Being Buddhist

 Happy vesak!

Hello everyone, it's Vesak Day here in Indonesia so... Wishing all of you a very happy Vesak Day! :D Sabbe sata bhavantu sukithata, may all living things be happy! I know Vesak falls on Tuesday in Singapore but here it falls today. I guess there are different days for different countries so yup. I've always thought Vesak falls on the full-moon of the 4th lunar calendar (and that's Tuesday). Oh well new discoveries everyday! New lessons learned.

And also today I am a raw-vegan for a day! Shall blog about it tomorrow night.

Because... Tonight I wanna discuss here something about my religion. About being a Buddhist.

I have always regarded myself as a Buddhist since young. That's because, I tell myself that. That's because my family is a Buddhist and that I went to a temple for my Sunday school. When I was young I have never understood Buddhism. I see it as a religion and a practice that I ought to follow because I am born a Buddhist. It's true.

It was only in the recent years (like 5 years back) that I began to learn more about this religion of mine. And only recently that I begin to understand the beauty of it. Ever since 2012, when I went to the temple (Mangala Vihara) for their Sunday service, I truly begin to understand about Buddhism. The parita (chantings) that I read, and with a little bit of diligence and curiosity I went to search more about it from the internet and the books.

So I began in my conquest of finding out what does being a Buddhist mean. Is it being someone who goes to the temple everyday and chant everyday? Or someone who's a devoted vegetarian throughout his life? Or someone who shaves his head and stay in a cave to meditate for years to attain enlightenment? To me none of these are definitions of a Buddhist. In fact, I think one definition is not enough to define a Buddhist. It's not. Besides, I always remember the words of the Buddha. That no matter how many holy words you read, if you don't practise them, it's equivalent to nothing.

Of course, I would want to be like the Buddha, to reach enlightenment. And be free from the cycle of births and attain Nirvana. But does that mean that I have to "wait till I die" to see if I am free from this cycle of births?

After reading a lot of online materials and books, I realised that one does not need to sort of "live a life" to attain enlightenment. Yes, I think all (or most) goals of Buddhists is to attain enlightenment. So now, let me ask you, how do you define being enlightened?

Does being enlightened mean you become a person with a golden halo on top as you walk. Or maybe you feel like a supreme being walking on earth, somehow.

To me, being enlightened means to have short and simple revelations in life, that adds up to form your own meaning of life. It's like getting an epiphany to yourself and then this small thing can change the rest of your life, forever. For example, I've learned that I won't live forever, so I've decided to live my life to the fullest. Another example is that life is a suffering but it's something I feel worth suffering for. So I'll just bear with it. I've learned that nothing is permanent, not even your good days. So laugh the bad days off, because they'll be over one day.

I revolve around the 3 basic principles of existence of Buddhism. One is anicca which means impermanence Second is anatta which means non-self and the last is dukkha which means suffering.Anicca is simple and straight forward, that nothing is permanent. I've been grappling with the other two for years. To realise how those two relate to principles of existence. Now I kinda find out what they mean. In my own definition of course.

Anatta means non-self, and to me it means you need to accept the fact that there's no "I" in "me" (literally!). Meaning to get rid of your ego and selfish desires to be happy. This is a really difficult thing to do in my opinion. And because of its difficulty, we will grapple with this problem all of our lives. And thus results in the last principle, dukkha or suffering.

So yeah, if you can revolve around the three basic principles of existence, I'm sure one day you will get these small "revelations" about life. These will then help you to create your own meaning in life. And you'll be able to lead a happy and mindful life. And I think, to me, that's really equivalent of being enlightened. Because it feels like you have your own life to walk on. It feels like you have nothing else missing in life. You're wholesome. You're enlightened.

So yep. I think that's my definition of being a Buddhist. Someone who puts the words of the Buddha into practice, and revolves their lives around the 3 basic principles of existence. If done well, you'll be a Buddha - an enlightened person.

Before I end off this post I want to add a quote I come across with.

"Yankinci samudaya-dhammam sabban-tam nirodha-dhammanti" 
Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation

Remember that your life will cease one day. Make the best out it. Be the best out of it.

Happy Waisak once again!