Nothing Brilliant: Just Some Contented Musings
October 26, 2007 When people become comfortable talking to me (and realize it would take a pretty strange question to elicit an eyebrow raise) the subject of leaving one's family to become a monastic often comes up. How can we leave our families, those we love, behind? Don't we feel alone?
As my Teacher explained one time, it's not as though we no longer have a family. Instead, we have a very large family for everyone is now in that family. It's all a matter of perspective.
As monastics, we also have a Buddhist family. Earlier this year, I was speaking to a monk at a monastery after the subject of my coming for an extended visit to give lectures came up. With a warm smile, he said I was very welcome to come as we're all children of the Buddha. Instant family!
More recently, I have begun writing to two monks. The first introduced himself and asked some excellent questions about Pure Land practice. He then mentioned this blog to another monk and now we're also getting to know each other. Another part of the family!
What is so wonderful is that thanks to technology, it becomes so much easier for us monastics to meet our siblings. It makes no difference that the siblings may belong to different traditions or are from different countries. The motivation to become a monastic, the strong wish to be of benefit to others, and the ultimate goal of awakening go beyond traditions and cultures. A brother is always a brother.
Reader Comments (2)
It has been a pleasure corresponding with you! We Western sangha need to support and encourage each other along this monastic path that has yet to be fully established in the West.
Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh describes the meaning of being ordained beautifully:
Monks and nuns are revolutionaries. They cherish a great aspiration in their hearts, and that is how they have the strength to cut the net of worldly attachments. They go forth from family life to enter the path of the Buddha, and they aspire to love and help everyone, not just one person. Monks and nuns cherish their freedom so they can be a source of happiness for many people. Seeing how much entanglement and suffering there is in this world, they feel compassion and want to help people who are suffering.
Thich Nhat Hanh from 'Stepping Into Freedom'