Contemplating Buddhist Thought: A Layman’s Exploration

I think I should make it clear that I am not a Buddhist scholar. And I am not a monk. I cannot claim to have the training or the lineage of those who dedicate themselves exclusively to Buddhist practice. But I believe that anyone can benefit from what the Buddha had to say, and I think the Buddha intended for his teachings to reach everyone, irrespective of their background and capability. Everyone can have access to true reality and perhaps even complete freedom. Delving into what the Buddha had to say doesn’t need qualifications or training. I believe that sitting with passages of say the Pali canon can generate insight and wisdom in anyone who is sincere in their wish to gain freedom and peace. Contemplating the meaning, import and applications of these verses and passages can be tremendously rewarding. Sometimes it is beneficial to simply keep these words and passages in mind while we go about our daily business. Examining our own experiences in the light of what the Buddha taught can effectively guide us into a more wholesome and perhaps even liberating way of life. I hope you find these explorations helpful and meaningful. The explorations and contemplations are purely my own and are not an authoritative treatise on the meaning behind the teachings. My intention is to help you see that sitting with Buddhist teachings is a worthwhile and very thought provoking activity and that anyone can and should attempt this manner of reflection and contemplation. Not just for intellectual stimulation but for generating a space of wisdom, insight and calm that can touch every aspect of our lives.

The body is dependence.

Our body enables us. And we nourish it, reward it and celebrate it. There is much wisdom in remembering while we take care of the body, that it is just as much punishment as supposed delight or reason for pride.

The “I” is not truth.

The components of the self generate as much ill-will as goodness. The changingness of the self makes it unreliable ground for cultivation.

That which is impermanent is inherently unreliable.

Whatever we can think of, whatever we think offers or augers certainty is actually inconstant. What is inconstant and impermanent is always unreliable.