If I Have No-Self, Do I Still Get One Vote?
If you haven't overdosed on politics news lately, or maybe even if you have, I recommend RJ Eskow's "Election Returns: The Politics of Karma, the Karma of Politics" in the current issue of Tricycle. RJ describes beautifully how difficult it is to be involved in politics and maintain equanimity.
I know from my own experience that the world of partisan political activism is, shall we say, a challenging place to practice Buddhism. By its very nature, politics demands that we pick a side and fight the other side. Especially in our current hyper-partisan climate, objectivity is suspect and the middle way is for wusses.
On the other hand, walking away from something we care passionately about for the sake of our own inner peace is not the way, either. The Buddha's teachings are to be applied to the world in all its messiness, not kept locked up in monasteries. Buddhist perspectives might be just what our warped political culture needs.
Comments
In light of no-self, what does karma mean?
(To whom do the effects of “our” actions accrue?)
This is one that I totally don’t get!
Oh, how to fit politics into the teachings of Buddha? For me, it’s been finding a balance between the power of good and the power of not-so-good. One of the ways I’ve been able to be active in this current political environment is to work strictly on registering voters. Sure, you can tell which party I favor when I’m doing this work, but I don’t tell people who to vote for, I just encourage them to vote.
I get your news via Google Reader.
Be in Peace …
Elizabeth — I wouldn’t say that karma “accrues.” It’s just action, cause and effect. Always in motion.
Elizabeth - As I understand it, the bones, skin, organs, nerves, etc. all exist physically and are acted on by karma. The trick is to not become attached to them.
If I’m grumpy, I attract the kind of things that tend to surround grumpy people. If I’m a thief, I end up having to watch my back. If I treat others well, I am likely to be well-treated in return.
The concept of karma is well-expressed in the Proverb, “As ye sow, therefore shall ye reap.” There’s nothing mystical about it. It is very real, and all around us.
Good post. As a beginning Buddhist practitioner, I find it challenging to find a balance between political issues I care about and trying to remain non-partisan for the sake of moderation. Rather than shy away from topics that cause consternation from reactionaries on either side, I embrace them and try to introduce a logical middle ground. As I become involved in debates between two ideologies, I find my self more frequently saying that both sides are correct. Of course, no solutions are found that way but many times, the “solution” just introduces a new set of problems.
And on and on…