Our Appointment with Life
Our Appointment with Life is a commentary of the Buddha earliest teachings about living in the present time fully. The theme of mindfulness of the here and now while living with others in the society fascinates me. Sutra identifies the better way ‘to live alone’ which is not about one’s isolation with the community. It means to stop holding on the past and the future, by appreciating what is to realize the beauty of what is happening right at that particular moment. It empowers us to be more cognizant of our cognition, emotions, the changes taking place in our bodies, and the world around us[1]. The Buddhist practice talks about our mindfulness, concentration, and insights that bring about the realization of joy, peace, and happiness when you accomplish your appointment that you have with life. As one would interpret, it is about distractions in our lives. I liked the story because I interpreted it in an angle that most people would not see.
The Story of Siddhartha
The story that touched me deeply from Dhammapada was the story of Siddhartha and how he abandoned his family and his loyal heritage and went to spend his life in the forest. For seven years, his family had not seen him and had heard little about him, until he reappeared again as a Buddha. This story tries to explain how we human beings are self-centered in our doings. For instance, King Shuddhodana was angry that his son had abandoned the loyal heritage, which he (Siddhartha) was supposed to inherit.[2]
Focusing on Bigger Treasures
King Shuddhodana did not see the goodness of his son being a Buddha; he wanted him just to be a kind of his Kingdom.
Mindfulness of Other People and Things
However, when he goes to the forest to confront the son, he is amazed that instead of his son kneeling before him as the custom required, he was the one who was supposed to kneel, since the son had become a King of a bigger kingdom. This story tries to explain that, as humans, we should follow the right path or righteousness, and that way we will be made greater than what other people might be thinking. Human should focus on bigger treasures of bringing joy to others rather than seeking how they will control them.
The Mindfulness of the Present Moment
I was deeply touched by the issue of mindfulness of other people or things around us because it comes with our concentration to see it more deeply. The fact that you do not have to dwell on the past or have to worry about the future is compelling in that the world will always give reasons to have bad memories which you can decide to put behind your back. We can contemplate and rehearse Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings with a stable mind to overcome hardships and pain to bring about stability and liberty.[3]
Real-Life Issues and Happiness
I like it because it focusses on the real-life issues on how we interact and respond to our everyday experiences and that of others which determines whether we remain happy or not.
Gender Identity and Self
If Buddha emerged in the form of flesh in college, gender identity discussion would be based on the fact that gender is neither fixed nor stable. Self is a state that is always in the changing form, known as annata. It is a changing aspect of human beings, just like how there are changes in the body, mind, and soul over time. Holding on to a particular identity and resistance to change leads to human suffering[4]. It brings about division among different individuals as a result of having certain beliefs, ideas, and desires. Buddhism enriches human peace, happiness, and health because one is comfortable with whom they are.[5] Lack of association with particular sex brings about freedom from suffering in the prevalent culture. Sexually diverse people are very compassionate of other people and are concerned about their social welfare[6].
Mindfulness for Peaceful Coexistence
In the community today, the people’s need to identify with specific sex at times it becomes problematic and has detrimental impacts on other people. We are dependent beings, and it is the reason why we should be mindful of each other for peaceful coexistence. No one is who they think they are, the same way there is nothing like self. Personal identification is associated with the human challenges. Nature is neither perfect nor satisfactory; it is for human beings to find happiness which is a matter of the principle of change and impermanence. The ‘I’ sense is false and tends to manipulate because everyone wants to identify themselves with the thing that is said to be positive, and do not wish to experience hardships in life.
Buddhist Philosophy and Personal Responsibility
Reasoning through Buddhism philosophy encourages personal responsibility. It discourages killing, which opens up the human mind to be aware of violence and teaches on treating all human beings equally with compassion, love, and kindness. One is therefore not expected to commit the evil acts of stealing and must reflect on generosity towards other people. It is wrong to engage in sexual misconduct; one should keep away from speeches that cause harm and discourage others[7]. Drug abuse is highly discouraged because it motivates the deterioration of health and suffering of human beings. It is a practical philosophy that focuses on meditation to get through stress and anxiety.[8]
Buddhism for the Benefit of All
Buddha works towards combating evil to nurture the good and to purify the human heart. They highly value wisdom and the act of compassion. The body is constituted by form, feelings, mindset, perception, and consciousness. Buddha practice is after the transformation of the inner being, and improve the quality of human life. It instructs people on how to treat others well for the overall good and the benefit of living in harmonious relationships with all people in the society. It is an exceptional pattern that assists people to deal with challenges in their daily lives. One is answerable and accountable for their life and destiny with life’s full realization and fulfillment that lies in creating happiness in others. It is all about creating a positive impact and creativity in the life that we are all part of. Buddhism is a self-reformation process that goes beyond oneself.
Bibliography
Ed, Easwaran. "Eknath (2009-06-01). The Dhammapada (Classics of Indian Spirituality)."
Hanh, Thich Nhat. Our appointment with life: Sutra on knowing the better way to live alone. Parallax Press, 2011.
Siderits, Mark. Personal identity and Buddhist philosophy: Empty persons. Routledge, 2016.
Hanh, Thich Nhat. Our appointment with life: Sutra on knowing the better way to live alone. Parallax Press, 2011.
Ed, Easwaran. "Eknath (2009-06-01). The Dhammapada (Classics of Indian Spirituality)."
Siderits, Mark. Personal identity and Buddhist philosophy: Empty persons. Routledge, 2016.
