Becoming Buddha

On the edge by J. Binford-Bell

Anne Frank wrote in her diary that in spite of all that happened in her short life that she continued to believe that people were basically good. I don't agree with her.

I think People, seen as a large faceless mass, are basically mean spirited and bad. Our goal in this short life is to rise above that base me-above-all-elseness.

I was watching a documentary about Buddha last night and how he believed we could all be the Buddha. At the same time I was being attacked on a social media for absolutely no reason by people that were clearly not the Buddha. It was reminding me of the rock wars we had as kids. It was our side of the street against the other side. How alien and scary the people on the north side seemed. We must protect ourselves, so we gathered rocks and headed to the high ground, a low hill that overlooked the road and down upon Judy and her minions.

We were ready until we began to itch. Our fortress was teeming with poison oak. We spend days in the prison camps of our bedrooms being tortured by vile smelling salves. Judy's gang declared victory. I was I believe 6 at the time. And I knew at that moment beyond all shadow of doubt that without serious training my bad side would always win. And when I returned to school with scabs all over my body and the brutal teasing of the north side group I knew that some people do not want to undergo any training at all.

I love my dogs. Dad taught me how wonderful dogs were. When I was "sick" for days on end to avoid going to school and being teased Dad would take me out on long hikes with the dogs. He raised field champion hunters and I would help him train them. Dogs are easier to train than humans. Dogs become Buddha very easily. And it is very easy to be Buddha in the company of dogs.

Comments

  1. The Blog of BeeApril 9, 2012 at 3:10 PM

    When I first started reading this I thought 'We live in a different time and people weren't like that when we were children.' Then I read on and just had to agree with you. I remember the bullies - I remember one very large, red faced farmer's son and his name was Reginald. A group of us were standing at the bus stop after school one very snowy afternoon. We were having a snowball fight - all very innocent until I watched this lout in a black belted coat with one of those 50s school caps on his head pack snow around a large stone and pelt it at me. Whether it was because I was so shocked by his action that I was rooted to the ground or some other reason I don't know but I could not move and yes, you've guessed it. The stone covered snowball hit me in the face. Needless to say he was punished. I was no shrinking violet at school but that was one boy I avoided.

    And today people still throw the snowballs on social sites and in our real lives. In cyberspace there are stones inside so the best thing to do is move and pretty damn quick.

    ReplyDelete
  2. JBinford-BellApril 9, 2012 at 4:18 PM

    Oh, I remember the stone in the middle of snowballs. And I remember the people that sprinkled them with water and put them in the freezer.

    Kids could be so cruel. I was telling my sister about my FB experience and the first thing she said was, "Where they in kindergarten?"

    ReplyDelete
  3. ShaynacwingsFebruary 20, 2013 at 6:54 PM

    I was so certain you were writing about me to start with Jacqui. Even down to the learning patience, *which I am pretty sure I have mastered now*, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. lol

    I have also discovered it is not only children who are nasty bullies.

    ReplyDelete

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