A Buddhist Carol
It is said that the Dharma is made up non-Buddhist elements, just as a flower is made from non-flower elements. When our mind is open, we can discover the Dharma in everyday life, we may even find the dharma in a Christmas story. If we look closer at this story, we may recognize lessons from the Three Dharma Seals, especially the concepts of interdependence and impermanence. The story may be viewed as a redemption story, or it may be understood as a story of an awakening. An awakening that transports a man from the island of the self to a land of freedom from the entanglement of selfishness. A freedom that can only be attained through the understanding of interdependence.
We all know or aware of the story of Scrooge. If we do not know the story, we more than likely are aware of the terms or idioms that were made famous because of the story. The term scrooge, which is defined in various dictionaries as a selfish and unfriendly person who is not willing to spend or give away money usually singular or as a person that has a distain for people that display emotional happiness. Surly, we have all heard the phase “bah humbug” which is defined as an expression used when someone does not approve of or enjoy something that other people enjoy or when applied to a person or cultural event a fraud or impostor, implying an element of unjustified publicity and spectacle.
The beginning of the story gives a glimpse into the daily life of Ebenezer Scrooge. He is person that views personal relationships as strictly business or transactional. In his view, if he cannot make a profit from a relationship there is no use in engagement. His attitude towards the struggling, suffering or poor is that the best solution would be for their quick demise, as in his opinion they are only a burden to society. Charity, happiness, empathy, and compassion seem to be not only lacking in Scrooge’s world view, but they are also seemingly nonexistent. And yet, there are those who know Scrooge that have hope for his wellbeing and happiness.
A warning from a ghost of a past acquaintance, not a friend but a business partner, as Scrooge was only concerned with business not true friendships. Scrooge says to the ghost that he was a “good businessman”. The ghost replies with regret that mankind was his business, but in life he did not see this. The ghost then explains that there is hope for Scrooge. The Ghost explains that Scrooge will be visited by three spirits. These Spirits will offer a guided tour of his past, present and a possible future.
The Spirit of the past appears with a hat besides her, she is bright in appearance. Scrooge ask her to put on the hat to deaden the brightness, she asks if he would use the hat to cover up the truth of the past. The Spirit of the past shows Scrooge things that he may have forgotten or compartmentalized. The Spirit reveals both the happy events, as well as the distressing events and unwise choices that have made him what he is. The first remembrances are of Scrooge’s school mates, they are happily playing, as children do. Then it is revealed that Scrooge was an abandoned and lonely child. As Scrooge develops into a young man he is in love and soon to married but his fiancée realizes that Scrooge can only love money. She is left with no choice but to live her life without him. These memories where overwhelming, Scrooge places the hat over the Spirt to cover the brightness of the truth.
Next, the Spirit of the present appears, the Spirit of Now. He presents himself as a jovial Spirit, but also reveals a sense of sadness. His cheerfulness comes from the happiness that others find in daily life, the love of family, the companionship of relations and friends; a joy that is not dependent on business, status or money, the joy that is beyond material. The Spirit’s sadness arises from the stark reality that there are others that are excluded, those that suffer, those that are on the fringes of society, those that are unseen, those that may touch but may never attain freedom from burden. Those whose life could change with the empathy and understanding of others. In the present, in the Now, it’s all there at the same time.
The final Spirit is the Spirit of the future, not a guaranteed future but a possible future. This Spirit is silent and only points. It only points to a possible future, for the future is not certain. But Scrooge begins to understand that with a reexamination of this priorities and a self-realization that only he can make the changes that will result in his own contentment and possible even bring enjoyment to others. He is beginning to understand the interconnectedness and interdependence of his deeds and actions.
The past. Sometimes, Buddhist thought is misconstrued as teaching that we should not think too much about the past, after all it is said that we cannot change the past. Although it is true that the past cannot be changed, it is also true that we can learn from the past. We are our past, all the past happiness, sadness, perceived or real injustices, all the goals achieved, all the missed opportunities and all the joy. This is who we are. I believe a more correct view of Buddhist thought is to learn lessons from our past, to gain an understanding of who we are. But do not live there. We can only truly live in one place at one time, if we live in past, we may miss the present, the now. In an excerpt from Eckart Tolle’s book, The Power of Now, he states that when we lay in bed thinking, then becoming stressed about past events, remember that you’re just laying in bed. Nothing else is happening. Learn, examine, and learn, then come back to now. Of course, this is easier said than done.
The future. The other misconception about Buddhist thought is that we are not to think too much of the future, for it is said that the future is uncertain and unknowable. Although, there are certainly many uncontrollable and unforeseen aspects of the future, we know that nevertheless, we must have a desired direction. Buddhist thought does not express the view that we should not plan for the future, but as with the past, we should not live there. We need goals, we should always keep in mind how our actions may affect others in reaching their goals or their future contentment. The future depends on the things that we do in the present.
The present. The Now. This is where we want to be, this is where we want to live. As Marley’s ghost revealed to Scrooge, "I wear the chain I forged in life. I made it link by link, yard by yard: I girded it on my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.". Marley was referring to chains that he formed by greed, anger, and delusion. On another path of free will, we can also form a chain of generosity, forgiveness, and understanding. We know this as Karma. Not the modern misinterpretation of Karma as in “Karma will get you”, but in the true meaning of Karma as action. May your actions be true, may your actions be kind, may your actions include empathy and understanding, may your actions include compassion, may your compassion include yourself.
