Cattāri Brahmavihārā

Posted by: Michael | 12/08/2013

Sitting with Sickness

I have been trying to fight off this cold for days but have finally succumbed today. it is always hard to maintain my practice commitments when energy is low or I am sick but I have almost invariably found it worthwhile to do so. I was fortunate enough to have been awoken by the cat wretching at 4am and took the opportunity to do my walking and seated meditation at that time for I knew I had a busy day ahead of ferrying kids and getting to the bottom of an inventory debacle at work.

With all of that behind me I would normally try to struggle through the kids’ nightly routines and then off to bed but I still have a Dhamma talk to listen to, another formal sit and an email to send about my progress. Still, what is this life worth, sick or not, if we don’t make an effort to practice? My apologies for what now seems like a rant but I suppose I needed to see just how silly and sorry for myself I was feeling by holding my thoughts up in the mirror of this blog. Sabbe satta sukhita hontu.

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Posted in Aditthana, Buddha, Buddhism, Daily Practice, Dhamma, Formal Meditation, Metta, Parenting, Practice at Work, Theravada | Tags: five recollections, meditation, practice, sick

Posted by: Michael | 12/07/2013

Routine

Weekends can be the worst when it comes to formal practice.Whether it’s exhaustion or a deeply conditioned lack of discipline resulting from a lifetime of lazy weekends, I find it hard to get up and do the practice on Saturday and Sunday mornings. The fact that I have come down with a cold makes it even harder for me to rouse myself and I have completely let my practice commitments go (I’m doing an online retreat for the next week and am supposed to meditate for a set time in the morning and the evening).

As it stands, i’mm sitting in a hall outside of my daughter’s ballet class trying to figure out when I’ll get to sneak in my first session.

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Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada | Tags: Dhamma, mediation, online retreat, routine

Posted by: Michael | 12/07/2013

Distrust

I have recently noticed that I am extraordinarily untrusting when it comes to spiritual teachers. I can think of only a handful of bhikkhus and bhikkhunis who I trust implicitly but often finding myself poring over this or that teacher’s credential and resume to make sure they are not frauds. On the one hand I think it is important to be careful when submitting oneself to another for instruction but, in my own case at least, I feel I can go too far.

It has taken nearly ten years for me to feel one of my main teachers here in NYC is trustworthy and a person of integrity and, during that time, I have been a real thorn in his side now and then. Basically, I have acted like a petulant jerk. I am afraid I may be going down that same road again with another teacher so I have to proceed with as much metta and mindfulness as I can muster.

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Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada | Tags: Associated Press, Bhikkhuni, Education, Educators, Employment, K through 12, New York City, Teacher

Posted by: Michael | 12/05/2013

Like a Leper

There is a parable that the Lord Buddha gives wherein he describes a someone who is enthralled by sensuality as similar to a leper who uses hot coals to cauterize his open sores. Even though the coals cause his sores to fester and worsen all the more the sense of relief he derives, however brief, seems enough in his deluded mind to continue pursuing it. And, in the last twenty four hours I feel that I have been none the wiser.

Last night, as I made my way home in the semi-dark gloom through tunnels and over bridges my head was pounding and I quickly realized that all of the people on the trains and rushing by in the stations had taken on an almost nightmarish aspect. Strangely, this perverted perception of the world and all in it seems to a pretty regular and consostent indicator that I have pushed too far or too hard and what I need more than anything else is to sleep for a solid eight hours. Unfortunately, that was not to be and my poor kids paid the price for it as I was unable to manage them without resorting to screaming and, even with six hours’ worth of sleep, I am still at the point of boiling over with rage and irritation.

What to do? I have given myself free reign to act in ways that I must believe will bring me some succor and am enjoying their bitter fruits now but something has to change. Just yesterday I was going on about the need to practice with intensity and now, a scant 18 hours later, I have failed to restrain myself at all.

May we see the error and futility of our ways.

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Posted in Dhamma | Tags: anger, Buddha, restraint, sensuality

Posted by: Michael | 12/04/2013

Practice Ardently with Intensity

I’m paraphrasing of course, but the title of the post comes from one of the lojong maxims with which I am haphazardly working. It is a lesson that is as old as the Buddhadhamma itself and was even part of the Buddha’s final exhortation before passing into parinibbana. Nonetheless, it bears repeating for I often forget how important my attitude and physical posture act as either hindrances or supports to the practice.

Something as simple and (apparently) completely physical like a smile or the straightening of one’s back can completely change one’s outlook and make the difference between making the decision to gather one’s energies for the practice versus slinking away into indolence. So, I will rouse myself, time and again to support mindfulness and practice to make an end of suffering.

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Posted in Anatta, Buddha, Buddhism, Daily Practice, Dhamma, Theravada | Tags: ardency, intensity, mindfulness

Posted by: Michael | 12/04/2013

Saving All Beings

I have been accepted into a training program and have found, much to my surprise, that some of the curriculum makes use of teachings from outside of the Pali/Theravada traditions. Despite this unexpected twist I am in no way put off as I feel there is much to learn from the Mahayana perspective and I have enough confidence in the teacher to give the training program a go. As a result I find myself trying to come to terms with and understand the meaning of certain central tenets of the Mahayana lineages and one in particular: the vow to save all beings.

Taken in purely literal terms (as I am wont to do), the vow to save all beings makes no sense in an early Buddhist context: no one can save anyone else, not even the Lord Buddha was able to do so. In fact, in most Mahayana traditions this would seem to be as impossible and non-sensica as it would be for the Theravada diaspora; hence the admonishments in the Bodhicaryavatara, the 37 Practices of the Bodhisattva, etc. So, what can this mean?

One thing that has been pointed out to me is the stance taken by the venerables in the Diamond Sutra and hinges on the difference between the conventional and paramattha dhammas. In short, in the light of anatta it is incorrect to speak of beings at all much less beings to be saved. I am beginning to be of the opionion that the vow serves to generate a desire to help all beings in the conventional sense when, in fact, there are ultimately no beings to be helped. It’s far too soon to tell if this is simply a clever play of words or if there is more to it but I will continue to inpsect and see what arises.

May all beings be happy (even if they don’t exist)!

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Posted in Dhamma | Tags: bodhisattva vow, Buddha, karuna, metta

Posted by: Michael | 12/02/2013

Regard All Phenomena as Illusory

I recently wrote about my experience with this maxim and how I came to understand it in a way that was congenial to my views (yes, in case there was any question I’m still lost in a thicket of views). Some of the traditional ways of phrasing the second slogan are “Treat everything as a dream” and it was precisely with this that I took issue because it seemed to me that to treat life as a dream was in some way to deny the existence of suffering. Upon closer examination it is obvious that this is not the case.

I think what this lojong phrase really speaks to is the fact that our wrong view tricks us into believing that there are static entities out there with permanent qualities while simultaneously fooling us into belive that we, too, exist as discrete selves. Despite the “truth” of the statement, however, I am yet to understand its role in helping us cultivate more compassion and loving-kindness. Still, there’s much work to be done and we’re only on the second of the 58 maxims we are working through.

As If in a Dream (khalilbodhi.wordpress.com)
Does your Self exist? (psychologytoday.com)
Creation, change, destruction and the illusion of time (mindroamer.wordpress.com)

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Posted in Anatta, Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Karuna, Lojong, Metta, Theravada | Tags: Art, Daniel Dennett, Dreams, Literature, meditation, Psychology, Social Sciences, Susan Blackmore

Posted by: Michael | 12/01/2013

First, train in the preliminaries

Now that I have assembled the lojong phrases in a workable format here, I feel I should move forward with the way I have come to understand them at his point in time. I am certain that, going forward, my understanding will develop and change and I will most likely rework the phrases as I go along to reflect my evolving grasp of the meaning. In case anyone stumbles onto this post in isolation I want to make it clear that this is NOT a traditional Tibetan or Mahayana presentation of the lojong mind training practice; rather, it is my own reworking of the same according to my own faulty understanding of Theravada doctrine and abhidhamma and is in no way intended to be authoritative in any sense. In truth, it is simply a reflection of my own desire to work with the lojong teachings as a means to transform my heart and mind and may very well be a prideful an ill-advised endeavor so I caution anyone from putting too much stock in what they read here.

According to Chogyam Trungpa the meaning of the first slogan is best described by the epithet “The Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind.” He states:

In practicing the slogans and in your daily life, you should maintain an awareness of [1] the preciousness of human life and the particular good fortune of life in an environment in which you can hear the teachings of Buddhadharma; [2] the reality of death, that it comes suddenly and without warning; [3] the entrapment of karma–that whatever you do, whether virtuous or not, only further entraps you in the chain of cause and effect; and [4] the intensity and inevitability of suffering for yourself and for all sentient beings. This is called “taking an attitude of the four reminders.” (http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/training.htm)

It is hard to conceive of anything lacking in this formulation and it is a great reminder of the precariousness and preciousness of or present position. In Pali terms these four thoughts engender samvega (or a sense of urgency) which helps us to practice with renewed zeal and effort. So far, so good.

May all beings find freedom from suffering!

Lojong Slogan 22~If you can practice even when distracted you are well trained (yogawithmaheshwari.wordpress.com)
Buddha Nature (bdsnow.wordpress.com)
Mind Training (timelessfootsteps.wordpress.com)

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Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Lojong, Theravada | Tags: Buddhism, Chogyam Trungpa, health, Lineages, lojong, mahayana, Religion and Spirituality, Theravada, Tibetan

Posted by: Michael | 12/01/2013

Recasting Lojong

I continuously find myself drawn back to the lojong teachings despite the misgivings I have about certain doctrinal points. It occurred to me today that I may as well make use of what I can and that the best way for me to do so would be to recast (where) the maxims of the traditional lojong teachings in the modl of a more orthodox Theravadin view. Of course, reinterpreting and more or less repurposing a system of thought and training cannot but engender any number of problems and questions and my own hubris in thinking that I am qualified to do so is only the most obvious of them. Still, despite my meager understaing of lojong and the Theravada I feel the need to work with these teachings in a way that, to me at least, feels sincere and honest. What that means is trying to understand the mind training teachings in light of the Pali canon and without the benefit of a Mahayana hermeneutic or metaphysical edifice. The result is at times slight with little to no change being affected and at others requires the complete reimagining of a slogan. My only hope is that while working with these teachings and recasting them according to my own flawed understanding I become a kinder person with a deeper understanding of and commitment to the Dhamma. This, and only this, would vindicate what otherwise may be a vainglorious and deluded attempt to make the Dhamma into my own image.

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Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Karuna, Theravada | Tags: Dhamma, lojong, mahayana, Theravada

Posted by: Michael | 11/30/2013

Drowning Oneself in Heedlessness

It’s late (for me) and everyone has retreated to their televisions here while the kids sleep away. It has been hard to practice the last few days as I have been awash in conversations and drowning myself in food and heedlessness. How does one meet these occasions in a way that is conducive to the practice and yet does not make a show of it? It seems that I always find myself in the position of having thrown myself into sense pleasures with abandon during the holidays we spend with family and only later, when the house has emptied, do I realize where I am once more.

Is it enough to realize this after the fact? What would practice look like in the midst of the maelstrom? How can I cultivate a mindfulness strong enough to carry me through a Thanksgiving, an Eid or a Christmas Day?