Vol. 16. June 8, 2021
Amy Poehler had a great opening line for a commencement speech. To a raucous crowd at Harvard in 2011, the comedienne said, “Friends, Romans and countrymen: Lend me your beers.”
Steve Jobs was a bit more sober. For a commencement speech at Stanford in 2005, the Apple founder offered graduates this advice: “Your time is limited. Don’t waste it living someone else’s life … Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”
At this time of year, many people are venturing forth to find their way in the world. Commencement means a beginning.
For those beginning to embark on the spiritual path, there is no better commencement speech than one offered by the Buddha.
In the Dharma-Chakra Sermon, the Buddha laid out the path to enlightenment: morality, meditation and wisdom.
Be kind to yourself and others. Meditate. And realize that all things are impermanent, even yourself.
The core of the Dharma-Chakra Sermon is that desire causes our suffering. Desire is egocentric and selfish. As Jack Kerouac wrote,
Wanting, we get.
Getting, we lose.
Losing, we suffer.
Suffering, we die.
So, the Buddha tells us: Give up desire.
How? Practice morality, meditation and wisdom.
When we are kind to others, when we meditate, when we realize that all things are impermanent, suddenly, we are in nirvana.
Not wanting, we don’t get.
Not getting, we don’t lose.
Not losing, we don’t suffer.
Not suffering, we live in nirvana, if only for a moment.
One More Speech
On the unlikely chance, Harvard or Stanford would ask me to give a commencement speech, I would offer this simple advice:
Whatever you do in life will end in suffering, except the Dharma.
Follow the path of all Buddhas, dear graduates, and you will lead an extraordinary life just by being ordinary.
Life is not a game to win or a problem to be solved.
Life is a joy to be experienced. Experience the joy.
You got your whole life ahead of you. Everything you do in life will end happily ever after, if it’s the Dharma you do.
Love everybody no matter what — it’s hard to do, but it’s the only thing that is worth your while. And it’s the only thing that will last. Everything created will die. But love is eternal.
Hey Amy Poehler, let’s raise a glass to that.
The Buddha Times 