I have been following, with great wonder and admiration, the Buddhist Monks engaged in a “Walk for Peace” across America as they spread their messages of love, compassion and unity. Together with their intrepid dog Aloka, they have captured the minds and spirit of people around the world in these times of political turmoil and humanitarian failure.

And so today I have chosen the words of the Buddha himself, which seem to me the best possible advice for all of us as we struggle to make sense of the daily barrage of information, misinformation and disinformation being hurled at us from all sides:

“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”

– Siddhartha Gautama, more famously known as Buddha

And for those authoritarians spreading the lies and half-truths, Buddha had this additional word of caution:

“Three things cannot hide for long: the Moon, the Sun and the Truth.”

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/8/26