This book took me almost a whole month to finish. At times it felt like I was reading a textbook. It wasn’t boring like a textbook, but its slim volume was full of so much information. Considering I went into reading this book quite ignorant of Buddhism I can say after reading it I’ve gained more knowledge and understanding of what Buddhists believe and they way in which they living out their beliefs.
It’s interesting to see both religions compared side by side and see how Buddhism can enhance Christianity. I never thought it was possible. I’m trying to think of how to explain this book. There is so much in it that took so long to digest I fear I’m going to spoil it for those of you who might want to read it. Mr. Knitter describes the basics of Buddhism and how it started. Siddhartha the, man who would become Buddha, felt that his own religion (Hinduism) was lacking, so he decided to venture out and discover a more in-depth spirituality. This led him to travel all over and met a cowherd woman named Sujata who gave him some rice-milk. He had been fasting and praying for so long that he was able to feel his back bone from touching his stomach. This woman’s kindness led him to realize that he wasn’t finding what he was searching for, so he decided to sit under the Bodhi tree. By the following morning he awoke to realize that we’re all interconnected, constantly in motion and that when we are selfish we break our connectedness with each other. Siddhartha is said to have continued to sit under the tree for the next 49 days.
This book was a lot to take in. Trying to review it is proving challenging. There’s so much discussed it’s like reviewing a thick fat textbook when you feel like you’ve merely gotten only an overview of the class you’re going to be taking.
In learning about how another belief system sees the world is a lot to take in. It’s like growing up with a world view that is black and white and then you hear about a different world view where there’s lots of color. It’s mind bending to understand your world through a different cultural lens. Buddhists don’t believe in evil. Growing up with sin being a key word hearing that not everyone believes there’s such a thing makes me want to go, “What? That’s a basic belief.” Instead they feel that people do things out of ignorance out of not realizing who they truly are. Buddhists believe that we are all interconnected with each other and they our goal should be to be no-self. They believe we are groundless because we are always in constant motion. We should instead care more about others and in caring for others we are truly caring for ourselves. I know it sounds like Greek, but hopefully the way I’m writing this makes some sense. Buddhism’s goal is for us to discover our Buddha nature which would mean we’d be compassionate and have wisdom in how to act in the moment. They are big on focusing on the current moment. Not the past or the future since one has gone and the other is yet to be. Reading more about being in the now was fascinating. I think that’s a great way to focus one’s mind. If you’re too caught up in the past as I’ve been you miss out on all the awesome things happening in your life currently. You go through life in a fog. But then if you focus strictly on the future and waiting for x, y, z to occur you aren’t paying attention to what’s occurring now. I have faltered previously in pining for the past. It didn’t help me appreciate what I was going through at the time (high school). Learning how to focus in the now and appreciate the emotions, sensations and thoughts I have right in the moment would be great for me. Buddhists are big on meditating. I am not practiced in this art form. I was taught how to pray when I was little. I think for Christians sitting still is a huge challenge. We’re too focused on doing rather than being. I still love the verse in the Bible that says, “Be still and know that I am God.” That says a lot. In order for us to truly know Him we have to be still. I think that doesn’t just mean physically being still, but stilling our fast paced minds.
At the end of the book Mr. Knitter asks if it’s possible for us to dip our toes into the lakes of other faiths/beliefs/religions. I thought this was a good question to pose. Is it possible to be raised a particular faith (Christianity) and learn from other beliefs and still keep your childhood faith? The author believes it’s possible. He still considers himself a Christian, but he’s learned so much for Buddhism and practicing it he considers himself a Buddhist Christian. It sounds somewhat blasphemous. I think not learning about other beliefs has put me in the dark. It makes it so that when I do meet others of different beliefs/faiths I don’t know how to interact with them. It’s like I’m speaking Greek and they’re speaking Chinese. It’s sad because if I did understand where they’re coming from in regards to their faith there could be wonderful conversations, but because of being ignorant of someone else’s views I miss out on connecting with others. And now at the end of this post I’m sounding Buddhist. I think I need to go rest my brain now. 
wellwateredgarden is discussing. 
JM, 
wellwateredgarden 9:46 pm on February 25, 2010 Permalink
Re: I know I’ll come full circle and be in that spot I’m supposed to be … actually – faith says that you’re in that spot all the time … believe it!