Ah! Dharma reflections based on the words of Anyen Rinpoche

Exploring the Innermost Essence of the Vast Compassionate Heart

Posts Tagged Benefit others

Enlightened Activity

Apr 19

Posted by AnyenRinpoche in Anyen Rinpoche Biography, Benefitting Others, Bodhichitta, Personal Transformation, Teachings | 7 Comments

This weekend found us in Ottawa, listening to lovely and profound (not to mention practical) teachings on the 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva.  Thanks to David and Nadine, who took so much time to plan the weekend and also host us…as well as Mel and Kelly, who did lots of cooking, Howie, who took us for a walk (in case you are wondering, he’s a Chocolate Lab just like precious Khampa Dorje), and David’s sons, who joined us for music and songs at night.  Ottawa is a wonderful place to visit, full of kind people who often tell stories about bears.

One highlight (of many): we were delighted by the story of Anyen Rinpoche crawling into a wolf den as a child of seven or eight and coaxing out a cub, who then became his pet until the neighbors complained that it was eating the livestock…

I have reflected at length on enlightened activity, mostly through Rinpoche’s years of teachings and giving commentary on Entering the Way of a Bodhisattva.  Still, it is amazing how much you learn from hearing a talk that you think you already *knew* (maybe “think” being the operative word there).  The 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva start in the very beginning, with taking the 3 Jewels as refuge, contemplating on impermanence, and generating Bodhichitta…then move into taking up everyday action as an expression of relative bodhichitta by cutting through attachment, hope and fear towards individuals and the outer world…and then moves to ultimate bodhichitta, or cutting through the mind’s grasping completely.

We spent only 3 days on this text, while Rinpoche said that he had spent a full 100 days on it.  As a daily practice, he suggested that we work with one stanza at a time, reflecting on that stanza for a few days and attempting to work with it in daily life as well as on the cushion.    This seems like great advice that could be used not only for this text, but any text if we want to start our own home retreat!

I hope this inspires everyone to keep working on daily practice in an ever-deepening way!

Allison

www.anyenrinpoche.com

Tags: , , ,

Disappointment

Apr 12

Posted by AnyenRinpoche in Anyen Rinpoche Biography, Benefitting Others, Bodhichitta, Personal Transformation, Teachings, Tibet | 12 Comments

How many times in our lives have we tasted the bitter flavor of disappointment?  Disappointment steals the wind from the sails of even the most optimistic and driven among us.  We feel heavy and weighed down, as though we can’t breathe.  And we experience true humility when we recognize, for painful moment (that sometimes seems to drag on forever) that we are not capable of controlling a situation and turning it towards our favor.

In Buddhist words, we have been caught in the net of hope and fear.  Like a tar baby, the more we struggle, the messier things get.

Anyen Rinpoche offers inspiring words and stories to do with disappointment.  The one I remember most clearly has to  do with his (and my) Root Lama, Kyabje Tsara Dharmakirti Rinpoche.

http://rywiki.tsadra.org/index.php/Tsara_Khenchen_Chokyi_Drakpa

Khenchen Tsara Dharmakirti Rinpoche spent part of his life in prison.  During that time, one of his arms was broken and was never set properly.  It hung down, useless, on one side of his body.   This is just one example of  the extraordinary amount of suffering that was experienced in the jail. In other words, this must have been an excruciating experience of disappointment for all of the prisoners–it was a complete and total loss of freedom.

Later in his life,  Khenchen spoke of that time,  saying, “In this situation, you could really see who was a true practitioner and who was just pretending.  The true practitioners continued on just as they always did, they practiced diligently as if they were in retreat in a solitary hermitage.”  Other practitioners, though, were crushed by that formidable force of disappointment and hardship.

How do we cope with disappointment? I”m sure everyonge knows the unhealthy ways that we Americans tend to use–alcohol, drugs, relationships, food…the list can go on and on.  We use anything we can to avoid or  get rid of the feeling.

Rinpoche’s thoughts:

Reflecting on the truth of suffering is a powerful ally in this situation–simply reflect on the fact that many beings in the world are experiencing the same kind of suffering as you.  Rinpoche also suggests we reflect on impermanence, and gain confidence that this difficulty will pass.

I myself choose Guru Yoga, my favorite practice in any and every situation.  Over the years, I have found that focusing on my devotion in the Lama and Padmasambhava can be just the right medicine to bring me back into balance.

Allison

www.anyenrinpoche.com

PS Thanks to all of you who are now using the Khamdroling toolbar!!!

Tags: , , , ,

The Power of Gathering

Mar 29

Posted by AnyenRinpoche in Anyen Rinpoche Biography, Benefitting Others, Bodhichitta, Global Community, Personal Transformation, Teachings | 8 Comments

Gathering is an important word or concept in the Vajrayana.  We translate it in all sorts of ways, usually based on some expression of the Tibetan word “tshogs.”  Literally, this word is used to describe: the retinue of wisdom beings, Buddhas or Dakinis, the offering feast or practice of tsok, the accumulation or gathering of merit and wisdom, or an assemblage of practitioners.   A basic idea behind all uses of this word is that by joining or collecting energy together, more can be accomplished, more benefit can occur.  This is a logical idea of course,  but when we actually do it, it is sort of magical.

The blessings of Medicine Buddha

The blessings of Medicine Buddha

Yesterday, we gathered together to practice Medicine Buddha, to pray for the benefit of all sentient beings everywhere.  This is something our sangha began doing last year, with the inaugural Medicine Buddha Monlam in Denver last June.    The idea behind gathering together to practice Medicine Buddha is that by gathering or collecting all of our energy together, we are able to benefit more beings through our prayer and positive intentions.  Snow Lion recently did a story about the Medicine Buddha Monlam that you may want to take a look at:

http://www.snowlionpub.com/pages/N89_11.html

Gathering together to focus on compassion and the good of all beings is a wonderful thing to do.  Literally, it feels wonderful.  Not in the way of “getting something” or of fulfilling desire, but the wonderful feeling of having a genuine wish to benefit others, the experience of Bodhichitta.  We hope many of you will join us for the 2nd annual Medicine Buddha Monlam this June in Denver.    You can find more information about the Monlam here:

http://www.anyenrinpoche.com/menla.html

The opportunity to gather is a wonderful aspect of sangha as well.  When we work together, we are able to accomplish so much–we can do things we couldn’t have done on our own.  And when we relate and truly care about others, we begin to experience the world with less selfishness and self-centeredness, since we have the chance to put others before us.    With sangha, we have the chance to extend outside of our (usually nuclear) families and be part of a larger community.

In the 21st century, it can seem like community is lost.  We are too busy, too spread out, too technological, too isolated.  But when we have sangha, when we gather, and when we work for a common goal, we have the chance to feel the blessing of gathering and being part of something greater than ourselves.   Although it can be another thing on our plate, another thing to work at, it is definitely worth the effort.

www.anyenrinpoche.com

Tags: , , , , , , ,

The measure of happiness

Mar 24

Posted by AnyenRinpoche in Anyen Rinpoche Biography, Benefitting Others, Bodhichitta, Global Community, Mindful speech, Personal Transformation, Teachings | 18 Comments

Today’s blog post is courtesy of Eileen C., who suggested that we reflect on the following (very interesting) article:”What makes the healthiest and happiest societies?”

http://www.alternet.org/story/145955/what_makes_the_healthiest_and_happiest_societies_hint%3A_it_not_rich_people_?page=1

Go ahead and browse the article–I’d love to hear your thoughts about it! In sum, the article presents the idea that it is not increased wealth that creates a happier and healthier society, but rather social and material equality.   The source of this research, epidemiologist (one who studies health and illness in different socities) Richard Wilkinson, explains that human beings feel more stress and a stronger psychological impact based on materialism in a highly stratified society.  He also asserts that in a consumerist society, we relate to ourselves as we are seen by others, which is why we compete for designer labels and expensive clothes.

As a Buddhist, I struggle with assertions like these.  On one hand, I find some Wilkinson’s ideas have the ring of truth.  And he appears to have some research to back it up.  For example, he says there are higher prison rates, teen pregnancy rates, mental illness rate, and homicide rates in countries with more social inequality (which, of course, includes the US).   Still, I wonder, even if true– how much of my time should I spend engaging in these ideas?   What benefit does it bring me to reflect on this deeply?

I am reminded of when I first met Anyen Rinpoche.   At that time, I was terribly unhappy and often confused about many things in my life.  I grasped  at (desired) others’ happiness and did not know how to find my own peace of mind.  Rinpoche’s advice to me was to reflect on the nature of samsara in every possible situation–to develop unfailing mindfulness and certainty in the fact that the outer world could never bring me happiness or satisfaction.  As a result of this serious reflection, I do carry with me confidence that the society I live in will never bring me happiness.   (This also reminds me of the discussion that developed out the last post on taking personal responsibility for ourselves and our own state of mind, rather than putting the blame on other things.   For more on this discussion, especially on the lojung slogan ‘drive all blames into one’ see the comments to the post on Imperfection).

http://mojofiti.com/anyenrinpoche/2010/03/22/imperfection/

I think my deep interest in Buddhist philosophy has caused me to have a bit of a falling out with a lot of the other types philosophy I used to subscribe to (and love to read and discuss, I should add).   Getting down to it…I think this is really what it is…I think I have lost faith in the idea of fixing society.  I have the suspicion that whatever I try to fix will still be unsatisfactory, or that patching up one part will just lead to degradation in another.   But rather than feeling disturbed by this, I think it just frees up my energy to work hard on my own spiritual practice, and do my very best to have positive and helpful interactions with others.  Perhaps this is just one aspect of “the mind’s ease.”

Allison

www.anyenrinpoche.com

Tags: , , , , ,

Imperfection

Mar 22

Posted by AnyenRinpoche in Anyen Rinpoche Biography, Benefitting Others, Bodhichitta, Mindfulness, Momentary Buddhahood, Personal Transformation, Teachings | 13 Comments

Have you noticed your imperfections yet today?

Perfectly imperfect!

Perfectly imperfect!

Anyen Rinpoche often tells his students that if we are not noticing our imperfections, then we lack mindfulness, introspection, and insight into our all-so-human personalities and behavior.  Noticing our imperfections is not easy though–it takes patience to see our flaws and learn from our mistakes.   This is obviously, like everything else in our samsaric wilderness, a painful experience.

Some students first experience with meditation is the sense that their minds have become even wilder as a result of practicing meditation.  This perception, Rinpoche tells us, is the result of increased mindfulness and introspection, which cause us to see ourselves more objectively–or less like we are used to seeing ourselves.  The same phenomena occurs with respect to seeing our imperfections.  The more mindful we become, the more we notice our flaws, our habits, those same things we do over and over again without noticing.

Spirituality is truly a humbling experience.  The more we practice, the more we realize how far we have to go.  In fact, Anyen Rinpoche and other great masters tell us that too much confidence can actually be arrogance in disguise, and be a sign that we’ve taken a turn downhill.  This is always a difficult thing to discern.  Looking outward through the very small window of afflicted, conceptual mind, how do we know when we have crossed the line from self-assurance to arrogance?  How do we know when we are falling in love with our imperfections rather than working with them?

Obviously, I lack the answers to these questions.  My way is all about trial and error, and (of course) feedback from the Lama.  Those of you who are close to a Lama know that Lamas are quite skilled at discerning authenticity from arrogance–usually much sooner than we do.  There must be some infrared beam (unseen by us) that we emit…

What to do with imperfection?  Some would suggest that we celebrate it, as an aspect of humanity.  I’m not really a fan of this school of thought–why celebrate something that harms ourselves and others?  Some of us deny it.  That definitely won’t work–that’s what got us enmired in all this suffering in the first place.

Notice it?  Mindfulness is usually a surefire tool to rely upon it.  Get tired of it?  Getting tired of a harmful behavior is a crucial step towards moving past it.  Regret it?  Regret is a pure form of guilt.  Whereas with guilt we just feel bad, with regret we aspire to transform oursevlves and make a strong determination to change.   Do something new?  Yes, that usually helps, though it feels a bit crazy at first.  Do anything new?  Probably not–we might be wise to actually reflect on a better course of behavior and try it out than just to do something random.

Compassion anyone?

www.anyenrinpoche.com

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

The Poison is the Medicine

Mar 18

Posted by AnyenRinpoche in 4 Mind Turnings, Benefitting Others, Bodhichitta, Personal Transformation, Teachings | 8 Comments

This isn’t just Lojung (mind training)…it’s medical science too!   If you have any doubt, check out this article:

http://health.howstuffworks.com/health-illness/treatment/medicine/medications/poison-as-medicine.htm

Briefly, the article describes how the venom or poison of deadly plants and insects is used to treat severe or life-threatening conditions such as heart attacks or exposure to nerve agents.  Poisons are also used in vaccines, where a poisonous substance is introduced into the body in small doses so that the body produces antibodies that can deal with it.  (I apologize for these poorly drafted medical explanations.  If you have insight into the practice of medicine, please generously offer them!).  Additionally, poison is used in treatments like cancer immunotherapy, where a toxic substance  being produced within a tumor is used to create a medicine that can kill the same deadly tumor.  Like quantum physics, this is another sophisticated and magical area where science confirms what the Buddha already knew thousands of years ago.

For us, as spiritual practitioners–and skillful Vajrayana practitiners, no less–poison is probably the best medicine we have.  Mental and emotional poison, in the form of difficult situations, hardships, suffering, grief, frustration, anxiety, depression, or fear, are all our greatest motivation to transcend complacency, to generate renunciation, and to take up the spiritual path.  The root afflictive emotions  (Desire, Pride, Anger,  Jealousy, and Ignorance) are also called the “5 poisons’ because they, too, have this uncanny ability to poison us (quite literally, I think), at the same time that they offer us the opportunity for transcendence and liberation.   Consider sending them a thank you note–without them (as fodder), where would we be?

The poison is the medicine.  In the secret mantryana teachings, this is the image of the peacock, adept at digesting poison.  This handy lojung phrase is also the reason why in the ngondro (Tib. foundational practices) teachings, during the practice of taking refuge, we visualize those we consider our enemies in front of us while we visualize those we love deeply beside us.  We are encouraged to recognize the great gift of mental and emotional agitation that they give us, and to transform our own agitated mind into one that is filled with compassion and loving kindness.

My close friend and dharma sister Tasha often uses this phase in ordinary conversation.  If you try it, you’ll actually notice how often it comes up just naturally.  You’ll be talking about something (anything really) and notice how it just kind of flows from the lips.  (my dislcaimer–the following are just hypothetical examples)… “My boss gave me this truly terrible assignment that I was sure I could not do.  But it turned out that I did it and I did it well.”  And (in my case) Tasha will smile and say, “The poison is the medicine” (aka “that was just what you needed!)   “I talked to my mother today and I felt like she didn’t listen to me or notice me at all…and that made me realize how important it is to be a good listener when I speak with others.”   The reply: “The poison is the medicine.”   (aka “I gleaned insight out of this situation.”)

Of course, anyone can fill in and do Tasha’s job.  And you’re already so close to the best person you could possibly find to do it…

Allison

www.anyenrinpoche.com

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Simplicity

Mar 15

Posted by AnyenRinpoche in Anyen Rinpoche Biography, Benefitting Others, Bodhichitta, Global Community, Personal Transformation, Teachings | 14 Comments

Simplicity is something that many of us want to achieve.  In fact, I heard Anyen Rinpoche speaking about it with a student just this afternoon.   Today, when I heard Rinpoche’s advice, I was reminded how simplicity often evades us.  We may misunderstand it completely–and how to achieve it–while we trying to force the appearance of simplicity on life.

Here are some interesting words about simplicity that I found…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplicity

Specifically, one of the things this passage says is that “simplicity denotes freedom from hardship, effort or confusion.”   Ahhh…!

At times I have heard Rinpoche give advice to Westerners who are trying to achieve simplicity through (what I call) the normal American way–having a low-paying job and a life free of responsibility.  It seems that by having less, we will naturally be attached to less.  To the (samsaric) mind, this seems logical because we don’t have as many beautiful things to be attached to.  But  Rinpoche’s advice always goes something like this: do not be fooled that the appearance of simplicity on the outside (by having less expensive possessions or a smaller house) means that your mind is resting in simplicity (defined above as freedom from hardship, effort or confusion).  Your state of mind is not dependent on how many possessions you have.  You can be just as attached to a penny as to a gold coin.

Actually, each and every one of us is “controlled” by our material situation, so to speak.  Although avoiding responsibility can seem like a good decision now, and in support of our spiritual life, when we have financial problems (especially as we grow older and become more fearful of not being able to work) the mind becomes filled with turmoil and has no freedom to think of anything else.  Actually, we are just frittering away the “leisure” (the Buddhist word for freedom to practice) of our future.

If simplicity doesn’t depend on your home and your job, then what does create simplicity?  Rinpoche says that simplicity is actually supported by two spiritual elements: mental satisfaction and proper motivation.  When we cultivate a feeling of satisfaction with what we have, we do not feel as wrapped up in or exhausted by our responsibilities.  We are more able to focus.  The mind is more relaxed, we enthusiastically share what we have with others.  We become happier people.

Proper motivation is (of course) bodhichitta, or at very least the wish that your actions can be of benefit to others.  Naturally, when we focus on the task at hand with the wish to benefit others, the task becomes more fulfilling–it has the ability to affect us deeply because we know that we are working for the greater good.  Again, we become happier people.

Safe to say–the mind, resting in natural simplicity–is authentic joy.

Another definition of simplicity is focusing on the things in the life that are the most important, and focusing less on those that are less important.  As practitioners, this is something we can all take to heart.  Most of us suffer from over-commitment, or spend time doing mundane things at the expense of our spiritual life.  Priorities and commitment…these are probably things all humans struggle with.

When have you achieved simplicity?  Or have you?  We’d love to hear from you!

Allison

www.anyenrinpoche.com

Tags: , , , , ,

Silver Lining

Mar 10

Posted by AnyenRinpoche in Anyen Rinpoche Biography, Benefitting Others, Bodhichitta, Personal Transformation, Teachings, Uncategorized | 24 Comments

What is your silver lining?

What is your silver lining?

Reflecting on gratitude put me in such a good frame of mind this week that I wanted to call out to everyone to ask for your silver lining stories…

What exactly are silver lining stories, you may ask (though it may be obvious).  These are the “I thought it was bad-but-it-turned-out-good” moments in life; the times that we thought we had failed only to later realize that what had happened was much better than we could have ever planned for ourselves; moments where we feel that our lives have truly been touched  by something divine.

Theoretically, we will create a treasury of your  silver lining stories…with your help, of course.

For those of us who are on the spiritual path, I think the idea of a silver lining goes deeper than just our usual cultural proverb.  The silver lining applies to us personally, as human beings.  I have often noticed about myself–and therefore put it out there as a possible generalization to be made–that the things which I think are my greatest downfalls are actually, when put into a more balanced light, my best qualities.

You all know the usual kind of dribble and commentary that the mind engages in…we seem to have an endless supply of self-criticism (coupled, ironically, with self-centeredness and often self-righteousness)…I’m too sensitive, too intense, too this, too that…(fill in the blanks with your own mental dribble–and yes, dribble is probably the best word for it).

When I was young, growing up Catholic in the suburbs of Denver, I found most things about my life to be mentally and emotionally troubling.  I was sensitive, intense, very intelligent, and in many way different from my peers.  I constantly sensed that I was different, and looking back I know that I was different–I always seemed to be thinking about things that my peers weren’t concerned with.  I felt that I spoke a different language, almost.  For so many years, I wished these aspects of my personality would disappear so that I could find it easier to relate with other people.

Actually, it is only since I’ve gotten older that I realized that I had this in common with many other children and also many adults–the emotions of lonliness and wanting to belong are emotions that we share with others.  In any case, now so much later in life, I feel that these very qualities have turned out to be my silver lining.  Sensitivity and intensity serve me well as a writer,  in my career as a lawyer, in my role as a translator, and my (other) role as facilitating a sangha and working with Anyen Rinpoche’s dharma students.  It is like finding a buried treasure–or even something more wonderful than that because it is actually something I knew I had all along, yet did not appreciate or understand.  Yes, there is work to be done on ourselves, but isn’t it wonderful to know that we already have what we need to blossom right there inside of us already?

Perhaps this is called emotional ripening.  It has to do with the expression of bodhichitta in all directions–not only towards the other beings in our lives, but also towards ourselves.  This seems to go hand-in-hand with the confidence and realization that as human beings, we are inherently good, no matter how it seems at any given moment.  That doesn’t mean that we are perfect at this point…but it does mean we are an awfully good work in progress.

In general, this way of thinking seems very in line with the Secret Mantrayana teaching that instructs us to transform the afflictive emotions to wisdom.  This teaching presents the afflictive emotions as an expression of energy, which, when perfectly liberated (maybe for our non-Buddhist readers we could just say “brought into balance”) express as one of five kinds of wisdom.  I like to think of my life, thoughts and emotions as fodder for wisdom.

What a great word, by the way.

Allison

www.anyenrinpoche.com

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Revising Our Lives

Mar 4

Posted by AnyenRinpoche in 4 Mind Turnings, Anyen Rinpoche Biography, Benefitting Others, Mindful speech, Personal Transformation, Teachings, Uncategorized, Writing | 8 Comments

27GDZFPEYBNT

I am a writer by nature, a Buddhist in spirit, and a Tibetan translator by trade…This week I had the chance to bring all of these aspects of my life together as Anyen Rinpoche, Eileen and I worked on the final editing of our new manuscript Dying with Confidence. (Wisdom Publications, October 2010)  As an aside, you may have missed a recent conversation we had on the blog about writing:

http://mojofiti.com/anyenrinpoche/2010/02/09/the-art-of-writing/

Except for when I have been at work (at a law firm that works for clients and companies interested in doing work that betters the world, including our blog’s very special host Mojofiti) and translating the last of the talks on the Four Mind Turnings last night, my sole focus has been on the revision of each and every word that is written in our 182 page manuscript.  In fact, I am probably writing about this process right now because I can still think of nothing else but what will be the impact of the written word on the reader–will they receive it properly, is anything lacking or imperfect?

Dying with Confidence is by far the most ambitious book we’ve ever taken on.  Anyen Rinpoche, Eileen and I worked most of last year on the book to ensure that it had a broad enough scope, and that it touched on the issues that Buddhists (or non-Buddhists interested in this topic) are concerned about–not just how to practice the Dharma, but legal issues, medical directives, cremation, pain medication, organ donation, hospice care and so on…Now, no longer worried that we have included the right topics, we have turned to the text itself.  For those of you who have never engaged in the revising of a manuscript before, it can be an emotional, difficult and also exciting process.  Actually, it is similar to the experience of personal transformation.   Initially, there is attachment to the way things are–resistance to change and revision.  There is difficulty with cutting out or leaving behind things that don’t work, words or passages that distract or take away from the overall meaning.  And then there is the excitement of seeing what is newly created–like when we notice a positive change in ourselves after diligent attention to an aspect of our personality or lives that needs work.  In spiritual traditions, death is often symbolic of change, letting go of the old.  Revision is often a death to our attachments, cleaning out the old, and making energy available for new things to manifest.

I have long been a fan of Buddhist and spiritual writers.  Especially,  I love the book The Long Quiet Highway by Natalie Goldberg.  The book focuses on the author’s personal engagement with the spiritual path, and how it entertwined with her career as a writer.  Some of the writing in the book is truly dazzling–I remember one passage particularly, where she described a feeling of emotional emptiness that Americans tend to try to fill by going shopping on Sundays to look for just the “right” sweater.  It is amazing how true that passage rings.   I think many writers find the act of writing to be a spiritual experience, a way to engage with introspection, creative energy, and the exploration of material that is (on the page and personally) ripe for revision and transformation.

Here’s a link to the book, in case you want to have a look:

http://www.amazon.com/Long-Quiet-Highway-Waking-America/dp/0553373153/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267724843&sr=8-1

To all of you who are actively pursuing the Buddhist (or some other spiritual) path…Happy revising!

Allison

www.anyenrinpoche.com

Tags: , , , , ,

Chances to Practice

Feb 24

Posted by AnyenRinpoche in Benefitting Others, Bodhichitta, Global Community, Personal Transformation, Teachings, Uncategorized | 21 Comments

Doesn’t it seem like everywhere we look, there are chances to practice?

Tonight I was sitting down to read the news (which I do online to avoid stacks of the Wall Street Journal building up in my garage), when I encountered the usual barrage of discontent…

U.S. sale of arms to South Asian countries:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703510204575085771112111454.html?mod=WSJ_hps_MIDDLEThirdNews

Big losses for Freddie Mac in 2009:

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1967790,00.html

Rising crime:

http://www.time.com/time/world

Need I go on…?  This makes me reflect back on a topic that often comes up when people express their (understandable) discontent with the world around us.    What is the benefit of being engaged with the world?  Does reading the news, being involved with politics, and participating in society enrich us spiritually?  Or does it simply drain and disappoint us?  Should we hide out or jump in?

At least for my generation (who are younger than hippies, but older than young), there has been a tendency to shy away from the world.  There is even a perception that we Generation-Xers have a fear of growing up, a fear of shouldering the world.  This sometimes manifests in an avoidance of responsibility, an avoidance of having a career, a dislike of money, a feeling that the life of our elders is a sham–or at very least, what we’d most like to avoid.    I can concede that I have felt most of these emotions myself.   I have thought to myself that somehow avoiding the world would make me better than it–or maybe, make me less disappointed with it.   In other words, I have shared that oh-so-human dream of trotting off to a corner of the world where harmony prevails.

But, as Rinpoche sometimes says soberly (my very literal translation): Even when there is no trouble, people still don’t know how to sit on happiness…

Don’t we all know it.

The news is probably something that many readers can relate to.  How many times have you said yourself or heard someone else say that they have stopped reading the news because it is just too depressing?   We’ve seen the headlines–I posted them right at the top of this post.  Who can blame you?

In the face of these disconcerting (sometimes depressing) appearances, how great is it to have a spiritual life–or even just basic optimism. I have often fallen back on my basic optimism to get me through hard times, but the tools of practice are even more useful and skillful than my natural optimistic disposition.  Once you have dharma, your spiritual life, you can change your view–get new eyes–in order to see each and every one of those situations as a chance to practice.

Each and every moment is an opportunity–to recognize impermanence, to feel compassion, to rejoice in your good fortune or the good fortune of others.  Each and every moment is an opportunity to express kindness.  Each and every moment is a chance to reflect on the suffering of others, to practice generosity, to be patient, to make a perfect wish for another’s happiness.

Looked at in this way, our human life is precious–and samsara is like a wish-fulfilling gem, giving us countless chances to change, transform ourselves, and become more compassionate and wiser human beings.

www.anyenrinpoche.com

Tags: , , , , ,