In Buddhism, you can learn the
truth and broaden your mind by implementing the Way of Right View and the Way
of Right Thinking. As Buddha says, these two ideas are “a map that can help us
find our way” to truth (Hanh 63). The Way of Right View allows us to understand
the subjectivity of all people’s perspectives, including our own. As Hanh says,
“all views are wrong views” (56). This is not as negative as it sounds. This actually
allows us to deepen our respect for one another because it equalizes us. If we
believe that our views are more correct than someone else’s, we are putting
ourselves on a pedestal. I think this type of bias can happen more often with
memory because our perceptions of the past have even more opportunity to become
skewed than perceptions of the present. For example, I once thought that I my
boyfriend had moved my shoes, because I did not remember moving them myself. I
argued with him about it, but he really did not know where they were. When I
finally found my shoes, the memory of where I had put them returned. But I thought my perception of
where my shoes went was more correct than my boyfriend’s, which made me look
foolish.
Also, the Way of Right View can
help us be less judgmental of each other. Hanh gives a great general example of
human stereotyping when he says, “When one person comes up to us, the very
sight of him makes us uncomfortable. But when someone else walks by, we like
her right away” (52). This often happens because we judge people based on what
their outer appearances and therefore what we initially perceive. Hanh also
says, “Where there is perception, there is deception” (52-53) which also plays
off the idea that all human views/perceptions are wrong, as mentioned earlier.
But we do not know the person beneath.
Justin Furstenfeld from Blue October |
When I was about 8 or 9, I saw a
man on TV wearing eyeliner, which I had never seen before. It was actually the
lead singer of the band Blue October, a band which I really like now. However, at
the time, I had no understanding of what this man on TV might be like, but it
was not what I was used to. So, to be obnoxious, I told my brother that is what
he would look like when he was older. Then, my older sister turned to me and
said in a stern tone, “What is wrong with a man wearing makeup?” I realized I
did not really know what was wrong with it or why I was using it as in insult.
I did not know if the man was a good man or a bad man, and I certainly could
not tell it by the makeup that he wore. This was another instance where my
perception (or lack thereof) of something, in this case someone, made me look
foolish. But I learned to become more open-minded and began my journey toward
thinking before I speak.
But how can
we remedy our tendency to think negatively? As the example above shows, one way
to do this is to live in the present and to not let our minds wander. Pay attention
to what is in the present and we will find that we are more productive and
happier. Additionally, Buddha suggests that we “replace an unwholesome thought
with a wholesome one” (Hanh 62). This means to think positive thoughts whenever
we think of negative ones. Then, hopefully, thinking positively will become a
sort of habit, and negative thinking will be reduced. The Ways of both Right
View and Right Thinking can eventually lead to more positive actions and words
and a more positive environment. Positivity leads to happiness and happiness is
the key to a successful life.
Reference:
Hanh, Thich. The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching. Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press, 1998. Print.
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