Is there interbeing between Catholicism and Buddhism?

Thay answers questions on 21 June 2014. Question 7

(Bell)

Dear Thay, dear Sangha,

We have a friend.
He is a Catholic monk.

When he was a child,
he didn't have any spiritual life.

But when he grew up,
he had an experience of love and unity.

And he became a monk.

Now he has two spiritual sources.

The first one is Jesus
and the other one is Thay.

He has read some of your books and
he follows your teachings on the Internet

and he is very grateful for them.

Probably, he won't be able to come
to Plum Village.

Will you say some words
about this interbeing

between Catholicism and Buddhism?

(Thay): Read again please.

Dear Thay,
dear Sangha,

We have a friend,
who is a Catholic monk.

When he was a child
he didn't have any spiritual life.

But when he grew up,
he had an experience of love and unity.

And he became a monk.

Now he has two spiritual sources.

The first one is Jesus
and the other one is Thay.

He has read some of your books and
he follows your teachings on the Internet

and he is very grateful for them.

Probably he won't be able to come
to Plum Village.

So could Thay say some words
about the interbeing

between Catholicism and Buddhism?

The day before yesterday,
we said something like:

"Buddhism is made of
non-Buddhist elements."

It's like a flower that is made of
non-flower elements.

And the Buddha has used only non-Buddhist
elements to make his Buddhism.

And he was aware of that.

Looking around you see many elements.

And if you are a skillful person,
you can make use of every element you see

in order to make your own Buddhism.

So the same thing must be true
with Christianity.

Christianity is made of
non-Christianity elements.

And the teaching of interbeing is also
available in Christianity.

The teaching of living happily
in the present moment

can be found in the teaching
of Jesus Christ.

And when you read the Bible

you read statements like this one:

"There will be a day when you will see
that I am in My Father

and you are in Me
and I am in you."

That is from John.
This is the teaching of interbeing.

I am in the Father and you are in me
and I am in you.

We are inside each other
and not outside.

In the Gospel according to Matthew
is said that:

"Let us not worry about tomorrow.
Tomorrow will take care of itself."

So that is the teaching of
living happily in the present moment.

So there are many points
that can be recognized.

And there are many of us who practice

according to the teaching of Jesus and
the Buddha and do not find any conflict.

And that is very good for the cause of
peace, unity and harmony in the world.

(Bell)

(Bell)