The Search For Enlightenment

Having time to sit and watch, to listen and learn, is one of the most precious luxuries in our lives. So often, we have too much to do, too little time in which to do it. So having the chance to sit and really watch a beautifully crafted program about Buddhist culture and iconography today, was a real joy.

In the program, Seven Wonders of the Buddhist World, Bettany Hughes visits seven of the most famous ancient and modern Buddhist locations in the world: seven wonders that give an insight into the long and rich history of Buddhism.

Several Buddhist traditions are covered in the program, sadly Nichiren Buddhism isn’t one of them. But I believe that there is a very good reason for that.

One of the more appealing aspects of Nichiren Buddhism, for me, is the near absence of iconography. Ok, we have our Butsudan, our Gohonzon as a focus for our practice, but we actively shun statues and other paraphernalia which would clutter our path.

Beautiful as these building, statues and temples may be, I believe that Buddhism comes from within, and that there is no need to adorn our spiritual lives with these icons. In the program, Bettany poses the question of how The Buddha would have felt about the worldwide spread of his teachings. I’m sure he would have been happy at the thought of being able to give so many people the tools to reduce or remove unhappiness from their lives.

I’m also convinced that he would have been dismayed by this kind of adoration, he never looked for it in his lifetime and would not welcome it now. For me, the one single most important wonder of Buddhism, is that it puts control of my life in my hands, no gods, no fate, and nothing to do with luck. Make good causes, see good results, that’s all there is to it.

(All images are taken from the program and are copyright of the BBC)