What Makes You Not A Buddhist

Peace And Quiet

Few have the will to pursue a realization like Siddhartha's. Instead, we wander like a disoriented desert traveler who sees a lush oasis in the distance. The oasis is actually just the reflection of heat on sand, yet out of desperation, thirst, and hope, the wanderer identifies it as water. Using his last strength to get there, he discovers it is only a mirage and becomes filled with disappointment.

Even though we don't consider ourselves to be so desperate, and believe that we are well educated, sane, and sober, when we see and feel that everything truly exists, we are behaving like the man in the desert. We rush to find authentic companionship, security, recognition, and success, or simply peace and quiet. We may even succeed in grasping some semblance of our desires. But just like the wanderer, when we depend on external substantiation, eventually we are disappointed. Things are not as they seem: they are impermanent and they are not entirely within our control.

What Buddha Found

"Without a single scientific tool, Prince Siddhartha sat on a patch of kusha grass beneath a ficus religiosa tree investigating human nature. After a long time of contemplation, he came to the realization that all form, including our flesh and bones, and all our emotions and all our perceptions, are assembled—they are the product of two or more things coming together. When any two components or more come together, a new phenomenon emerges—nails and wood become a table; water and leaves become tea; fear, devotion, and a savior become God. This end product doesn’t have an existence independent of its parts. Believing it truly exists independently is the greatest deception."

Familiar Concepts, Feelings, And Objects Exist Only As A Dream

"Forget about going beyond time and space; even going beyond praise and criticism seems out of reach. But when we begin to understand, not only intellectually but emotionally, that all compounded things are impermanent, then our grasping lessens. Our conviction that our thoughts and possessions are valuable, important, and permanent begins to soften. If we were to be informed that we have only two days left to live, our actions would change. We would not be preoccupied with putting our shoes in line, ironing our underwear, or stockpiling expensive perfumes. We might still go shopping, but with a new attitude. If we know, even a little bit, that some of our familiar concepts, feelings, and objects exist only as a dream, we develop a much better sense of humor. Recognizing the humor in our situation prevents suffering. We still experience emotions, but they can no longer play tricks on us or pull the wool over our eyes. We can still fall in love, but without fear of being rejected. We will use our best perfume and face cream instead of saving them for a special occasion. Thus every day becomes a special day."