Someone said over the holidays “she is more like a mall Buddhist,” which I have reflected upon since then. Why you ask? Well, it’s not that it matters what other people think but it does matter what I think. I chose to reflect on the comment and ask myself what was really being said, and what I myself thought. One can take things as judgement or one can ask themselves if they are honestly projecting who they are on the inside. This is something Wayne Dyer discusses in his books. So what is mall Buddhism and am I subscribing to this religion. Well, I can tell you I do much more than just wear the t-shirt, though I may not discuss it with others. For me my journey into Buddhism has been a private one and one I have taken my time with. For the longest time I didn’t even claim it as a religion and I’m not even sure how I feel about doing so now. I’ve always kind of felt it is more a philosophy than a religion. Religion has always been a funny thing for me especially since I felt Catholicism was pushed on me as kid until I drowned in it, while at the same time it seemed superficial and meaningless. Maybe my words are making sense but hydrocodone and recovery from surgery can have that effect. For me Buddhism has been a transformational journey and jumping point, something I was always interested in but felt judged for being curious about. So, maybe I do take some offense to the “mall Buddhist” comment. Do I follow rituals? No. Do I know everything there is to know? No. Do I go to a temple? No. Do most “Christians” do most of these things? No!
Here is what I do know, and something I stumbled upon online:
One is a Buddhist if he or she accepts the following four truths:
All compounded things are impermanent.
All emotions are pain.
All things have no inherent existence.
Nirvana is beyond concepts.
I try to remind myself of these daily. I learn more daily. I believe in what the Dalai Lama says “My religion is Kindness.” So am I a textbook Buddhist? No. I do however read a lot, learn as much as I have time for, follow the fundamentals, and look up to the Dalai Lama more than any other leader. I have listened to a lot of audio books written by him, watched documentaries on him, and find him to be incredibly wise. Life is simple, and the fundamentals of Buddhism even simpler, and I’ve learned that through his words. You don’t need to follow complicated rituals or attend a temple to follow the fundamentals of Buddhism. In fact I think my journey into Buddhism has already made me a calmer, happier and more loving individual, even though I am self admittedly still flawed. I am after all HUMAN. I think it’s hard when people have known the old you and only see the new you from a distance.
Addibug's Life! 