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Page 4A |
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Buddhist Tales for Everyone...
Bamboo's Father [Wasted Advice]... Once upon a time, there was a teacher who meditated much and developed his mind. Gradually his fame spread. Those who wished to be guided by a wise man came to hear him. Considering what he said to be wise indeed, 500 decided to become his followers. One of these 500, who considered his teachings to be wise, was a certain pet lover. In fact, he loved pets so much that there was no animal he did not wish to keep as a pet. One day he came upon a cute little poisonous snake, who was searching for food. He decided he would make an excellent pet. So he made a little bamboo cage to keep him in when he had to leave him alone. The other followers called the little snake, 'Bamboo.' Because he was so fond of his pet, they called the pet lover, 'Bamboo's Father.' Before long, the teacher heard that one of his followers was keeping a poisonous snake as a pet. He called him to him and asked if this was true. Bamboo's Father said, "Yes master, I love him like my own child!" The wise teacher said, "It is not safe to live with a poisonous snake. Therefore, I advise you to let him go, for your own good." But Bamboo's Father thought he knew better. He replied, "This little one is my son. He wouldn't bite me. I can't give him up and live all alone!" The teacher warned him, "Then surely, this little one will be the death of you!" But the follower did not heed his master's warning. Later on, all 500 of the teacher's followers went on a trip to collect fresh fruits. Bamboo's Father left his 'son' locked up in the bamboo cage. Since there were many fruits to collect, it was several days before they returned. Bamboo's Father realized that poor Bamboo had not eaten the whole time he was away. So he opened the cage to let him out to find food. But when he reached inside, his 'son' bit his hand. Having been neglected for all that time, Bamboo was angry as well as hungry. Since he was only a snake, he didn't know anything about poison! But his 'father' should have known better. After all, he had been warned by the very teacher he himself |
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considered wise. Within minutes of being bitten, Bamboo's Father dropped dead!
The moral is: There's no benefit in following a teacher, if you don't listen to what he says. |
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View, Meditation and Conduct... The term view means the right understanding of the Buddhist path. Meditation is the actual practice, and conduct is the discipline necessary to stay on the path. The view is a very profound guide to meditation. Without proper knowledge of the teachings, many obstacles arise due to mistakes in the practice. Naturally, if you do not know anything about meditation you won't recognize them as mistakes. This is why before you start practicing, you should develop correct understanding. Then you can recognize obstacles and the meditation will progress. In this way view and meditation are connected. Conduct is based on the understanding of karma. Right conduct means to ensure that actions, whether through body or speech, are not influenced by disturbing emotions. If actions are biased, negative karma is created. For example, we bring harm to people and possibly even kill others, if we let ourselves be influenced by anger. With the motivation of anger, a great deal of negativity and ill will arises. Right conduct means to be free of those influences and instead, let our actions be guided by positive qualities like compassion. Like meditation, conduct is also influenced by the view because right understanding leads naturally to right conduct. Some people have problems with this. For example, if one understands the teachings with the right view but does not follow them, it brings about difficulties with one's own emotions. Even learned people can act negatively, because a person can have the right understanding without the right meditation. Meditation is the means to conquer negative emotions and right view provides the understanding of how to conquer them. If we want to become liberated, then our own negative emotions are our real enemy. We can learn how to overcome disturbing emotions by studying the Abhidharmakosha. This text explains in detail how to overcome negative emotions, and even how long it will take. Such teachings can also be found in the Prajnaparamita and on the Vajrayana level, in the Sabmo Nang Gi Don. Here it is calculated that it takes three years, three months and three days to remove all samsaric problems through practice. To study such texts is to become a learned person and to understand the path. However, someone who has completed a three year retreat could be seated on a stage and recite everything by heart without necessarily being Enlightened at all. In this case emotions are still stronger than knowledge because of not following the path personally. Emotions can overpower the view if the emotions are not overcome through meditation. There are many different obstacles on the path. Through these you will find out what kind of Dharma practitioner you are. To meditate, you need the right understanding or you will make many mistakes. Meditation without understanding is very risky. You may know a little bit about meditation, but this is not sufficient to develop your practice over a long period of time. It is not enough to simply imagine what is best. Overcoming obstacles is about cause and effect and the knowledge that things are connected. Conduct generally has to do with karma. The specific behavior to be applied depends on the developed level of practice. In Vajrayana, samaya is important. Beyond the meaning of receiving the empowerment and practicing a certain Buddha aspect, samaya means proper conduct. It is concerned with avoiding any behavior that could harm one's own practice. For example, if you intensively practice meditation for calming the mind (Tib. shi-ne, Skt. shamata) while thinking that you would rather be doing a higher practice like Mahamudra, this is a mistake. It is not right conduct to practice something before having successfully built the foundation. Of course, it is a positive intention to want to practice a higher teaching like Mahamudra. But here it is a hindrance. You cannot successfully practice shi-ne now and even more so Mahamudra later. It is also said that you should not eat too much if you practice shi-ne intensively. If you eat a lot and get sleepy, you cannot practice meditation of calming the mind well. That is why the Buddha said that monks should not have an evening meal. View, meditation, and conduct are therefore practically connected. Buddhism does not simply prescribe something to people but teaches practical things in order to achieve results. There are no arbitrary rules, for example, that you must wear a certain hat in order to be part of the religion, even if I do have a red crown (Shamar Rinpoches traditionally wear a red hat.) Right view in the widest sense means to understand the meaning of the Madhyamaka. Madhyamaka is the essence of all the high practices of Mahamudra and Maha Ati. None of these high meditations can be practiced without understanding the Madhyamaka view. Perhaps there are other high meditations that I do not know about, but these are meditations which lead to Buddhahood. The Madhyamika first explains the right view. Based on this, special methods have been compiled and have been given names like Mahamudra and Maha Ati. These meditations are represented separately from the view of the Madhyamaka. For example, the ritual execution of the Chod practice* - how one actually plays the big damaru (a ritual drum) and so on - are not described in the Madhyamaka. But, without Madhyamaka view one cannot do this practice. There is more to it than just the music. In Mahamudra and Maha Ati there is much said about the nature of mind. This means that when the meditator recognizes the actual meaning of Mahamudra or Maha Ati he will be Enlightened on the spot. Just try to do that. We make jokes about it. Many people who study these teachings say, "Mahamudra and Maha Ati are the highest meditations. I have studied them for many years and now I know." But that would mean that they have been enlightened for a long time. To recognize the nature of mind is to become Enlightened. In the teachings of Maha Ati it is said that to begin this practice in the evening one is Enlightened the next morning. Starting in the morning then one is Enlightened in the evening. That is only twelve hours, isn't it? If someone says that he knows it because he studied it for many years, but he is still not enlightened, then what does he really know? It is not so easy. You may have heard that you should see the guru as the essence of all Buddhas. Let's say I agreed to be your guru and to show you the nature of your mind. Maybe you would get very excited because it would be very direct and special. Afterwards you would go home and say, "Today I received a profound meditation from my guru." But look at yourself - what actually changed in you? You should then come back to view, meditation and conduct. Milarepa received the teachings from Marpa and then practiced alone. His conduct was to practice twenty-four hours a day in his cave, fully concentrated. But he also sang many songs. Often he meditated and afterwards sang a song. Why did he do that? His knowledge of meditation guided his practice and so he sang songs often to remind himself. In the course of his practice certain methods were necessary at certain times so he composed a verse to rekindle his knowledge from memory. Although he never studied it, he was very good at composing poetry. Whenever it was necessary for his meditation he composed a precise poem. If you read the life story of Milarepa you will find that he sang songs at important junctures in his practice. When he had obstacles he recalled various methods from memory. In this way Milarepa's knowledge guided his meditation. The Madhyamaka teaches precisely and logically that phenomena and beings don't really exist, what mental confusion consists of, and how illusion arises in the mind. It teaches how, if you practice, you can become free from neuroses, attachments, and the habit of believing in concrete existence. You can remove all this because you understand it very precisely within the Madhyamaka view. According to the Madhyamaka view of emptiness, all substantial phenomena are heaps (Skt. skandhas) composed of particles. Then, this is examined metaphysically by dividing everything up until you find that even the smallest particles or atoms don't have real existence. Then you examine mental projections in the same way. It is explained that mind itself is emptiness, that it is an accumulation of momentary thoughts, none of which exist independently but arise in dependence upon one another. Therefore, mind doesn't have a solid existence either. That is how the Madhyamaka explains emptiness. But then, if we punch the wall, our hand still hurts. Although you understand through logic that there is no real existence, you do not yet experience what it really means. It is not about simply explaining everything as nonexistent. Logic alone is not enough to remove illusion. On the basis of the Madhyamaka view, meditations which build on one another in a certain way have to be practiced. What will one achieve through this? The Madhyamaka explains that all things are empty. But we don't want to achieve sheer emptiness - what would be the benefit of that? What emptiness is all about is to achieve a deeper understanding of mind through Mahamudra, the core of the Madhyamaka. It is neither the outer world that imprisons us in samsara nor our body. Neither the universe nor our bodies are in samsara - our mind is. The point is to examine mind with the precise logic of the Madhyamaka. When you are oriented properly towards the mind, you have the correct view. To apply this view of the mind as practice, simply let the mind experience this very view. Then you have Mahamudra experience in one instant. To experience Mahamudra, great concentration is necessary. That is why it is so important to practice shi-ne first. Without the stability of shi-ne the view of mind is like a flame in the wind. One moment it is there, the next it is gone. If you try to have the right view without mental stability, then perhaps a short insight arises but the untamed mind is unable to maintain it. Before you are able to hold the view without interruption, statements like "one can achieve Enlightenment in one instant" make no sense. Develop the view first, then on this basis develop direct experience of the mind and practice it without interruption. When the right view of mind is developed it is an awakening from ignorance. But the view must be held continuously. Without mental stability it will disappear again. *A tantric practice for killing the ego by symbolically offering one's body. (by Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche)
Mahamudra: (Tib. cha ja chen po) Literally means "great seal" or "great symbol." This meditative transmission emphasizes perceiving mind directly rather than through skillful means. It is especially emphasized in the Kagyu school. It refers to the experience of the practitioner where one attains the union of emptiness and luminosity and also perceives the non-duality of the phenomenal world and emptiness; also the name of Kagyupa lineage. |
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RENUNCIATION - OR BECOMING WEARY OF SAMSARA... Although all of us certainly have a strong aspiration towards the highest and essential teachings of Vajray�na, we must understand that we first need to have a strong foundation before we can begin to practice these teachings. We would not undertake to build a beautiful palace on a fragile foundation. Likewise, we need to establish a firm foundation for practice and this can be done by developing a deep feeling of "renunciation" or a strong sense of weariness with the ordinary conditions in sams�ra. If our mind is free from wordily concerns and preoccupations it will be very easy to progress through the various steps of the path, either towards the self-liberation of the Hinayana, the altruistic liberation of the Mahayana or the supreme accomplishment offered by the Vajray�na. We might practice the Dharma simply for achieving relative happiness and satisfaction, such as long life or good health. We may also simply enjoy the highest states in sams�ra, but none of this will give us freedom from sams�ra. Actually, we need to realize that we will not find ultimate fulfillment in the whole of sams�ra. How does this urge to free ourselves from conditioned existence take birth in our mind? It is by contemplating activities, thoughts and concerns and checking if they are truly as meaningful as they might appear to be, and if in fact they can give a meaning to our life. As it is said in "The Way of the Bodhisattva" of Shantideva: "Most people spend their lives trying to achieve things that cannot bring them lasting happiness such as obtaining possessions, land, rank, money or power and thinking that they will find |
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fulfillment from this, which is just a mere illusion." People might think that if they have limitless possessions they will be happy. But in fact they will have to go through much effort and worries just in order to gain those possessions and they will never be satisfied. Once they have them, they worry about how to keep them, they become afraid to lose them, and eventually, when that happens, they suffer from loosing what they took so much effort to get. The same is true for power, rank or fame. What tremendous endeavor it takes for people to achieve a high rank! Look at how they easily discard any concerns for the welfare of others in order to achieve their own goals! And once they succeed, look at all the tricks they have to use to keep them! And when they eventually lose them, check how they completely fall into despair! It is the same for those who chase after the illusion of celebrity and spend their lives trying to become famous - something which is completely meaningless and hollow. Now, the point of this is not to disparage all our activities, but simply to establish a correct hierarchy. We should understand that possessions, rank and all these kinds of concerns are meaningless aims and therefore there is no point in spending our lives entangled in them. This understanding will give us a strong urge to get out of the vicious circle of endless and meaningless activities and help us so discover what is truly meaningful. Moreover, it is crucial to realize that we do not have much time to accomplish it. Thus seeing that our usual preoccupations are devoid of substance, and the truth of impermanence and the eventuality of death, we should realize that it is urgent to give true meaning to our life and that this meaning is really what we should focus on. This strong urge is called renunciation and it is the spur and the foundation of turning our mind to the Dharma. In the end, once our mind becomes truly suitable for inner transformation, we don�t feel more interest for what allures ordinary beings - possessions, fame, and so on - than a dog for grass. So, we should cultivate this feeling of non-attachment until we loose complete interest for possessions, wealth, fame, rank and all sort of endless projects. This does not mean we aim, in our Western countries, to become a person like the great yogi Milarepa who spent his life in very austere conditions in mountain caves and so forth. It is simply that if our mind is attracted to those worldly concerns it is difficult to go through an inner transformation. There are other reflections that may help us to strengthen the wish to free ourselves from the conditioned world. First we should realize this human life is not something ordinary, with no value, but that it is a precious opportunity. We should therefore appreciate and try to give meaning to it. Secondly, even though we have now a human life, it is so fragile that at any moment some unpredictable circumstances might bring us death. In that way, the thought of impermanence should be like a spur to our diligence so that we never forget we may not have such an unique opportunity for a very long time. The third reflection is that if we want to proceed on this path of inner transformation there are suitable things to accomplish that will help us to progress on the path, and there are things we should be able to discard because they are going to hinder our progress. That is the reflection on the law of cause and effect, or karma. Throughout the history of Tibet there are many examples of great sages who were able to completely disentangle themselves from worldly concerns. Among those, there is a famous wondering sage of the 19th century known as Patrul Rinpoche. Patrul Rinpoche mostly taught on compassion. The text he would use again and again was the Bodhicaryavatara, The way of the Bodhisattva. He would often teach in open spaces like mountain meadows. In Tibet when a teacher gives a teaching it is traditional to make offerings to him, but Patrul Rinpoche would never accept any offering. Once he gave teachings for a few weeks, and instead of sitting on a throne he sat on an elevated mound of earth with grass on the top in the middle of a |
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meadow. Although the people knew that he generally didn�t accept offerings, at the end of the teachings some of them offered him a large piece of silver. Patrul Rinpoche just left it there in the grass, without anyone noticing. After the teaching, Patrul
Rinpoche left, as usual for no particular destination, with just a small bag in hand. That night, he slept under the trees in the forest. A thief who knew that Patrul Rinpoche had been offered the silver had been following him. While Patrul Rinpoche was sleeping, he came and looked in the small bag but, since he could not find any silver, he started to search Patrul Rinpoche�s clothes. Then, Rinpoche woke up and said: "Why are you searching my clothes like that?" The thief answered: "Well, I need the silver you were offered." Rinpoche replied, "Oh, why didn�t you say so before? I left it at the teaching place, where I was sitting. Go and get it for yourself." The thief didn�t really believe that, but since Patrul Rinpoche had no silver, he thought he would better check for himself. He went back and found the big piece of silver there. "What a special lama!", he thought. So he rushed again to Patrul Rinpoche. As he was coming, Rinpoche asked: "What are you coming again for?" The thief did three prostrations and said: "Well, you are a lama unlike any other, so I want to become your disciple." This story shows that when we speak of renunciation, it is the same for us as for those great teachers like Patrul Rinpoche: the point is not to deprive oneself of something, but to simply to have no need for such things. Actually, renunciation is a great freedom. (By Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche)
Disclaimer: All images and articles retain the original copyrights of their original owners. 5/10/04 |
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