Matisse, Flaubert, Buddhism, And Me

I have never been a fan of Matisse. I like the stuff well enough, but it never grabs me. I discovered today that he and I share a certain outlook on life.

I was looking around to find the attribution for a quotation that I like. That and the exact wording. I thought that it might be Matisse. In the course of my Googles, I read a page of Matisse quotes. The one that I was searching for was not there, but I found one that interested me.

Henri Matisse: “I don't know whether I believe in God or not. I think, really, I'm some sort of Buddhist. But the essential thing is to put oneself in a frame of mind which is close to that of prayer.”

This quote tracks my feelings on the matter point by point.

I've been living among Theravada Buddhists for sixteen years now. Theravada is considered to be the oldest school of Buddhism, and is currently practiced only in a few countries in South East Asia. It is the main “religion” in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, and Lao. I put “religion” in quotes advisedly, because there is nothing supernatural about Theravada Buddhism. For me, all supernaturalism is foolish. The belief in any typical religion requires a gigantic leap of faith, it requires belief. One must travel beyond the realm of science, experience, and evidence. So, for me, believing in any particular God, or any particular theology, is similar to the belief in ghosts. There is no evidence for the existence of ghosts, or an afterlife, or a God of the type associated with religions.

Theravada Buddhism concerns itself purely with life on earth and the condition of mankind. It only requires that one wishes to improve oneself. It suggests a path, and a method. Expressed most essentially, there are three rules to follow.

1. Do good things;

2. Don't do bad things; and

3. Try to improve yourself.

I can get behind that. Meditation can be involved, but is not required. There are prayers, but when you hear what they mean in English it will be something like, be good to your parents; if you are a boss, be kind and fair with your workers; if you are a worker, work conscientiously for your boss; things like that. Help people who need help, seeking no praise or benefit. Be a good husband and father. It all concerns itself with ways to improve the self, and the community. Here and now. No afterlife is mentioned.

Some schools of Buddhism do concern themselves with reincarnation, and I have found that those people talking about reincarnation in Thailand are incorporating ideas from other schools of Buddhism. Reincarnation is very big in Buddhism of China and India. I've seen it used here as a threat, like, “if you keep kicking that dog, you'll come back as a dog after you die!” I've also seen it cruelly used as an excuse not to help the poor. Even by teachers condescending to poor children rather then even trying to teach them. “They are poor because they did something in another life,” or, “let them play, they're just going to be farm laborers anyway.”

This line of thinking can cause people to blame the handicapped for their own conditions. “It's a punishment.” Those people are ruthlessly cruel, and should thank their lucky stars that reincarnation is as big a crock of shit as heaven and hell.

Thai funerals are exactly the same as Irish Catholic funerals in my experience. Everyone in attendance shares the conviction that the dead REST. The dead are GONE. They have returned to the state that they were in before they were conceived. Which is to say, they are simply DEAD. After a couple of days of crying about it, Thai families burn the body. The Catholics bury theirs. Nobody expects any reunions, in this world or any hypothetical next world. Fair thee well, Tommy! We'll miss ye.

Am I a Buddhist? I never claim to be. I certainly don't practice Buddhism. There's a calendar, and holidays, and customs, none of which I honor. I visit the temple sometimes, usually with Thai friends or family. I generally hang back when they approach for their blessing from the monk. I put some money in an envelope and pass it to my wife, who places it in front of the monk. I appreciate their efforts, and those temples don't run themselves. I consider Theravada Buddhism to be a philosophy, one with which I agree, and one which I draw some inspiration from. I offer very limited support within that context.

I'm with Mr. Matisse on the prayer angle too. Meditation is a state of mind; prayer is a state of mind. Saying a sincere Rosary should put you in a similar state of mind to meditation. So should serious reading. So should simply exercising your imagination. Writing these silly things works for me. There are many ways to quiet one's mind. Whatever works for you, I recommend the effort.

The quotation that I was seeking was from Flaubert, by the way.

Gustave Flaubert: “Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work.”

Flaubert was a writer, but this advice would work for other artists just as well. I doubt if Mr. Flaubert would make this same recommendation to an accountant.