Light and Guidance

Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth,

so virtue appears from good deeds,

and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind.

To walk safely through the maze of human life,

one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.

~ Buddha 

We are One

 

Time has no beginning;
it has no end.
Throughout immeasurable eons,
violence and conflict have abounded,
and body and spirit deeply wounded.
May the time for healing begin now.

Immersed in anger,
polluted by selfishness.
As though ensnared,
humanity has been beset by ignorance.
But wisdom and compassion lie buried within.
May serenity and insight arise now.

We are not separate:
we are one.
Seeming differences are inconsequential
for our hearts are the same.
Respect and harmony are waiting to awaken.
May universal peace begin now.

Where was Choice?

After last night's Dharma talk, in which I had spoken of our having choices, a question was posed by someone whose close friend had just been in an accident.

To save the woman’s life, the doctors had to amputate her legs.

My listener asked where was the choice in her friend's life? She had not chosen to be in an accident. She had not wanted to lose both her legs. Where was choice in all this?

Choice is what happens now. The friend’s pain is the accident and the loss of her legs. Her suffering is what she is now undergoing—the myriad emotions and thoughts that have to be assailing her every moment. Perhaps her suffering is anger at the driver of the other car. Perhaps it is anger at herself for not having done something differently. Perhaps it is “Why me?” Perhaps it is that anguished "If only" that we all think after something terrible happens in our lives. 

At some point, after the shock and initial reactions, there will be choice. There comes a time after the trauma of tragedy that our shock begins to ease and we gradually stop reacting numbly from our grief. At that point we will realize that we do have choices. At the core of these choices is a question. Do I hold on to my suffering, or do I understand its cause and determine what direction I will now move in.

Pain is an integral part of life. Suffering is our reaction to it. Choice determines how long and deeply we will suffer from our pain.  

Service

 

In the service of others, one places another’s wishes and welfare above one’s own comfort and personal preferences. Ideally, there is no thought of like or dislike, no feelings of superiority or pride. There is only the wish to practice giving, to help others—there is no thought of self-benefit. The magnitude of the act does not matter. Gratitude from the receiver is inconsequential. For the server, the sincere act of caring is what matters. We call this spirit of giving the Bodhi mind—the mind of understanding and compassion. 

Concentration or Meditation?

When we focus on something we are concentrating, directing our attention towards a specific object or activity. While this act of focusing will help us learn how to better guide and control our thoughts, worldly concentration is not meditation.

Meditation is our single-minded focus on controlling our thoughts with a more spiritual goal in mind. Our Buddhist practice has the ultimate goal of supreme, perfect enlightenment. For example, as we chant "Amituofo" our goal is to become one with Amitabha Buddha so we will be reborn in his pure land and become a Buddha in one lifetime.

As we meditate, we need to be acutely aware of our purpose. I once received a copy of an email that was being sent to someone else. The writer of the email was asking the leader of the Buddhist group he attended what the purpose of their meditation was. Since the person had been studying Buddhism for some time, this question surprised and then saddened me.

As Buddhists, we do not meditate merely to relax or feel good. That's straying into the sensory-enjoyment area.

Feeling less stressed and more content after our meditation is a side-effect of our committed practice. What will make us really happy in our meditation is the understanding that we have taken one tiny step forward on the path and are, thus, one tiny step closer to enlightenment.