Eliminated, Not Just Suppressed

A clear distinction should be made between Awakening / Great Awakening and Supreme Enlightenment. To experience a Great Awakening is to achieve (through Zen meditation, Buddha Recitation, etc.) "a level of insight and understanding equal to that of the Buddhas" (Master Yin Kuang).

It is to see one’s Nature, comprehend the True Nature of things, the Truth. Only after becoming a Buddha can one be said to have truly attained Supreme Enlightenment (Attained the Way).

A metaphor appearing in the sutras is that of a glass of water containing sediments. As long as the glass is undisturbed, the sediments remain at the bottom and the water is clear. However, as soon as the glass is shaken, the water becomes turbid.

Likewise, when a practitioner experiences a Great Awakening (Awakens to the Way), his afflictions (greed, anger and delusion) are temporarily suppressed but not yet eliminated. To achieve Supreme Enlightenment (i.e., to be rid of all afflictions, to discard all sediments) is the ultimate goal. Only then can he completely trust his mind and actions.

Before then, he should adhere to the precepts; keep a close watch on his mind and thoughts, like a cat stalking a mouse, ready to pounce on evil thoughts as soon as they arise. To do otherwise is to court certain failure, as stories upon stories of overconfident monks, roshis and gurus demonstrate.

~ Seekers Glossary of Buddhism

A Rose by Any Other Name is an Orange

We hear the terms Buddhist and Buddhism a lot in the West, but in Asia the terminology is a bit different.

 

For example, my teacher, Master Chin Kung, does not use the word Buddhist. He refers to those who follow the teachings as practitioners, a term which is more proactive. An “…ist” can just be, but to be a practitioner implies that the person is doing the work, the practice, not just being.

Another difference in terminology can help explain why some people view Buddhism as a religion. It follows a pattern: Catholicism, Judaism, Buddhism. Perhaps a more helpful term is Buddhadharma, a term we are seeing more often now in the West. Dharma means the teaching of the Buddha, so Buddhadharma is an educational term rather than a religious one.

Fortunately, with so much more material being translated now, we have the opportunity to see Buddhism from a perspective one step closer to its origin.

Karmic Opportunities

The good news—so many opportunities to practice.

The bad news—so many opportunities to practice. 

Dave is here helping for the opening here at the retreat centre in Nanango, and he just walked past my room. My patio door is open and I heard him talking with Charles as they crossed the lawn on the other side of the verandah. They were talking about something very different from what I'm writing about but Dave just said, "It's like a minefield." Perfect!

Life often feels like a minefield with so many "opportunities" to practice the teachings. It's good because if we want to improve, we need to practice. It can also be bad because if we aren't mindful and end up carelessly saying or doing the wrong thing (or even just think of it), we'll commit more bad karmas. And plant more seeds for bad consequences. 

If we view our next words and actions as opportunities to be aware, if we can just remember to think first of the possible harm we are so close to doing, we can wisely use the opportunity to practice wisdom. We can let go of our irritations and frustrations, and remember that there is too much suffering in this world. We don't need to add to that of others for when others suffer, we suffer.

Nice Intentions, But No Durian, Thank You

When you love someone, you want him to be happy. If he is not happy, there is no way you can be happy. Happiness is not an individual matter. True love requires deep understanding. In fact, love is another name for understanding. If you do not understand, you cannot love properly. Without understanding, your love will only cause the other person to suffer.

In Southeast Asia, many people are extremely fond of a big fruit with many thorns called durian. You might even say that they are addicted to it. Its smell is extremely strong, and when some people finish eating the fruit, they put the skin under their bed so they can continue to smell it. To me, the smell of durian is horrendous.

One day when I was practicing chanting alone in my temple in Vietnam, there appeared to be one durian on the altar that had been offered to the Buddha. I was trying to recite the Lotus Sutra, using a wooden drum and a large bowl-shaped bell for accompaniment, but I could not concentrate at all. I finally decided to turn the bell over and imprison the durian so I could chant the sutra. After I finished, I bowed to the Buddha and liberated the durian. If you were to say to me, “I love you so much I would like you to eat some of this durian,” I would suffer. You love me, you want me to be happy, but you force me to eat durian. That is an example of love without understanding. Your intention is good, but you don’t have the correct understanding.

~ Thich Nhat Hanh, Touching Peace

Recognition or Respect?

Which are we seeking, recognition or respect? What is the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary defines recognition as “acceptance of an individual as being entitled to consideration or attention.” When we perform well at work we may be rewarded with a raise. Or we may get a promotion and find our new office is now closer to the boss. Since so much of our daily life can be spent at work and the rest of our daily life can depend on how we do there, it is certainly understandable that we wish to do our work well. 

But a problem can occur if, in our attempts to win recognition, we sacrifice being deemed worthy of respect. In Lessons of the Lotus, Bhante Y. Wimala defines respect as “a spiritual acknowledgement of one human being by another human being simply because they are human beings.” While recognition can be a measure of work performance, respect is a measure of how we are doing as human beings.

Thus, the president of a company and the person who cleans her office may not receive the same recognition, but they both deserve respect.