Like a comfortable shirt
Buddha exhorted his followers to wear the ego like a comfortable,
loose shirt (or dress).
Like such a snug shirt, we should also "wear" our Buddhist
practice, not narrow-minded and too focused on the subject, but
loose and relaxed, not wanting to be too Buddhist.
When the teaching of the great teacher flows quietly and calmly,
we are in the middle, everything moves in complete peace.
If you try too hard to be a "good" Buddhist, you miss out on
life. Following rules does not always matter, what is important
is not to deny oneself. One can be a "good" Buddhist and still
occasionally go overboard.
If you live a normal life and don't have to think about your
"being a Buddhist" all the time, you are on the right track. For
Buddhism in the West is first and foremost a feel-good
philosophy, not a doctrine of ending suffering. Buddhists "know"
that everything is finite, that life will pass, which is
precisely why one should not constantly think about it.
This includes that a Buddhist does not want to proselytize,
simply because he/she works by example, not by attitude. Whether
a person is attracted to the teaching of the teacher of all
teachers (or not), that decides the respective karma.
But if other people see us wearing Buddhism "like a comfortable,
loose shirt", realize what peace of mind a Buddhist lifestyle
brings, then that is the best advertisement for Buddhism.
Especially in times of anxiety and tension, people who are at
peace with themselves stand out, because their charisma shows
exactly the opposite pole to worries and needs. And again, large
parts of humanity are in search of orientation and guidance, as
life overwhelms them. That the teaching of the Indian prince is
based on the search for one's own self is something that many
seekers only understand in the course of time. Out of the
feel-good Buddhism, the real path can then be approached, because
first the ear must be "opened" for the philosophy.
But in any case, the first step is when other people can
recognize our philosophy and attitude towards life in us, just
like a comfortable, loose shirt we wear.
In Buddhist practice this means that we don't follow the doctrine
in a tight-knit way, but leave the "church in the village", also
sometimes act according to the moment, but instead "advertise"
for the cause with our way, thus bringing other people to
Buddhism, thus bringing more positive things into this world.
The way is the goal!
Every speck of dust we step on can be transformed into a child of
truth
- Buddha - "The Enlightened One" - honorary name of Siddharta
Gautama - 560 to 480 before the year zero
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