Patrick Duffy
From Philosopedia
Patrick Duffy (14 March 1949 - )
Duffy was born in Montana and moved at age 12 with his family to Seattle. He graduated from the University of Washington, attending the Professional Actors Training Program. An athlete, he taught mime for a while, while seeking acting jobs.
His wife Carlyn, a ballet dancer whom he married in a Buddhist temple in 1974, introduced Duffy to Buddhism. His most famous acting role is as Bobby Ewing (the nice son) in the hit TV series, Dallas (1978-1985, 1986-1991). He and his wife have two sons, both college graduates. Duffy's parents were tragically murdered in 1986 during an armed robbery of their tavern in Montana. Duffy's acting career, largely in TV, has rarely been on hiatus.
He appeared on ABC's 19 July 1999 installment of Bill Maher's" Politically Incorrect", one on which the producers were trying to build a religiously diverse panel to discuss the meaning of life. The planned discussion of the meaning of life was overtaken by the untimely death of John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife, and her sister. Here's an excerpt:
- Bill: You're a practicing Buddhist.
- Patrick: Mm-hmm.
- Bill: For how long?
- Patrick: 30 years.
- Bill: 30 years.
- Patrick: Yeah.
- Bill: Now, what would they say about something like this [tragic death of JFK Jr]? How do they deal with life?
- Patrick: Well, it's a completely different concept, because it deals solely with individual karma.
- Bill: Right.
- Patrick: And it deals with the fact, in essence, you know, come right out and say it, that there is no God, that the individual is God.
- Bill: Right.
- Patrick: And that's as far as it goes. I mean, literally, you are the sole person responsible for all causes in your life.
- Bill: Right. Buddha is not a God.
- Patrick: No, Buddha is a teacher.
- Bill: Right.
- Patrick: Which was what Christ was, in my opinion, in terms of historical relevance.
- Bill: Right. But, Buddha made a point in his life to say, "Don't make me a God."
- Patrick: Yeah, he said there is there is no distinctions between any person - myself, you, or the universe.
