Posts
About Tiger Wood's public confessions and announcement that he is a Buddhist (check out the many news on his recent public apology such as this one
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/19/sportsline/main6223844.shtml), I certainly welcome him with open arms. But as expressed by others too in the news media, I also hoped that it was not a publicity stunt and that he really is serious in returning to his Buddhist roots. Also, as His Holiness the Dalai Lama correctly pointed out, it doesnot need to be Buddhism to deal with sexual infedelity. You only need self-disclipline. Tiger Woods was quoted as saying that he only practices bits and pieces of the religion. In other news article it was said that he doesnot believe that humans are capable of achieving enlightenment. Well, I think therein lies the problem. He probably need a good master who can tell him that it is due to the human (and other sentient beings as well) weakness that enlightenment is possible. Not the other way as Tiger Woods thought. You can't practice bits and pieces selectively and then hope to understand and improve yourself. This is due to those problems that you are actually having, you probably will not be selecting their corresponding antidote teachings. So you will continue to sink deeper and deeper into the problem and you wouldn't realise it until its too late. That was what I think happened to Tiger Woods. That's because he was not practising those teachings that ask him to curb his desires. However, apparently he has realised his mistakes now, so I wish Tiger Woods well and hope that he is able to accomplish his aims.
O - one more thing. About Fox's Brit Hume advice to Tiger Woods to convert to Christianity, it just shows how Christians like him are always seeking ways to convert people even though they show ignorance in understanding Buddhism. Buddhism may not have anyone to forgive our negative actions, but we have something even better than someone to forgive. In Fact, having someoen to forgive us is really of not much use. That's because we will always have the tendency to go back to our bad ways if the causes of the bad ways are nto dealt with. In Buddhism, we deal with the causes of our bad actions. In Tiger's case, he has to deal with his craving for sexual desires. In Buddhism, there is even the possibility of uprooting completely any unwholesome sexual desires so that infidelity does not happen again. So I'll say that we ignore Brit Hume's ignorant advice.
Because of his announcement and His Holiness' current visit to the US and meeting with President Obama, Buddhism has received much scrutiny by the world at large. Usually when this happens, other people from other religions may become jealous and start to focus their gospel activities towards the Buddhists. So we must be particularly aware of this.
Sarwam Mangalam! Today also coincides with the Birthday of the Jade Emperor according to chinese calendar. In Chinese culture, the Jade Emperor is the emperpr in charge of all the gods in heaven. As such, he is conceptually equivalent to Lord Sakra in Buddhism. So, here's wishing him a big "HAPPY BIRHDAY". Hope he will continue to support and spread the Buddha dharma.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
actually commenting on the part that Christians make alot of effort to convert others. I think we buddhists suffer from the opposite. We are quite passive most of the times, at least people around me. So that in the end, if the people who are practising Buddhists dun educate others about their own teachings, dun correct others' misunderstandings / misperceptions and make an effort to let more people understand true buddhism, who can complain when most of the young people go into Islam, Christianity which are more happening, up-to-date and where there is more efforts on publicity. Not that i recommend alot of public-relationing (which is quite contrary to our Buddhist way of life or thinking) but if we continue to be so passive, less and less new people will come into Buddhism. The responsibility of propagating Buddhism also rests on the shoulders of all those who call themselves Buddhists. Although the way to go about doing it requires much wisdom and knowing one's limits and capabilities.
Post a Comment