The other day I recommended a book to someone titled “The Buddha in the Robot” by Masahiro Mori. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially if that person is scientifically inclined.
In one of the early chapters the author relates how at a meal one evening he began to ponder at what point the food he was consuming became and actual integral part of himself. As he put the food in his mouth he felt he could say that he possessed the food but just by being in his mouth he didn’t feel it qualified as actually being a part of himself. His discussion goes on for some while delving ever deeper into the process of the body actually converting the food into nutrients the body absorbed. Still trying to get to the moment of differentiation of possessing and being.
remains
This got me to thinking about religion and how we relate to religion. In many ways the process is somewhat similar I think when compared to Mr. Mori’s observation about food. When we take on a religion, at first it is in many ways something that we possess, something that we take on, much like an item of clothing.
However, if an individual never moves beyond this point and the religion or philosophy does not become an integral part of the person then the religion is merely a possession. In every person’s living of a philosophy or religion there needs to come a time when it is more than a label they call themselves, more than an item they possess but instead becomes an actual integrated part of their living.
In some ways I think this can be called faith or deepening of faith, for early on in a person’s relationship with a particular religion there may be some things they identify with and an even greater number of things they question or even know nothing about. However, with time and practice they begin to know more, to experience more and also they have the opportunities to actually live the religion or philosophy. Their faith grows.
Just some thing to think about. Perhaps I’ll come back to this, or perhaps others will share their ideas……
