WHEN I WALK around New York City in my gray monastic robes, I often encounter little boys who imitate Bruce Lee upon seeing me. At first I didn't understand what they were doing, but soon enough I did they assumed anyone with a shaved head, wearing robes, would know martial arts. I thought this was cute and amusing. A more forward boy even asked me if I knew kung fu like those Chinese monks at Shaolin Temple. The playful side of me wanted to make a few fake kung fu poses, slowly raising my arms and my right leg.When adults find out that I am a Buddhist monastic, they ask with curiosity, "What kind of meditation do you practice?" or "How many hours do you sit every morning? Your mind must be very peaceful." Then they talk about their experiences at a local Zen center or yoga studio, or tell me about a book on mindfulness they have come across. For many adults in the West, it seems that a Buddhist teacher is someone who is serene and collected thanks to daily meditation. Although the assumptions of the child and the adult are different, I find that there is an underlying similarity. Both child and adult are curious about what it is that a monk does. In other words, when it comes to imagining a monk's identity, people in the West tend to zero in on his behavior.

When I am in Korea, a different set of questions awaits me. On the subway, for instance, the person sitting next to me might ask, "Where is your home monastery?" or "Which temple do you currently reside in?" For Koreans it appears that the most defining part of a person is where he lives. Even in the U.S., when Koreans first meet, after exchanging names the first question they ask is, "Where in Korea are you from?" It seems that for many Koreans, one's

identity is tied closely to his hometown rather than to what he is doing. Every time I return to Korea, I wonder why Koreans are so obsessed with their alma mater, even when they are over fifty years old. Of course, when it comes to finding a job, having graduated from a prestigious university is advantageous in most parts of the world. But the degree alone is often not
[9/2 09.35] Lot keluahen Sinambela: enough. Even if one has landed a good job, one's skills and experience are more important than where one has studied. A good example is Steve Jobs, the cofounder of Apple. Jobs went to Reed College but dropped out after one semester. Anyone familiar with American higher education would know that Reed is an excellent liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon. But to an average Korean, who has heard only of the Ivy League and a few large universities in California, Reed would be considered subpar. If Steve Jobs had been Korean, his educational background would have been a huge impediment to a successful career. Nobody would have taken his ideas seriously or invested in his company; be would have been seen as not smart enough to have gone to an Ivy.

This concerns me. If we consider someone's identity as rooted primarily in his hometown or the school he graduated from, we end up looking only at his past and not paying attention to his current skills or future vision. Only those born into good families with the right educational background and connections are given a chance to succeed, while those from less-than-ideal backgrounds who are brimming with potential are denied opportunities.

Whenever young boys approach me to ask if I know kung fu, it becomes an occasion for me to reflect on my life. Am I behaving like a spiritual teacher? Or have I become complacent in my identity and ignored the work I am called to do? Moreover, when I meet someone new, do I make an effort to see who he is beneath his social markers? Or am I reducing people to their background and failing to see who they really are? I am reminded again that anyone, including those young boys, can be our spiritual teacher if we are willing to open our hearts to them.

Life is like a slice of pizza.

It looks delicious in an advertisement. but when we actually have it, it is not as good as we imagined.

If you envy someone's life, remember the pizza in the ad.

It always looks better than it is.

Have you ever selected a cheaper dish from a menu than the one you really wanted, only to regret your choice when it arrived? Always go with your first choice if you can afford it.

It is better than a life filled with regrets.


Analisis tenses yang digunakan pada setiap kalimat