Orestes:
"'It is the fallacy in Buddhism that one can escape responsibility by staying passive. The question is, do we influence for good or evil?'" (p. 137)
Buddhism is about accepting responsibility. It is the Middle Way between asceticism, involving withdrawal from action in the world, and hedonism, action motivated by pleasure.
On Saturday, when I was with Buddhists who were discussing the relationship between nonattachment and action, I suggested the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita, as the perfect synthesis between nonattachment and action. Krishna affirms that we always act either for good or for evil and teaches karma yoga. The visiting monk replied that Buddhism already has scriptures addressing this issue. In one, a householder teaches Shakyamuni's disciples.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I'm reminded of the story in one of the Gospels of how Christ visited the house of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. Martha was busy taking care of the needs of her guests while Mary sat on the floor listening to Christ. Martha complained to Our Lord of Mary not helping her with her duties as hostess--with Christ replying that Mary had chosen the "better part." This has become a metaphor within Christianity for those who are busy with the necessary cares of the world and those who seek the contemplative life.
I also remember the sympathetic poem Kipling wrote about "the sons of Martha"!
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
At school, our English teacher read us a poem that was Martha's reply:
"It’s all very well
sitting in the shade of the courtyard
talking about your souls.
Someone’s got to see to the cooking,
standing at the oven all morning
with you taking your ease.
It’s all very well
saying he’ll be content with bread and honey.
Perhaps he would -
but I wouldn’t,
coming into our house like this,
not giving him of our best.
Yes, it’s all very well
him trying to excuse you,
saying your recipe’s best,
saying I worry too much,
that I’m always anxious.
Someone’s got to worry -
and double if the others don’t care!
For it’s all very well
talking of faith and belief -
but what would you do
if everyone sat in the cool
not getting their meals?
And he can’t go wandering
and preaching on an empty stomach -
he’d die in the first fortnight.
-copied from http://cnu.org.au/ministry/sermons/160717sermon.html
Kaor, Paul!
And I agree! We need both kinds of people: the practical and the contemplative.
Ad astra! Sean
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