Reflections on Teaching Yoga and Buddhism in Cambodia – How Can You Teach Buddhism? This question, which is actually an incorrect use of the English language, is one that this writer has been asked more then once while working in Cambodia. The answer to this question, as it is put, is that I teach Buddhism through lecture and the distribution of material that relate to that lecture, and hopefully present the teachings of Buddhism in a clear and concise manner. What the questioner is really asking is what qualifies you to teach Buddhism, or how is it that you have the ability and are able to teach Buddhism? After all, you are not Cambodian and from a country and culture that is primarily Christian and not Buddhist. Such an assumption and attitude stems from ignorance, a state of mind that we all possess. Cambodians can be ignorant about what westerners know just as westerners can be ignorant in how they look upon the religions and political and social realities of other cultures and countries. Most of the time we pay for such ignorance in very painful ways. One does not have to be a Cambodian, Thai, Burmese, Chinese, or Korean to know and practice Buddhism. This writer’s experience, having spent various periods of time in and with people from all of these countries has shown me that many of the people from these countries have a limited or distorted view of what Buddhist teachings and disciplines put forth and are mostly governed in their thoughts, feelings and actions by their own conditioning and ignorance more then anything else. Having also visited different temples in these countries has allowed this writer to realize that monks and the people who go to these temples are many times living under a misconception of how Buddhist teachings and practices really advise them to live. This is quite unfortunate because the Buddhist teachings and disciplines provide anyone who understands and applies them with a path to wiser and more compassionate living. Cultural forces, many of which are built upon status and a desire to be respected by others or to feel that one is better or more important than others based on education, material wealth or position also interfere with an individual’s interest in or ability to pursue a life based on the Buddhist teachings and disciplines. Buddhism does not ask of us to renounce all aspects of the world and worldly living, but to live more wisely within the context that the world provides or forces on us. Buddhism is primarily about looking at and working on ourselves and making constructive and wholesome changes based on that effort. We can engage in such a process and realize that change and still be a taxi driver, government minister, teacher, student, construction worker, prisoner, guard or food seller. And what qualifies this writer to teach Buddhism? Actually, it is the same things that have qualified other teachers of Buddhism and Yoga throughout the past and present, that being mindfulness, knowledge and an ongoing sincere and reflective effort to apply what he has been exposed to and learned about Buddhism. ©2006 John C. Kimbrough (SeraiSophon, Cambodia)
Posted on: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 01:04:17 +0000
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