This morning, as my teen dashed out the door for school, he told me he left me a copy of his world religion essay on my desk, because he thought I would “appreciate it.” On my way to write El Morno, I stopped to read his paper and decided to start our Odd day with a guest post by Cole.
Buddha: The Lesson of Doubt
Buddha instructed his followers to “be your own lamps, be your own refuges…..Hold firm to the truth as a lamp and a refuge and do not look for refuge to anything beside yourself.” In order, to light your own way Buddha explains that it is proper to doubt and be uncertain until you see things for yourself. According to the teachings of Buddha it is bad to accept things thoughtlessly and without direct experience, enlightenment occurs when the knowing comes from observing and experiencing life directly.
When we are children we accept that our care givers know what is best for us; and our foundation is laid with their beliefs usually without question. If our parents belong to one political party we will announce our allegiance to it, if our parents are vegetarians we will announce that we are vegetarians. Buddha encourages us to doubt what we hear from others even if they are authority figures, and not to blindly follow anyone. Buddha tells us that we must find out for ourselves what will bring us contentment, clarity, and peace. We must follow our own path.
This Thanksgiving Walmart, Best Buy, Kmart, and Target are some of the stores that will open on Thanksgiving to kick-off the holiday shopping frenzy. The stores doors will be rushed with customers trading a day traditionally spent with families and friends for heavily discounted merchandise. Few if any of these Thanksgiving shoppers will notice the store employee checking them out*, or putting merchandise on the store shelves whose job would be in jeopardy if they chose Thanksgiving dinner over checking out shoppers purchases. In contrast, if we use Buddha’s teaching to apply doubt to the pack mentality surrounding Thanksgiving shopping the scenario might change. Potential Shoppers would investigate retailers claims of deeply discounted merchandise, observe the media campaigns created to please advertisers and expose greed and panic in the consumer, and question if they want to turn Thanksgiving into just another shopping day, realizing if they don’t shop, stores won’t open. Of-course, using Buddha’s teaching this scenario could also play out in favor of stores opening on Thanksgiving. His teaching tells us to doubt, observe, investigate, and make our determinations based on what we have experienced directly. The teachings do not tell us what we should ultimately believe. However, I’m pretty sure Buddha would be on the side of celebrating Thanksgiving, family, and green been casserole.
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(quick text before school)
Great essay Cole!
Thanks, I thought you would like it.
I did! Just wondering why green been casserole instead of Turkey. (well, aren’t you curious?)
Mom, I’m sure Buddha would be a vegan.
Of-course.
Please visit our Thanksgiving The Real Deal face book page, click to like the page and support everyone’s right to enjoy green bean casserole on Thanksgiving. Thank you.
Odd Loves Company!
More terrific blog posts.
It’s Just Life: Thanksgiving IS the Real Deal
Change is Hard: Thanksgiving the real Deal
What Makes Thanksgiving so Awesome
WILL THANKSGIVING BECOME A THING OF THE PAST?
Join The “Thanksgiving The Real Deal” Movement
What If The Doors Didn’t Bust On Thanksgiving
Nobody Needs to Shop on Thanksgiving Day
* I would never in a million years clarify…his teacher might, but I won’t 😀
I think you might have had some small effect upon your child……:-) Awesome post!!! And we will be right there along with Buddha eating green bean casserole. The one thing the boys always have to have!
Thank you. It surprised and pleased me. it is so good to know they do tune in and listen once in awhile!
Love it. You and Cole just make me smile!
I’m so glad! ♥
Morno,
I always knew Buddha and I had a lot in common. I like Green Been casserole too. Especially the day after Thanksgiving. And with luck my sis will leave an open can of the French’s dried onions on the counter.
Kid knows whats right. A+ paper.
You know I always wondered who you reminded me of–Buddha of-course!
Love those French’s dried onions!
I’ll pass along the compliments.
Loved the post! Thanks also for mentioning my post. Hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving.
Hi Wendy,
Thank YOU. It was a great post, a pleasure to pass along. Cheers to Thanksgiving Thursday!
Cole, you never fail to amaze me, but guess it is to be expected with Katybeth as a mom. Great story. We all should think as a Budda. Happy Thanksgiving and Green bean casserole. Me…..I hate green bean casserole. After eating it so many years I guess it is to be expected.
Do you like the French dried onions straight out of the can? I think that part we like best. I like a little GBC the day after Thanksgiving. Truthfully, I like most of Thanksgiving dinner better the next day. I’ll pass along your compliments to Cole and Thank you!
I meant Buddha.
Great paper Cole.
TTFN
MJ
I will pass along the compliment!
Well written essay, Cole, & quite timely. That’s the problem…..too many people cannot/will not think independently. The pack mentality. Not always a good thing.
I might become a Buddhist. They make a lot of sense. It’s a very practical religion. The problem is, I’m pretty sure I would fail silence, breathing, meditation and impartiality. And I’m not sure about the robes but other than those few things I might like being a monk.
The pack mentality is scary.
Aside note: Do you have a good standing up picture of Nik you can e-mail me? Thanks.
Kb, give yourself a pat on the back for raising a son who KNOWS what’s important at Thanksgiving — food, family, and tradition, NOT pack mentality and chasing a sale that would’ve been better chased 24 hours later!! Well done, Cole (though I’m not much on green been casserole!)
Thanks. He needed to apply a modern day scenario to his essay and for some reason Thanksgiving shopping came to mind. No doubt we fall into the consumer category just not on Thanksgiving.
I don’t think Cole is much of green been casserole either 😀
Your son’s a smart cookie. He’s right about Buddha. Thanks to you both for taking a stand against shopping on Thanksgiving. I don’t like this trend one bit. Thank you, too, for linking up to my post. I hope you, Cole and all your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving. 🙂
Thanks. When Walmart has the nerve to rename a National holiday Black Thursday it’s time to take a stand. Their CEO makes more in 1 hour than a Walmart cashier makes in one year–he can more than afford to shut the door, turn off the light, and wish his employees a HappyThanksgiving with a paid day off. Glad you are a part of the choir!!
Apples never fall too far from the tree. A blessing on your head, on Cole’s and, of course, on the Buddha’s! I’m thankful for your column, and that there are young people like Cole coming along who will influence the world.
Thanks Samantha and I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving. I am a little late replying to comments. Our kids will change the world! I just know it ♥