The Unhindered Path: Ruminations on Shin Buddhism by John Paraskevopoulos

Author:John Paraskevopoulos [Paraskevopoulos, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sophia Perennis
Published: 2016-08-14T22:00:00+00:00

Nirvāna is called extinction of passions, the uncreated, peaceful happiness, eternal bliss, true reality.... Oneness and Buddha-nature . . . it fills the hearts and minds of all beings.

Shinran†

It might seem an inordinate expectation to have peace in the world be contingent on the realisation of such an exalted state but, should this be a universal possibility for us, then the lasting peace which we so ardently seek would be secured by mere virtue of having attained perfect enlightenment which conquers all opposition, division and conflict. However, in an age when Buddhism sees humanity as being subject to defilement and corruption, it must seem that the prospects for lasting peace look very bleak. 'Everything is burning' said the Buddha, 'burning with the fire of greed, with the fire of hatred, with the fire of delusion' (Samyutta Nikāya). The quenching of this fire is only possible through a profound spiritual transformation involving the irruption of wisdom and compassion into our lives—not through mere social service or political activism but by means of a far-reaching revolution in our ordinary consciousness that comes about when we encounter the light of the Buddha.

In this day and age, when attaining Buddhahood is considered largely impossible for ordinary people, it is left to us to simply take refuge in the Dharma and allow its liberating graces to lessen the hold that 'blind passions' have over us in our lives. This does not, of course, lead to any kind of personal perfection but it can attenuate the grip of illusion and discontent that is so often the harbinger of disorder in the world.

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