1. What are the major differences or similarities between the ethos of the creation story or stories you are familiar with and the story King tells in The Truth About Stories ? 

I’m from Sri Lanka, where the majority of the people are Sinhalese Buddhists. I grew up with Buddhism, as my whole family, including my extended family are practicing Buddhists.  So the story I grew up with is the story of Siddhartha Gautama, a prince near the borders of Nepal and India who gave up his luxuries to find a more meaningful life. You might have already heard the story but let me share some of the basics. One day an astrologer had told his future, that he would either be a great king or a spiritual leader, his family had tried everything to shield him away from life’s suffering, as to secure him as a King.  However one day as he walked around in the village, he saw someone suffering and understood that life was full of suffering and impermanence; it happens to everyone. He set off on a spiritual journey, leaving everything behind him. During his journey, he began to understand the key to happiness and a free mind. He realized the right path was the middle path, not to indulge but not to omit, and underwent deep meditation.  This was to help the people around him, and enlighten others. After Siddhartha became enlightened, he became known as the Buddha, and spent the rest of his life traveling on foot, to help others around him and pass on his knowledge.  

Now there are key similarities with the story King tells in the Truth About Stories and the Buddha story.  The animals were willing to help the Earth Diver when she was in unknown territory and the Buddha wanted to help others free their mind and take away the suffering. Both stories teach the value of giving and extending help towards others.  Both stories also encourage you to go out of your way even if it means taking away from yourself. Also, both stories encourage us to realize we are all connected beings and we are part of nature. (Side note, please use the hyperlink to understand more about the Buddhist teachings and the life lessons that it instills).   In the Earth Diver story, nature and the key elements of it are emphasized, such as the water and creatures that inhabit Earth. In Buddhism, we believe all living things have purpose and deserve to be respected and cared for. Both stories also include someone going beyond what they know and exploring and discovering something new.  The Buddha left his comfortable lifestyle to understand life, and the Earth Diver, ended up on Earth and ended up exploring the unknown. Another thing to note is that when the Buddha left his position as a Prince to go on a spiritual journey, he is acknowledging that titles and societal hierarchy are meaningless. Everyone suffers, and everyone goes through the same things in life, we are all equal.  In the Earth Diver story, no one is acknowledged as more important than another, or if one should be saved over another, they foster cooperation to complete a task. Overall both stories express a non hierarchical aspect, and interconnectedness. 

Overall, I believe these two stories share quite a few similarities, and it might be why I think more community wise rather than individualistically — because they foster characteristics such as cooperation and thoughtfulness. 

Works Cited

“Following the Buddha’s Footsteps.” THE BASIC TEACHING OF BUDDHA, San Francisco State University, online.sfsu.edu/rone/Buddhism/footsteps.htm.

King, Thomas, “The Truth about Stories: A Native Narrative.” CBC Massey Lectures. House of Anansi Press, 2003.

“Who Was Buddha? A Short Life Story of Buddha Shakyamuni.” Diamond Way Buddhism, www.diamondway-buddhism.org/buddhism/buddha/.