METEORA THROUGH THE LENS OF BUDDHISM
Everyone experiences travelling and sight-seeing, whether with family or in groups, and each trip carries its own unique significance. Following the footsteps of our teacher, some members of the Compassionate Service Society recently undertook a pilgrimage to Meteora, Greece, to visit several monasteries of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Currently, only six monasteries are still active and open to visitors. One of these monasteries is for nuns.
Compared to other groups of tourists at this site, our group of 80 members, along with our Master Hằng Trường, is not insignificant. This journey is termed a pilgrimage across vast distances because the distance from Los Angeles (USA) to Meteora is 10,827.66 km or 6,728 miles, and the height of Meteora's peaks above sea level is 630 meters.
Our Compassionate Service Society delegation arrived by plane but had to take each step carefully and firmly to reach the summit and experience the breathtaking mountain scenery of Meteora. Even more impressive, the youngest members of our group are in their 40s, while the oldest are in their 80s. It is truly admirable and heartwarming to see a group of people in uniform listening to Dharma teachings amidst the "mystical" mountain backdrop! (Mystical here means suspended in the air.)
What do the delegation members admire once they reach the summit of Meteora? The desolate, cold, and lonely scenes of the hermitages with their stunning architecture that has been fading over two thousand years, following the cycle of birth, established, change, and extinction? Our Master, through the lens of Buddhist teachings, offered a lecture on Proper Dharma, Symbolic Dharma, and Declining Dharma right here at this sacred site.
Unlike our previous hiking trips, this visit to historical architectural sites like Meteora was infused with spiritual lessons that our Master wished to impart to the participants. The monasteries and temples in Meteora are drastically different from their original forms, which flourished between 600 BC and 800 AD, peaking around 1200 AD before gradually declining due to wars and internal conflicts. By the time of the Renaissance, spiritual life had diminished significantly. Once, there were solitary ascetics with transcendent wisdom, and hundreds of monks lived and practiced here, but today there are fewer than 50!
Standing in these desolate scenes or witnessing the spiritual, moral, and ethical decline is a natural process of birth and extinction that we should reflect upon from a Buddhist perspective: the cycle of birth, established or dwell, change, and extinction (arising, remaining, changing, and ultimately perishing). No culture, church, temple, or even mountain is exempt from this cycle.
At this place, our Master invokes Buddhist teachings.
Here, our Master brought in the Buddhist perspective of the cycle of birth, established, change, and extinction and asked the participants to reflect on which phase Buddhism is currently in. This question caused some hesitation among the attendees, but they ultimately recognized that Buddhism is entering the era of Declining Dharma. The Buddha had foretold that Buddhism would face three phases: Proper Dharma, Symbolic Dharma, and finally, Declining Dharma.
‘Proper Dharma marks the beginning, Symbolic Dharma is the period of stability, gradually transitioning into change. Declining Dharma starts with change and leads into extinction. The Buddha referred to it as Declining Dharma to signify that it is no longer as it once was. During the period of Proper Dharma, practitioners focused solely on meditation to attain transcendent wisdom and liberation. In the Symbolic Dharma phase, practice shifted to the heart, expressing faith and sincerity. In the Declining Dharma, practice focuses on more mundane activities, such as enjoying delicious vegetarian food or coming the temple for tasty dishes, or even practicing for material gain. Most people desire wealth.
Returning to Meteora, the dilapidated scenes before us illustrate that this place is indeed in the Declining Dharma phase of Eastern Orthodoxy. The question arises: if we want to restore this site to its former glory, what should we do?
Three fundamental actions are needed:
1. Develop Spiritual Depth: This involves meditation to cultivate transcendent wisdom and develop genuine devotion. This is an individual responsibility.
2. Manage the Community: Build and develop a community of Bodhisattva practitioners. Spiritual teachings should be shared with the larger community, promoting enlightenment and understanding among those around us. In ancient times, the Buddha had a monastic community: monks who brought teachings through meditation. Today, we have spiritual communities that may not strictly practice meditation but live by high moral standards and possess strong spirituality. These communities include both monastics and lay practitioners. Nowadays, instead of referring to a monastic community, we use the term "community" to describe a group of people with shared ideals, focused on spiritual awakening. Sharing this depth is key to transforming individuals and the community, primarily to foster spiritual growth. Effective management is crucial; a community declines due to poor management and a lack of idealistic leaders. Thus, it is essential to organize tasks, with each person having a role to serve the community. This is about collective responsibility.
3. Cultivate Spiritual Culture: This involves awakening the inner potential of individuals. In contrast, a mere religious culture can instill belief without addressing guilt or insecurity. Declining Dharma often arises from the decay of spiritual culture. After engaging in spiritual practices, we realize how vital spiritual culture is, as it teaches us to unlock our inner potential, reflected in the vast number of scriptures across religions. However, spiritual culture and teachings must be relevant and up-to-date to address contemporary issues, providing a lens through which to view the dualistic nature of the universe. This is Spiritual Culture.
At Meteora, the churches, monasteries, and seminaries still stand, but the spiritual culture has faded, and the community of believers in that philosophy is nearly gone. Similarly, Buddhism must also confront the cycle of birth, established, change, and extinction. Before Buddhism enters the stage of extinction, it is the responsibility of each practitioner to contribute according to their abilities to build community and support Buddhism.
The question arises: as lay practitioners, who represent a small part of the community, how can we contribute to the great cause?
- Do not be pessimistic. As the Vietnamese proverb says, “One swallow does not make a spring,” but “One worm can spoil the pot of soup.” Within the small community of Compassionate Service Society, positive actions for preservation and development require many participants. Many swallows coming together signal the arrival of spring; similarly, when many individuals join hands to share responsibilities, whether small or significant, depending on their capabilities, time, and commitment, they contribute to build a harmonious spiritual community. Each person has a responsibility, and such noble deeds do not require one to be a monk.
Returning to Meteora or any site of significance, the question is what can we do to prevent the cycle of ‘change-extinction’ that tourists like us can enact. There are two approaches to consider when visiting such places to help preserve their cultural value:
1. Appreciate the Efforts of the Ancients: Acknowledge the labor and dedication that went into creating these wonders. Appreciate what still exists in this place.
2. Contribute According to Your Means: Offer your capabilities based on your personal circumstances. Do not refuse to help, no matter how small your contribution may seem.
Once, I visited Lourdes, a renowned pilgrimage site in France known for its miracles and the appearance of the Virgin Mary. To express my appreciation and reverence, and to offer my service, I went to the volunteer registration office. When I was asked my age, instead of answering, I playfully asked the volunteer to guess. Seeing my youthful demeanor, the volunteer guessed I am around 42 or 43.
While I felt a bit pleased at the misjudgment, I sincerely stated I am older than that. The volunteer then informed me that they only accepted volunteers under 40 to assist disabled individuals needing mobility support. Although I was not accepted for that role, I felt joy in my heart for having opened myself to contribute and preserve this beautiful cultural heritage in the spirit of Buddhism.
How can we change others? By truly volunteering and making sacrifices. If our hearts are open, we can open the hearts of others. If we do not make sacrifices, our hearts will remain closed. Leadership is not necessary; even small actions, like sweeping the floor or helping someone cross the street, can open hearts and gradually support the Dharma.
This lecture on the Proper Dharma, Symbolic Dharma, and Declining Dharma, presented at Meteora through the lens of Buddhist teachings, draws to a close. I hope that everyone will keep their hearts open and express their compassion through their attitudes, gestures, and actions whenever visiting wonders like those at Meteora.).
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