Category: Buddhism

Sunyata

According to Buddhism, things don’t have an essence that defines them. This idea is called sunyata, or emptiness. For example, you know what a car is, but is it always a car? When it is being assembled in the factory, at what point does it stop being a set of parts and become a car? One answer is that it becomes a car when it can fulfill the function of a car – that is, when it can be driven. But does that mean it stops being a car if it won’t start? What if the car’s wheels were stolen; would it still be a car? What is the essence of this thing we call “car”?

Another aspect of this idea is that things aren’t inherently either good or bad. Things may seem good or bad depending on the context, but nothing is good or bad in its essence.

Write of something you usually consider either good or bad. Then try to think of contexts where it might seem different – when something you think of as good seems bad, or vice versa.

The Farmer’s Horse

Buddhism often uses stories to present ideas. Here is a Buddhist story.

One day a farmer’s only horse disappeared. His neighbours all came to commiserate with him on his bad luck. But the farmer just said, “Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?”

A week or so later, the farmer’s horse returned, accompanied by two wild horses. His neighbours all came by to congratulate him on his good luck. But the farmer just said, “Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?”

The farmer’s son decided to break the wild horses so they could be ridden. One of the horses threw him and broke his leg. The neighbours came by to console the farmer for this stroke of bad luck. But the farmer just said, “Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?”

A few days later, the king’s army came to the village. They took all the able-bodied young men to fight in a war. They left the farmer’s son because he had a broken leg. The neighbours all came by to congratulate the farmer on his good luck. But the farmer just said, “Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?”

Write what idea you think the story is trying to present.

The Strawberry

Buddhism often uses stories to present ideas. Here is a Buddhist story.

One day while walking in the wilderness, a man came upon a vicious tiger. He fled, running through the trees, looking back over his shoulder to see if the tiger was gaining on him.

Unfortunately, this meant he didn’t watch where he was going, and he tumbled headlong over a cliff. He scrambled desperately to save himself and managed to grab a vine that hung over the cliff. For a few moments he dangled there, savouring his amazing escape from certain death.

Then he looked up. Two mice were perched on the cliff edge, gnawing on his vine with their sharp little teeth.

As he looked up, the man glimpsed something else. A strawberry plant was growing from the cliff face, with one plump, ripe strawberry. The man reached up and plucked the strawberry. It was incredibly delicious!

What idea do you think the story is trying to present?

Rainy Day, Sunny Day

Buddhism often uses stories to present ideas. Here is a Buddhist story.

An old lady had two daughters. One was married to an umbrella seller. The other was married to a noodle seller.

On sunny days, the woman worried about her first daughter, thinking that nobody would buy any umbrellas, and her son-in-law’s business would be hurt.

On rainy days, she worried about her second daughter, as her son-in-law couldn’t dry noodles without the sun. As a result, the old lady lived in sorrow, grieving for her daughters.

One day she met a monk who asked her why she seemed so grief-stricken. She told him about her worries. The monk smiled and said, “I will show you a way to happiness. On sunny days, think of the younger daughter’s husband making plenty of noodles and doing good business. On rainy days, think of the older daughter’s husband. With the rain, people will be buying umbrellas, and the business will prosper.”

The woman did as the monk told her. From then on she was happy every day.

What idea do you think the story is trying to present?

The Law of Karma

The law of karma is part of Buddhist teaching. The law of karma involves cause and effect.

It says that every event causes another event. The second event can be pleasant or unpleasant, depending on whether the first event was prompted by self-interested cravings or by pure motivations.

The second event can be so far separated from the first one that they don’t seem to be connected, but the connection is still there.

If our actions come from pure motivations, then the results will be positive, leading us to keep acting in positive ways.

If we are motivated by negative feelings, then the results of our actions will also be negative. And the effects of negative feelings can be cumulative. When bad things happen to us, we tend to respond negatively. This can lead to a vicious circle of negative actions and negative results.

Think of something negative that has happened to you. Then think of how you reacted to it. If you reacted negatively, did that negative reaction also affect the way you saw other things? If you reacted positively, did that positive reaction affect your outlook in positive ways?

Describe the event, your reaction, and how your reaction affected you.

Arhat and Bodhisattva

In Buddhism, people can attain enlightenment in many ways. They can also do different things once they are enlightened. One choice is to enter nirvana, where all suffering ends. A person who choose this is called an arhat.

A second choice is to stay in the world to help others find enlightenment. A person who chooses this is called a bodhisattva.

The difference between them is explained in a story.

Two men were wandering in the desert when they came to a compound, surrounded by a high wall. The first man climbed the wall. Giving a cry of delight, he leaped down on the other side.

The second man also climbed the wall. At the top, he saw that the walls surrounded a beautiful oasis with springs and gardens. He wanted to enter the garden. But he thought about all the other people who were wandering in the desert. Instead of entering the oasis he returned to the desert, determined to help other wanderers find the oasis.

One of these men was an arhat, and one was a bodhisattva. Which was which?

The Ten Perfections of a Bodhisattva

In Buddhism, a bodhisattva struggles to achieve ten perfections. Only when these have been achieved can the bodhisattva become a Buddha.

The ten perfections are charity, right conduct, dispassionateness, wisdom, steadfastness, forbearance, truthfulness, determination, loving compassion, nonattachability.

Think about the ten perfections. How do you think they can be achieved? Choose one perfection. Describe how a person could achieve it.

Koans

Do you remember learning how to read? Most people are taught the letters of the alphabet and are told that these letters can form sounds. But this is a new way of thinking, and it takes time to adjust to it. For most people, the next step, recognizing words and sounds, is a breakthrough. Suddenly, the marks on the page make sense. They can read.

According to Zen Buddhism, enlightenment also calls for a new way of thinking. We are used to solving problems using reason. But enlightenment isn’t reasonable. So Zen uses unreasonable ways of teaching to help students reach enlightenment.

One unreasonable teaching method is the use of koans. These are problems, but problems that rational thinking can’t solve. In order to find an answer to a koan, the student must think in a different way. One koan asks, “What was the appearance of your face before your ancestors were born?”

How do you think it would feel to be given problems like this one to solve? Try to imagine your reaction to solving koans. Describe your reaction.

Tonglen

Tibetan Buddhists have a visualization practice called tonglen. This is a way of awakening the compassion that lies within all people, as well as a way of overcoming the fear of suffering.

Try practicing tonglen yourself. Think of a person with a specific problem like sickness, greed, or meanness. Try to pick a person you don’t especially like. Close your eyes. Imagine that you are lifting this problem out of his or her body and taking it into your own body, where it is destroyed.

How did your attempt at tonglen feel? Do you think that practicing it often would change your attitude to the person you chose? Explain.