Friends of mine, who read this blog, have asked for a different tone. More carefree, please, they say to me, we hate to hear you moan.Now they admit that what I say is actually, mostly, true. But once in a while, they plead their case, you could try to be carefree, too.
When Buddha met Jesus, if he ever did, I am sure they must have agreed: a little more carefree approach to life is exactly what we need.
I think Buddha called it "non attachment." Jesus had a slightly different slant. Today I'll quote Jesus on carefree, and that will be my rant:
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? … And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, [shall he] not much more [clothe] you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? … for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. … Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof.
Matthew, 6:25-34
I hear care free, but I am disinclined to view it as sound advice. If not taking care for raiment and food for yourself, what about care for raiment and food for others in the community, who lack both. And, in the current context of GMO and organic foods and inequitable trade arrangements, this issues is increasingly problematic.
ReplyDeleteWe are personally in the process of going vegan, which does require care. It risks self-righetousness, but it is part of a halting movement in the direction of integrity between faith and practice and it does require some care and thought.
I would love to witness the meeting of Buddha and Jesus. What a beautiful philosophical discussion would have arisen! And I agree with you that a more 'carefree' outlook would have probably been brought up, within the constraints of a purposeful life.
ReplyDeleteI find the relationship between Buddhism and Christianity to be fascinating, and actually just read a great book called "Jesus and Buddha" by Ed Sherman (http://www.buddha-christ.info). It goes into a lot of the overlaps and differences between the two religions and their ideologies - I'd recommend it!
Only just realized that I got the title wrong- it's "Buddha and Jesus" by Ed Sherman.
DeleteIs there really such thing as free choice? Life seems to enter an eternal door of change, atom after atom. Your brain constantly adjust as you compose a story about each moment. Each begins and your stories begins, until your brain dies.
DeleteThank you, Emily. There is a book called Jesus and Buddha, but I've ordered the one you recommend!
ReplyDeleteAs for the "carefree" concept, I continue to be intrigued by it, but do agree that literal efforts to live out Matthew 6:25 can have a certain problematic quality. I have returned to the theme, just today! - http://www.gapatton.net/2012/01/18-i-dont-care.html