The Basics

The origins of Sh’am Buddhism

Thousands of years ago, as Buddhism spread eastwards from the Bodhi tree where it all started, it absorbed elements of other cultures and religions. In China, one of these influences was Taoism. The locals, who became known as Ch’an  Buddhists,  pondered the question: “If, to reach Nirvana, it is necessary to renounce all desire, what then is the last desire that one has to renounce?”

The answer, they concluded, was the desire to reach Nirvana, and this then, would be the first desire they would renounce. The answer lay within, not without, and enlightenment and true happiness (eudemon) lay within themselves. When you see a statue of a Ch’an Buddha, he’s always a happy looking soul, carrying a swag and a lamp.

When Ch’an Buddhism reached Japan, it became Zen.

It was commonly thought  that Ch’an Buddhists were to Buddhism what atheists are to Christianity – an idea I’ll probably explore further later on.

But the starting point of Sh’am Buddhism is that Nirvana and Heaven are pretty irrelevant really, to the task on hand, which is getting on with life in the best way possible, by discovering yourself, possibly with the hope that all may be revealed in the future. But not in this life.

I’m not a real Buddhist. So as far as being a real Buddhist I’m a sham, really. But I like the ideas of the Ch’ans, so I’ve chosen to call myself a Sh’am Buddhist. This is a position, I believe, of which Buddha himself would approve.

The meaning of eudemon

Our society has been very influenced by the ideas of Aristotle, who believed that we all should seek happiness. But that English word ‘happy’ doesn’t describe what he meant. Being Greek, he spoke Greek, and the word he used was “eudamonia”. Eudamonia  can possibly be best defined as a contentment arising from a flourishing and fulfilling life. That’s the meaning we have adopted as Sh’am Buddhists. Our objective is to achieve a state of eudemonia, our mission is to explore ways of doing that.

Being a contrarian. 

Contrarians are seen by some people as being automatically opposed to anything. It’s a charge that is very difficult to deny. You can’t just say “No I’m not!” But those critics are wrong, of course.

In the opinion of Marilynne Robinson, who invented this term, the prevailing opinion about things is generally incorrect, and therefore the counter argument is also false. The answer is usually to be found by asking a different question.

Sh'am Buddhists give a lot of thought to asking the right questions.

Being a Lennonist

If you choose to believe, as Sh’am Buddhists do, that everything in your life is there because you chose it to be, it is not possible to play the victim with any conviction. Politics is about making people believe that they are victims so that the politicians can rescue them, and in the process it is necessary to create a persecutor from whom they need to be recued. It’s about abdicating responsibility. Delegating responsibility is acceptable, abdicating isn’t.

When people deny responsibility for things in general, things tend to go wrong.

The late John Lennon said lots of wise things, but nothing wiser than what we call Lennon’s Law: “Everything the government touches turns to shit”. Midas touch in reverse.

Politics is where the rubber hits the road, and Sh’am Buddhists do not shy away from the issues. We accept responsibility for the way things are. If some things are best done by delegating responsibility, then we support that, but reluctantly.

Erleichda – a virtual community

This is a community I have dreamed into being. Because everyone agrees to be responsible for their own lives, there are no victims, so conversations are more enjoyable, creative rather than reactive, and that’s the way I want it to be.

Obviously it’s a community of mad people, because no sane person could really believe that everything etc. We don’t mind that, because we’re not interested in being right. We’re only interested in whether it works. It works if it makes us eudemon.

The people I will describe as residents of Erleichda exist only in my mind. Any resemblance to any living person is probably coincidental, but may not be, because there are others out there who share my beliefs – to a greater or lesser extent. Madmen, lusty women and poets, someone once described such people.

You are most welcome to join us!

We choose to believe...

There’s no point in arguing with us. We know we’re not right, we know we’re insane. But that’s our choice, and we understand that you have made different choices. If we choose to change our beliefs – and we may well do that – then we will. Until then, we won’t.

Love us or leave us!