Buddhism and the Pope
Right now the web is full of opinions about the Pope.
A believer called him to her, the pope slapped her on the hand.
Now, however, the question arises as to why there is so much excitement. What must he be like, the Pope? Is he not allowed to show human reactions? Must he conform to the ideas we have of a pope, of a "Vicar of God"?
And why must he not react indignantly? After all, he is an elderly gentleman, and the woman has selfishly "claimed" him.
But whether her or his behavior is or was right or wrong is not the point here. I am writing here about the ideas we have of the Pope, or even of Buddha.
How has or should he be, what is our expectation, and what happens if our expectation is not fulfilled then?
In the imagination of the Western world, Buddha was a peaceful, meditating man who radiated wisdom and goodness, did not do evil things, took upon himself the worries and needs of all mankind.
But Buddha was also a normal man; he was married, had a child. Our ideas about him are probably often wrong. His greatest achievement was reaching "enlightenment," the state of awakening.
His "enlightenment" makes Buddha a role model for us to this day; his actions and speeches explain "awakening," but our conceptions make Buddha a god.
Buddha explicitly said that he did not want to be worshipped.
He was an ordinary man (albeit with enlightenment); our imaginations often lead us astray.
It is exactly the same with the Pope; our expectations of him are perhaps too high. He is not a saint and he does not have to be.
IT PAINS ME WHEN I SEE A PRIEST OR A NUN WITH THE LATEST AUTOMOBILE
- POPE FRANCISCUS - HEAD OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH - B. 1936
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