Fulfillment, found.

For many of us, wealth is an endless horizon of more and better. More stuff, better stuff, more experiences, better experiences. There is no limit to how much we can consume. Wealth as a measure of endless consumption can never be satiated. No matter how many wonderful things we have done or how much we have surrounded ourselves with nice things, if we continue searching for more we will never know fulfillment. 

Enough is the opposite of the endless search for more and better. Enough enables us to appreciate what we have, to tune in to what is available to us at this very moment, and to be satisfied and content. Enough still relies to some measure on stuff and experiences, but those things and experiences become tangible and within our reach. 

One of the five wisdoms that characterize the awakened mind is all-accomplishing wisdom, otherwise translated as spontaneous fulfillment (Tib. bya ba grub pa'i ye shes). All-accomplishing wisdom is not the experience of whatever you desire being fulfilled. If your fulfillment is dependent on desire being fulfilled, then fulfillment lies outside of you because there is no end to your thirst. A desirous mind is antithetical to fulfillment. 

What happens when we let go of our desires? We experience the spontaneous fulfillment of enough.

Things, as they are, are sufficient for my well being and happiness. The present conditions, as they are, are sufficient for a live well lived. My current circumstances, as they are, are sufficient for me to act with purpose and intention. Appreciating who we are, as we are, opens us up to how much potential and possibility are available to us at this moment. Appreciating the world around us, as it is, reveals the opportunity and natural abundance that are always available to us. 

In this way, all is accomplished as it is, right now. Spontaneous fulfillment is readily available to us as the ever-present reality of things, just as they are. 

Just as a wellspring bubbling up from the ground flows out as a spring, inner wealth and abundance naturally want to be shared and flow out to others around us. Those gifts, in the form of kindness, compassion and generosity, deepen our sense of belonging and connection in the world. Inner fulfillment leads to outer fulfillment, benefitting yourself and others. In this way, the two aims of yourself and others become effortlessly fulfilled as a result of the single act of waking up. 

A key distinction.

When we have arrived at the completely settled state, we can enjoy a degree of peace and clarity. We have found a place of rest and have attained an approximation of the result of practicing shamatha.

What distinguishes this completely settled state from the state of resting in equanimity?

Total pliancy of mind and body.

When we are resting in the completely settled state, there is a sense of being enough, but the movement of the mind stirs ever so gently and we end up cycling through various thoughts about the past, future or our present condition. There isn't that sense of deep inner wealth that continues to fuel our meditation.

Our mind and body also continue to act as problems for our meditation. We get physically and mentally tired, we experience soreness or pain, and we lose our focus. We fight what is coming up in our mind and body as we strive towards our goal of resting single-pointedly.

The state of resting in equanimity is effortless. We aren't involved with struggle or achievement. Our minds simply rest naturally, and we can enjoy a deep sense of well-being, clarity and freedom from the elaboration of thoughts. This inner joy and wealth fuels our meditation so that we can sustain it effortlessly for as long as we want.

The completely settled state is not far from resting in equanimity, but we have much more work to do.

King-complex.

Our culture promotes a certain complex.  It is very simple:

If you are doing something well, you will be rich and famous.

Is that true?

Well, if you are doing great work, people should be following you.  People should be buying your thing, or promoting your service.  People should be talking about you.

You should be remarkable.

With a following and unique tribe comes the ability to capitalize on your work.  You should scale, increase your presence in the market and distinguish yourself from the competition.

Wealth and fame.  It's going to be glorious!

A modern day king living a lonely life of excess and neurosis, just like the good ole days.

Is there an alternative?

If you do something well, you will have a rich and thriving community.
If you do something well, you will impact people's lives.
If you do something well, you will be content and satisfied.

We can actually act on those.  We should start to value them more than likes, followers or money.   

Objects of gratitude.

Success can take many forms. 

Fancy cars, big bonuses, new additions, first homes, second homes, happy hours and weekend getaways.  Buy what you want.  Build a pile of what you think you need. 

Walk through your area and you are likely surrounded by people living out their success story.  Money and status grant us certain comforts and security, but underneath that success, how many people are really satisfied and content?

A lot of the contentment and satisfaction in our lives comes from being objects of gratitude.  We have been relied upon, trusted, made an impact and been present in someones life and they feel grateful for that presence.

We don't own that gratitude, yet we benefit greatly and derive deep satisfaction and joy from it. 

Instead of chasing success, maybe we should pursue more opportunities to impact the lives of others.  

Let's fix diffusion.

Diffusion is the natural and spontaneous movement of a substance from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.

Perfume diffuses in a room to leave a pleasant fragrance.

A teabag diffuses in water to make an enjoyable tea.

Oxygen in your lungs diffuses into your red blood cells to reinvigorate you and your work.

A popular local coffee shop diffuses into a global chain.

Diffusion is a natural process but we don’t often use it to our advantage.  We tend to be the area of low concentration.  So we consume.  We are entertained.  We listen and watch.  Mainly we wait and passively enjoy the fruits of a world that blooms around us.

What if that changed?

What if we became a source of wealth and bounty?  What if we were a wellspring of kindness and generosity?  What if our practice yielded dividends in the form of love? 

If we became a source of patience, kindness and generosity, what would happen in our homes and in our workplace?

If our practice gave rise to insight, drew out implications and made connections, do you think we would make an impact in those around us?

It might seem like a long shot, but the ball is in your court. 

Maybe this won’t even work, but even if you fail, what happiness and joy.

Part of our family.

There are those who care and those who don't.

Don't worry about those who don't care, treat them with respect and kindness and let them go there way.  Respect your own time and energy.

Those who care are like your own family.  They show up, do the work.  They push through resistance because what other choice do we have?  Pour your energy and time into strengthening the network, on impacting their lives and offering your support.  Benefit others, contribute value and the whole community benefits.  

We all want to be part of a family that cares, that takes a chance on being generous and kind.  Such a family experiences true wealth, or ratna, and they are crazy enough to want to share it with others.   

Moving from scarcity to abundance.

Most of us live lives of scarcity.

We don't have enough time or money.
We could use new gadgets, a better car or bigger house.
We don't have enough support, friends or love in our life.
We feel alone, overwhelmed by our problems, our debts, our pain.

Scarcity is largely a symptom of perception.  We feel deprived when compared to others or to an ideal.  What we have is not enough, not good or of limited value.  We may even feel inadequate ourselves, that we have nothing to offer.

Learning to sit with the discomfort of this perception and not continuing to indulge the storyline is a skill worth acquiring.

If we don't feed that perception we find that it is not true, it can't sustain itself.  We discover the simplicity of being present.  We tune in to appreciation of that which is right before us.  We embody the fullness of being, a natural abundance and inner wealth.

When we have such a discovery the perception of scarcity vanishes like fog on a mirror.  Abundance is naturally occurring and self-arising, it manifests as contentment, kindness and joy.

Not lacking anything yourself, that abundance desires to be shared.  It would be wasteful to hold onto that which you yourself already have.  Share it.  

Ratnasambhava

OM AH HUNG RATNASAMBHAVA TRAM

Ratnasambhava is one of the Five Family Buddhas.

His pure land is Gunavyuha, the Array of Qualities, representing the wealth of complete and perfect buddhahood.  His color is yellow, representing the activity of enriching and increasing, like the bountiful increase in crops just before the summer harvest.  His right hand is in the mudra of supreme generosity, completely purifying egotism into the wisdom of equality, equalness.  His left hand holds a precious jewel- radiating peace, prosperity and fulfilling his own benefit and the benefit of countless others. 

He rides a precious horse possessed with all the major and minor marks.  The horse is fearless, never startled.  His composure is perfect with a soft mane and flowing tail.  His tireless hooves are silent, light and unfaltering.  The horse rides on the wind, the natural vehicle of movement and change.  In Tibet, it is believed that prayers are carried on the wind.  Prayer flags are often known as the 'wind-horse', and making aspirational prayers and prayers of dedication give energy to that horse.

In regard to our own mind and self, Ratnasambhava represents the aggregate of vedana, which is often translated as sensation.  But sensation here really refers to how we experience the world and mental events.  In the Abhidharma-samuccaya:

What is the absolutely specific characteristic of vedana? It is to experience.

So the way in which we determine our experience (or our life) as being positive, negative or neutral is the aggregate of vedana.  We are presented with a situation and we determine it is positive while someone else might determine it is negative.  Who is correct?

When we deeply contemplate and integrate the wisdom and symbolism of Ratnasambhava, we can learn how to transmute any situation into one of great wealth and purpose.  Whatever we are presented with, if we meet the situation with the mudra of generosity we can overcome the narrow confines of our ego.  We can approach the world with openness and tenderness.  We can transmute selfishness into the wisdom of equality.  That precious jewel you are holding in your left hand, that is bodhicitta, the intention to awaken from your own darkness and delusion in order to benefit others.

So you ride your horse, you train in fearlessness (which doesn't mean there is no fear).  You train in composure, in honesty and integrity.  You ride the wind by making heartfelt aspiration and dedication prayers.  Give voice to the wishes of others.  Give voice to your own wishes. 

If you practice in this way, you will come to experience the wealth of Ratnasambhava.  Summer is coming.  Are you ready?  

What is the Fabric of your life?

What is it that runs as a constant throughout your day?  What motivates the choices you make, your actions and the way you relate with the world and people around you?

Is it money.
Fame.
Power.
Status.
Security.

Is it to escape the pain.
Illness.
Depression.
Guilt.

Is it your family.
The people in your life.
Your faith.
Your responsibility.

It could be love.
Kindness.
Generosity.
Or the truth.

Whatever it is, it is important that you know how it shapes who you are.  Does it lend itself to happiness?  Does it promote selfishness and suffering, or does it promote tenderness and appreciation? Does it benefit your life and those around you?  

If the fabric that runs through your life doesn't promote your own well being or the welfare of others, change it.  If it does support your own well being and the benefit of others, then persevere in the practice.

Once you know your motivation, the only thing left to do is act.  Go.

Investing in your Retirement.

Most of us know the rules for investing in your retirement:

1. Start early.
2. Make continual installments over the long term.
3. Delay making early withdrawals.

Sure there are other ways to invest your money, but in this scenario time is your friend.

The Buddha also taught this type of investing in your long term happiness and welfare, he called it the accumulation of merit.  It is based on the principle that right now you probably don't have the resources or opportunity to achieve or maintain the full result, but that you have some resources and opportunity available to you. 

So you should invest and dedicate your merit to achieving the full result in the future.  The result can be a better life, more peace of mind and confidence.  It could be a higher birth in the world, or to be able to bring benefit to yourself and others.  It could be to achieve complete and utter buddhahood, but we don't have to worry about that. 

Either way, the rules for investing your merit stay the same:

1. Start early. 
Now preferably.  I mean what are you waiting for?

2. Make continuous installments over the long term.
The accumulation of merit doesn't need to be grandiose or impressive.  It can be small acts of generosity, random acts of kindness.  It can be tiny acts of virtue, or even a moment of patience.  Whatever it is, have the intention that it bears its fruit in the future and brings countless benefit to yourself and others.  Let compound interest** work in your favor. 

3. Delay making early withdrawals.
Resist those rash temptations and short-term vision.  Don't give up and cash out in a moment of anger or desperation.  Don't get caught up in the daily highs and lows, resist the urge to respond to dramatic swings. 

Following these three simple rules, you can be sure that you will achieve your aims and the aims of others.  You will live a life of great purpose and there is no limit to the wealth and well-being that you will experience.


**Compound interest- your own and others interests

Dāna

The more we care for the happiness of others, 
the greater our own sense of well being becomes.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama

The Sanskrit word 'Dana' means giving.  

You have something to share and we want you to share it.  It is only when you recognize your own wealth and are willing to give it to others that the path to liberation begins. This marks the beginning of an altruistic attitude, caring for the benefit of others as opposed to yourself.  

Prior to giving there was only taking, egotism and concern for one's own welfare.  You know how that turns out.  You've already tasted that fruit and it grows more sour each day.  You know its bondage first hand.  

We bind ourselves with selfishness, 
We liberate ourselves through giving, 
So start giving.     

Dividends

The more time you invest in your practice- the greater your 'share of holding'- the greater the dividend you receive.  These dividends come in the form of blessings, inner wealth that can be reinvested and shared with others.

As your share of holding increases from a small portion of your life to a greater portion, you can expect to see a return on your investment in every aspect of your life- your job, your interactions with others, your good times and bad.  All the ordinary and mundane aspects of your life can become a source of great wealth and fulfillment when they are transformed by your practice.

There are no contradictions in terms of your practice.

The amount of wealth you have and the dividends you receive are commensurate with the share of your practice.  

Asset Protection

It is wise to guard your assets.  Only a fool would waste away his wealth on trivial pursuits and shiny diversions. 

So how do we protect our inner wealth and our most valuable asset- our mind?

Commit your most valuable resource to your practice over an extended period of time.

Your most valuable resource is your time.  We waste a lot of it and that is to be expected.  But if you invest small increments of time over a long period you end up with a lot of growth.  There is not only the protection of your inner wealth and mind, but also the development and an accumulation of great potential. 

Just like investing with money, trying to time the market and invest at the 'right time' most often leads to you missing the opportunity for real growth and development all together. 

What do you Do for a Living?

I am a pharmacist.  I count pills, verify prescriptions, talk to doctors, counsel patients on their medications and answer a lot of questions.  That is my job.  It is rather repetitive.  I am a replaceable cog in the healthcare industrial machine. 

You might be a teacher, engineer or programmer.  You might be a project manager, carpenter, scientist, paralegal, author, lawyer, or designer.  You might even be homeless.  You most definitely are a friend, a neighbor and maybe even a parent.

That is your form.

What if you were to train in the formless?

What if you trained in being open and receptive, trained to listen to the needs of others?  What if you trained in patience and generosity?  Love and kindness?  What if you intentionally cultivated focus and insight?  

Can you imagine in the course of doing your job that you could also do your art- which is to use reality, people and interactions as your canvas to share generosity, love and kindness.  To give gifts that don't have a limit.  To benefit others. 

Your job- which was repetitive and unfulfilling- could take on an infinite and endless potential.  It is a strange notion, but you could fulfill your aims and the aims of others simultaneously. 

That is work worth sharing.  And it pays dividends. 

Wealth Distribution

These, monks, are the seven treasures- 

The treasure of confidence,
The treasure of discipline,
The treasure of integrity and decency,
The treasure of listening, generosity,
and wisdom as the seventh treasure.
Whoever, man or woman, has these treasures
is said not to be poor, has not lived in vain.
So confidence and discipline, faith and a Dharma view,
should be cultivated by the wise,
remembering the Buddhas' instruction.

~Buddha Shakyamuni

Much can be said about the distribution of wealth in our society or rather the abundance of destitution that many of us face.  It is our habitual tendency to think that we need to do more or have more before we can feel happy, content, find a sense of inner peace and joy.  

It seems like most of us are engaging in a never ending battle with people and institutions looking to hoard wealth and rob us of our right to live as we choose.  The tendency is to feel that we are the victim, that we are powerless and and thus we only experience anger and animosity with the world around us.  We should recognize this as our own ignorance, our own delusion.  It is our own poverty mentality that makes us feel afraid and cheated.  It is our own self-grasping that produces states of loss.  

Wealth can be experienced, real universal wealth that is beyond the confines of social hierarchy, market conditions, time and place.  The Buddha taught the Seven Noble Riches because he knew the limitations of material wealth.  He knew that the feeling of wealth did not spring from material goods or massive bank accounts but rather from the fertile mind of bodhicitta from which infinite qualities and realms of enjoyment arise. 

All experiences are fleeting and impermanent like a water bubble.  We all leave this life empty handed.  Whether or not you walk in wealth or destitution depends on your own mind.  Thus you should cultivate these Seven Noble Riches:

1. Confidence
2. Discipline
3. Generosity
4. Learning
5. Integrity
6. Decency
7. Wisdom

What steps are you taking to develop your wealth?  

Travel with Purpose

We all seek to live a life of purpose.  You can be certain that we have a precious human life endowed with freedoms and opportunity, but how we use that life determines the degree to which we feel we fulfill our purpose. 

The Buddha described three types of traveler's on the path based on the scope of their practice.  Atisha in his Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment describes this threefold designation:

Know to be 'least' those persons
Who diligently strive to attain
Solely the joys of conditioned existence
By any means for their welfare alone.

* * * * *

Those persons are called 'medium' 
Who stop sinful actions, 
Turn their backs on the joys of conditioned existence
And diligently strive for their own peace.

* * * * *

Those person are called 'superior'
Who sincerely wish to extinguish
All the suffering of others
By understanding their own suffering.

Those traveler's of lesser scope work towards the benefit of this life and a higher rebirth, whether it be in the heavens or in this life in the form of promotions, power and fame.  Those traveler's of lesser scope are enshrouded in their identity and the eight worldly concerns.  We can see this all around us in the form of self-help guides, self-development programs, habits for success, fitness goals and competitions.  All of these activities are undertaken with the intention that they will bring about one's own welfare, that they will yield positive results and that your life will be happier, healthier, and more fun.

And in general it is true.

If you have healthier habits, you will be healthier.  You can definitely 'work your way up' through the levels of conditioned existence.  Surely we can say that we are able to use our freedoms and opportunities more in America than in many third world countries that are under authoritarian rule and wherever you happen to be born in the social hierarchy determines your fate.  Many Americans may not say they believe in karma, but they do live their lives with a full understanding of how cause and effect can bring about better states of existence.    

But we also never escape the cycle of distress and suffering that follow such an existence.  There is no escape from discontentment.  There is no refuge in samsara.  The higher levels of this world do not yield the desired result of inner wealth- peace, contentment, joy and love. 

We have the tendency to think that if we can improve our environment, body or external conditions then we will experience our desired result.  But all of these occur within the confines of our mind, a mind that is wrapped in identity, grasping, karma and negative mental states.  We cannot buy, bargain or work our way out of our mind.  It is only the wisdom that understands the true nature that can break through the confines of dualistic mind.

There are a couple of landmarks to be mindful of when you are traveling with lesser scope. 

The first is that all of these pleasures and joys that we experience are ephemeral and fleeting.  They are all impermanent. 
The second is the all-pervasive nature of suffering within conditioned existence.  When you begin to notice these two landmarks, you are on the verge of giving rise to the middle scope of practice. 

Those of medium scope seek liberation from the cycle of conditioned existence.  To put an end to suffering once and for all.  They rely on the Four Noble Truths and the teachings on Dependent Origination to come to an understanding of their own suffering and the most expedient means to eliminate it.  The goal is the complete cessation of suffering and distress.  It is the personal salvation of an Arhat.  This cessation of suffering is not to be confused with Buddhahood, but it is the state of nirvana or everlasting peace. 

There are also landmarks to be mindful of when you are traveling with medium scope. 

The first is a sense of hollowness.  Even though you can attain a great degree of inner peace and tranquility, there is an element of grace and fullness that is missing. 
The second is naturally arising love, compassion and kindness for others.  When you begin to notice these two landmarks, you are definitely on the verge of giving rise to the practice of great scope. 

The practice of great scope is that which seeks to liberate all beings from the discontentment and suffering of samsara.  It is a path that enacts the Four Immeasurables and Six Perfections, seeking to perfectly accumulate merit and wisdom that fulfills the aims of oneself and others.  This is the path traveled by all Buddhas and bodhisattvas.  A bodhisattva is a practitioner of great scope that chooses to intentionally take birth within the round of samsara until all worlds are emptied, from the darkest of hells to the highest of heavens.  Bodhisattvas rest with ease despite the adventitious suffering of conditioned existence.  They constantly rest in openness and honesty, not needing to project their identity or justify themselves.  They are the artisans of generosity, love and kindness.  You probably will not recognize them as they spread their art but you can witness how the shape of their life brings countless benefit to everyone around them.  

It is often said that those who give rise to the path of great scope are as rare as stars seen during the daytime.  This is true and indeed they are a precious jewel for the world.  But I think we can all see aspects of ourselves in each of these paths. 

Which path are you traveling on?

Generosity Day

This is a big week for Generosity.  Generosity Day is being rebooted on February 14th and February 17th is a National Day for Random Acts of Kindness. 

Generosity Day is the work of Sasha Dichter, his intention is to broaden the tradition of Valentine's Day into a celebration of love and generosity. 

Random Acts of Kindness Day is an unofficial holiday to celebrate kindness and generosity. 

There is no better time to go spread your art.  If you need a few ideas, here is a list to use this week or for each week of the year. 

Perfection of Generosity

'The gift is to the giver and comes back to them.'

Walt Whitman

Generosity of Generosity

Generosity is the act of giving gifts.  They may be material, teachings, protection from fear or personal interactions that benefit others.

Discipline of Generosity

The discipline of giving gifts is to let go of attachment to your own welfare and status.  This involves being free from the eight worldly concerns, such as thinking that by giving a gift your status will be enhanced or that people will praise your good qualities.  Let go of the notion that people are going to applaud your greatness.

Patience of Generosity

The patience of giving gifts is to not be attached to the result.  Be patient with people's criticism of your gifts and their reaction, whether it be positive or negative.

Diligence of Generosity

The diligence of giving gifts is to strive more and more.  Don't be complacent, don't wait for just the right time.  The time is now, give.

Meditation of Generosity

The meditation of giving gifts is to single pointedly dedicate the act to the welfare of yourself and others.  

Wisdom of Generosity

The wisdom of giving gifts is none other than the awakened mind free from reference to 'me' and 'mine'.  The giver, act of giving and the recipient are all mutually dependent on one another; the one cannot exist without the other.   The perfection of generosity is the ultimate awakened mind that is boundless and without measure, simultaneously accomplishing its own benefit while carrying out the benefit of countless beings.

Revenue Streams

Most of us have one main revenue stream for love, happiness and joy in our lives- usually our family and close friends.  What would happen if we diversified our investment?  Is it possible to conceive of a situation where strangers or even our supposed foes brought us joy and happiness?  It may seem remote, but it is indeed within our reach.

Appreciation

Open yourself to appreciating the world around you.  Take in all the subtle flavors of your environment and the people in it.  Like a fine wine that gets better as it opens up, you will find that appreciation brings a wealth of contentment, peace and joy.

Mutual Respect

It is hard to find this quality in our polarized world of right and wrong, my way or the highway.  But through appreciating others around us, we can start to come in touch with the notion that all people everywhere want happiness, peace, contentment and a sense of purpose.  We may start to see that diversity- of race, religion, sexual orientation and views- enriches our lives.  There is a depth of experience open to us that can unearth much more wisdom than if we were surrounded by people just like us. 

Rejoice

Having appreciated the world around us and come to have mutual respect, we can now tap into a huge opportunity for generating inner wealth.  Rejoice in the success of others.  Rejoice in the happiness of others.  Just rejoice and dedicate that feeling you have so that all beings everywhere, plagued by sufferings of body and mind, may obtain an ocean of happiness and joy.

Through these three simple methods- appreciation, mutual respect and rejoicing- we will come to know infinite sources of happiness, joy, peace and contentment in our lives.  We can start to fulfill our own aims and the aims of others around us. 
 

Generosity as Art

Give gifts that don't have a limit,

Gifts of humanity that affect change

And bring about the welfare of others.

From these gifts infinite qualities arise,

Give freely and openly,

And come to experience boundless inner wealth!