The Philosopher’s Pebble
An image of a library with the text, “I have found what brought me meaning when I was young, no longer matters as I have changed with time.”
Recently I was at my local library, Anaheim Central, the library I grew up going to. I accidentally walked into the philosophy section (usually, I am in the Bigfoot/U.F.O. section). I found myself in a deep state of confusion just by being there. I found myself wondering among such luminaries as Socrates, Confucius, Descartes and Marx (Groucho, not Karl) and I thought, “Wow, if I read all these I will either become really smart or be afraid to get out of bed.” Both thoughts put me in a panic and I beat a hasty retreat for the Bigfoot section. For better or for worse, on my way out a small paperback titled Understand Existentialism by Mel R. Thompson and Nigel Rodgerscaught my eye. I said to myself, “Don’t look. Just keep walking. Nothing to see here.” Resistance was futile. Impending doom was upon me.
I took the book downstairs to the checkout and the librarian looked at me and said, “You know this book has nothing to do with Bigfoot, nor does it have any pictures”? I told her I was trying to expand my mind and she told me to read Dr. Seuss.
So to be a little bit serious, I took the book home because sometimes I come across people making comparisons of existentialism and Buddhism. I’ve never had a real understanding of it and thought maybe it was time to learn something new.
In existentialism you create your own meaning and happiness by making your way through to absurdities of life and making your own meaning through your own actions (Karma). If you do it with “awareness” you will find meaning and happiness.
In Buddhism we are very fortunate because Shakyamuni Buddha gave us the eightfold path to help guide us through the absurdity (Dukkha) of life. This makes me think of the idea of eighty four thousand paths to the mountain top. There are countless paths (your own journey), but we are all headed to the same mountain top (awakening). As a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist, I am always finding my own way. My own path through the Nembutsu. I find great meaning in the Nembutsu, but when asked what that meaning is I am not sure how to give an honest answer. We all need to find the meaning for ourselves.
And now a quote from the Dhammapada, “What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow. Our life is the creation of the mind.” This is the process, the causes and conditions that shape our minds. We choose and take responsibility for our lives. I think this is a place where Buddhism and Existentialism meet as we realize we have no fixed self. I have found what brought me meaning when I was young, no longer matters as I have changed with time. So what gives me happiness and meaning now is different. A reason for not having attachments to our thoughts as they are part of our impermanence.
Soren Kierkegarrd’s “leap of faith” came with the existential concept of how individuals must commit to the absolute truths of personal meaning. Although Kierkegarrd (like me) could be a bit all over the place, eventually it was his commitment to God.
When studying Jodo Shinshu Buddhism in the English language, we come across words like faith. Some people object to that word, but I particularly like it. Not that I would ever make it as an English teacher (obviously), but I think we should use the word faith as a verb. When we bow to Amida and embrace the wisdom and compassion of the dharma with reciting the Nembutsu. We are taking action. We are calling to Amida. After time, there is a switch and we feel that Amida is calling to us. Amida becomes the one taking action.
In reading Understand Existentialism I never came across terms we hear so often today like “existential threat” or “existential crisis”. Instead, I read about the history, the connection of the thinkers and the joy of finding meaning in our lives and that Kierkegarrd was kind of wacky. In other words, life can be fun if you let it be.
Life is not a threat or a crisis. It is something to embrace every day. To quote from Rennyo”s White Ashes, “Though in the morning we may have radiant faces, in the evening we may be white ashes.” In other words, embrace every day with a bit of joy as you never know what tomorrow will bring.
Namo Amida Butsu
Matthew Stolz, Minister Assistant
