Buddhist Philosophy – Life Is Suffering
A basic tenet of Buddhism is that life is suffering. Since physical suffering has been a predominant situation for Starleaf for over 35 years, a gravitation toward Buddhist philosophy and acceptance of that situation was somewhat natural.
Starleaf’s connections to eastern philosophical thought started with a World Religions course during her freshman year at the University of Southern California. While the teacher was a Taoist, she competently presented the eastern religions and their contrast with western thought.
Starleaf’s Aunt Muriel Kragh was employed by the World Health Organization. During a stint of helping direct the building of hospitals and training centers for nurses in Sri Lanka, Aunt Muriel traveled to India for an audience with the Dalai Lama, who had recently been exiled from Tibet. At their meeting, he gave her a Tibetan temple bell. After having a full handle attached to the bell, Aunt Muriel presented the bell as a gift to Starleaf. It’s sound has rung through her home many times over the years. (See photo of the bell.)
In about her second year of teaching second-graders, she was strongly impressed by a young boy and his family who were Buddhist. The boy was a calm, popular leader who was elected by classmates to play Joseph in the Christmas pageant. The family had no problem with the apparent cross-religion event and made sure to provide an appropriate robe for the role.
Starleaf has been reading and absorbing the Buddhist thought from the Tricycle, Shambala and Lion’s Roar magazines since 1991. In 1993, while living in Washington state, she was able to hear the Dalai Lama speak in Seattle. Although she was born two years later, their birth dates of July 6 are the same – a factor that enhanced her affinity for him.
In 2000, a Tibetan Buddhist lama and four monks came to Corvallis to create a sand mandala. Starleaf was present for some of the creation of the mandala (see photo) and also for the ritualistic destruction of the temporal creation. She also attended one of their blessing ceremonies and purchased a “yak” rug from them (see photo).
For the last 20 years, during a one and a half hour daily session of lying in bed on a heating pad to start her day, Starleaf has listened to many tapes and CD’s of Pema Chodron and Jack Kornfield, among others, to strengthen her ties to Buddhism. While not formally able to participate in a sangha or meditation group, she has nevertheless absorbed much Buddhist thought.
Her active practice of Buddhist principles has helped make her past 10 years richer and more joyful despite the physical limitations and chronic pain.
Starleaf VSED 