Question asked by Dalton Cartwright
Greetings, and I hope this message met you well. 🙏
My name is Dalton. I am 23, and live in Salem, Ohio- U.S. Ever since I was in high school, I have had a yearning for passion in Buddhism that seems to go beyond applying the principals only certain periods of the time. I've gotten to the state where I yearn to be in the presence of the body and mind of the Buddha at all times. The Three Jewels have brought me much solace, and has manifested greatness in my everyday life. I meditate whenever I am able, chant the necessary mantras and perform the proper pujas. My small apartment has been dedicated as a temple, for I refuse to partake in non-compassionate actions or thoughts. My eating is pure, and have no intense desire rather than the enlightenment of all beings. I endeavor to be as harmonious with the world as I possibly can. This fact has given me essence and meaning in life, after trying to find the meaning for so long. (Life truly is a paradox!)
But, I yearn to be a teacher. I yearn to be a guide in the faith, but have no cultural centers or buddhist temples near me for further teaching and to ongo the potential ordination process. To put it lightly, the western way of living has exhausted me to the very core, and I want to take the aspect of my life that has deemed ever-loving and compassionate even further. I wish to give back, and to be a guide, whilst of course still learning. It seems like the only option for me would be to travel overseas, which wouldn't be a problem if I was able to stay there and not come back, haha. Guru, to tell you the truth, I wish to start my own temple here and inspire people here in the west. But I am such a young soul.. many people seem to not listen to me, due to my age and their own minds obscuring the Buddha's teachings. Because I also wear the clothing of the East to represent my mindset, their minds also judge and speculate due to their own hatred. Is there a way for me to quench this inevitable thirst that I have? I wish to belong to the temple, and nothing more. What do I do about this in such a Westernized society with no temples available?
Regardless of input, I appreciate you taking the time to read this message, and wish you the very best. 🙏
Dear Dalton,
Thank you for your message. The aspirations you have are fantastic, to progress on your own spiritual path, then help others do the same. There are many things you need to do in order to make such as aspiration a reality.
The first is to actually study and train under a qualified teacher. For our spiritual journey to be successful, what we practice must come from a source. In our case that is Lord Buddha, and his teachings being passed down and practiced by the lineage masters. Lineage is important for the teachings to be authentic and for the blessings to flow down to you to be successful in those techniques, through the lineage lamas. That being said, the first step is to find a qualified master who can guide you. You can take Tsem Rinpoche to be your teacher, even though he is not physically here with us any more. However, from your message it is clear that you would like to immerse your whole life in spiritual practice.
While there may not be a centre in your immediate locality, there are other centres in your state which will have qualified gurus who can guide you on your journey. Try searching online to find them.
Yes, you are right that you live in a society that is very much different from the spiritual practice of Buddhism, however the great thing about Buddhism and the teachings of the Buddha is that it can be adapted to suit the surroundings you are in. Perhaps that is something you can consider also?
I hope this helps. Please let us know if we can help you with anything else.