Hemp Sack

Many people are familiar with the fat Buddha statues often displayed in Chinese or Vietnamese restaurants and businesses. These statues are often referred to as a Fat Buddha or a Laughing Buddha.

In reality that guy's not the historical Buddha at all.

He's a Chinese monk. His name, when translated into English, means 'Hemp Sack'. 

In Chinese his name is Budai. In Japanese, Hotei. In Vietnamese, Bo Dai. In Korean, P'odae. He lived in China in the 10^th century.

He carries a sack of candies and donuts and pennies that he passes out to children.

He's a happy guy. He's joyful and playful. He practices love. He practices compassion. He practices wisdom in living fully in the moment.

Buddhism, the teaching of Buddhism is a tool. When the tool has performed it's function, we set it down.

When the raft has carried us to the other shore, we leave it and go on our way.

The monk named Hemp Sack, left his monastery and the candles and the bells and lived a life of sharing endless love.

Sounds like a pretty tall order in our society. But, if each one of us were to think about it, we all know or have known a happy little monk-person. A person who loves without judgment. A person who cares without asking about your politics or religion or gender or age, your job or where you live.

That's what Buddhism is – a life guided by concern for the person, the being standing in front of us right now.

The Buddha told us the past is over, it can never be regained. The future isn't here, it's a fantasy. All we have is this moment. Whatever we do we do right now.

Someone once asked me what are some of the misconceptions about the Buddhist faith? 

That word 'faith' is the first misconception.

Buddhism is not a faith or a belief; it's a Practice. It's not something we believe and hold onto. It's something we do, something we practice so one day we can discard it.

Buddhism is a tool. Once it has done what it was designed to do, we let it go.

We study Buddhism. We practice Buddhism. Then when we reach that other shore with the tools offered by the Buddha, we set them down and we smile and laugh like a fat little monk.

When we know this, when we understand this, when we live this, then we're truly free and we can leave our raft.