Seven offerings from heart

Myanmar is a Buddhist nation that many Buddhists around the world visit for pilgrimage to the holy land. One of the nation’s three golden treasures is the Mahamuni Buddha statue. The statue’s entire body except for the face is covered with many layers of golden leaves, which makes it hard to guess its original shape. That is attributable to visitors of the temple who attach golden leaves to the statue. It is a tradition from a belief that the best offering is to give the most cherished and valuable thing to Buddha.

Today is the Buddha’s birthday in the lunar calendar. Lotus lanterns in five colors are hanging like flowers around temples across the nation including Jogyesa Temple in Seoul. Lotus lantern festival is held every year as an event to celebrate the Buddha’s coming to the world. Lotus lantern symbolizes lighting the world confused and darkened by greed and ignorance with Buddha’s wisdom. Attaching golden leaves to a Buddha statue and lighting lotus lanterns are one of the ways to provide offerings to Buddha.

Buddhism emphasizes the power of mercy. Tibetan high priest Dalai Lama defines mercy as emotion to cherish others. Mercy is not having a pity for or looking down others but cherishing others more than myself. According to the Tibetan priest, genuine mercy is different from obsession. In many cases, our love and mercy turn out to be obsession. Treating all people and living creatures equally regardless of whether it is a friend or an enemy of mine, and caring others regardless of how they think of me are the starting point of genuine mercy, says Dalai Lama.

It is hard for an ordinary man to achieve that level of mercy. However, there is a way for anyone to practice merciful heart without difficulties. It is not material offerings but offerings from the heart, so called ‘the seven offerings that cost nothing.’ It means seven ways to have mercy for others even without spending any material welth, which includes looking upon others with a compassionate eye, an amiably smiling face, considering others with generous heart, speaking kind words, helping others with kind behaviors, yielding seats, and providing a space for others to take rest. Regardless of one’s religion, if this seed of simple and humble teaching is spread across the world, the world would become a better place to live in, much better than now.

mskoh119@donga.com