Buddhism in a nutshell

If someone asks me what Buddhism is about in a nutshell, I usually tell them it is about awakening to that which animates this carnal body of ours which one day is going to crap out.  I then go on to say that what animates the body is immortal—not the bag of flesh we carry around which is never without problems.

My words usually startle some people.  For others, it is like I didn’t say anything. 

The answer I give is about as simple as Buddhism gets.  With it I can point out the problems of being totally bound up with the bag of flesh we carry around (the Buddha calls it the “burden”).  Several times a month this bag will want sex, or eat too much food, or drink too much beer.  Consider, too, that it needs a steady job to earn money because it is expensive to take care of often requiring a mode of transportation and shelter.

To be sure, our human body is very demanding.  But that which animates it, which is also the substance or tathata from which this illusory world is composed, is not demanding.  It is not subject to death and certainly could not care less about the trials of flesh except that it does have some compassion for its suffering.

So why don’t more people seek the animative side of themselves?  Well, to give a quick answer, not all human beings care about that side of themselves.  There is as much difference between people as there is between a dog and a chicken.  Even among Buddhists, many are not interested in turning to that which makes their thoughts arise or says “Mu” like Zen master Joshu.

 

Comments

[Monkey Mind]

An immortal soul in a nutshell? Compassionate, too.

What a nice dream. It would be a rude awakening to wake up from *that*.

Cheers,
Florian

[Sǐ yú]

Be grateful Master Lin-chi is not near enough to strike you with a hoe. If you find the Buddha to be inside or outside the bag, kill him. He is not the Buddha.

[Java Junkie Junebug Julius]

jerry seinfeld did a bit on same that is the best saying:

"If our body was a model and make of car, NOBODY on earth would buy the damn thing, ..wed all be like 'this piece of shit needs daily maintenance, constant cleaning cause its dirty on a daily basis, and hell, you have to fill up the tank on it three times a day,...that makes even the Hummer look like a Toyota hybrid Prius by comparison in MPG...Im not gonna buy that worthless damn 'car'!"