I Want To Stop The Suffering
Oct 7th, 2008 by padma
The Dharma Foundation
I’ve been a Buddhist/Christian/Sufi/Tao/Zen Disciple for probably 10 years now. I can’t really say what drew me to spirituality other than a deep unshakable calling inside of my very being. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t feel the compulsion towards a higher force and I can’t recall a time that I could explain it properly to anyone else. Live the Dharma is something I gave a lot of thought into before going live, but in the end I realized that it was time to try and explain my calling to others.
Now that I have been writing here for several months, I’ve come to realize two things.
- Although I have been writing about topics I find important, I have not been writing about the true nature of my purpose here. Maybe I was afraid there wouldn’t be any interest, but for some reason I have been skirting the heavy issues and slowly inching towards defining that purpose rather than simply coming out with it.
- There is a second calling that has worked its way into the mix, and I feel so strong of an urge to make it manifest, that no amount of procrastination can keep it from happening.
It may sound as if I am talking in riddles here, so I’ll simply come out with it. I am going to begin the process of moving towards topics that are both more refined and more intense rather than the feel good topics I have been covering lately. The truth is that life is much too important to take lightly and I don’t believe we humans have the luxury of being superficial in our quests for truth.
Secondly, I am simply tired of suffering. I am not referring to my own personal sufferings, because for those I am grateful because they lead me on my journey to freedom from them. However, the suffering of the world is tremendously painful for me to watch. Animals suffer in labs and food factories. Children suffer through abuse and neglect. Men and women suffer through rape and violence. Every day thousands of people are needlessly taken from their families through cruel acts of murder or even accidental acts of killing. War devastates much of the world and families have to bury their children due to ill-placed bombs. In the place I reside currently, I see children as young as 3 years old digging through trash trying to find something to eat; orphaned by the war. Everywhere I look I see suffering…and I cannot bear it. For far too long we humans have been the cause, not the answer.
I have decided to devote my life to pursuing the path of the Bodhisattva as much as I can while still maintaining my familial obligations. I realize that those two goals don’t necessarily mesh well, but I can’t exactly help others if I cannot help my family and self first. After all, that is part of the process right?
Secondly, and really the entire purpose of this post…I am starting a foundation to help do my part to end suffering and I am going to need your help. The foundation will be called: The Dharma Foundation and its message will be “We Want to Stop the Suffering.” I am dedicating this foundation to preventing suffering through campaigns and charity work to spread good will and faith to the world, while also helping to minimize suffering for those that may find themselves in need.
The world needs messages of hope and faith. People need to know that there are people that care about them and that they don’t have to suffer alone. We can help to prevent the suffering of animals, children, and adults. We can help the weak, the poor, the hungry, and the lost. There are many organizations doing this already, but I believe that we can do it better and with more mercy and compassion than ever before. I will soon be sending out a press release to announce this project in more detail and I ask your support in helping get the message out. I also ask for the help of any of you willing to offer services in the way of web or graphic design for this project. I cannot pay you, but you will receive full credit in as many ways as possible. This simply cannot be a solo effort, I cannot go in alone. Together we can all make a difference, and I hope you will be with me. I want to stop the suffering.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts…
Padma
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