The Buddha of the Dead Sea

Background:

The Buddha of the Dead Sea is about a fictitious holy man who lives alone in a Lotus flower-shaped houseboat in the middle of the Dead Sea. He is on a widely-known, non-stop praying mission to convert the Dead Sea to a Living Sea of fresh water, and thereby convert the whole of the Middle East to a Buddha land.

Thesis: The only way to achieve peace in the Middle East is to debunk the Abrahamic faiths by showing the power of the Buddha Way.

Invitation to you:

I would love to see a play or a movie based on this concept, for which I claim original visionary credit. However, the writing of plays or of movies is beyond the scope of my abilities. Therefore, I invite you to do the writing, and to feel free to use any of the following ideas I've listed.

Naturally, any and all rights would belong to you. As for my own reward: Just knowing I'd inspired you would be more than enough.

A Sketch of the Lead Actors

The Dead Sea itself:

There are aspects of the Dead Sea which would serve well to describe the Middle East. These can also serve to compare Abrahamic to Buddhistic notions of life and death:

·       Its shores are the lowest areas of land on earth, at over 1,300 feet below sea level. So, like the Middle East, the Dead Sea is in a "low" way, its waters (a symbol of life) dead-ended with nowhere to go.

·       The small size of the Dead Sea makes it an ideal and intimate stage upon which this story is played out. Were it too large, the Buddha of the Dead Sea wouldn't loom that large himself.

·       Water, by virtue of entering the Dead Sea, "dies" (that is, loses its potential) by having to remain in that body. Such water could be reincarnated (or come back to life, as it were) only after it leaves the Sea by evaporating and then falling elsewhere as life-giving rain.

·       The Dead Sea is one of the world's saltiest (deadest) bodies of waters. It is becoming even "deader" by having its fresh, incoming waters diverted for human and agricultural use. There is a real danger that this icon could disappear entirely and, even though "dead," end up wreaking environmental havoc (causing more death, quite literally) due to its absence. [It's interesting how the dead support the living.]

·       There are plans, in the exploratory phase only, to dig a canal connecting the Red Sea to the Dead Sea, in hopes of raising its level. This project would also provide hydroelectric power as the Red Sea waters power turbines by means of the power of their downward flow toward the Dead Sea. This same downward pressure could be used in a Reverse Osmosis process to provide fresh drinking water, though the downside to that is the salts that are filtered out would be flushed into the Dead Sea.

·       The Bible speaks prophetically of the Dead Sea healing and becoming a body of fresh water, with fish living in it some day (Ezekiel 47). However, the way in which it becomes a Living Sea is by means of an ironic Buddhist fulfillment of this prophecy, which serves as the climax of my story.

The Dead Sea Buddha himself:

This is the main character in my story - a true mystery man unknown by anybody, with no traceable history. Referring to himself simply as the Buddha of the Dead Sea, he lacks even a name, birth certificate, or any documentation that he even exists. Furthermore, he denies that he is a citizen of any country. Complicating matters for any who would try to discern his origins, he speaks several languages fluently.

He encounters no objections from Israeli or Jordanian authorities when he asks permission to live in solitude in the middle of the Dead Sea on a floating houseboat. His wealth, in the form of gold of uncertain origin, suffices to build this houseboat and to arrange for supplies to be flown in occasionally via seaplane.

The Lotus

The Lotus is the name of the houseboat, which is the Buddha's dwelling. The flowering plant known as the lotus is a significant symbol among Nichiren Buddhists, with whom I was personally connected.

This plant, lovely to behold as it floats serenely on the surface of a pond, actually draws its nourishment via a root feeding off the muck on the bottom. Comparing it to a human being, the flower represents the potential all of us have to manifest the "bloom" of Buddhahood - even though we are connected to and nourished by muck (that is, by our earthly desires).

Also, the Lotus is a symbol of an important concept in Mahayana Buddhism - the simultaneity of cause and effect. The fact that the Lotus is the only plant that flowers and seeds at the same time, is interpreted symbolically as meaning:

When a person takes appropriate action (creating a cause) leading toward enlightenment, there is an immediate (though subtle, internal) effect which is a manifestation of this enlightenment. That's what's meant by "the simultaneity of cause and effect," which refutes the notion that any possible manifestation of effect takes place much later.

Two dedicated disciples of this Buddha

These two provide logistical support for Dead Sea Buddha, arranging for occasional deliveries of supplies he needs. These two are also unknown, untraceable mystery men but they are unique and provocative in their appearance. They'd dyed their skin and hair saffron (a traditional Buddhist color), and wear saffron-colored clothes. However, one wears his hair and clothes in the style of a Hasidic Jew; the other of an (Islamic) Whirling Dervish.

All appearances are just that - only appearances - as the "dervish" states, "Before becoming a Buddhist, I was a Jew," and the Hasidim states, "Before becoming a Buddhist, I was a Muslim." Both men, however, are inseparably close friends, explaining to people, "In a past life, we were brothers."

The authorities

Toward the end of this story, there is a scene on the Lotus, featuring a confrontation between this Buddha and men (it's always men, isn't it?) who represent the interests of the locals. Four are from the Israeli side, and four are from the Islamic side - each group having one member from the clerical side.

The Buddha makes an offer to these men, after performing a miracle in their presence. This offer is the dramatic high point of this piece.

The Setting:

In the near future, at the time when the Red Sea to Dead Sea Canal is nearing completion, the Buddha of the Dead Sea invites the eight men (referred to, above) to receive a gift from him. He had already sent them a plan, of his own creation, detailing a revolutionary new technology for desalination of the waters about to flow in from the Red Sea. He is able to lure them to the Lotus by promising something even more profound, but only to be bestowed on board the Lotus.

The climax

It is late in the evening when the eight men of authority board the Lotus to meet the Buddha and receive his gift. After pleasantries are exchanged, the Buddha gives each of his guests a large cup and instructs them to dip it into the Dead Sea and drink the water.

The eight look at each other, and one finally says, "You know we can't drink that water - unless ... unless these cups are designed to make fresh water out of salty."

The Buddha says that these are just cups to hold water, not to change it. But he also says, "Go ahead and drink anyway. If you are not sure, then take only a small sip."

The guests do as instructed and are amazed to be drinking fresh water. Then the Buddha's two disciples, witnessing this from nearby, look at each other, nod in agreement, and then take a running leap into the (now) Living Sea, letting out a hearty "Yee-ha!" before disappearing below the waves.

When they surface, one yells out, "Look! I can swallow this in good health!" Another one fumbles with his hands and yanks something to the surface, "Look! A fish! For the first time in 2,000 years, a fish lives in the Dead Sea!"

Later, when pressed for an explanation, the Buddha tells these authorities that he just now made the entire Dead Sea into a body of fresh water - "no more salt!" And he adds: "If you have any doubt about the power of a Buddha to perform this kind of miracle, then you have much to learn about Buddhism."

But there's a catch:

The Buddha informs his guests that this now-living sea won't stay that way, unless each of the eight agrees - before dawn - that it should. Even one dissenter would be enough to cause the Dead Sea to return to its past, hostile state. Then he says, "I'm leaving you now to talk this over. In your wisdom or perhaps in your foolishness, you might decide the sea was better off dead. You might decide the prospect of a Living Sea to be detrimental somehow, even though it would allow the entire surrounding areas to come to life."

Before he leaves the room, the Buddha looks at one of the eight (Muslim or Jew, I will not say) and beckons him, "Come outside with me, I need a word with you in private."

When alone, the Buddha says, "I know you're a suicide bomber. Tell me, are you surprised the bomb didn't go off when tried to detonate it shortly after you arrived here? Don't be surprised - I rendered it harmless."

[It turns out the bomb is in this guest's artificial leg.]

The Buddha concludes: "I especially wanted you to be here, because of the special challenge you represent. You think I'm some kind of demon, since you can't think outside the limits of your own faith. But what I said still goes. If you are the only one to decide that this sea must not live, then it shall not. Of course, if it does live, that will stand as proof of the power of Buddhism, since the whole world knows I've been praying to convert the Dead Sea for years, from my home here on the Lotus."

One additional detail:

In the closing scene, the Buddha gives the suicide bomber a special gift - the artificial limb is transformed into his own original flesh and blood. The wannabe bomber is overwhelmed by joy at his sudden conversion, but he's still torn by his deep-seated doubts about the Buddha.

The benefactor looks at this man and says, "If you or any of the others decide the Dead Sea shall not live, then your leg will become as it was before - artificial and containing a bomb. But I promise you this, that bomb will not explode.

"You have a lot to think about - before the sun rises."

An Unconventional Buddha

I want to portray this Buddha non-traditionally, since that might serve to reach a wider audience. On occasion, throughout this story, this Buddha swears and comes across as a cranky old man. When challenged about this, he paraphrases one of the teachings found in the Lotus Sutra:

QUOTE [with paraphrase underlined]:

If the form of a Buddha will bring salvation, he immediately manifests a Buddha form and preaches the Law. If the form of an asshole will bring salvation, he immediately becomes an asshole and preaches the Law. Thus he manifests himself in various different forms, depending upon what is appropriate for salvation.

:UNQUOTE [Lotus Sutra, Burton Watson translation, page 296]

Steven Searle, just another member of the Virtual Samgha of the Lotus

Contact me at bpa_cinc@yahoo.com