaches self-reliance and that every being is given the opportunity to awaken. Yet, since Buddhahood exists in all things, it really depends on how you define God. God has so many definitions, understandings and misunderstandings. And, tellingly, the gods of Buddhism must ultimately die.

The core of religious belief is the understanding of a spiritual way to inhabit the world. Whether one uses terms such as God, Buddha, Jesus Christ or Krishna, does not change the intent. The tree is still the tree. The bird is still the bird. If you jump into a lake, you will still get wet!

Definitions come from the ego. To be alive, you don’t need dogma to be validated. All you need is love!

A Buddhist’s view of love in relationship must impart surrendering and being willing to be completely open and revealing—to know another without judgment or attachment—yet at the same time willing to invest one’s full attention and open heart in caring for one another wholeheartedly. A true Buddhist must refuse to cling to another person. Pure acceptance, pure lovingkindness, yet detached enough to know that all of life is ephemeral.

Love is to walk the path of dhamma together, knowing that one may not always face the same direction, yet being compassionate whatever one’s personal mood or leaning.

Love is friendship without neediness, service without obligation, giving without the expectation to receive.

Yet love is also “love”—something that cannot be defined or reduced in the definition itself. Definitions are in themselves reductions, limitations, narrowed thought compartments.

The flow is the flow is the flow—as the water is the water.

All must follow their true nature without wasted attachments.

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Ed: Lynn Hasselberger

 

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