Week 6 Story: The Awakening of D-Bo

Once upon a time, in land not-so-far-away (in fact, in this very spot), there reigned a kind and beautiful prince named David L. Boren. This great and benevolent leader, more often known as D-Bo, was admired by all who lived in the Kingdom of OU. D-Bo was much loved by his subjects, and he would have been loved by his peers if any could have equaled him.

David L. Boren. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

The Kingdom of OU was a lovely campus; it was a safe place with young, beautiful students who could all afford to attend (with the help of scholarships, of course). The Board of Regents liked to keep OU that way, for D-Bo’s sake. They feared that if he saw the truth of the world – the lack of funding for the Kingdom and the inability of many students to attend without substantial financial assistance – he would lose his joyful demeanor and rosy outlook.

But the Board could not keep the truth away from D-Bo for long, for he had always been a curious, sincere man who sought veracity and refused to overlook injustice (and, uh, because he was the ruler of the Kingdom and therefore received important information directly from its source).

One fateful day, despite the Board’s best efforts, D-Bo came upon a statement from the King of Oklahoma, OU’s governing province, saying that funds for the Kingdom of OU had been dropping steadily for decades and would continue to do so, barring many students from coming to the Kingdom and receiving the education that they desired.

D-Bo wrung his hands and cried out, “How can I experience joy or pleasure when I know such pain and injustice exist in the world? Just outside of my very own kingdom, would-be students are neglected. How can I wear these robes and walk among these lovely willow trees when I know that lack of government funding for education plagues our world?”

With that, he made up his mind. “I must retire from leading my kingdom and escape to I-35, where I will roam in solitude until I find the Supreme Truth and solve the problem of sufficient government funding for universities,” he said solemnly.

I-35 Oklahoma City. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

The people of OU grieved bitterly for D-Bo’s departure. Although they knew it was perhaps for the best and that there was no better person to search for truth and put an end to government defunding, they found it difficult to cope with the loss of their prince.

The squirrels slowed down, digging their pointless holes with less vigor. The birds’ chirping dropped an octave. Those athletes who still rode hoverboards to class hung their heads and traveled so slowly that they failed to run over any innocent passerby for a week.

D-Bo continues to search for the answers. His people, though saddened by the loss, stand behind him.

Sad squirrel, photo by Brian Fuller. Source: Flickr.

Author's Note: This story is based on The Life of Buddha, which tells the story of how a prince named Siddhartha became the Buddha. I focused specifically on three "episodes" of the bigger story: "First Encounter," "The Greath Truths," and "Gopa and Suddhodana Grieve." Together, these three stories tell how Siddhartha, who was a privileged and sheltered boy, came across old age and death for the first time and decided to leave to put an end to such horrible things. Siddhartha's father, Suddhodana, loves him very much and shelters him from painful realities such as old age and death. He goes so far as to order all old, sick, crippled, and dead people off the streets when Siddhartha goes out. However, one day Siddhartha comes across an old man. He is so struck by the pain and horror of old age that he feels he can no longer enjoy anything in life. After two more similar encounters, he decides to leave the palace to become a monk and put an end to suffering. His wife, stepmother, and father grieve very intensely for his departure even though they know that he will eventually end suffering and death. I decided to retell this story on the OU campus, replacing Siddhartha with D-Bo, who recently announced his retirement. I don't think this is really why D-Bo retired, and I know he's known about government defunding for a long time, but I thought that education funding would be a cause that would rouse him to pursue a higher truth. I like the image of solitary D-Bo wandering I-35, thinking up ways to bring education to more people!

Bibliography: The Life of Buddha by Andre Ferdinand Herold. Link to the reading online.

Reading Notes: Life of Buddha, Part B

Prince Siddhartha Leaves the Palace, from 2nd-3rd century Pakistan.

Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Gopa and Suddhodana Grieve

This story is interesting to me because Siddhartha's family grieves bitterly for his departure even as they admire him and believe that he is leaving to fulfill his duty of conquering death and old age. Gopa weeps and mourns and says that she knew he had to leave, but didn't know that it would be so soon. So, she understands intellectually that his departure is necessary, but emotionally she cannot handle him leaving. I think this is a typical reaction to many different situations in life; breaking up a bad relationship, moving away from home to go to college, etc. We understand that certain actions are good for us or necessary in the long run, but it is so difficult to let go.

I found it interesting that Gopa reacts to Siddhartha's leaving by vowing to give up all pleasures. She doesn't seem to do this out of virtue, but out of being unable to enjoy anything after her husband has left. This is a very similar reaction to Siddhartha's upon learning of death, disease, and old age. He gives up pleasure because he knows that it cannot make him happy when he is so disturbed by the existence of death. Similarly, Gopa cannot find happiness in anything while her husband is gone. I don't know whether this was the typical reaction of people in that culture, but it is a very different reaction than Americans have to tragedy now, in my opinion. Most people I know, including myself, respond to hardship by overindulging, not by giving up pleasure. This is an interesting difference possibly due to culture.

Mahaprajapati throws Siddhartha's jewels in the river, which I found sad. This further emphasizes the point that the family wants to shun pleasure and riches in the face of tragedy.

Bibliography: The Life of Buddha by Andre Ferdinand Herold. Link to the reading online.

Reading Notes: Life of Buddha, Part A

Birth of Buddha in the garden of Lumbini.

Painting in Laotian temple.

Source: Wikimedia Commons.

First Encounter

This section deals with the loss of innocence. It is not that Siddhartha has lost innocence by doing something wrong or impure himself, but he loses his joy and rosy outlook on life by discovering that old age exists and will come to everyone.

I found it interesting that the gods were jealous when they had previously been so supportive of Siddhartha.

The father is extremely protective; he delivers special orders to make sure that no old, sick, or crippled people are on the streets. He did so out of love for his son, and the gods broke the illusion out of jealousy, but I think the gods actually helped Siddhartha more in the long run. He would have kept his joy if he had never been exposed to the harsh truths of life, but he never would have been able to discover the “Supreme Truth” and become the Buddha without knowing the reality of life. His father celebrates Siddhartha’s destiny and loves him very much, but he almost holds him back from his destiny because of his love.

Siddhartha’s attitude toward life changes so quickly upon learning of old age. Before he sees the old man, he is very joyful. After he sees the old man and learns what old age is and that it will come to all, he is so upset that he cannot even continue on his journey. He has to return home because he cannot think of anything besides old age. I think one of his most important characteristics is not being able to ignore the truth. Most of us can compartmentalize our lives; we know that we’ll die someday, and we’ve suffered and will suffer in various ways, but we can still smile and laugh because we are able to put these things out of our heads. Siddhartha, on the other hand, refuses to overlook or forget about the tragedies of the world.

The Great Truths

I was struck by the life-changing effect that seeing misery had on Siddhartha. The story says that he “could no longer find peace” and that “he was unhappy.” As in “First Encounter,” he cannot overlook the pains of the world. They deeply affect him, which I think shows that he is an honest and caring man.

The monk serves as an example for Siddhartha, and Siddhartha immediately decides to become a monk after he discovers what it requires. Sometimes I think being a monk or nun would be nice, but it would be very difficult for me to renounce all pleasure and live in solitude with very little. It is such a different way of thinking that Siddhartha knows he can only be peaceful and happy if he gives up all pleasures.

Actually, Siddhartha describes monkhood as his “duty” rather than a path to happiness, although I think that he does regard it as a path to peace.

The second-to-last paragraph, where Siddhartha’s wife’s friends die, is very strange. Why does this happen and what does it mean that all these beautiful women died as Siddhartha decided to leave his life as a prince? Is it a symbol of him renouncing pleasure and society?

Bibliography: The Life of Buddha by Andre Ferdinand Herold. Link to the reading online.

Week 5 Story: Death Defends Herself

My name is Death, and I know you well.

I know you’ve cursed my name.

You’re not alone; it’s everyone

Who thinks I should be tamed.

I assure you, no one ever sees

That I am not to blame,

But instead it is my sister Grief

Who will kick you ‘til you’re lame.

She’ll hold you down and not let go,

She’ll latch on way too tight.

She’ll climb up on your back and stay,

Through day and through the night.

But I, I am the wandering wind,

Looping in and out of sight.

I leave, I don’t I don’t disturb you long!

It’s her you want to fight!

Take this woman, Kisagotami.

Yes, I stole her only son.

It’s just what I’m supposed to do,

And she’s not the only one.

But that doesn’t mean I’m evil, you know.

I’m just a fact you can’t out-run.

Accept me as part of the scenery;

For Death will win as Death has won.

But let’s return to Kisagotami:

I tried to let her be.

I did my task and packed my bags,

Then I left so she could be free.

But Grief came in before I’d closed the door,

And made Kisagotami fall to her knees.

So now the poor woman curses my name,

Because Grief told her the pain was from me!

She holds her son to her breast and crawls without hope.

I never wished that upon her, I swear.

My job is to end what has begun.

It’s the circle of life, and it’s fair.

But what my sister does to her is cruel,

Look how she pulls out her hair!

When I took her son, my eyes were kind,

But Grief is an icy-cold stare.

In time and with hardship this poor mother will learn

That although she cannot avoid Fate,

She need not keep Grief on her back forever;

She must shun her before it’s too late.

And then she will see that it’s not me she fears,

But Grief that put her in such a state.

She will smile and laugh and throw back her head

Once she has finally shed that weight.

Angel of Death, statue in Wrocław, Poland.

Source: Flickr.

Author's Note: This ballad is based on "The Wise Physician," a Jataka tale. Jataka tales are Buddhist stories used for teaching, usually featuring the Buddha in some incarnation. This particular story is about a mother who loses her only son. In her grief, she carries her son around the village and asks everyone for medicine that will heal him. She is pointed toward the Buddha, who tells her that she only needs to bring him some mustard-seed (a very simple and common ingredient), but that it must come from a household in which no one has died. At every house, she learns that someone has died. She comes back to the Buddha and says that she could not find the mustard-seed, but that she has learned that no one can escape death. She learns that everything is impermanent, and she is healed, even though her son is not. Since the story focuses on death and its inevitability, and since the woman ends up healing from the death of her son, I decided to write a ballad from the point of view of Death incarnate, who declares that she is a natural part of living and it is only Grief, who causes one to hang onto the pain of impermanency, that hurts people. I don't necessarily agree that death is easy to get over when we realize that everything is impermanent, but I thought it would be fun to give indignant Death a voice!

Bibliography: "The Wise Physician" from Eastern Stories and Legends by Marie Shedlock. Link to the reading online.