Coffee with Fred the Buddhist

I had a coffee with Fred the Buddhist this week. He was very helpful.

I call him Fred the Buddhist, though I’m not sure he’d agree. But he believes a lot of that stuff, reads the books and is going to see the Dalai Lama in a couple of weeks, so I think I can legitimately call him that.

Fred works in the pensions industry and has a tremendous number of connections- very useful to me at the moment when I’m looking for a new job.

He sent me a book not long ago, applying Buddhist teaching to the stresses and strains of the workplace. It was very good, a lot of good ideas and stress busters in there.

The problem is, I can’t do it- follow what the book says, I mean. I could try. I might manage one or two of the recommendations, but I’m doomed to failure. You see, that’s the difference between Buddhism and Christianity. Buddhism says you can do it. Christianity says you can’t.

For example, I might be able to slim for a while, go out running every morning, practice some good life disciplines. But in the end, because it depends on me, I will fail. Unlike any other ‘religion’, Christianity starts from the point of failure. I’ve done things my own way and it didn’t work. So I ask God through Jesus to forgive me and my efforts and to take over. Then I can succeed!

I look forward to many more cups of coffee with Fred the Buddhist. And maybe I should send him a book or two to read…..