Beech Tree News Network

Recently, I learned that there are correlations between Buddhism and Christianity.

Okay, I didn’t burst into flames while typing that sentence, so I will continue.  The book, THE DALAI LAMA’S CAT (By David Michie) is told through the eyes of a Himalayan cat, who is rescued as a kitten by the Dalai Lama from the streets of New Delhi.  The monks at the monastery name her HHC (His Holiness’ Cat).  HHC shares her understanding of Buddhism as her life progresses through the changing circumstances around her.

As you know from some of my previous writing, I am a Christian, and as such, I am responsible for practicing what I believe about the teachings of Jesus.  However, I am also a student of life.  I see patterns and correlations between ideas, and I am very much a connect-the-dots person.  More importantly, I believe in the importance of the idea that once you realize that you have a problem with your own behavior, you best be about correcting that behavior.

I learned from the experiences of HHC that Buddhist are very mindful about their thought lives and what comes out of their mouths.  Remember James’ exhortation to Christians: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.  Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.  If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this person’s religious is worthless.”

HHC learns about the importance of conquering fear from listening to one of the monks tell a student that his lack of self-confidence is laziness.  “Lack of self-confidence is mind weakness, because it denotes a lack of effort to work on oneself,” the monk says.  “Fear is an instinct that prevents many people from taking actions that they know, deep down inside, would liberate them,” the monk continues.  Do you remember the words of Timothy?  “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”

In one chapter, the monastery is to be painted while the Dalai Lama is on a trip.  HHC has to go home with one of the monks until the painters are finished.  The monk lives on the poorer side of town.  HHC is appalled by her surroundings.  She remains under the covers, pouting for three days, until a young girl coaxes her out.  She shows HHC a world of which she had not been aware.  HHC begins to enjoy the area but is scooped up and taken back to the monastery after two more days, when the painters are finished.  She reflects on her behavior and realizes that she wasted three days being miserable instead of embracing her circumstances, looking for the good to be found there.  Thessalonians encourages Christians to “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

HHC encounters more unforeseen circumstances and comes to other realizations, but the most important comes from the words of Dalai Lama himself, “Inner development is something for which we must each take personal responsibility” he says.  “Our awareness of a truth needs to deepen to the point at which it actually changes our behavior.  When we see for ourselves there is a problem, change becomes much easier.  We call that a realization,” Corinthians exhorts Christians to: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith.  Test yourselves.”

There are more correlations between the two faiths that would take more time and space than I have in this column.  The thing I took away from this book and the lessons that I have taken from the Bible are two-fold: the importance of actively pursuing a life that changes you for the better, and a life that leads you to love and compassion for others.  I will embrace those lessons wherever they are found.