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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 19

spiritual practice. After all, most people
Faith and
are caught up in the rat race and not
intent on the realization of ultimate truth.
What the monastery provides in the world
Values:
is a reminder that everything is okay, that
we can live with whatever is happening,
that we can ride the wave. For those
who live outside the monastic sphere, A Buddhist
our effort is to provide an alternative
response to the
to the drivenness of the world. Even
though you might be driving the car to
work, holding down a job, looking after
your aging parents, feeding your kids, coronavirus
or being with a loved one who is dying,
it doesn’t have to be frantic. It doesn’t
pandemic
have to be obsessive. It doesn’t have to be
burdensome. There is a manner in which
we can relate to even the most impactful By Ven. Thubten Chonyi
and potent, emotionally charged issues
of life whereby they are held, they are Ven. Thubten Chonyi is a founder
understood, they are fully experienced, of Friends of Sravasti Abbey, the
and they are not confusing. So real life religious center in Pend Oreille
then has to do with a mind full of life, an County. She was ordained at the
acceptance and appreciation of life, and abbey in 2008. In this short article
the monastery is endeavoring to give us a
she explains how a Buddhist
sense of this real life.
would experience these difficult
times.
Adapted from a talk given on August 3,
1998, in Caspar, California. EH
I suppose every Buddhist will have a distinct and personal
response to this question. For me, the coronavirus is a powerful
teacher about life, death, change, compassion and resilience. In
general, I think Buddhists recognize how the present times call
us to strengthen our spiritual practice and deepen our refuge in
Buddha and his teachings.

The pandemic vividly illustrates a core Buddhist principle: That
beings are equally subject to birth, aging, sickness and death. That
all things — physical and mental — are in continuous change, not
remaining the same from one moment to the next. Consequently,
although we crave stability and pleasant experiences, there is no
real security and happiness is fleeting. We are not in control.

Reflecting on these truths is not depressing, as you might think.
For folks inclined to the Buddhist view, it’s a huge relief. “Oh. This
situation — challenging as it is — is just another demonstration