The East, and the West

Had a conversation with my friend about some key differences between eastern and western philosophy that I thought I would pass on, as they were really interesting.

We got on the subject because I was asking about monks. They are very common here, in robes of varying degrees of orange. On the backs of motorbikes, walking along, giving a blessing after someone gives them food, or quietly, patiently standing in front of a shop, waiting to see if the owner feels like giving them anything. In Buddhism, I learned, monkhood is not just forever. Some people, perhaps following the death of a close family member, will shave their heads and go to the temple for a couple days as a sign of respect.

We then moved onto female monks, nuns, as I haven't seen any Buddhist nuns. They're rare, my friend said, but often becoming a nun means forever, as in Christianity. She didn't have an explaination for that, but I thought it was interesting. In any case, she mentioned that sometimes when a mother has lost her husband, she'll live in the temple for the rest of her life.

I don't think I'd ever get to that place, I said. Even then there'd be things to do.

My friend paused, then remarked that this was a fundamentally western thing to say. She explained that Buddhists believe in reincarnation, and thus the endless cycle of living and dying. In that case, to keep on doing things is kind of pointless, because no matter how much you finish there will be more, and then you'll have to do it all again in the next life.

Well. In my thoughts, this life is all you get, and while some western religions include a paradise (or inferno) in the picture, we all agree that this time on earth is what you get, and just disagree on the following proceedings. Besides, it is a very fundamentally western outlook to just keep doing and living.

So the east looks at the west and thinks, what's the point?

And the west looks at the east and thinks, why are you wasting your time?

Funnily enough, both are equally valid and understandable, given their background.

The last thing I wanted to note was a quick revelation about Buddhism that my friend told me about. I had always thought that Buddhism and meditation was about pushing away feelings, so you don't want anything.  But no, she said, because the point is to not want anything, so if you push things away, it means you don't want to feel.

Therefore, you let yourself feel the emotion or the want fully, but then let it go. I don't think I'll be turning Buddhist anytime soon, but the thought was enough to make me start meditating and practicing that before I go to sleep at night!