I am currently taking a class at school on the eastern world religions, and I gotta say there are quite a few of them. The professor is challenging my brain to take in an overload of information, and I keep counting my lucky stars that I am at least familiar with most of the religions we're studying so I'm not completely in the dark like some of my classmates. The biggest bummer is that this class is FIVE hours long. Yep you read me right... FIVE. From 5:00 to 10:00 every Monday night. Jeepers.Last night in class we began to look at Buddhism. Due to my parents recent trip to Japan and their keen interest in the religion, I do have a kind of understanding regarding the Buddha and his teachings. As the professor was telling us the story of Buddha's life and his goals, I skipped ahead and re-read again the 4 Noble Truths. These are the basics of Buddhist belief. Though I read them in high school and have had to memorize them for many a test, the explanation in my text book struck me differently this time. The first noble truth is "All life is suffering." Meaning that the majority of life is met with suffering, as even the greatest pleasures do not last. Kind of depressing, huh? That's where I thought this truth ended... but it doesn't end there. It continues with a purpose. Buddhists believe that though one cannot complete remove suffering from the life of another they can employ compassion (Karuna) and kindness (Maiti) to alleviate the pain for a little while. I found this to be quite a beautiful act of service.
My whole life I've wanted to change the world, fight injustice, be the super hero and help where it was needed most. A pastor once told me, "I was kind of afraid of you. You are a revolutionary." But the truth I have come to terms with is the truth that I cannot save the world. No matter how hard I try to rid the world of pain, anger, war, famine, and heartache I can't do it. And it is no longer my mission.
I want to employ karuna and maiti, to alleviate the pain for a little while. I want my home to be a place where people can come in heartbroken and leave feeling a little lighter. If I can't solve your problem, at least I can bless you with love, compassion, a hug, and a smile.
See? Jesus can even speak to us through Buddhism. Fancy that. ;0)
Moutains of Love,
Jen
