Here in Korea, the Buddhists take the Christmas holidays in good spirit, and when talking about Jesus, occasionally say Yesu Bosalnim: The Bodhisattva Jesus.
The general feeling is that there are a lot of teachings by Jesus that one couldn’t go wrong with. It may not be the direct path to enlightenment and Nirvana, but if one did his or her best to apply them, one would certainly become a blessing for those around them.
Nor would they have to worry too much about what would happen to them after death. For kindness will naturally be attracted to kindness, generosity to generosity. If your mind/heart is broad and generous, it will naturally be drawn to such places and people. Unfortunately, if it’s cold and narrow, that’s the sort of place that will also feel most like home.
So the efforts we make are never in vain. Nothing is ever wasted.
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; those who seek find; and to those who knock, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7: 7-8)
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year from everyone at Wake Up and Laugh!
Images: These actually started out as Christmas cards. The top one is from Japan, by way of Marcus, and the second is by an artist living in Thailand, Nancy Chandler (www.nancychandler.net)
Wake Up and Laugh! 
I love this top image and I do believe the bottom image has graced my post box, last year, I believe. In fact I found it just yesterday while going through some papers and it came from someone who writes for your lovely blog! Wishing you all the best of the season!
The top image is very graceful, isn’t it! I wish there were more Buddhist Christmas/holiday cards. I think someone with some talent could have a lot of fun with Santa!
All of my best to you and your family! (And may the chemical smell from the renovations fade quickly!)
Merry Christmas to everyone at WUAL!
I love the big, generous hearts of all the Bosalnims who make this blog possible.
Thank you all so much – from the dark frozen northeast corner of the US!
Thanks Roy!
All of our best for you and your family, and thank you for everything you do with your blog.
-From another frozen corner, just to the southeast of Siberia!
Thank you so much for this, Chong Go Sunim!
I’ve never seen a Buddhist-Santa before and I l o v e him 🙂
yesterday i sold a singing bowl for christmas gift and i thought, here’s someone who has got the essence of it. buddhist or christ – let’s be one in love.
Merry christmas and love, peace and joy to everyone!
evelyn
What a lovely post! And what lovely comments! Thank you Chong Go Sunim and thank you everyone here! May everyone everywhere have a very happy Christmas!
And a merry Christmas to you as well!
May the turning of the seasons and the holiday spirit gladden the hearts of all of us, all around the world!
[…] O Bodhisattva Jesus 25 de dezembro de 2010 por Chong Go Sunim […]
Dear Chong Go Sunim,
Wonderful post. I am sure you are aware that the so called Gnostic Gospels (mostly the ones left out of the bible in the early second and third century due to among other deleterious actions, a ban by a Bishop Athanasius, I believe was his name) speak of very special knowledge imparted by Jesus to his followers. This knowledge was meant to be utilized in such a way as to help the individual attain a higher heavenly realm through his or her own doing and practice. When I read about this it really interested me; you know we know virtually nothing about the life of Jesus; his adult ministry having been just a short three years prior to his execution, according to what was permitted as scripture for the modern era and the middle ages. Dr. Bart Ehrman’s books (which Joseph Cheon Do) recommended to me, are the most advanced and up to date analyses of the scripture that became the bible as we know it, and they talk about this in some detail. Also, I noticed at Kyobo books in Gangnam, over the weekend, a huge volume entitled The Gnostic Gospels. These gospels, some by Thomas, Mary Magdalen, Phillip, and others speak of many events in the life of Jesus, some of which were sensationalized in The Da Vinci Code, but which include his childhood as well. I thought this would be interesting as the special knowledge aspect of the so called Gnostic beliefs, in part, I feel, strongly resemble the methodology of The Buddha, and far from cause me to further disbelieve in Jesus, The Gnostic Gospels have made the story of Jesus more real to me. Peace, Love, And Joy, My Good Teacher, and Happy New Year and Merry Christmas Season to You!
Someone on Reddit/Buddhism left this great comment (about this post):
“I can’t wait to see what Santasattva has brought me, I’ve been a really equanimous boy this year!!!”
Jesus did not only teach about kindness and love, he mentioned things that are difficult to grasp even for many ‘Buddhists’, he said about the importance of looking within, he said it directly to those who were waiting for Kingdom of God, that you cannot see it with your regular eyes, that you see it with inner eyes (mind), that God is within you. He also taught about letting go to that source within, he said it with metaphors, like “what do you think of yourselves? you cannot even change the colour of your single hair!” – he clearly said that the source within you doing everything, and he called it “Father”, so people could relate somehow. He did not like people calling him son of God, he said ‘I am human son (son of human)’ ; he said that it is better not to marry but seek the essence, and he could feel people around him (knew people’s mind). He knew more than he could explain to those people at that time and that place, like he said ” you have eyes and don’t see, have ears and don’t hear”. He was trying to teach Dharma, however, that is something that somehow most people cannot understand (no wonder Buddha did not even want to teach at first). And, by the way, the word ‘Islam’ means peace and surrender, the profound meaning of the teachings also got lost and very few know that it was all about surrender to the limitless source within.
So people did not really get it, but better something than nothing. Even many Buddhist would not recognize Buddha if he would stare them in the face and would argue and disagree and ignore Buddha, talking about rules and doctrines and masters and teachers, not able to lift the eyes and see broader and wider.
Nirvana… you are already there, and yet so far away.
What Jesus is doing now? He is enlightened being.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B1FizjVAbSMxNDMwOWJiNjctZTA1OS00YjFhLWE0ZTAtNGJiMDExMTU2YTAy&hl=en&authkey=CNip3fQE