FOURTH DOOR: A SHORT STORY
He was a Pratyekabuddha for many years. A Pratyekabuddha is one who is in it for himself. This is original Buddhism, the Buddhism of the Buddha, so-called. Hinayana Buddhism. "Be a lamp unto yourself." "Seek out your own salvation with diligence."
A Pratyekabuddha does not gain his wisdom by the teachings of others but rather by his meditating on, for example, dependent origination, "if this is, that comes to be; from the arising of this, that arises." Nor does he teach others once he has realizes his salvation.
The best description of a Pratyekabuddha is "a lone rhino on the plain." Being a Pratyekabuddha perfectly suited his solitary nature. But there was a problem. This original Buddhism, the Buddhism of the Buddha, was atheistic.
Mahayana Buddhism might be better he decided, whereupon he became interested in Zen. There were levels of consciousness there that were all but divine. He was encouraged.
But he had long had a grudge against Mahayana Buddhism; he considered it a sell out. With all its different schools, it was, well, popularized institutional religion again, too much of a good thing. He still preferred the secret society of Hinayana Buddhism with its monks and monasteries.
No, Mahayana Buddhism was the wrong direction for him. This left Vedanta. In the past, he had balked at Vedanta. With it's odd gods and grinning gurus, he thought it too weird. Something in him, though, saw through all that peculiarity. To this day, Vedanta resonates with him.
He had been through three doors now, Hinayana Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, and Vedanta. Alas, though, there came a fourth door. It had no name on it, suggesting that there was nothing within? But when he turned the doorknob, it was turning at the same time as him, as though he were expected. Sometimes you don't know what's missing in your life until it's staring you in the face, until God is staring you in the face. He was home.
A Pratyekabuddha does not gain his wisdom by the teachings of others but rather by his meditating on, for example, dependent origination, "if this is, that comes to be; from the arising of this, that arises." Nor does he teach others once he has realizes his salvation.
The best description of a Pratyekabuddha is "a lone rhino on the plain." Being a Pratyekabuddha perfectly suited his solitary nature. But there was a problem. This original Buddhism, the Buddhism of the Buddha, was atheistic.
Mahayana Buddhism might be better he decided, whereupon he became interested in Zen. There were levels of consciousness there that were all but divine. He was encouraged.
But he had long had a grudge against Mahayana Buddhism; he considered it a sell out. With all its different schools, it was, well, popularized institutional religion again, too much of a good thing. He still preferred the secret society of Hinayana Buddhism with its monks and monasteries.
No, Mahayana Buddhism was the wrong direction for him. This left Vedanta. In the past, he had balked at Vedanta. With it's odd gods and grinning gurus, he thought it too weird. Something in him, though, saw through all that peculiarity. To this day, Vedanta resonates with him.
He had been through three doors now, Hinayana Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, and Vedanta. Alas, though, there came a fourth door. It had no name on it, suggesting that there was nothing within? But when he turned the doorknob, it was turning at the same time as him, as though he were expected. Sometimes you don't know what's missing in your life until it's staring you in the face, until God is staring you in the face. He was home.
posted by Donald L. Simons at
11:01 AM
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