“Being a Silent Company”: My Experience with Buddhism, and the Pursuit of Wisdom

Siddhartha Gautama. A wise, respected man and, above all, a very real inspiration for millions of people around the world. And no, do not worry, there is no need to be alarmed or think anything strange. I have not come to evangelize anyone… In fact, what I have learned, and what I want to share with you now, is the immense peace that can be found in a philosophy of life such as Buddhism. Being surrounded by practitioners of this doctrine, I was able to witness firsthand just how valuable and important the pursuit of wisdom is.

I like how Buddhists define intelligence: it is a search. Which suggests, at first glance, that it can never truly be reached. Similar to what we know in poetry as utopia. Every time we take a step forward, utopia moves two steps back, just like the horizon. Our most vivid utopia. This beautiful fragment of literature is not mine, it belongs to Eduardo Galeano, a Uruguayan writer… But I am drifting. In Buddhist teachings, finding wisdom is equivalent to finding peace. But not in the way we in the West usually understand it. Peace is not simply tranquility.

Buddhist peace is reconciliation. That is why meditation is the preferred tool for serenity. It is not about being cold, isolated, or indifferent, but about knowing how to find oneself. An introspective look into the self. It is no surprise that the great Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, is such a powerful influence in the lives and minds of monks and practitioners. Moreover, the similarities with deities more familiar to us are undeniable and fascinating… But perhaps I will develop that idea in another post. For now, I do not want to leave aside the impact of discipline, the mastery of tension and passions, and the results of conviction that I was able to witness inside the monastery.

I had the privilege of briefly attending an important Buddhist celebration. The purpose? To celebrate wisdom itself, knowledge, enlightenment. How do they do it? Through sharing, through respect, and above all, through method. I can understand how the logic of that philosophy works. It is discipline applied, but never through violence or fear, rather through questioning and the sincere search for answers, which offers paths. Miss, be the path to wisdom is the phrase I have not been able to get out of my mind. This experience has been remarkable and very influential for me, and for my perspectives on knowledge, on being, and on our role in this brief existence.

What you think you know changes a lot when you are exposed to visions and doctrines that have their own contributions. They are not inferior to any of us. In fact, I feel nothing but gratitude toward people who, with nothing more than kindness, infinite patience, and goodwill, agreed to be photographed during an official act of their beliefs, of their philosophy. I believe I will not be able to refuse continuing my path toward enlightenment and knowledge. Before, I must admit, I felt some anxiety about whether there was an end to the journey. I am not saying I no longer feel it, but it is far less influential in my life than before. And our friend, Siddhartha, I believe, has something to do with that…