| Buddhists Are Ambassadors for The Buddha and His Teachings
To say that I am a Buddhist, or I am a Christian can sometimes be something that is said with an air of pride, and can almost be said arrogantly at times, like because one is a Buddhist or Christian, they are somehow special, should call attention to themselves, or more enlightened then others.
Such an attitude would be incorrect, as what being a Buddhist, Christian or Yoga practitioner does not involve is a puffed up or an arrogant pride, but instead humility and simplicity and seeing oneself as one of many, not one among many.
Having had considerable experience with both Christians and Buddhists in my life, I have been at times disappointed by the contrast between what a person says that they are or thinks of themselves as being, and how they speak and act in their interactions and in expressing their views about others.
If we want to think of ourselves as being a Buddhist, we want to try and live our life as agents or ambassadors of the Buddha, just as if we say that we are a Christian, we want to try and live our life as agents or ambassadors of Jesus.
This does not mean that we proclaim our religion or spiritual discipline to all, but that we learn and understand how to think, feel, speak and act according to the teachings of these enlightened beings.
Our objective is not only to serve as they asked us to, but to, though serving, work to achieve the things that they did, those being non violence in thought, word and action, loving kindness and compassion.
As this writer frequently points out, these are also the three foundations for the practice of Yoga.
Sadly, because of our own ignorance, lack of interest in making any kind of sustained or sincere effort, the sensual impingements that television and the world throw our way and our own at times confused and conflicting conditioning, we many times do not really understand what is involved in the practice of the religious or spiritual discipline that we think or say that we follow and practice.
And unfortunately, many times those who have some authority or influence over us may in their ignorance ridicule us for our interest in these things, which may confuse us further, or harden our resolve, or make us angry or resentful to them.
People seldom seem to in this world want to sit down and really learn about and understand how another person thinks and feels about something.
What Buddhism, Christianity and Yoga can provide us with are a direction with which to use the energy of our being, which is for many of us better then the at times confused desires and feelings that we have and experience.
We can easily become and be confused about what it means to be a man, a woman or a human being.
We may be unsure about what our duties and responsibilities are to ourselves, our family, our friends, our community and the world as a whole.
We may not know how to deal with day to day thoughts, feelings and experiences. Should we do this, or should we wait until later, or should we ignore them all together?
Religious and spiritual disciplines are there to assist us in figuring out things, not further confuse us.
If we are going to proclaim ourselves to be Christians, or Buddhists, or Yoga practitioners, we want to be able to make our thoughts, words and actions ones that are wise and compassionate.
©2006 John C. Kimbrough |
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