Lighting up the world.

The other day I was reflecting on one candle lighting another candle. A single candle can light dozens of other candles and nothing is lost in the process. The candle doesn't become weary and doesn't concern itself with the results of lighting other candles. It just lights up the world that it interacts with. That reminded me of this verse by Shantideva:

May I be a guard for those who are protectorless, 

A guide for those who journey on the road.

For those who wish to cross the water, 

May I be a boat, a raft, a bridge.

May I be an isle for those who yearn for land, 

A lamp for those who long for light;

For all who need a resting place, a bed;

For those who need a servant, may I be their slave.

May I be the wishing jewel, the vase of wealth,

A word of power and supreme healing,

May I be the tree of miracles,

For every being the abundant cow.

Just like the earth and space itself,

And all the mighty elements,

For boundless multitudes of beings

May I always be the ground of life, the source of varied sustenance.

Thus for everything that lives,

As far as the limits of the sky,

May I be constantly their source of livelihood

Until they pass beyond all sorrow.

A bodhisattva is someone who has made a commitment to waking up in the world in order to better serve and benefit others. The bodhisattva relies on a set of principles that are focused on elevating our individual and collective dignity. Part of the bodhisattvas commitment is making a daily choice to be of benefit to others, not simply ourselves. That daily commitment can take many forms, both in intention and action. A simple way to set your intention for the day is to recite this verse of Shantideva's aspiration prayer for the bodhisattva vow.

The result of your practice is the consummation of your character, your willingness to be the reservoir of presence and dignity in a world that desperately needs more thoughtful, compassionate and caring people. Be the candle, the bridge, the guide. Dedicate the time and energy to learning how to do that so you don't wear yourself thin, but that you can commit to making it a daily practice for the rest of your life. 

Householder Upasaka tradition.

The face of Buddhism is often recognized by serene monks and nuns wearing red or saffron robes, but this isn't the whole story of the path that the Buddha laid out.

During the time of the Buddha's life, he taught both lay householders, or upasaka, as well as monks and nuns. Both were collectively referred to as the arya-sangha, not just the monks and nuns. The term 'upasaka' means 'practitioner of virtue', or  'one who contributes'. The upasaka (female upasika) were prominently featured in the many sutras of the Buddha and were among his main disciples, including Anathapindika, Visakha, King Pasenadi, King Bimbisara, and Doctor Jivaka.

The upasaka or householder became known the 'white robed sangha', for much like our white collar professionals they were of various classes and were engaged in the world in various ways. The upasaka was a person committed to their practice, they were not just culturally Buddhist or a non-monastic. The Buddha mentioned specific qualities that characterized an upasaka, those being taking refuge in the Three Jewels, observing ethical precepts, frequenting teachings to hear and contemplate the dharma, observing additional vows on sojong days, making offerings to the Three Jewels, and contributing to the dharma.1

There are four types of upasaka based on their observance of vows.

1. Refuge Upasaka- takes refuge in the Three Jewels but does not observe any of the five lay vows.
2. Single Precept Upasaka- in addition to refuge observes one of the lay vows for life (the five lay vows of not killing, not stealing, not lying, avoiding intoxicants, abandoning sexual misconduct)
3. Several Precept Upasaka- in addition to refuge holds several of the lay vows
4. Complete Upasaka- in addition to refuge holds all five of the lay vows

Regardless of your commitment to observing vows of conduct, you are able to progress along the four stages of enlightenment until you take the bodhisattva vow and enter the Mahayana path.

Wheel of tsok.

This meat-
all that appears and exists, the nature of the five Buddha families,
my own body, inseparable from all beings,
we are all impermanent, changing from one body to the next,
changing bodies like clothes,
the mouse becomes the hawk, the cow the crops, lifetime after lifetime.
I am often stricken with the desire to be beyond all this,
but ours is the inherited responsibility to live a life of great purpose,
to be compassionate, generous and kind,
to discover our natural freedom in this very body of flesh,
for the benefit of all beings.  
We should enjoy, question and respect,
but never assume, demean or disregard.
Emaho!

This wine-
this sublime nectar of the dakinis,
with its fragrant bouquet pervading the extent of space,
its bountiful mouthfeel of suchness,
I enjoy the one taste of all samsara and nirvana,
the union of bliss and emptiness.
Everything is encompassed by this single drop,
all perceptions, qualities and experiences dissolving
into the originally pure dharmadhatu, the basic space of phenomena.
Seeing through the intoxicating nature of all appearances,
the Great Mother, Prajnaparamita, is revealed
beyond all thought, description or imagination.
Ah la la.

These are my samaya substances.  This is my commitment.
My vow not to turn from this world.
My commitment to remain, working for the benefit of beings.
Freely enjoying this wheel of tsok,
with nothing to be renounced or forsaken,
I consume all conditions as fuel for my practice.
May the blessings of the Trikaya Guru and assembly of dakinis
soften our hearts and transform our minds!
May the blessings of this completely virtuous Younge practice tradition ripen and flourish!
May we all gain accomplishment as one mandala!
Emaho Ah la la ho!

The world is deceitful.

Not the world actually, just our perception of it.

We think things are going to work out.
We believe things are going to go our way.
We hope that our lot will continue to grow.
We trust that things will get better. 

All the while we neglect the truth of suffering.  Dissatisfaction runs deep, it is all-pervasive.  We know that things are impermanent.  We know that all conditioned things are going to let us down.  We know that we never get anywhere when we are caught up in praise or blame, gain or loss. 

We know things things to be true, yet we continue to hope things are somehow going to work out in the end. 

Contemplate the truth of suffering.  Really, honestly think about it.  The only way out is to eliminate our own ignorance, bias and confusion.  No one is going to do this for us.  It is we who deceive ourselves.

That doesn't mean give up.  Not at all.  It means that we shouldn't be surprised when we encounter the truth of suffering.  It means that this fight is not over, it will never be over.  

It will never be over.  And we vow to continue to take rebirth here until all beings are liberated from the cycle of suffering. 

That is the promise.  That is what we are doing here. 

I am not surprised.  Now it is time to get back to work. 

The basis of the Ngakpa vow.

There are countless vows that the Ngakpa promises to uphold, but the root of all of them is the samaya they have with their root teacher.

The teacher is the source of all blessings.  We receive those blessings when our minds are transformed.  That transformation can take many forms, such as feeling more compassionate, more open minded.  It can take the form of finding one's purpose or finding meaning in one's life.  Ultimately that transformation is our ordinary samsaric mind transforming into the awakened mind of complete enlightenment, our inherent buddhanature.

Transformation can take many forms, but it is always personal.  It impacts your mind and your life.

The confirmation that we have received the blessings of the teacher is that our mind and life are transformed by their kindness.  We have been impacted, changed. 

That transformation engenders a deep gratitude and respect.  It is something to honor and to uphold.  That heartfelt connection that has been forged is called samaya.  It is the basis for all the other commitments that one makes. 

Blessings, transformation and samaya.  They are all linked between the student and the teacher.  The come together as a seed and they ripen as the path, bearing fruit as complete awakening. 

Householder tradition.

A vital aspect to the living Buddhist tradition that we experience today is the presence of the householder tradition in Tibet.

During the 9th century the Dharma faced numerous attacks from the Tibetan king and it was the householder tradition that allowed the Dharma to be continuously transmitted and realized.

Someone who belongs to this householder tradition is called a Ngakpa, or Ngakma for women.  A Ngakpa is someone who has taken a non-monastic vow.  They are men and women who practice within the Vajrayana tradition and do so within the context of their normal, daily life.

The householder tradition is often called the White Sangha, because they often wore white robes or had the traditional red and white striped robe.  They were artists, doctors, architects, writers and farmers.  They were professionals dedicated to their practice.  They were highly educated and held important roles in their communities.  They often had families and worldly responsibilities, but they also devoted significant time to retreat and practice.  

The ngakpas practice is one of immersion.  They were the working basis through which the teachings expressed themselves.  Their practice isn't purely philosophical; it is felt, lived.  Samaya is the root of the ngakpa vow.  This samaya or heartfelt connection is what the ngakpa or ngakpa upholds.

There are family lineages of ngakpas, where a particular practice or lineage of teachings is passed from one generation to the next.  A ngakpa may also be any individual who upholds that heartfelt connection and is immersed and engaged with the teachings under a qualified lineage holder.  

The ngakpas organized themselves into Houses, often naming a House after a particular region, like the Rebkhong House to which Shabkar belonged. The ngakpas organized themselves and their lives around their practice.  No one really knew who the really great practitioners were.  They weren't spiritual materialists who were caught up in wearing the right costume.  They were dedicated to their practice and concerned with upholding that heartfelt connection and then sharing it with others.  The genuine ones gained accomplishment as siddhas and the lineage flourished as a result of their practice and determination.   

This householder tradition continues to this day.  It is in contrast to the monastic tradition, but it is no less important.  It remains a vital life line for the Dharma.