Tradition often gets confused with convention, in Merton’s words. Merton distinguishes between tradition, which is participation in an ancient, ever-evolving, majestic life, and convention, which is stale repetition of words and hollow gestures that can barely maintain someone’s attention for more than five minutes. Many traditions of Buddhism fall into this trap. A few bows here, a few sympathetic (more like simpering) words there, paid lip service and this constitutes certain habits of Buddhism, along with superficial meditation and little true study.
Let us reclarify what is most important in the canonical Buddhist doctrine. Venerable Master Chin Kung says, “Nowadays, most people enshrine and worship him [the Buddha], making daily offerings to his image on an altar. Is this the right way to repay him? No. These are only rituals to remind us not to forget the Buddha’s kindness. The Buddha’s wish is for all sentient beings to hear the truth, practice accordingly and receive the benefits to attain Buddhahood. The only way we can repay him is to take his heart as our own.”
And from the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, the renowned Chatral Rinpoche says: “There is no better prayer or worship we can offer to Lord Buddha than being thoughtful, kind, compassionate and abstaining from taking the life of any fellow human being, animal, bird, fish or insect… The virtue of compassion is the principal foundation stone of Mahayana Buddhism.”
This is the tradition. Living and alive, it is not cheap convention. It is a constantly evolving, ebbing, and advancing entity. And it is composed of disciples that have shaken off the shackles of worldly convention, because convention, in Merton’s words, is sterility and death.
The key is to live the Buddha, not to worship Buddha. Very well done.
“The essential spirit of Buddhist doctrine is determined by a will for the unconditioned, affirmed in its most radical form, and by investigation into that which leads to mastery over life as much as death”- Julius Evola