March Q & A: Buddhism and Slavery

I have seen you say several times Buddhism has helped you in your slavery and service and I would like to read about how it has?


Really it comes down to a very basic thing for me....first I don't view Buddhism as my religion and at least I feel that many of the writings from Buddha say that it isn't a religion. He doesn't want worship - but instead is trying to teach us a way of life that will help us attain enlightenment.  Buddhism is basically about finding the truth in yourself to set yourself free. And that line is it for me....I have found slavery to my path that fulfills me. It is the truth inside myself. 


I find comfort and strength in the words of Buddha and others that help in spreading that word such as the Dalai Lama.  They help me on this path. The words help me understand surrender and service even if it is a different context of what Buddha meant - he meant it more towards life in general and finding enlightenment and I often it apply it directly to my life as a slave. 


Such as the Noble Eightfold Path...
1. Right View
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration


Applying those to my relationship and being a slave works really well for me. Keeping myself steady and centered on my service to Master. 


I have had several people write me over the years and pointed out Buddhism doesn't believe in sexual misconduct and how can I not view the path I am on as sexual misconduct. I have seen all sorts of views on it but for me I take more of a view like expressed here:

"Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I am committed to cultivate responsibility and learn ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without love and a long-term commitment. To preserve the happiness of myself and others, I am determined to respect my commitments and the commitments of others. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct."

It talks about not engaging in sex without love and commitment but I also feel that for my interpretation that I engage in sex with positive energy and even if the commitment is for an hour it is a commitment to be fully engaged there in the moment. So for me I don't believe I am engaging in sexual misconduct. 


I found a few quotes from my endless quote supply that I have taken from various Buddhism sources....


Surrender is the quantum leap from mind to no-mind, from ego to egolessness. And in a single step the whole journey is contained. It is not a long journey from you to God, it is a single-step journey. It is not a gradual phenomenon; it is not that slowly slowly, gradually you come to the divine. It is a quantum leap! One moment you were in darkness and the next moment all is light. All that is needed is to put the ego aside. - Osho


Buddha says if you surrender the ego, if you surrender yourself, you come in a harmony with the law and everything starts happening on its own. You have but to surrender. If you are ready to disappear, you will be full of the law and the law will take care. - Osho


Only no-mind can be without any duality, because it is empty. The no-mind is choicelessness. The no-mind is pure awareness. It is just the empty sky. - Osho


Don't cling to anything and don't reject anything. Let come what comes, and accomodate yourself to that, whatever it is. If good mental images arise, that is fine. If bad mental images arise, that is fine, too. Look on all of it as equal, and make yourself comfortable with whatever happens. Don't fight with what you experience, just observe it all mindfully. -Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, "Mindfulness in Plain English"


We also often add to our pain and suffering by being overly sensitive, over-reacting to minor things, and sometimes taking things too personally. -His Holiness the Dalai Lama


Truth is no theory, no speculative system of philosophy, no intellectual insight. 

Truth is exact correspondence with reality. 

For man, truth is the unshakeable knowledge of his real nature, the Self. 

-Paramhansa Yogananda

When everything is clean-clear in your own mind, nobody can create obstacles for you. -Lama Thubten Yeshe, "The Bliss of Inner Fire"

Enlightenment--that magnificent escape from anguish and ignorance--never happens by accident. It results from the brave and sometimes lonely battle of one person against his own weaknesses. -Bhikkhu Nyanasobhano, "Landscapes of Wonder"

If you wish to see the truth
Then hold no opinion for or against.
The struggle of what one likes
And what one dislikes
Is the disease of the mind. - Sosan