The Example

The example of the Buddha’s life is applicable because he started out basically the same kind of life that we lead, with the same confusion. But he renounced that life in order to find the truth. He went through a lot of religious “trips.” He tried to work with the theistic world of the Hinduism of the time, and he realized there were a lot of problems with that. Then, instead of looking for an outside solution, he began working on himself. He began pulling up his own socks, so to speak, and he became a buddha.  Until he did that, he was just a wishy-washy spiritual tripper. So taking refuge in the Buddha as an example is realizing that our case history is in fact completely comparable with his, and then deciding that we are going to follow his example and do what he did. 

The Heart of the Buddha

 Chogyam Trungpa

     Letting go of ego and admitting to powerlessness is a founding principle of Twelve Step programs. Letting go of ego and applying incredible willpower appears to be the dynamics of Buddhism until a closer look is taken. Speaking only for myself I can admit that I looked at Tibetan monks and other folks who could sit and meditate or practice spiritual disciplines, as admirable but not for me. It was not for me because I knew from long experience that I couldn’t pull myself "up by my own socks"… the fabric was too frayed. Before I even endeavored to begin taking the path to recovery I needed the kind of help that no human being could give. Buddhism doesn’t deal with hitting rock-bottom except in reaching a point of despair in the practice where ego is abandoned. Where Buddhist and Christians would most probably agree is that this total surrender can happen at any time and in any place. Without this surrender we are nothing more than moralists whose every thought and action is self-centered no matter the motive or even the desire to be helpful. Surrender to the Heart of Compassion was the holy place I shed the sandals of ego before the burning bush on the mountain of God.

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