Buddhist Romanticism

questions of self-identity and becoming—and interprets them as if they
were an answer to the question, “What is my self? What is my identity in
relationship to the world?” And the answer becomes: Our identity is fluid
and totally imbedded with the rest of the world; it finds its meaning as part
of the evolution of all life.
Life as a whole, in this case, takes on the role of Schelling’s World Soul
and Emerson’s Over-Soul. Its evolution is seen as purposeful. Individuals,
as expressions of life, can find meaning in helping that purpose be achieved
harmoniously.
“The Dharma vision of a co-arising world, alive with
consciousness, is a powerful inspiration for the healing of the Earth.
… It shows us our profound imbeddedness in the web of life.… I
have been deeply inspired by the Buddha’s teaching of dependent coarising.
It fills me with a strong sense of connection and mutual
responsibility with all beings.”
“The aim of all great spiritual traditions is to offer us relief from
the dramas of self and history, to remind us that we are part of much
grander projects than these. In that sense, I suggest that experiencing
ourselves as part of biological evolution can be understood as a
complete spiritual path. The fantastic story of evolving life and
consciousness contains as many miracles as any bible and as much
majesty as any pantheon of divinities. The drama of earthlife’s
creative expression and the puzzle of where it might be leading can
fill us with enough suspense and wonder to last at least a lifetime.
And the idea that we are part of its unfolding can offer us meaning
and purpose.”
Some teachers echo Emerson’s image of the universal ocean of life as a
symbol of the answer to life’s prime spiritual question.
“It is the goal of spiritual life to open to the reality that exists
beyond our small sense of self. Through the gate of oneness we
awaken to the ocean within us, we come to know in yet another way
that the seas we swim in are not separate from all that lives. When
our identity expands to include everything, we find a peace with the
dance of the world. It is all ours, and our heart is full and empty,
large enough to embrace it all.”
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