A glimpse of Buddhism in Obama’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton

You’ll see Secretary Clinton walking with President Obama and the abbot of Wat Pho monastery in Bangkok, Thailand at about 55 seconds in. The image is from a 2012 tour of Asia by the President and Secretary of State. As the picture flashes on the screen, President Obama discusses his his and Clinton’s “pursuit of diplomacy in capitals around the world.”

While it would be easy to make too big a deal of it – it is, after all, just one second in a three-minute video – it is still worth remarking that Buddhists around the world have a role to play in global politics. Here in the U.S., Buddhists comprise just 1-2% of the population but can still tilt political scales in some places and reach out to non-Buddhists and broader causes elsewhere.

And while certain Buddhist ideals appear to point beyond petty politics; many others point to the need for compassionate action in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. In some traditions – thinking of the 10 ox-herding pictures – the final stage of progress is a return to society, not to get caught up in its drama, but be and to serve.