Happy Bodhi Day!
Topic: No Sacred Cows
Mufi, a dear friend of mine recently wrote to me to wish me a Happy Bodhi Day! For the uninitiated, Bodhi Day is celebrated on December 8th and commemorates the anniversary of Buddha's enlightenment. It was on that day that Prince Siddhartha Gautama came to realize the cause of suffering and the means to overcome it. At the moment of his enlightenment he became the Buddha, or the Enlightened One. Contrary to popular belief Buddhism is not a religion, in fact Buddha himself gave very specific instructions that his philosophy should not be allowed to evolve into an organized theology. In retrospect, I think he would be saddened by the incredibly complex religion that sprung up around his teachings. It was Buddha who taught:

"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."

Happy Bodhi Day!