Seeking Enlightenment
Every year on the full moon of May, Buddhists celebrate Vesak Day commemorating the day of birth, enlightenment, and passing of Siddhartha Gautama, known as The Buddha or ‘enlightened one.’ The world joins in this celebration by honoring the contributions of Buddhism to the compilation of universal truths that all humans accept.
After his enlightenment, the Buddha taught that one can free themselves from desires that lead to disappointment in an effort to achieve true happiness. He said there is only dissatisfaction when we cling to temporary things. Our desires to possess what we don’t have, and obsession to cling to what we have drive us to ultimately destroy our own selves and others around us.
In Adam in Taoland, Adam struggles to overcome human desires and end his constant chase for more success at the expense of his family. He discovers that compassion and selfless sacrifice to others is the ultimate purpose of life.
Buddhism further teaches that we should embrace and accept change. We all fear change — but as the ancient philosopher, Hiraclitus, said, ‘The only constant is change.’ In any situation, it’s best to drive away intrusive, negative thoughts and focus on positivity. We must accept that we can’t alter what happens to us but we can control how we respond. Our protagonist, Adam, faces constant change throughout his life. Through introspection he learns to accept all that happens, see crisis as opportunity, and move forward to make the most out of every situation.
In our books we focus not on the differences in all humans, but on the similarities that unite us. Buddhism, along with all other beliefs, promotes the core humanistic principles – compassion, solidarity, respect for all beings — and the universal principle of ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,’ — a teaching that if implemented broadly could significantly change our world for the better.
Let us all seek a higher level of satisfaction in our lives, abandon selfishness, stop thinking of ourselves as ME or I, and develop compassion for everybody and everything. Let us practice mindfulness in our actions, thoughts, and interactions with others. Only then can we reach the true potential of our ultimate purpose for existence.
