A child wants a Nintendo. He begs his parents for it, but they don’t want to buy him one. He tells them he will never ask for anything ever again. They give in, and get the boy his Nintendo.
A few weeks later, he wants a new game to play. He begs his parents, but they don’t want to buy him one.
“You said the Nintendo was the last thing you would ask for.”
“Well, this time I really will never ask for anything ever again.”
They give in, and get him the game.
After a few more weeks, the child wants another new game. He begs his parents for it, but they don’t want to buy him one. The cycle continues…..
Buddhism is about breaking that cycle of want.
This larger-than-life Buddha statue rests at the RISD Museum in Providence, RI and is an incredible sight to behold. Thank you to my friend Matt for telling me this story which was told to him as a child when he first visited the museum. I love hearing the stories that stick in a person’s memory, ones which change how they see the world or open their mind to new concepts. I was introduced to Eastern schools of thought much later in life than Matt, but these philosophies have had a profound influence on my life just the same.
And of course, I have to acknowledge that this blog post marks 1 year of Photograf*in: Two Worlds. Today I will toast to many more years of exploring the world around me, appreciating the little things, and learning about far-away places.