From the time of the Buddha’s enlightenment in India twenty-five hundred years ago, the teachings known as Buddhism have spread throughout the world, adapting to the needs of different peoples and cultural settings. Wherever the universal human longing for for spiritual freedom has been felt, the Dharma – the Buddha’s Teaching – has found a home. When the Buddha sent off the first group of his disciples to teach “for the good of the many, for the welfare of the many …. out of compassion for all beings,” he instructed them to teach the people they came upon in an idiom that was most accessible and most meaningful. Meditation on the specific challenges and how the Dharma can help us overcome the difficulties from a specific circumstance is a wonderful and important step in making the Dharma our own. By retelling the ancient allegory of a spiritual journey in our own idiom, we are unfolding a tradition that speaks of our our inquiry, our own triumphs, and our unique lessons. We are discovering new metaphors – in our own time and place, in our own families and communities and institutions – that connect us to a reality and a teaching that is timeless and universal. It is a significant step in the transmission of a living truth. In the end, the crucial understanding is one’s own, while the tradition is kept alive through the awakening of more and more people and the commitment of follow the step of the Buddha by strive to become Bodhisattva.
In the Buddhism tradition, Bodhisattva are those who, aspirating to enlightenment, make a resolve, “I vow to attain full enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings.” This means we recognize our own liberation is intertwined with the liberation of all beings without exception. Rather than seeing other beings as adversaries, we must see them as colleagues in this endeavor of freedom. Rather than viewing others with fear or contempt, which arises form a belief in separation, we see them as part of who we ourselves are. Seeing the truth of this fundamental interconnectedness is what is known in the Eight-fold Path as Right View. The Buddha said, “Just as the dawn is the forerunner and the first indication of the rising sun, so is Right view the forerunner and the first indication of wholesome states.” Seeing the truth of our interconnectedness leads to the mind-state of lovingkindness that characterizes the Bodhisattva.
True, the Bodhisattva aspiration does seem to be up against some insurmountable odds. It may seem impossible to genuinely care about all beings everywhere. But developing the heart of loving kindness is not about straining, not about gritting your teeth and, though seething with anger, somehow covering it over with a positive sentiment. Loving kindness is a capacity we all have. We don’t have to do something unnatural in order to be capable caring. We only have to see things as they actually are.
When we take the time to be quiet, to be still, we begin to see the web of conditions, which is the force of life itself, as it comes together to produce each moment. When we look deeply, we see constant change; we look into the face of impermanence, insubstantiality, lack of solidity. As the Buddha pointed out, given this truth, trying to control that which can never be controlled will not give us security of safety, will not give us final happiness. In fact, trying to control ever-changing and insubstantial phenomena is what gives rise to our sense of isolation and fragmentation. When we try to hold on to something that is crumbling or falling apart, and we see that not only is it crumbling but we are changing in just the same way, then there is fear, terror, separation, and a lot of suffering.
If we re-vision our world and our relationship to it so that we are no longer trying to fruitlessly control but rather are connecting deeply to things as they are, then we see through the insubstantiality of all things to our fundamental interconnectedness. Being fully connected to our own experience, excluding no aspect of it, guides us right through to our connectedness with all beings. There are no barriers; there is no separation. We are not standing apart from anything or anyone. We are never alone in our suffering, and we are not alone in our joy, because all of life is a swirl of conditions, a swirl of mutual influences coming together and coming apart. By going to the heart of any one thing, we see all things. We see the very nature of life.
Sharon Salzberg talked about balance in the mind being like walking on a tightrope. She described what a relief it was for her to discover ( after having permanent balance as a goal) the ease that comes with realizing that we stumble all the time, lose our balance and fall, and find there is another tightrope waiting – that mind based in equanimity has space enough to allow for a full range of emotions and space enough to see around them, or through them, so that everything becomes workable.
One the central teachings of the Buddha is that of a lawful cosmos, the truth that all conditioned things have causes and all actions have seqelae. Everything is happening for a reason. This understanding can be both calming and energizing. We are sustained, when things are difficult, by the awareness that whatever is happening is lawful and cannot be otherwise, and although our previous actions surely conditioned part of the current experience, everything in the past is part of current experience. No one is ever guilty and everyone is always responsible. What we do now matters, that our actions now condition the outcome of current circumstance. Even nonaction is an action. Everything and everyone matters.
Perfecting the Heart
In America, people tend to feel free to invent ‘salad’ religions, by mixing and matching. The first reason being it is a very American trait (at least Erik Erikson thought so) to be a ‘lone cowboy’ pioneering a new frontier. We can’t think of an other culture with such emphasis on Do-It-yourself.) The second reason is these private and singular attempts are part of a growing, widespread recognition of spiritual need. Consumerism and materialism doesn’t work as religions. When people don’t get a meaningful spirituality from their family or community – either no spirituality or one that doesn’t work – they need to invent a new one. This is have one possible pitfall and one potential shortcoming. In a solo practice, there is no one available for feedback, no one who can encourage us and no one to tell us that we’re deluding ourselves or that nothing is happening (no progress at all).
The practice of consciously cultivating character – of having morality as a goal – is fundamental to what the Buddha taught. The Ten Perfections in the Buddhist tradition are The ten qualities (paramis, the word parami is related to paramam which means “something of foremost importance.” ) to help us focus on as inspiration for transformation. These ten qualities, the paramis, are our birthright, present in all of us at least in seed potential. The karma of our birth circumstance, physical and mental, social and cultural, is where we start. The parmis are listed sequentially below, although they are all reflections of each other and grow, simultaneously through practice.
- Generosity;
- Morality
- Renunciation,
- Wisdom,
- Energy,
- Patience,
- Truthfulness,
- Determination,
- Loving kindness,
- Equanimity
The transformation is the goal of our spiritual practice, is the purification of the heart, our conversion to benevolence and altruism. It is not enough to feel good or more relaxed, or even more connected to the experience. All of that is great, but it is only half the job. We relax, we connect deeply with our experience – then we see clearly and understand deeply the truth of suffering – universal suffering – and we are transformed by our wisdom from self-serving, trapped and limited by our own stories, to having compassion and kindness toward all beings.
The Five Precepts Supporting Our Relationship
When we bring a deeply caring and respectful awareness to the way we interact with one another we change our social relationships from a source of confusion and pain to a vehicle for personal and social transformation. Spiritual awakening, in every tradition, brings this transformation of our actions from limited self-interest to a joyful, open response to all of life, an inclusive love and appreciation. In the Buddhist tradition, this move is described as the Five Precepts. these precepts involve training our speech and action in order to serve our inner and outer harmony. The precepts speak to areas of life that are the source of our greatest pleasure, joy, and happiness as well as our greatest fear, pain, and confusion.
By paying careful attention to how we speak and act, we notice the effect such behavior has on ourselves as well as others. If we notice that our behavior causes pain, can we gracefully give it up, or will we remain caught in an old habitual way of reacting? This is the challenge of practicing the precepts.
We are not asked to submit to an authority or any “one ” of behavior, but rather we are asked to look as carefully as we can and see for ourselves. The workhorse of this practice is attentive awareness, or mindfulness. when we notice that pain results form something we have said or done, there is no threat of punishment or condemnation, but rather we acknowledge the unhappiness we have caused. it is then seen to be in our larger, more authentic self-interest to adjust our behavior so as to minimize the pain, confusion, or insecurity. This is not a grudging submission to an imagined authority. The restraint of our behavior is undertaken willingly, our of interest in the happiness of all.
1. A COMMITMENT TO NOT HARMING
Refraining from killing is an obvious place to start caring for other beings. The First precept asks us to look at how our behavior harms others. Can we acknowledge that we play a part in the chain of causation that leads to the death of other beings, animal as well as human? If we do not take an active interest in seek the truth, we may live our lives believing that this suffering is just someone else’s problem.
Do the war in the Middle East have anything to do with the miles per gallon of the car you prefer to drive? does the massive use of pesticides and herbicides now polluting our environment have anything to do with what you prefer on your table for dinner? Can we live our lives with care and consideration for the life around us. To the extent we do awaken to the vast web of life, we have the opportunity to contribute to less suffering in the world.
In some parts of United States, to learn how to use gun and enjoy the fun of hunting is the culture norm people raised in. In the Buddha’s teaching, there is a quality called hiri, defined as modesty or fear of doing wrong by causing harm to oneself or another. The Buddha identified this as a wholesome quality of heart to be developed on the path of awakening and as one of the necessary foundations for a harmonious communal life. Cultural conditioning may obscure hiri but cannot remove it from the heart. Modesty is refined attainment to what makes our heart contract and tighten, or remain open and aware. This quality of heart is innate within ourselves. We need not attribute the fear of doing wrong to some omniscient deity standing in judgment over us.
2. A COMMITMENT TO SHARING
We live in a culture and time awash in material goods promising to make us happy. the pressure to acquire the many items we are told we need is incessant. often we may be tempted to resort to less than noble or honest means to acquire them. This precept involves refraining from taking what is not freely offered. in its most elemental form it means not stealing or taking another person’s property without his or her informed consent. In order to break this precept, we must scheme to get something by deception, strength, or stealth. in the traditional texts of Buddhism this is called “having a thievish intent.”
Our legal system makes a distinction between petty theft and grand larceny. The sole distinction is the magnitude of the resultant loss or harm. However, when we look carefully, we see that the thievish intent to acquire something improperly is the same in both cases. Acquiring material goods in such a way causes harm to others and creates disharmony in our neighborhood whether it is local, national , or international.
Though we may not personally act on thievish intent, we may discover that we are the beneficiary of other’s use of stealth, force, or deception. with the widespread reports of slave labor throughout the world, should we inquire if we are the recipients of any benefit from this forced labor? Was the Persian carpet in our home made by child labor in India? Did force labor in China contribute in any way to the silk clothing we now wear?when we ask thee questions, we awaken the quality of heart that the Buddha called ottappa, which means conscience, or the shame of acting in such a way that bring harm to another. This conscience is the quality that respect others’ sensitivities, vulnerabilities, and limits.
A commitment to this precept doesn’t necessarily mean going without; it means knowing what is enough. Can we look at our busy and full lives to discover what we have in excess? Can we allow ourselves to feel the pain of those who must go without? Can we awaken to the wisdom of renouncing possession of more than enough? Can we be content with what we now have?
3. MAKING AND KEEPING CLEAR RELATIONSHIPS
Undertaking the third precept involves practicing restrain from acting our sexual energy in a way that cause harm to another. This is not a moralistic injunction against mature, adults living a full, enjoyable, sensual life Rather, we develop sensitivity to that personal behavior which, obviously or subtly, causes insecurity, fear, same, humiliation, dis-empowerment, jealously, or other painful feelings to arise within our own heart or the hear of another.
Undertaking this precept is not a capitulation to a moral or spiritual authority, nor is it an ego-investing, self-imposed spiritual ideal. it is a commitment of interest and energy to awaken to our choices and what conditions them. Whether we are aware of it or not, we choose the nature of our relationships with each other. We make commitments based upon shared understandings and expectations. We affirm our connection with all others by honoring our individual commitments.
4. SPEAKING CAREFULLY: THE POWER OF INTENTION
When we undertake to train our speech in order to create harmony, trust, and safety in our communal relationships,we also examine the resultant effect of what we say and how we say it. to help us in our exploration, the Buddha enumerated five conditions of speaking to attend to, five ways that we can awaken to the power of our words to cause pain or condition happiness.
- By taking a moment before speaking, we can evaluate our intention so that we may choose to speak as a peacemaker rather than carelessly encouraging further agitation, tension, or division between individuals. Choosing sides in interpersonal conflicts is a habit that rarely helps to resolve the conflict. By speaking of reconciliation, resolution, and harmony, we encourage and support letting go of strong opinions and judgment. Renunciation of opinions brings immediate relief.
- Words spoken gently are more likely to be heard and their true value felt. it is especially important that we speak in a nonthreatening, non-aggressive way when what we need to say will be difficult for another person to hear. speaking gently allows our words to be received even in difficult circumstances.
- The third element of wise speech that preserves the harmony of community is truthfulness. when we speak the truth, we come to be known as one who can be relied on, one who is dependable, believable, and honest.It is unfortunate that we cannot look to our contemporary social or political mores to guides us in this arena of life. All around us we see deception in advertising, politics, and personal lives. This lack of integrity in speech conditions cynicism, disrespect, confusion, and disbelief. Though the truth is elusive and difficult to discover, or situation is as the Zen monk Ryokan says:
If you speak delsion, everything becomes a delusion; if you spek the truth, everything becomes the truth ... why do you so earnestly seek the truth in distant places? Look for delusion and truth in the bottom of your own hearts.
- Even if what we say is true, a fourth condition of wise speech is whether it will be beneficial and useful to another person. Useless, frivolous, foolish, or nonsensical chatter is called samphappalapavada in Pali. Included in this category is gossip, which for the st part is useless potentially harmful, and not of benefit to anyone.
- The fifth element of wise speech is speaking at the proper time. It is essential that one be prepared for the impact of one’s own words, sensitive to the other’s state of mind, and aware of any other attendant conditions. Buddhist teacher often says, “Nothing is accomplished without patience.” with practice we learn that wisdom is not the manipulation of conditions to get what we want – not “being in control,” but rather the alert waiting for conditions to favor and support what we have to do. in this way the restraint imposed by patience supports wise speech.
5. KEEPING THE MIND CLEAR.
We all have deeply rooted habits that can manifest as compulsive behavior. Perhaps we have an addiction to excitement, pleasure, numbness, thrills, or any other compelling experience. When not seen clearly, thee habits then become obsessions. we often feel powerless in the face of our addictions as we struggle to escape their debilitating effects. By undertaking the fifth precept to abstain from using intoxicants, we confront the tenacious and obsessive addictions of the mind. This precept traditionally refers to the use of physical drugs and alcohol that cloud our awareness. some substances are determined to be physically addictive and harmful, such as alcohol, drugs and nicotine. when we look carefully at what affects our judgment, we can then broaden our understanding of the domain of the fifth precept to include our attempts to free the mind from all compelling, obsessive behavior, whatever the source.
To the degree we act obsessively, we are not free. The joy of freedom is undeniable. it is also fragile. Therefore, it is important to see that a broader application of this precept includes confronting all obsessively addictive behaviors. We limit ourselves through addictive behaviors and thought patterns. we can change. A commitment to grow, rooted in knowledge, sincerity and repeatedly remembered, gets real when we arouse confidence and energy. Acting the body and mind to at least try is the first step. you will never know what can be accomplished if you never try. A considered decision to abstain from some harmful behavior has tremendous power when made with awareness so the consequences and with a sincere commitment. it steadies the mind when the opportunity to indulge is presented. The commitment allows a moment’s pause in which alternatives can be considered. it is a turning away not out of fear or spiritual guilt, but from a decision that we reaffirm each time conditions present the choice.
Integrate the Dharma into our Daily Life
There was a monk in the Buddha’s time, it is said, who originally came from an extremely wealthy aristocratic family. Because he had lived a very pampered life, he was ignorant about some of the simplest things, which made him the object of much teasing by the other monks. One day they asked him, “Where does rice come from, brother?” he replied, “it comes from a golden bowl.” And when they asked him, “Where does milk come from, brother?” he answered, “it comes from a silver bowl.”
In some ways, our own perceptions about the nature of existence may be a bit like those of that monk. When we attempt to understand how our lives work, if we do not look closely, we may see only superficial connections and relationships forming our world. Upon closer examination, we come to understand that each aspect of our present reality arises not from “golden and silver bowls” but rather from a vast ocean of conditions that come together and come apart at every moment. Seeing this is the root of compassion and loving kindness. All things, when seen clearly, are not independent but rather are interdependent with all other things, with the universe, with life itself.