Continuing with the thought process from last week’s blog, one of the core principles of the practicing Bhuddist, is understated as trying to reach Nirvana, a place of total bliss and fulfillment, where one can escape the sufferings and the endless cycle of reincarnation. To this end, the Bhuddist practices certain rituals constantly, hoping to, like the Buddhas, also reach Nirvana. Because of this, some devout students will bow to the shrine at the entrance of the school when they arrive in the mornings, give offerings to the monks on Fridays, meditate in front of the Buddha statue, and leave token parts of their lunches in front of the Buddha statue. They believe that because of these practices they can accumulate “credit” that can be used so that they can have a better life after death.
Obviously, my understanding of all of this is very elementary, and hindered by my inability to speak Thai, but all these practices still strike me as a very harsh lifestyle to live because they are all anchored in that elusive “tomorrow” of re-birth that is so ingrained in my student’s worldview. Because of this uncertainty, not to mention that elusive unnamed condition that is exclusive to teenagers, my students seem to me to carry the heavy burden of anxt about their insufficiency, which, coupled with uncertainty of their future hope, and the powerlessness of their self to effect real change upon their universe, beats them down so that they live double lives, perfect on the outside, but crumbling within.
My heart goes out to them, I want to tell them that Jesus did not say “Repent and believe, for the kingdom will come”, He said “Repent and believe, for the kingdom is at hand”, and makes the idea of the temporal, current kingdom a pivotal point in his message and ministry. I want to tell them that it doesn’t matter how hard we try, we cannot make God love us any more or any less. I want to tell them that as sons and daughters, we have the privilege to ask “give us today our daily bread” in stead of wishing to buy tomorrow’s bread with what little we have today. I want to tell them that we don’t need to try to lobby for virtue to recieve salvation, we are recieved as we come, broken and hurthing.
But, alas, my Thai is insufficient and Google Translate sorely lacking. So, instead, I pray fervently that the Christians here will tell them, and that my students will hear it and take it to heart and action. I also pray that my own example and that the example of our teams will show them, that, stated simply as “Jesus love you”. Yes, it is true,“we see but dimly, as in a mirror, but then we will see clearly”, it does not mean that daily life to a Christian is tedium and rules, it is pure joy, for we are constantly being transformed into the image of Jesus through His work in us by the medium of our temporal, current settings. So, as I finish these last weeks at Fang Chenu, and as we try to walk as Jesus would walk, I pray that we our simplicity would change lives and arouse seekers who wish to know the one who sent us.
