The Way

“It is you who must make the effort.
The masters only show you the way.”
                                     - Dhammapada

 

Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, all the religions, philosophies and metaphysic equations are simply that; equations.  One can find endless suggestions and directives towards a better life, towards enlightenment.  The suggestions are good starting points, but by themselves they are useless.

There is a saying in aviation, “’Useless’ is the runway behind you, the airspace above you and fuel on the ground.”  Spiritual texts, self-help books, the counsel of a priest, whatever you look to for guidance is of no value unless you act on it.  Once a person has read and understood a text, it turns from potential energy to simply the runway behind you.  How we use knowledge, how we choose to live, think, speak, work goes back to one of the Paramis: Viriya Paramis, in English, Effort, Energy & Diligence.

As a teacher, I have often struggled with the expectation of students.  Many times, I have stood before a classroom and felt an undeniable expectation that I was somehow going to learn for them.  As the instructor, I was already the expert.  As an expert, I can only relay what I know.  The responsibility rests on the students’ shoulders to assimilate the teaching and act on it.  I can talk endlessly about fourth normal form and referential integrity and all sorts of other subjects that make eyes glaze over. However, I can not make a person learn. 

Whatever it is that you pursue, whatever it is that you are hoping to achieve, set your mind to it, and act.  Put on your shoes, open the door, and step into the big beautiful world.  Don’t wait for the doorman, the porter or the guide.  Don’t look for someone else to validate you.  Don’t expect your professor to write your exam, or expect the police officer to bring you to a full stop at a stop sign.  Don’t expect Buddha to achieve enlightenment for you.  Don’t expect Christ to stop you from sinning.  You can look to all the examples that are available, but in the end, these are only masters showing you the way.