by Tara Allan Stewart

Created on: March 19, 2009

BUDDHISM IS LIFE

I have been walking the path of peace and compassion for 25 years now. I cannot separate life as a Buddhist from the rest of life, because my life is not compartmentalized in that way. My life is Buddhism, as every day I know that I am safe on the ship the Buddha offers to safely take us on our journey through life. In return, I give the Buddhas throughout time my honor and my all, all day, every day, except for the times I get up and rock the boat, fall into the water, bluster and fuss, and begin again through the grace of the Buddha who taught me to sit, meditate, chant, and find peace. This is how I find my way back on the boat. When I see the laughing Buddha, a face many of us know was a real monk who caught the magic of a Buddhist in pure joy, which has come to represent the Buddha enjoying life, I say, "I wonder if he is laughing at my crazy antics as I careen off the path, catch my breath again, and go on.

The greatest joy Buddhist life has brought to me comes through when I write, how I give my hand over to the Buddha, my mind, my pen and paper, and ask that only those things that are of right mind, right speech, born of love and compassion for all creation be allowed onto the paper. I read and re-read and read again, but in the end, I trust that I am in his hands, and he will not let me go.

The joy of Buddhist life is feeling the very molecules of my body, the cells of my skin and eyes and body and aura all moving toward the great light that is enlightenment. I try to get there by taking myself lightly, but when I am sitting in meditation, I feel so light I am surprised when I remember I am of this plane. My whole being is overwhelmed with joy. If I eat, every bite is an experience of fulfilling the needs of my body and the experiences of my senses, the smells and tastes and feeling of the food bringing nutrition to my body. If I am still enough I can almost feel my blood carry nutrients to each cell of every organ, shining and bright and full of happiness to exist.

In the same way, I know I am a cell of the Universe, the Great Buddha, the energy of all the Buddhas and enlightened ones of all the days. So I know when the time comes for me to pass from one world unto the next, it will be as easy as breathing out my energy and feeling it transform to the next plane, hopefully one higher than where I am, but where I am is beautiful.

Why? I have love, intimacy, teachings, compassion, sparrows are singing, and this morning I know I heard a mourning dove singing her song. I have a home in this body and I am one with it now, and I am one with the universe, the stars and planets, and one with the lives I have been privileged to touch or be touched by, whether in person or through the written or recorded word.

Life as a Buddhist can only be described as a life of ever-abundant joy and safe journeys from now until forever passes me by. Life is a sea of bliss, and every tear I have ever shed has been returned to me as pearls. Pearls come from an irritation in an oyster, and my pearls are born of irrritants in my life that have grown into natural precious gifts.

Learn more about this author, Tara Allan Stewart.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.