The Dharma was taught to make our minds more flexible, to liberate ourselves from selfishness and bad habits, and to allow us to be of service to others.
Our practice of the Dharma must be free from concerns of gain, praise, status or position. Correctly practicing the Dharma means that you do what you say, that you strive to live according to the teachings. Your actions, practice and lifestyle are emphasized, not your words, ideas or opinions.
When we start searching out positions, contriving situations for recognition, or using the Dharma to serve ourselves, our practice has missed its mark and becomes a source of bondage.
If we wrap the Dharma around our self, our mistaken practice becomes the source of idolatry.
Clarify your practice. Let your practice clarify you.
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Do you want to be right, or true?
Right has a position. It has coordinates, you're either with me or your not. Being right, you have something to defend.
True knows where it stands, but it understands others positions. It acknowledges and respects. Being true, you have something to share.
Right is often painful. It is argumentative and fraught with conflict.
True has tenderness and a built in humility.
Right is full of confidence, which quickly falls to arrogance.
True is full of confidence, while remaining open to diversity, tension, and maybe even being wrong.
True knows where it stands, but it understands others positions. It acknowledges and respects. Being true, you have something to share.
Right is often painful. It is argumentative and fraught with conflict.
True has tenderness and a built in humility.
Right is full of confidence, which quickly falls to arrogance.
True is full of confidence, while remaining open to diversity, tension, and maybe even being wrong.
Thursday, May 18, 2017
What are you looking for?
We are all constantly moving, shifting position, adrift in a sea of change. We find ourselves chasing, over reaching, holding back, leaning a bit too far.
Amidst that dynamic play, what are you looking for?
Are you looking for the right position? Are you only looking at what others are doing? Do you find yourself taking a particular stance, drawing lines in the sand of with me or against me? What if no one validates your position, are you okay with that?
Your view is important. Not your views, not your opinions or ideas. Your view, what you are looking for, your outlook.
Your view allows you to navigate change, or to constantly be fighting it. Your view allows you to reconnect with your center, or to be strung out and off balance. Your view can create harmony and balance, or it can create division and discord.
Your practice should continually try to refine and clarify your view. Really dig in, what are you looking for? Have you found it?
When you think you have found it, be brave enough to ask the next question- does this view assist me in navigating change and adversity, or do I find myself caught up in the storm?
Amidst that dynamic play, what are you looking for?
Are you looking for the right position? Are you only looking at what others are doing? Do you find yourself taking a particular stance, drawing lines in the sand of with me or against me? What if no one validates your position, are you okay with that?
Your view is important. Not your views, not your opinions or ideas. Your view, what you are looking for, your outlook.
Your view allows you to navigate change, or to constantly be fighting it. Your view allows you to reconnect with your center, or to be strung out and off balance. Your view can create harmony and balance, or it can create division and discord.
Your practice should continually try to refine and clarify your view. Really dig in, what are you looking for? Have you found it?
When you think you have found it, be brave enough to ask the next question- does this view assist me in navigating change and adversity, or do I find myself caught up in the storm?
Monday, May 1, 2017
What happened to happiness?
Happiness is everywhere today, in the media and marketplace that is. A cursory glance and it seems that the Buddha's teachings are all about cultivating happiness and being happy. Be happy. A guide to happiness. Project after project chasing after this elusive groundbreaking development, happiness.
Of course the Buddha did teach about happiness, but it was not the aim. The goal wasn't to chase happiness, try to develop it, cultivate it. Happiness wasn't the goal, it was an effect.
As he says in the Dhammapada:
Of course the Buddha did teach about happiness, but it was not the aim. The goal wasn't to chase happiness, try to develop it, cultivate it. Happiness wasn't the goal, it was an effect.
As he says in the Dhammapada:
All things have the nature of mind.
Mind is the chief and takes the lead.
If the mind is clear, whatever you do or say
will bring happiness that will follow you like your shadow.
And also:
Rejoicing in this life becomes rejoicing in the next,
the one who does good rejoices in both.
When you see how pure your actions have been,
you will be happy, you will rejoice.
The Buddha emphasized that we need to engender a clear and virtuous mind, and when we do, happiness will be the result. The Buddha actually clearly taught what this mind looks like, describing eleven mental states that give rise to a virtuous mind.
1. Faith
2. Dignity, or integrity
3. Decency
4. Non-attachment
5. Non-aggression
6. Non-confusion
7. Diligence
8. Pliancy
9. Conscientiousness, or carefulness
10. Equanimity
11. Non-violence
Where is happiness on that list?
Instead the Buddha taught us how to generate a mind that leads to happiness. We can recognize and train in these mental states. We can pursue and have faith in that which is authentic and true. We can have integrity in what we do, a sense of decency towards others. We can practice without attachment, aggression or confusion. We can overcome our laziness and hesitation but showing up and putting in the effort time and again. We can look within and see our intentions and how careful we need to be with our actions. We can practice equanimity, seeing self and other as equal. And we can refuse to let our innocence be a container for violence, committing to do no harm.
Where is happiness on that list?
Instead the Buddha taught us how to generate a mind that leads to happiness. We can recognize and train in these mental states. We can pursue and have faith in that which is authentic and true. We can have integrity in what we do, a sense of decency towards others. We can practice without attachment, aggression or confusion. We can overcome our laziness and hesitation but showing up and putting in the effort time and again. We can look within and see our intentions and how careful we need to be with our actions. We can practice equanimity, seeing self and other as equal. And we can refuse to let our innocence be a container for violence, committing to do no harm.
Practicing in this way, happiness will follow like a shadow. Happiness is fleeting, it comes and goes. If we cultivate a virtuous mind, we will give rise to the cause of happiness. With a virtuous mind, even if we are not always happy, we will not suffer dissatisfaction or discontentment.
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