..续本文上一页pens when I die

　　 Is there meaning to life or purpose

　　 But because we tend to think other people know and we don”t, we often seek the answers from others rather than opening the mind and watching through patient alertness for truth to be revealed. Through mindfulness and through awareness, revelation is possible. This revelation of truth, or ultimate reality is what the religious experience really amounts to. When we bind ourselves to the pine, and engage our whole being in that bond, we allow this revelation of truth, which we call insight, profound and true insight, into the nature of things. And revelation is ineffable too. Words are not quite capable of expressing it. That is why revelations can be very different. How they are stated, how they are produced through speech, can be infinitely variable.

　　So Buddhists” revelations sound very Buddhist and Christians” revelations sound very Christian, and that”s fair enough. There”s nothing wrong with that. But we need to recognise the limitation of the convention of language. We need to understand that language is not ultimately true or ultimately real; it is the attempt to communicate the ineffable reality to someone else. It”s interesting to see the number of people who now seek a religious goal. A country like England is predominantly Christian but now has many religions. There are many inter-faith meetings and attempts within this country to try and understand each others” religions. We can stay at a simple level and just know that the Muslims believe in Allah and the Christians believe in Christ and the Buddhists believe in Buddha. But what I”m interested in is getting beyond the conventions to a true understanding, to that profound understanding of Truth. This is a Buddhist way of speaking.

　　We have now, in a country like England, an opportunity to work toward a common truth among all religions, because we can all begin to help each other. It”s no longer a time when converting people or trying to compete with each other seems to be of any us e or value. Rather than the attempt to convert others, religion is the opportunity to awaken to our true nature, to true freedom, to love and compassion. It”s a way of living in full sensitivity, with full receptivity, so we can take delight and open ours elves to the mystery and wonder of the universe.

　　Forest Sangha Newsletter: July 1994, Number 29

《Is Buddhism A Religion

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