What Does Being a Buddhist Mean to You? Spring 1992

 

 

 

 

ROHN PARSONS
Free-lance generalist in the process of moving back to Japan with his family
Charlotte, North Carolina

“Some friends and I were discussing Tricycle, Buddhism, etc. I was asked, ‘What does being a Buddhist mean to you?’ Here are some of our contributions.

‘Not staking a claim of being a Buddhist but rather simply being a Buddha-Dharma sympathizer.’

‘Nonsectarian appreciation and attempted application of the teachings learned thus far.

When sitting, responsibility rests in the lap. Otherwise it rides on the shoulders.’

‘Wood comes from trees’.

‘Not believing in or necessarily wishing for a speculative “next life” but doing what I can with it NOW!’

’22 years of study so far…so what?’

‘Being grateful for the Teachers and the Teachings.’ ‘Mindfully changing the oil every 3,000 miles.”’

JOANNE HAKURYO SCHRIVER
Administrative assistant: with “Bodhi” and “Lady”
Larchmont, New York
“I don’t know. Not knowing. And seeing that Buddhism does play in Peoria (my old home town).”

YESHI WANGDI
President of Tibetan Youth Association
New York, New York

“It’s hard for us to answer that question. For the Tibetans, especially being brought up in exile, there is a stronger sense of identity in political terms rather than religious. However, ideas of compassion and tolerance are certainly important in my daily conduct with life and people and problems.”

JERRY BROWN
Candidate for President of the United States of America, 1992
Campaign Trail, USA

“To live in freedom from illusion.”

RAFAEL AGUAYO
Management Consultant
Brooklyn, New York

“I’m not a Buddhist. My teacher is the same teacher as Bodhidharma and Shakyamuni Buddha; call it Buddhism—you’ve already lost it.”

GLORIA GARCIA Pediatrician Miami, Florida

“I think it’s about making a big effort to live attentively. I used to resent that. Resent the seIfconsciousness of effort. Then I accepted that making the effort is so much easier than not making it. In fact, making the effort has become the best part of life.”

ALISON RICH
Botanical illustrator
Bronx, New York

“Responsibility.”

ESHIN SHIBATA
Visiting Soto Zen nun from Japan

“That’s a very difficult question. I can’t explain in English. What you write down in this short interview is different from what’s in my mind.”

JULIE ALLOWAY
Librarian
Portland, Oregon

“Changing the perspectives. Trying to get beyond the habits of small mind.”

CHRISTOPHER FUNKHOUSER
Poet, performer and editor of WE Press
Santa Cruz, California

“Not Protestant.”

LANNY HARRISON
Actress and theater teacher
New York, New York

“One thing is it becomes a way of life. You start examining your habitual patterns. Sometimes that can be even worse! But somehow always wiser in the end. It opens you up to compassion for other people.”

SANDY PETUSKY