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Birch trees appear to have learned the Buddhist teaching of non-attachment. How? They bend over when covered with heavy wet snow from a winter’s storm. They don’t insist on standing tall and proud. They’ve adapted to survive the harsh realities of strong winds, heavy loads of wet snow or other trees blocking the sunlight they need – they bend to survive. They respond to realities of life, not the illusions.
Dropping illusions, facing the reality of life is difficult. Buddhist teachings are easy to read and comprehend, but not so easy to put into practice. Why do we struggle to let go of our bonbu ego self? Why do we resist taking back control? For me, when the winds are strongest, the snow the heaviest and the darkness the deepest is when I turn to the Nembutsu, to the 18th Vow of Amida Buddha.
It seems it is only when we’ve had enough of this sahā
1 world, when we’ve reached a limit, is when we are willing to step onto the path to liberation. This is when we are open to hearing the call of Amida Buddha. When we do, we know at once we are embraced, never to be let go of. We still continue to be bonbu, but we also begin to realize the small changes, changes to be more compassionate, to be wiser and to be kind to not only the other, but our self. Life gets just a little easier when we take back control and look with the perspective of reality instead of illusions.
After a while, saying the Nembutsu becomes a part of our life. It may act as a pneumonic or we truly comprehend it. Either way we become less attached to the “my way or the highway” mentality of “I am right you are wrong.” When this happens, it is a new found freedom. It is a freedom that lifts the burden we carry to control the uncontrollable. No, Shin Buddhists are not passive. Shin Buddhists are engaged fully in all aspects of society.
What we are is unburdened by our attachment to a desired outcome. Our suffering occurs because of our attachment to the outcome we want. We suffer when it does not happen. How about that car ahead at the red light? If it doesn’t begin to move as soon as the light turns green, we have never complained, right? What about our expectations of people in our lives? Don’t we feel hurt or disappointed or frustrated when they don’t behave the way we think they should. This world then is the sahā
world, the world filled with dukkha.
December brings us the opportunity to experience illusions as well as reality. It brings commercialization and pressure to fall in step with illusions whose only benefit is the bottom line on financial statements. We have choices, choices that can reduce dukkha. We can see it as a season that spreads joy, compassion and being non-judgmental as our Christian friends celebrate the birth of the historical Jesus. These feelings of joy, compassion and inclusiveness are universal to all who seek peace, both for themselves and the world. Or, do we buy into the illusions?
As Shin Buddhists, we acknowledge our gratitude for all we have, moment to moment. When we compare that to the illusion of getting into financial debt, of thinking that giving or getting “things” will result in greater happiness or acceptance, we come to realize the truth that they do not. What more is needed? What more remains? We may take our lesson from nature and know that to be flexible, to find an alternate way may, in the end, lead to finding and keeping that inner peace.
Namo Amida Butsu
Namo Amida Butsu
Namo Amida Butsu
Rev. Anita
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