Banishing fear and insecurity

The subtle truth of the Buddha’s Teachings

  “Some people live closely guarded lives, fearful of encountering someone or something that might shatter their insecure spiritual foundation. This attitude however is not the fault of religion but of their own limited understanding. The true Laws of Existence (Dharma) lead in exactly the opposite direction. It enables one to integrate all the many diverse experiences of life into a meaningful and coherent whole, thereby banishing fear and insecurity completely.  – Lama Thubtem Yeshe, Wisdom Energy.

  Unfortunately in today’s world, more than enough religions do nothing but harbor fear, condemning their followers to live closely guarded lives, to set themselves apart from others. Ignorance is at the root cause of this “holier-than-thou” phenomenon.

  An awareness of the “true Laws of Existence” can lead us in the opposite direction to arrive at a place where we “integrate all the many diverse experiences of life” and through this “mindfulness” learn to celebrate life in each moment dispelling compassionately all discriminations and judgments which separate us from others, fear and insecurity banished forever.

  One must have a “longing heart” to seek and find this mindfulness for themselves. One must learn to think holistically. The Buddha in The Threefold Lotus Sutra: I behold all living creatures sunk in the sea of suffering hence I do not reveal myself but set them all aspiring, till, when their hearts are longing, I appear to preach the law.

  In our  world today, “The Buddha appearing to preach the law,” simply means our acceptance of the great pervading  and eternal life-force existing in all our lives causes everything and everyone to live—realizing that an intuitive method of spiritual training aims first of all, at discovering a reality in the innermost recesses of the human mind—a reality that is the fundamental unity pervading all the differences and particulars of the world. In the teachings of the Buddha, this reality is called simply, Mind, or “buddha-nature” pervading all differences and particulars.

  When I first connected with teachings of the Buddha in 1976, I had not the slightest knowledge of these things. The connection was with an intensive “spiritual practice” with an even more intense community (many of them close friends) which lit a fire under us each day if we wanted to belong and continue the practice.

  In my ignorance however, I experienced in life an instinctive realization that I was part of a community – not just the group’s community, but in touch somehow with all those who came into my world.

  Most notably, only a day or two after beginning to practice, driving the deadening Interstate 5 to San Francisco, with the sudden realization that everyone on the road with me were “going somewhere,” that we were all part of a community, the strain of competing, trying to be “first” vanished.  Impatience? vanished. Strain? vanished.

“till when their hearts are longing”

“Wonder is the beginning of wisdom” – Socrates

  “One never hears without opening one’s mind . . ." first step traveling the path toward attaining enlightenment – the wonder, desire, and a longing heart for wisdom.

  A seeking mind in the mind of a four-year-old girl – daughter of a friend who has  learned to read before entering pre-pre-school, once a bit of a rebel, and perhaps even “difficult” at times. Now she’s the only one in her pre-school group who can read. Could it be that even in her earlier years, her somewhat off-center behavior (not all that serious, actually) marked a seeking, open heart to discover “what’s out  there” in life. No matter what one’s age, it’s possible to begin on such a path.

  Shakyamuni didn’t hesitate to make this declaration, found in the Lotus Sutra: “I behold all living creatures sunk in the sea of suffering, hence I do not reveal myself but set them all aspiring, till when their hearts are longing, I appear to preach the law. . .  desiring to cause all living beings to attain the same way along with me.”

  “We beholding this attain that which we have never been before . . .”

Compassion in Public Life

If one listens, really listens and comprehends, one might see the wisdom of these words of the Dalai Lama – and question which of the presidential candidates are listening and following this advice. My vote is for President Obama who from the beginning has been, in his hopes, dreams and actions, motivated by compassion. – 2012

From Opening the Eye of New Awareness – His Holiness, the Dalai Lama:

“For any activity related to human society, compassion and love are vital; whether one is a politician, businessperson, scientist, engineer, or anything else. If such people carry out their professional work with a good motivation, that work becomes an instrument for human benefit. On the other hand, if people work at their profession out of selfishness or anger, the profession becomes distorted. Instead of bringing benefit for humankind, the knowledge gained in the profession brings disaster. Compassion is essential.”

Adding here, some of the words of the Dalai Lama resting at my meditation center:

“. . . real compassion is without attachment. Pay attention to this point, which goes against our habitual ways of thinking.  It is not this or that particular case that stirs our pity. We don’t give our compassion to such and such a person by choice. We give it spontaneously, entirely, without hoping for anything in exchange. And we give it universally.”

Offerings of the Teacher

Shakyamuni Buddha

♦ Seal of the Three laws  ♦ The Four Noble Truths 

♦ Eightfold path  ♦ Six paramitas

Seal of the Three Laws

All things are impermanent – following natural direction of human life, advancing toward realization that we are one substance with the Buddha – the great life force of the universe, the one thing unchangeable and permanent in this world—the cause to live.

Nothing has an ego – without exception all things, all existences are related to one another. Nothing leads to an isolated existence. Everything is permeated by the same life-energy. We cannot live our lives alone.

Nirvana is quiescence – The quiet stage in which we cling to nothing, extinguishing all illusions.

It may be difficult for us to realize these three great truths. To do so it is necessary to practice them and endeavor to realize them in daily life; to practice the Eightfold Path of the bodhisattva in mind, body, and actions; take notice of the Truth of the Path in the Forth Noble Truths—the Eightfold Path.

The Four Noble Truths

The Truth of Suffering – all things in this world are comprised of suffering for those who do not reach beyond personal ego on a path to enlightened thinking and awareness—in doctrinal terms, to reach toward the Buddha-way, Buddha mind, Buddha thought. Human life is filled with spiritual, physical, economic, and other forms of suffering. To acknowledge the real conditions of suffering and see them through without avoiding them or meeting them only half-way—this is the truth of suffering.

The Truth of the Cause of Suffering – to reflect on those causes which produce human suffering, investigate them and understanding them clearly.

The Truth of Extinction of Suffering – the state of absolute quietude wherein all sufferings of life are extinguished. The state of mind which is attained only by awakening to the great truths Shakyamuni Buddha has taught in The Seal of the Three  Laws: All things are impermanent, Northing has an ego, and Nirvana is quiescence.

The Truth of the Path – method of practice for extinguishing sufferings—the Eightfold Path and the Six Perfections of the Bodhisattva Way

The Eightfold Path

the “right way” of conduct,

following the middle way beyond extremes

Right View – abandon self-centered way of looking at things based on the Buddha’s wisdom which discerns and understands the principle of the Reality of All Existence.

Right Thinking – not to incline toward a self-centered attitude but to think of things from a higher standpoint.

Right Speech – avoiding words which cause others suffering.

Right Action – daily conduct in accordance with mindfulness of the Buddha’s teachings.

Right Living – Not to make our living in work which causes trouble for others.

Right Endeavor – an extension of Right Living—harmony as the basis  for human society and communities, celebrating, depending upon it, and endeavoring to realize it.

Memory – gaining the same mind as the Buddha. We cannot say we have the same mind as the Buddha unless we address ourselves to all things in the universe with a fair and right mind. [note: also seeing “Memory” as keeping the teachings in mind through memorizing, copying, studying the Lotus Sutra, very much resonating with   Meditation.]

Meditation – not to be agitated by any change of circumstances, thus leading to practicing consistently the “right” teachings of the Buddha.

The Six Paramitas,

Perfections of the Bodhisattvas

Donation – to be open to and to perceive the needs of others, practicing
“nothing has an ego.” Helping others according to their needs – not one’s own.

Keeping the precepts – to release the personal ego. keeping the mind at peace day
and night, and always in meditation, contemplating the Buddha-way, Buddha-
thought, rendering service to others, removing arrogance.

Perseverance – ego-free generosity, sustaining attitude of compassion.

Assiduity – to intend, not distracted by trivial things (this is sure a rough one to
follow!) – to advance single-mindedly.

Meditation – remembering who we are as gestures of the great perfection,
contemplating the true aspect of all things.

Wisdom – to realize we are all one substance with the imperishable life-force of the
universe.

Galaxy Cluster / six billion years ago

The World of Learning

and the World of Compassion

Responding to a Friend

A friend commenting on his past, not too happy experiences with religion: “This is the topic I’d like to learn! Cosmology & religion. I was literally attacked by a pastor when I told him I believed the big bang actually happened. He never let me go until I said, God created the universe as it is written in Genesis, so Buddha's teaching and his points of view of the universe are an eye-opener to me. I was forced to study apologetics, they practically brain-washed me. Reading and pondering your Ancestral Well blogs is helping me wash off their dangerous doctrines.”

Response: The important thing to keep in mind is that conditions surrounding these encounters don’t exist in your world anymore. Even more significantly, you show an eagerness to learn, to gain knowledge—this eagerness evident not only here at Ancestral Well, but in your correspondence with JJ and Fanvid buddies (to which we both happily belong), relating your knowledge and experiences to JJ’ and other’s of the many wonderful posts and discussions. As result, I don’t need to tell you you’ve become, as I have, part of a larger family who seek to discover and learn new things about the world and each other, and ain’t it grand? I can attest this is happening every day of my life.

The Seventh World of Learning within the Ten Worlds

  In his earlier “tactful” teachings, and again in the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha points out that experiencing the world of learning, the 7^th world of the shravaka, is gaining knowledge, discovering larger perspectives on how to live life, how to respond to others, and plays a pivotal role in entering the Buddha-path leading to enlightenment—the eighth, ninth, and tenth worlds.

  Briefly, the ten worlds describe the lower worlds of “hells and angry spirits,” anger, covetous­ness, ignorance, contention; the fifth world of humanity; the sixth, the world of temporary enlightenment from which we too often don’t prevent us from returning to the lower worlds of experience. The key or “gateway” to reaching beyond these lower worlds is to enter the world of learning.

  From Sutra of Innumerable Meanings – “Many living beings discriminate falsely—it is this or it is that, either advantageous or disadvantageous. They entertain confused and evil thoughts, make various evil choices (causes), and thus transmigrate within the six realms of existence, the six lower worlds, in lifetime after lifetime  and cannot escape from there during infinite countless kalpas, suffering all manner of miseries.”

  This may seem judgmental, but significantly the Buddha continues, “Bodhisattva-mahasattvas, observing rightly like this, should raise the mind of compassion, display the great mercy desiring to relieve others of suffering, and once again penetrate deeply into all laws.” Pass no judgments—show compassion.

  Thus, in one fell swoop, the Buddha dismisses all judgments and discriminations, and does so repeatedly in the Lotus Sutra, always responding to his observations of human suffering with compassion: “Beholding this my heart is stirred with great pity . . . I behold all living beings sunk in the sea of suffering, hence I do not reveal myself (reveal my teachings) but set them all aspiring, till their hearts are long, I appear to preach the law . . . Ever making this my thought, how can I cause all the living to enter the Way supreme and speedily accomplish their enlightenment?”

  Entering the world of learning is to take us out of the six lower worlds on a path leading to enlightenment—to reach the eighth world and the mindfulness of self-attained enlightenment; the ninth, dwelling in and experiencing the world of the bodhisattvas who seek to gain enlightenment, first for others, even though their own enlightenment will be delayed. The tenth world, the world of Perfect Enlightenment.

  So, as I see it (from afar, it’s true) you find yourself very much in the 7^th world of learning these days, and it’s a really good place to be. The past can be done away with. It doesn’t exist anymore.

  Study will from time to time introduce thrilling surprises as one learns to discover the beauty and probability that knowledge enhances our beliefs and encourages and motivates us to expand our beliefs, leading to productive and compassionate relationships with others. It’s important, most of all, not to shut one’s self off from the ever-existing possibility that there is something new to learn and discover. The thrill of learning and discovering must be nourished, never impeded; keeping one’s mind in the world of learn­ing is not a bad thing. Residing there one continues to gain new perspectives, and the process seems never ending.

Sugar Hills, New Hampshire

All life is sacred

  ”Great vehicle teachings (Mahayana) see all existence as supremely sacred, it needs no other-worldly injunction to validate this sanctity, no God on High; and most important of all, it sees the plain and mundane things of daily existence—when viewed from the right perspective—as sanctified as the loftiest ideals. In short, in this enlightened awareness, we can all see the marvelous wonder of our universe, blemishes and all, and find our home and comfort in a cosmos that is magically a part of us, and us a part of it. This interpenetration of the individual in the universe is what the teachings of the Buddha are all about—this is their scope and majesty.” – from Hui-neng’s Enlightenment, Here and Now.

  This article in Rissho Kosei-kai’s “Dharma World,” 1982, was found in 1990 when I was a member of  Rissho Kosei-kai in Los Angeles, a layperson’s organization devoted to the Lotus Sutra which informs their practice. It tells the story of the 7^th Century Chinese Zen Patriarch, Hui-neng.

  In the light of the chaos and fractured conditions in our current political climate, and throughout the world, it might be good to bring this to mind again as a defense against allowing such conditions to inflict their pain on us. Individually, we have the potential to instill this simple truth in our hearts and minds and act upon it, finding our home  and comfort as we discover the marvelous wonder of the universe within each moment and know unquestionably that all life is indeed sacred.

  What a revolution this would be! – to transform our thinking and actions imbued with this simple truth.

Need for Clarity

1

  Clarity – When I listened to Vice Pres Joe Biden’s talk before the HRC, Human Rights Campaign, it reminded me of all President Obama’s addresses, including his pre-inauguration appearance in Chicago the night of his election in 2008, the two inaugural addresses, and all of the State of the Union addresses. Beyond the inspiration and joy I feel listening to these men, I marvel at the clarity with which they present the aspiration for our country beyond political differences, for all of us to work together.

  As Joe Biden speaks with such clarity, I was surprised the media, including social media  didn’t pick up on the talk. He covered all—yes, all. He leaves “no stone unturned,” current issues in our country and concerning our relationships and responsibilities in the world community.

  For the present, I take great comfort in knowing that such men exist in our world. Politics in our country has become a shambles of “face-offs,” contentions, ego-centric displays. It is up to each one of us to develop a mindfulness and pay attention to individuals like Obama and Biden who speak with such clarity beyond partisan differences, calling for the restoration and revitalization of our country’s motto: e pluribus unum – from the many, one. Working together for the benefit of the many with one spirit of cooperation.

2

Wisdom without a Teacher

Relevant to “Need for Clarity” – a teaching of the Buddha in the Lotus Sutra – who can say this doesn’t have relevance for us in  today’s world? “Leaders of the world” take note.

“If there are living beings who, following the example of the Buddha, the World-honored One, hear the Law, receive it in faith, diligently practice, and zealously advance, seeking the complete wisdom, the wisdom of the Buddha, the natural wisdom, the wisdom without a teacher, and the knowledge, powers, and fearlessness of the Tathagata, the Buddha who comes as the truth, who take pity on and comfort innumerable creatures, benefit gods and living beings, and save all, these will have the vehicle named the Great-vehicle. Because these bodhisattvas seek this vehicle, they are named mahasattvas, persons of great compassion. They are like those children who come out of the burning house for the sake of a bullock cart.”

The confused in generations to come
who hear the One-vehicle preached by the Buddha,
in their delusion and unbelief
will break the Law and fall into chaotic ways.
But there are beings modest and pure,
devoted to seeking the buddha-way;
for such as these I must
widely extol the One-vehicle Way.

Know, Shariputra!
The Law of enlightened ones is thus,
by myriads of countless tactful ways
they proclaim the Law as opportunity serves.
Those who will not learn
are not able to discern it.
You already know
the expedient tactful ways of the enlightened ones,
the leaders of the world.
Have no further doubts,
rejoice greatly in your hearts
knowing that you will become enlightened ones.

“All are equal in having the enlightened nature—the cause to live. This is the true aspect of all  living beings.”

“Abandon the small self and find the self that lives as the whole. Non-self is the only way we can realize, All the universe in our domain.”

“One’s own mind is intrinsically one with primordial spirit, primordial energy, primordial force. . . to become aware of one’s own enlightened nature, bringing it to light from the depth of one’s mind, nurturing it and developing it vigorously, is the first step one needs to take.”