We Need to Show Before We Can Receive

"One day Siddhartha [the future Sakyamuni Buddha] left Rajagrha to go to the foot of the mountain where many hermits and sages dwelt. On the way, he saw dust falling down from the mountain amidst the pounding sound of animal hoofs. Going closer, he found a large flock of sheep and goats moving along like a bank of clouds. They were being helplessly driven toward the city.

At the rear of the flock, a little lamb was straggling, limping along painfully, its leg wounded and bleeding. Siddhartha noticed the little lamb and its mother walking in front of it constantly looking back in deep concern for her offspring. His heart was filled with pity. So Siddhartha took the little lamb with the wounded leg up into his arms, gently caressing it while walking along behind the flock.

When he saw the shepherds, he asked: 'Where are you driving this herd to? They should normally be driven back in the evening! Why do you drive them back at noontime?' The shepherds replied: 'The King is holding a big sacrifice today, and we have been ordered to bring one hundred sheep and goats each to the city at noontime.' Siddhartha said: 'I'll go with you.' He carried the little lamb in his arms all the way to the city. Walking behind the flock of sheep, Siddhartha reached the city; then he went toward the palace, where the sacrifice was being held.

The King and a group of priests of the fire-worshipping cult were chanting hymns, while a big fire was burning on the altar. They were about to kill the flock of sheep as a sacrifice, but when the leader of the fire-worshippers raised his sword to sever the head of the first sheep, Siddhartha quickly moved up and stopped him...In a grave and solemn manner, Siddhartha...said to King Bimbisara: 'Your Majesty, Don't let these worshippers destroy the lives of these poor animals.'

Then he spoke to people who were standing as witnesses to this event: 'All living creatures cling to life. Why should people exert brutal force upon these friendly animals? The suffering of birth, old age, sickness and death will naturally take away their beloved lives.' Siddhartha continued: 'If human beings expect mercy, they ought to show mercy, for, according to the law of Cause and Effect, those who kill will, in turn, be killed. If we expect happiness in the future, we must do no harm to any kind of creature whatsoever. For whoever sows the seeds of sorrow and agony will undoubtedly reap the same fruits.'

The manner in which Siddhartha spoke was peaceful and dignified and full of compassion yet, at the same, forceful and determined. He completely changed the intention and belief of the King and the fire-worshippers.

So King Bimbisara asked Siddhartha to stay in his country to teach the people to be merciful...Siddhartha was deeply grateful, but since he had not yet attained his goal of Complete Enlightenment, he gracefully declined the invitation and departed."

~ A Pictorial Biography of Sakyamuni Buddha

One Should

One should repay the kindness from others, not exact revenge.

One should share others’ blame, not their credit.

One should help others accomplish meritorious undertakings, not help them accomplish evil undertakings.

One should only reveal others’ virtues, not their bad deeds.

One should not take advantage of others nor be disheartened when others take advantage of oneself.

One should not slander others nor be disheartened when others slander oneself.

One should sincerely help others transcend the ocean of transmigration and should not give up on them or feel anxious when they do not care.

One should earnestly help others in times of trouble and should not get angry with them or blame them when they show indifference and keep one at a distance.

One should take precautions to prevent possible major disputes and should not take any credit for having done so.

One need not defend oneself when falsely charged or wrongly accused.

One should help reverse the deteriorating social order and legal system of the nation and should not have misgivings when disliked by others nor consider oneself noble and feel self-righteous.

When one propagates the sages’ teachings and teaches the truth, one should not worry when questioned or shouted at by people nor should one declare that one’s teaching is the only correct one.

~ Guan Dongming of the Ming Dynasty

Untempted and Undisturbed

What is meditation? What is concentration?

Simply put, meditation means not to be affected by the external environment. And concentration means to maintain an undisturbed mind. The mind must remain pure, with no discriminations, no worries, and no attachments: This is concentration.

The Buddha said in the Diamond Sutra: “Do not cling to [illusory] phenomena; maintain an undisturbed mind.” The first part is meditation, and the second part is concentration.

We can clearly see that practicing meditative concentration does not mean meditating facing the wall every day. This is only one of the many forms of practice. In actuality, in your everyday activities, you are practicing meditative concentration when you remain undisturbed and unattached.

In the Avatamsaka Sutra, where did the Bodhisattvas practice meditative concentration? At the market! The sutra mentions sichan, which means a bustling bazaar. The Bodhisattvas went “window-shopping” to practice meditative concentration. You should understand that when they were window-shopping, they saw everything clearly. That is wisdom. They saw and understood everything clearly, and none of these things could tempt them.

To remain untempted is “meditation.”

To maintain an undisturbed mind is “concentration.”

What did the bodhisattvas cultivate when they went window-shopping? They cultivated meditative concentration and wisdom, unlike ordinary people who, attracted by everything they see, desire everything. When one is affected, there is no meditative concentration.

We should know that meditative concentration is true enjoyment. Meditative concentration and wisdom are the utmost enjoyments in life.

~ Ven. Master Chin Kung

Love (Flash Movie)

I Have to Change

Robert at Musings of an Episcopal Padre asked an insightful, albeit disturbing, question the other day in his entry thought for today. Robert was commenting about how privilege-laden executives at US auto makers were flying to Washington in their private planes to seek a bailout for their industry. He then concluded with "How do I make use of my privilege in such obvious ways to others while I'm completely ignorant of it?"

We complain about politicians who seem so out of touch with the suffering of those they are supposed to look after. We rail against the obvious abuse of privilege that corporate executives apparently take for granted.  We fuss and fume about our inconsiderate and wasteful neighbors and co-workers.

But we don't consider how our actions look to others. Especially those who are further down the prosperity ladder. Truth be told, we make use of our privileges all the time.

Each time those who are buying gasoline fill up their gas tank with ethanol fuel made from corn, imagine how privileged and uncaring they must seem to those who can no longer afford to buy food to feed their family.

Imagine how privileged the people who buy the imported fruit and vegetables year-round at their local supermarket must seem to people who live in huts at the edge of the sea and watch that gradually rising sea wash away home, cropland, their family's future.

Consider how unbelievably wasteful our houses and office buildings with their lights blazing in empty rooms must seem to those who can no longer afford to pay their electricity bills. Or how all those Christmas lights must look to people who live in countries that are not driven by consumerism.

And each time we flush the toilet with sparkling, clean water how must we appear to those who have no access to clean, safe water for their children to drink.

Perhaps if we stepped back from our lives and viewed them as the majority of people on this planet would view them, we'd discover that there are many times in out privileged lives even in the course of one day that we can softly say to ourselves "No. I have to change."