Transform Poisons into Nectar

(http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/transform-poisons-into-nectar) The meaningful jehad within!


Back from a profound month long Dzogchen (Great Perfection) retreat at Namdroling Monastery, i was recently invited to the engagement ceremony of the daughter of my friend from several years. Although i very rarely make it to prolonged social events, this one was an unavoidable. While the ceremonial proceedings were on, well attired guests mingled. The conversation, after initial pleasantries, naturally turned to casual talk. It surprised me to hear that the common thread in almost all topics of discussion was name, fame, power and money! After sometime, i retired to a corner with an old acquaintance and the evening was saved!


Name.Fame.Power.Money.


I call them the ‘Four Mirages’. Any and every action each one of does all throughout our life, we do so to keep us happy. The same is for all sentient beings, animals, insects, birds, worms, sea creatures. All beings want to be happy all the time. Some of us realize that life is not about accumulation of material things but there are higher aspirations of developing as human beings to be met too. Therefore, instead of making piecemeal attempts at being temporarily happy by pleasing our sensory organs and ego state - which can be compared to licking honey off the edge of a sword – we must find a reliable way to seamless and lasting peace and happiness. Due to their transient nature the Four Mirages really offer no help here, and are therefore unreliable.


A desert offers all kinds of mirages which only a trained traveller can distinguish from the real thing. Much the same it is with the Four Mirages that keep emerging from within which need to be first neutralized and then transformed to play a positive role in our life thereby improving the quality of inner life we so wish to live all the time. The mirages do little else than fuel the ego state – a label we give an illusory, non-existent state and get fixated towards that label - and in this process instead of realizing our true nature, they only help in burying it further under a facade of delusions. The ego has its own insecurites and it’s job is indeed to keep us occupied with pampering such delusions and in the process forgetting about it (ego). The very essence of our spiritual practice is to create chaos in the well-designed and systematic set up of ego. For this, it is essential to understand and realize the real nature of our mind which is bereft of ego, aversion, desire, envy, ignorance; the Five Poisons. They are mere cladding that we have ‘beautifully’ managed to construct around our pristine buddha nature. What this really reveals is that we are already primordially enlightened beings! The spiritual journey we have undertaken is to merely re-discover or uncover this pure state buried under what we have nurtured it to be. It is the frequent arising of these negative mind states which transformation into body and speech actions (karma) that have been the cause for our re-cycling in samsara and having to endure the four great rivers of suffering (birth, old age, sickness and death). If cause is addressed, the result will change too. The cause here is the way we think. Nagarjuna says: “Samsara is mere thought; if we’re free of that, we’re perfectly free.”


If we must nurture the poisons, especially the dominant one’s, it should be in a way where the result is positive inner transformation, making us a better person. This is the Mahayana path. For example, we can be mean or use anger against our sloth and lethargy towards our study and practice; we could take humble pride in the progress we have been able to make on the path towards self-improvement; one could develop desire towards nurturing a mind of enlightenment; we could be envious of the fact that each one of us is a primordially pure buddha and in comparison what we have reduced ourselves to in our present state; show ignorance towards others mocking at our diligent and sincere practice. Indeed, one must be careful in doing so without these negative mental states either manifesting externally nor clinging internally. Eitherway, it would be counter-productive on the path of liberation. We can transform all types of conditions into the path into nectar by being honest with ourselves and compassionate with others. Even if we can let go some of our old habits and habitual hang-ups we can rejoice that Dharma is entering our mind stream.


Never lose gained ground, Sanghamitras!

GRASPING NATURE OF MIND: The Duality Conundrum

http://www.speakingtree.in/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/grasping-nature-of-mind-the-duality-conundrum


During teachings, Buddhist masters always talk of two of our deadliest enemies; those of grasping (subject) and the grasped (object). These two have been identified as the very causes for keeping us tied to the life-death cycle since beginningless time. Unless we find a reliable and effective way to overcome them, it would be impossible to get out of the complicated labyrinths of samsara.


The mind’s natural tendency is to constantly grasp at objects inside and outside of it and react to them either with aversion or desire. This becomes an addictive process and we seem to get hooked on to it. Worse, it becomes such an ingrained habit that it seems as though we have been born naturally programmed to do so! But, this is so not true. Nothing really exists unless and until the mind establishes its existence. A flower is not a flower until the mind perceives it as one. And so on. There is nothing that we perceive which does not arise in the mind. This perception occurs through our sense bases. From these sense bases we have general knowledge or awareness of objects. Mind, therefore, is awareness. The problem arises when once a perception is made, we tend to further build on this perception and react with either aversion or attachment or through ignorance. This reaction could be either from our conceptual mind or the emotional mind. These three are Relative states of our mind.


Example: We see a flower. Perception establishes it as a flower. Conceptual mind describes the flower (colour, size, shape, smell etc). Finally, the Emotional mind concludes ‘i like it’ or ‘i don’t like it’ or ‘i somewhat like it’.


And so on it goes. Every moment this chattering, restless mind is perceiving and conceptualizing. It incessantly hunts for objects, either outer or inner, one after the other in order to entertain itself. In this process of continuous hunting and feeding itself on objects, it feels as though it is achieving peace and rest. However, this is only an assumption. Instead, in doing so it continually remains disturbed, dissatisfied and frustrated. It leaves itself thirsting for more. It is much like drinking salted water; instead of quenching thirst it creates more.


It is the ego’s job (ego is a product of conceptualized mind) job to keep us busy in this way all the while and in the process ego hides itself. When we do absolutely nothing, as in shamatha meditation, ego’s true colour stands exposed and we are able to get a glimpse of our Absolute mind. This is our true nature. This is our basic human goodness. This gap allows us for some space between thoughts and emotions. This ‘gap’ makes us feel somewhat lonely and we as practitioners ought to really enjoy this loneliness!


Through wisdom and experience gained from meditation we come to know that after the first mistake of perceiving objects to be separate and outside of mind, through the constant process of perception and conception, the second mistake we make is trying to ‘connect’ the mind with perceived objects. Moreover, after making this ‘connection’ we react from the states of aversion or attachment and create negative karma. This leads us astray and is the fundamental cause of remaining in samsara.


The moment we realise that subjects and objects are nothing else but one's own mind, we will stop chasing its own projection. True relaxation and rest dawns and we begin to taste freedom and bliss keeping frustrations and restlessness at bay. Perceiving objects through pure and unconceptualized awareness is what Tibetan Buddhism defines as View; the essence of our practice. View is introduced directly to the student by the master. To make this View an unbroken experience is Meditation. Meditation helps in stabilizing View. Our discipline and diligent practice explains Buddha nature and its realization. And finally, practicing View and Meditation simultaneously moment by moment in daily life situations is Action or Fruition. This approach helps our transformation from ‘can’t do’ to ‘can do’.


Rejoice in your practice, diligent Shramanas!

INTERDEPENDENT ORIGINATION (Emptiness or Shoonyata)

Speaking Tree Paper, 29.12.2013


Lord Buddha said: YE DHARMA HETU PRABHAVA HETUN TASHAN TATHAGATO HYA VADATA TESHANTYO NIRODH EVAM VADI MAHA SHRAMANAYE SVAHA


{All phenomena arise from causes.
The causes are being taught by the Tathagatha.
The cessation to causes
Are also being taught by the great Shramanera (practitioner)!}


Here all phenomena refers to conditioned phenomena or compounded phenomena. All of them arise from causes and conditions. Suffering arises from cause and conditions. Happiness also arise from cause and conditions. The first line shows Truth of Suffering. Suffering refers to physical pain as well as mental suffering. In a wide way, suffering refers not only to physical and mental pain, but also the external world that helps to create suffering.


The second line indicates the Truth of the Cause of Suffering. The cause refers to karma and negative emotions. These two are causes of suffering in samsara. Karma refers to intent in the mind and the actions of body and speech which are triggered by the thoughts. Negative emotions refer to disturbing thoughts that destroys the peace of mind like attachment, anger and ignorance. Negative emotions pollute thought patterns that produce negative actions of body, speech and mind. They in turn are causes of future sufferings in samsara.


The third line shows the Truth of the Cessation to Suffering and the fourth line the Truth of the Path to Cessation. Cessation of suffering is the end of Karma and negative emotions. Once one completely gets rid of negative emotions, the root causes of Karma, one achieves cessation or liberation from samsara.


Truth of the path shows the noble eightfold path (Right View, Right thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration) which leads to the cessation or liberation.


This mantra of the Essence of Interdependent Origination is very popular in all traditions of Buddhism. This is called interdependent because all phenomena especially the conditioned ones originate from cause and conditions. This verse also shows the essence of Buddhism as indirectly it shows that if you do good, good things come about and if you do bad,bad will come about.


[ Teachings received from Khenpo Sonam Tsewang, Namdroling Monastery, Bylakuppe, Karnataka]

THE BEAUTY OF IMPERMANENCE

(Speaking Tree Paper, Front Page, 02.02.2014)


Of the three most important teachings in Buddhism, impermanence (Pali: anicca, Sanskrit: anischa) is one of them. Often when teachings on this topic are given to young monks, nuns and lay practitioners, the stress is on the ever presence of death. This is so done to help turn the seekers mind inward so that no time is further lost in commencing practice since human life is relatively short. However, to a common person death is often associated with the demise or passing away of someone near and dear or the ceasing of existence of something created. Surely this means we should cherish the moments we spend with beloved ones rather than engage in energy sapping bickering resulting in nothing worthwhile.


Impermanence is therefore to be understood as ‘nothing that arises from causes and conditions or from conditioned existence can really being permanent.’ In short, if conditions change or are made to change the resulting phenomena must also change. Recently when our teacher Khenpo Sonam Tsewang came to Pune for teachings, he also had the time and good fortune to visit the caves of Ajanta and Ellora. He was awestruck with their beauty and expressed “...it was a dream come true experience. It's truly inspiring to see the power of human spirit but on the other hand, it’s sad to see the impermanence of things no matter how beautiful they are.”


Expanding the scope of impermanence further we can apply it to every single phenomenon around us. From every breath we take in and let out alternatingly, every emotion or feeling that arises and falls inside us, our ever changing physical body, birth and death of stars, rising and falling of waves, a tree responding to the seasons, movement of our thoughts through the mind...each and everything within and without us is impermanent. Sooner or later it will not exist nor be the same, but give rise to another; be transformed into a similar or different entity.


While impermanence no doubt has its side of despair and pain, it also has a bright side to it which gives us great hope and scope for opportunity.


Imagine if we there were no such thing as impermanence. It would be dreadful to undertake any practice in trying to improve our professional, personal or spiritual trajectory simply because if something were to be permanent how could it possibly be changed?


Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, a brilliant master of our times, says that we should view our present condition as ‘we have a headache’ and not as ‘we are a headache’. If we have a headache, it is possible to create some conditions like taking a tablet or a coffee and taking some rest so as to allow the headache to pass away and improve upon our previous condition. If we see ourselves as being a headache, there is no scope for this situation to change, because we are a headache and nothing could change that!


Another example Rinpoche gives is that of a shirt. Suppose we buy a brand new shirt, use it for a day and then throw it for a wash because we say the ‘shirt is dirty’. This is a mistake. It should be seen as the ‘shirt has dirt’. If the shirt is dirty there is no scope to change its condition because it is dirty and no matter what we do with it, it will remain dirty. But if the shirt has dirt on it, conditions can be created to have it washed and the dirt can be removed. The shirt and dirt are separate. Shirt is nirvana and the dirt is samsara.


A Vajrayana Buddhist’s view on nature of mind is that the shirt was never dirty to begin with!


In the same way, for example, if we are to overcome the negativity of aggression, we need to fully understand that we are not aggression but that we have aggression. By working on it we can end the aggression. In spiritual practice too the Law of Impermanence comes as great solace and hence masters stress so much on its full understanding in depth and detail. If we consider that we can do the right actions of body, speech and mind, follow the Eight Fold Path, undertake virtuous actions, shun non-virtuous ones, undertake meditative practices to slowly gain insight and wisdom it is possible to improve our present situation because the situation we are now in is not permanent and can be changed by applying the right factors and conditions.


Happy contemplation!

TIBETAN BUDDHIST TEACHINGS IN PUNE, 16-17TH NOV 2013

Tibetan Buddhist Master Khenpo Sonam Tsewang will give teachings on SIX PARAMITAS (Transcendent Perfections) in Pune on 16-17th Nov 2013.

Refuge vows will also be given to those who are ready to receive them. Venue: Nagras Road, Aundh


ALL SEATS FILLED UP. NO WALK INS PLEASE. PLEASE TRY NEXT TIME

QUALITIES OF A TEACHER

(Speaking Tree paper, Sun, 08.09.2013)


Ordinary people like us are easily influenced by phenomena around us. We tend to get distracted and at times fall prey to such attractions and distractions which have every possibility in them to lead us to suffering. However, if the purpose of life itself is happiness, then we need to do some kind of course correction in order not to fall prey. This thought leads us to following a spiritual teacher. No sutra, tantra or shastra speaks of any being ever attaining perfect Buddhahood without following a spiritual friend, guru or teacher; much the same way as no one can explore a difficult terrain without the help of an experienced navigator or guide.


In these degenerate times, the question which begs us is: What then are the qualities of a teacher and how should one follow him/her?


The list of qualities can be very long as explained in the Abhidharma covering external (pratimoksha), internal (bodhisattva) and secret (secret mantrayana) vows. It would also include deep insights of the teachings and wisdom of one’s master, knowledge of rituals, actualization of extraordinary achievements by putting into practice the teachings s/he has received, by being generous, teaching according to the individual’s needs, acting in conformity with what s/he teaches and by being of pleasant disposition. This list can really go on and on if we were to list down each and every quality.


During his stay with us earlier this year, when i posed this question to my teacher, Khenpo Sonam, asking him to bring it down to just one single quality, he answered: “That single quality of a worthy teacher would be compassion; which among many other things means that he would never consider exploitation or taking undue or unfair advantage of his student as a possibility.”


This singular aspect comes into sharp focus given the turn of events today. Just as the responsibility is upon the teacher to examine his student, the responsibility also rests with the student to examine the teacher.


Guru Padmasambhava, 8th century CE, says: Not to examine the teacher is like drinking poison; Not to examine the disciple is like leaping from a cliff.


Buddhist teachings are also very clear on the types of teachers one should avoid. They are classified as:
Teachers like a millstone made of wood: These teachers have no trace of qualities arising from study, reflection and meditation but some kind of false belief of belonging to a particular lineage gives them the feeling of being superior to others. Like a millstone made of wood, they are really ineffective in fulfilling their function.
Teachers like the frog that lived in a well: These teachers have no special qualities different from ordinary people. They get to that position by being puffed up by followers who have put him on that pedestal out of blind faith and without examining them. This teacher is himself unaware of the great qualities of a real teacher. Just as the frog came out of the well and saw the ocean, he fainted seeing the sheer expanse of the ocean as compared to his own tiny well.
Mad guides: These teachers have themselves very little knowledge having never followed a teacher themselves nor having learnt the sutras and tantras nor practicing the teachings with diligence. Their strong negative emotions and weak mindfulness make them poor in upholding their samayas (vows)
Blind guides: Teachers who qualities are in no way superior to ours and the one who lacks the vast compassion of bodhichitta (heart of the enlightened mind) will never be able to open other’s eyes to what should and should not be done.


It is therefore said in the teachings that while we must follow a true and accomplished teacher with respect, there are three ways to follow him/her. “In the beginning skilfully examine the teacher; in the middle skilfully follow him and in the end skilfully emulate his actions and realizations. A disciple who does this is on the authentic path.” Dharma teachings further advice us so: “Just as the trunk of an ordinary tree lying on the sandalwood forest floor absorbs the perfume of the sandal; so you come to resemble whomever you follow”.


Tread with great caution, practitioners!

LOVE AND ATTACHMENT: Clear the Confusion

A young student of mine wrote to me recently and enquired: “Is getting attached to anyone or anything bad? What is the difference between attachment and habit?” It is not an uncommon question she has asked. A lot many times i have faced this question therefore i believe the need is greater to understand the difference.


Here’s my explanation:


According to Buddhist definition, there is a distinction to be made between loving someone or something and being attached to it. For this, fundamentally we must understand the difference between 'attachment' and 'love/loving kindness'.


Attachment is based on desire - not necessarily limited to sexual – but one which is grasping in nature based on the ignorant state that things and people are permanent. Attachment is conditional love and is discriminatory in nature. This means that there is a pre-condition set in order to offer love eg: if the judgemental mind establishes a ‘closeness’ to someone or something then we tend to cling to it or grasp at it more and at times don’t seem to get enough of it! If not then we are less interested in it and may even begin to dislike or hate it. There is an ‘if-then’ conditionality linked to it. Attachment is based on 'object' of love arising from a selfish perspective of ‘i alone want to be happy’. There is an action we offer based on ‘subject-object’ duality. Attachment is binding. For these reasons attachment is based on wrong or impure consciousness. Attachment is a non-virtuous, afflictive or contaminated emotion (akushala bhava) leading to negative karma and suffering.


Nature does not support attachment. A tree is not attached to the flower or fruit it bears. Nor does the flower or fruit show any such tendency. On ripening, there is a spontaneous release from both. Same is the case in the animal kingdom. A tigress loves her cub no less than any mother would love her child; but once the cub is sufficiently grown up to fend for itself, there is natural and spontaneous release from the tigress and cub.


Love or loving kindness on the other hand is based on understanding of impermanence. That something which is born will pass away and hence there is need and reason to love. This emotion is desireless for any reason whatsoever. It is unconditional and non-discriminatory i.e. there is no pre-condition of 'if-then' at play here. Much the same way as a mother loves her child unconditionally. It is based on 'reason' for love arising from the basis that it’s not just me alone but all beings who want to be happy and not be in suffering; and therefore need our affection. Love is releasing. For these reasons it is seen to be coming from right or pure consciousness or we can say, mindful consciousness. Sanskrit words used often here are 'karuna' or ‘metta’ (compassion, kindness) or 'maitri' (friendliness, affection). Loving kindness is a virtuous, non-afflictive or uncontaminated emotion (kushala bhava) that leads to joy and positive karmic result.


So, it is therefore clear that any and every kind of relationship should have a close bonding for one another based on love/loving kindness as explained above, care must be taken that the contamination of attachment does not seep in. This maintains the purity of the relationship which becomes stronger, long lasting and capable of weathering many a storm.


Attachment is therefore a kind of emotion that needs to be purified and be replaced with its positive counterpart, that of loving kindness. There is danger of attachment becoming a habit if we are not careful to see the difference.


Go on, expand your heart out to other beings! Have a kind heart every moment. "Show kindness whenever possible. It is always possible." says H.H. The Dalai Lama.