have neither eyes to see things as they really are nor ears to hear something which is better than they possess. They are afraid of simply facing reality directly, and try to protect their confined and dead egos and to cover their inferiority and faults by attacking others. For them, Buddhism teaches the Open Way of Life in order to perceive the Oneness of all life.
It is told in a Buddhist scripture that Sudhana, the way-seeker, went out on a long journey in search of the truth by interviewing people of all kinds because he regarded them as his teachers. He thought the truth was not a particular form of activity, nor had it a particular body, nor did it abide in a particular place, nor was its work of salvation confined to one particular people. On the contrary, he thought it involved in itself infinite activities, infinite bodies, infinite spaces, and universally worked for the salvation of all beings. The truth is immanent in us, and at the same time is transcendent from us: there is no boundary of truth. Our capacities are so limited that we must be humble and modest in bridging the gap between the truth and us. When we think that we are everything and almighty, human tragedy occurs. We cannot become masters or slaves of the universe: we should always be on good terms with it.
Nowadays people do not give others a chance to express their own ideas and opinions, nor do they agree with anyone who promotes new or better projects for the enrichment of us all. These individuals mostly favour or protect certain kinds of people who simply follow or agree with them. When they realize that people are not in accord with them or that there are better things found in others, they get angry and begin to abuse them; or sometimes, out of jealousy, they spread erroneous news or plan secretly to create trouble for them. These egocentric people are mostly seeking their own benefit at the expense or sacrifice of others. They satisfy their own ego by dividing and controlling others. For them, more conflict and strife are bound to come, and there will be no peace among themselves. Prince Regent Shotoku, the great advocate of Buddhism in 6th century Japan, wrote a constitution, in which he said, "Do not become angry just because someone opposes your ideas or opinions. Everyone has a mind and every mind comes to a decision and the decisions will not always be alike. If he is right, you are wrong; if you are right, he is wrong; you are not a genius nor is he an idiot. Both disputants are men of ordinary minds. If both are wise men or both foolish men, their argument is probably an endless circle. For this reason, if your opponent grows angry you should give more heed to yourself lest you too are in error. One can seldom attain all he wishes. Therefore, have a complete understanding of the reality you face and view others with tolerance." If each one of us treads the Open Way of Life, we can certainly bridge the gaps between us and be able to promote virtue in order to become much better people in a much better society in the world.
4. Buddhism as a Together Way of Life
It has been said since the time of Aristotle that we are social beings. From the time we are born until we die, we are always under someone's care, and even for a single day we can not live without having others' aid. Not knowing this fact, there is a strong trend among people to take care of themselves and not worry about other fellow beings. Moral values and a sense of integrity and responsibility have been diluted. People are prone to be diverted, separated and finally alienated from their true selves and from others. They do not know that death is approaching them at every moment. And when they realize that death is inescapable and a concrete reality for them, they begin to fuss and cannot do anything but be stupefied. These helpless people have completely lost the meaning of life, and keep on living in the force of habit until the very moment of their death. For those who do not understand their lonesome and wretched life the meaning of love and compassion toward others is nonsense, because they cannot even love themselves. The Buddha once said, "Man's thought can travel everywhere, but nowhere can he find anyone to love but himself. Likewise, others love themselves more than anyone else. Therefore those who love themselves should extend their compassion towards others."
Buddhism has been regarded as a religion of self emancipation for the monks who have abandoned this secular world. It is also, however, a religion of salvation for all mankind. After the Buddha was enlightened at Budhagaya, he never tired of preaching his teaching to the people around him. If his enlightenment was for his own sake, he would not have preached to anyone else. On the contrary, he preached and the number of his disciples rapidly increased. He sent them into the world with the famous exhortation, "Go ye forth, O Disciples, on your journey, for the profit of the many, for the bliss of the many, out of compassion for the world." His teaching prevailed here and there, and yet was not monopolized by privileged monks; nor was it militantly proselytized or were efforts made to force ideas upon unwilling people. His disciples multiplied, and they formed a fellowship, called Samgha, where no distinction of their background was emphasized. They stood on the same footing and were equally treated in accordance with the ability of each individual. They were instructed to endeavour for their own emancipation, and at the same time to share their experiences with others. Such an inseparable accomplishment found an appropriate expression in the term, Tathagata, which means "one who has gone thus" or "one who has come thus." The former means one who has attained enlightenment, and the latter means one who has come into this world to save others. This notion is attributed to the Budhisattva who is still seeking the truth upward and to share it with others. His life is characterized in a famous parable of the lotus in the mud, told in the Lotus sutra; it emphasizes the point that the merciful Bodhisattva who is born in this world is free from the defilement of the world because of his search for truth, just as the lotus flower is untouched by the mud and water in which it blooms. His vow is that he shall not attain enlightenment until every sentient being is emancipated from suffering and sorrow. It is the nourishing and protecting spirit of a mother for her child; it is the spirit that prompts him to sympathize with the sickness of people, to suffer with their suffering. His purpose in life is always sought in this world to identify himself with others though distinct from them. Togetherness is lacking for the people in the present world who fail to identify themselves with anything which is really meaningful to them. Here, we must remember that true love should not be accomplished by looking at each other but by gazing together.
5. A Buddhist Way of Life
A Buddhist is a person who treads the above mentioned trinity, namely the Essential, Open and Together Ways of Life in order to achieve the Oneness of all life. This implies the traditional naming of Three Treasures: Buddha, Dharma and Samgha, which are the main objects of devotion for all Buddhists. In the balancing of these three ways of life is found the legitimate ground for a healthy and sound life although they are sometimes interacting and contradicting each other, when they are sought theoretically.
It is generally said that those who fail to identify themselves with the Three Treasures fall easily into three categories of personality; namely, epileptic, maniac-depressive, and schizoid types of men. The epileptic type of man is mostly adhesive with a strong mind, and sometimes reaches the point of paranoia. The manic-depressive type of man is mostly extrovert with an unyielding spirit, and sometimes reaches the point of hysteria. The schizoid type of man is mostly introvert and faint hearted, and sometimes reaches the point of neurosis. These different types of men are, good or bad, intermingled with each other, and form a particular kind of society or nation in the course of their life history. It seems that when we go to such extremes as paranoia, hysteria, or neurosis, we are prone to become either mad, frenzied, or spiritually dead; there are no alternatives other than these choices. Such an inclination is so deeply rooted in our distorted human nature that in Buddhism we are instructed to always look up the Three Treasures for guidance in order to normalize our onesided character. The Japanese novelist, Soseki Natsume, wrote the novel, "The Three Cornered World" in which he said, "While going up a mountain track, I could not but think the following: When I approach my life rationally, I become harsh. Give free rein to my desires, and I become uncomfortably confined. Pole along in the stream of emotions, and I am swept away by the current. I feel the world of ours to be disagreeable to live in. When the unpleasantness increases, I want to draw myself up to someplace where life is easier. However, when I realize that life will be no more agreeable no matter what heights we may attain, a poem may be given birth to, or a picture drawn."
For those who live in this world, there is no escape no matter how horrible this world is; we have to simply accept it and make a living within it.
Buddhism teaches us more positively that suffering is bliss. Henry Kaiser once said, "I always