Remembering the One

I’ve been reading blogs lately, checking out what other people are writing on spiritual topics. Landed on a Buddhist blog the other day wherein the writer was ruminating on a quote from a rinpoche that said if you’d been greedy or desiring wealth you’d come back in your next life in a worse position than this one — pretty much the Buddhist version of Hell. I was stunned as I’d never seen a Buddhist condemning those who didn’t think “right” to hell. I don’t really get the thinking in any case where one religious group points fingers and consigns everyone not following their rules to hell but somehow it shocked me more from a Buddhist.

I sat around being bothered for a while and then realized I’d fallen into the trap of believing the illusion that there is a “them” who condemns people and that they are somehow separate from or different than me.   Seems one of my toughest lessons to constantly remind myself that every time I react against a group or person I am contributing to divisiveness.  Have to remember we’re all one, have to remember we’re all one, have to remember we’re all one.