|
Will the top spin indefinitely in our sahā (mundane) world of illusions? Or, will it topple over and mark our awakening? For those who have not seen the movie Inception, a small metal top is used to inform the person if they are in a dream state of illusions or have awakened. But we aren’t in a movie and we don’t have a top to let us know if we are experiencing illusion or reality. We’re on our own, but with options.
We say we are tired of the burdens we carry and come to Buddhist philosophy to find the way to let go. We say we are tired of the grief we carry and come to Buddhism to understand and accept impermanence. We say we are tired of the anger, the anxiety, the frustrations, the disappointments, and the loneliness. We say we are afraid of death, and even sometimes afraid of life. We come to the Shin Buddhist path for liberation from these and other unspoken reasons and illusions that anchor us down. In a way, we look to the Buddhist teachings like that spinning top, hoping it will stop so we can drop the illusions and awaken.
Three things must happen for the top to work.
- We must be willing to spin it.
- We must have patience to see if the top will continue spinning or topple.
- If it begins to topple, are we prepared to face the ending of illusions, or, do we turn our back and walk away?
The Buddhist path is not much different. As we walk the path putting the teachings into practice, we see illusions begin to topple. We are left with yet another choice. We anticipated becoming a certain type of person. But what if the person we are becoming is at odds with our expectations? If this is confusing, it is, because change is confusing. Not only is the change we are experiencing confusing, but it also puts us on unfamiliar and uncertain ground.
There is a lobster metaphor about this “in between state of mind” we experience as we make changes in our lives. When lobsters outgrow their shell, they molt, the confining useless shell falls away. The lobster is now vulnerable to predators and death. Once the new larger shell is formed and hardened they are again safe. As we walk the path, we also may feel vulnerable. We feel the lightness in our hearts, but have we come to entrust in it?
As we wake to reality we begin to understand Amida Buddha embracing us just as we are. The Third Jewel of Buddhism, the Sangha, offers yet another place to strengthen our grounding in reality by hearing the Buddha Dharma together and sharing our understandings. It will be different for each of us and yet, we all desire for the top to topple over so we can begin to live our unique life in reality.
In Gassho,
Rev. Anita
|
