One common theme among a lot of Buddhist writers especially Western authors and even some non-Western authors, is the liberally and unashamed use of useful examples of stories and experiences from other religions. It actually requires people with equanimity and strong confidence in their own belief to be able to do so. Mind you, these are not bad example, rather, they are insightful experiences and stories and it always gladden me to know how non-judgmental and non-segregating these Buddhist authors can be.
In A Path with Heart by Jack Kornfield, I came upon a beautiful passage:
There is an old story about a famous rabbi living in Europe who was visited one day by a man who had traveled by ship from New York to see him. The man came to the great rabbi’s dwelling, a large house on a street in a European city, and was directed to the rabbi’s room, which was in the attic.
He entered to find the master living in a room with a bed, a chair, and a few books. The man had expected much more. After greetings, he asked, “Rabbi, where are your things?” the rabbi asked in return, “Well, where are yours?” His visitor replied, “But, Rabbi, I’m only passing through,” and the master answered, “So am I, so am I.”
For me, it serves as a reminder that in the midst of our career struggles, maybe difficult bosses, family troubles, love relationships, our gains and our loses and our wants and don’t wants, we are only here to stay for a short time, a sort of tourist or traveler in this life.
Just as many in the Buddhist world are currently erupting wih anger over the Tibet/China & Burma issues: who is right who is wrong, who has rights to whose land and how one should govern the country based on someone else’s standards. When we know that we are only passing through, then nothing is really worth fighting tooth and nail and clinging on for, except our own spiritual journey.
When we have such an insight, eventually our hearts becomes lighter and more spacious, our mind becomes clearer and we can weather even the most difficult times of our lives and our world view becomes broader instead of being easily influenced by massively popular thoughts.
