And once again, the outpouring of public support over Parker's passing has been truly overwhelming, and so emotionally gratifying. It certainly takes the edge off of my own grief, and helps me recognized just how truly blessed I was to have this animal in my life.
Buddhism teaches that life is suffering because of our attachment or "thirst" for the things of this world which come into being and pass away. Thus life by it's very nature is on some level destined to frustrate and disappoint us, because of its impermanence and the pain and suffering we experience in loss. But there is a way through this suffering, through a noble 8-fold path of right actions, right attitudes, and right ideas that allows us to navigate through these attachments to a place of enlightenment, "in the world but not of it."
Christianity actually professes a very similar set of doctrines, only they are focused around the idea of "sin" -- essentially misdirected attitudes and actions which lead us astray from the path that leads to reunification with God, our Creator and Loving Parent. At-One-Ment comes through "repentance" or (in Greek) metanoia -- literally a "transformation of mind" in the same dramatic way that metamorphosis is a transformation of shape or form. To "repent of one's sins" sounds very stern and moralistic, but all we are really talking about here is giving up our aimless wandering and returning to a path that leads us toward something both sacred and divine, and infinitely larger than ourselves, yet to which we are intimately connected.
I believe that dogs are "persons" because they clearly have personalities, and I also believe that dogs have souls...because how could they not? What I'm NOT sure about is whether or not dogs are capable of sin. Meanwhile, I've been told that some Buddhists believe that the reason dogs watch us so closely is that their next incarnation is as a human being.
But what if it's not? What if it's really the other way around?
1 comment:
Hi Tim,
My thoughts have been with you this past week as I know you must miss your special friend and longtime companion Parker terribly. I was recently telling someone about Parker's namesake, as the youngest RE class is using the UU Superheroes curriculum, and Theodore Parker is one of the three in the next unit. I've been pulling out good picture books on conscience, slavery and abolition for them.
It was a funny coincidence to see you had just preached on banned books week - the girls are doing projects relating to the Constitution, and one was assigned banned books (the other is doing something on trial rights).
in faith,
Molly
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