dharmatalks

I am often asked about the practices and liturgical traditions of the Contemplative Order of Compassion, and felt that on this auspicious “Day of the Dead”, recognised by so many cultures, be it as Samhain, Hallowe’en, the Dia de los Muertos, etc., I would share a special way that we, the Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path, honour Guru Rinpoche — one of the principal teachers of our lineage and tradition.

Padmasambhava (The Lotus Born) was the Indian sage, who brought Vajrayana Buddhism to Tibet in the eighth century. He is known in Tibet as Guru Rinpoche — “Precious Teacher”, and is recognsed as an emanation of Buddha Amitabha.

In the Vajrayana traditions, the Vajra Guru Rinpoche mantra is held to be a powerful mantra engendering communion with the Three Vajras of Guru Rinpoche’s mindstream and by his grace, all enlightened beings. It is said that the twelve syllables:

Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hum

carry the entire blessing of the twelve types of teaching taught by Buddha Sakyamuni, which are the essence of His Eighty-four Thousand Dharmas.

Therefore to recite the Vajra Guru Rinpoche mantra once is the equivalent to the blessing of reciting, or practicing the whole teaching of the Buddha.

When I was seven, this mantra seemed to play over-and-over in my head each night, and literally occupied entire nights of “dreams”. When I asked my Refuge Guru, who had by that time, returned to India, he simply replied by telling me that these dreams were teaching me, and that I should accept that mantra as my primary offering of love and compassion. From that day forward, I chanted the mantra as part of my sadhana.

In 2007, I asked the sangha to consider adopting it as their closing practice of the day, so that it takes them into the realm of sleep, as it does me.

In the west, there is a beautiful melody, composed and performed by Deva Premal, which we now use when chanting the mantra. I encourage everyone who reads this blog to simply take a few quieting breaths, allow themselves ten minutes of non-distraction, and listen to the chant, joining in if you feel so moved.

The translation of the mantra means:

I invoke you, Guru Rinpoche
Padmasambhava! By your blessing, may
you grant us mundane (health, wealth,
success) and supreme (enlightenment,
liberation) realisation.

The wisdom mind of Guru Rinpoche is manifested in the form of this mantra; these twelve syllables are actually the emanation of that Universal Mind, and they are endowed with the potential to realise transformation for each practitioner. In essence, the vajra guru mantra is Padmasambhava in the form of sound.

There are only three chants in this world, which bring me the stillness and clarity that this mantra brings me — the first is this mantra, the second is the Great Mantra of Avilokitesvara (Om Mane Padme Hung), and the third is the Latin chant of the Ave Maria.

And I believe that is because the three “ancestors” closest to my heart for whatever reason (I have never questioned it) are Mary, the Mother of Jesus, Guru Rinpoche and Je Tsongkhapa (an emanation of Chenrezig – my spiritual father).

Namasté

dharmacharya gurudas sunyatananda

_____________________________________________

Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Dharmacharya Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2008, His Eminence Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

In an example of compassion triumphing over violence and hatred, the long overdue hate crimes legislation was signed into law today, by President Barack Obama. “This law honours our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters whose lives were cut short because of hate,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

The new law, entitled the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, gives the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence where the perpetrator has selected the victim because of the person’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.

As a survivor of a violent hate crime, during which I was beaten and brutally raped by four Haitian (illegal) immigrants on 9th May 1983 in Hollywood, Florida, this is a moment of bittersweet victory. When I was discovered, in a stupour and covered in blood, some hours after the attack, the rape centre called the police, who brought me in to take a statement. The police officer doing the interview did not like gay people, and made it very clear. After about an hour of trying to explain why I was in and out of consciousness during the attack, the cop said, “I think this was just some kinky queer sexy thing that got out of hand… I think you asked for it.” And he closed his notebook and walked away… case closed!

Luckily for me, there was a news reporter sitting there, in earshot, and waiting to talk to me, who saw what transpired.

And he understood too that from my perspective, as a Franciscan and Buddhist contemplative, I could not hate the men who did this to me. These men were part of a group commonly called “the boat people”, who were tossed-away from their homeland (Haiti) and sent to America, where they were not welcomed with anything remotely considerable as compassion. And they apparently mistook me (wearing a security guard’s uniform) for being a cop, against whom they had some sort of beef.

During the attack, after ripping my insides with sticks and beating me, sexually abusing me, and kicking me repeatedly, they put a gun to my head, which the responding officer determined had “misfired”, leaving only powder burns around my temple, and doing some mild nerve damage to the tissue. My life had been spared by a remarkable force — which many consider a miraculous intervention — in which the Bodhisattva Mary, the Mother of Rav Yeshua, literally caught that bullet. Now I know that sounds ridiculously superstitious for someone who doesn’t believe in personal gods or other theistic notions. But it opened my eyes to the existence of a plane of existence parallel to our own, from which the Bodhisattvas and Enlightened Ones interact with us daily.

Nothing was the same from that point forward.

The attack left me with physical and emotional scars, and perhaps worst of all, resulted in my becoming infected with AIDS. Half a year later, in fact, I nearly succumbed to AIDS-related pneumonia (pneumocystis carinii pneumonia).

Years later, I had the opportunity to meet with the amazing Judy Shepard — the mother of slain hate crime victim, Matthew Shepard, a Wyoming college student brutally murdered in an act of hate violence in 1998 — and shared my story with her. And almost a decade later, found myself communicating with the friends and loved ones of James Byrd — the African-American man who was dragged to his death in a Jasper, Texas hatecrime.

Today was a victory that honours the memories, not only of Matthew and James, but also Brandon Tina (the transgender youth, murdered in Texas by her “friends”), Lawrence King (the 15 year-old gay youth who was murdered last year), Fannyanne Eddy (a lesbian activist murdered in Sierra Leone), Mahmoud Asgari and Ayaz Marhoni (the Iranian teens murdered by the Iranian government for the “crime” of being gay) and so many others.

It is also a day that will help move us closer to the end of another source of great loss, as I personally remember Allison Dawe, Billy Clayton, Nico Papatzimas, and many others, who took their own lives, because they could not bear the intolerance, the hatred and the violence any longer.

In the last ten years the FBI reported over 10,000 hate crimes in this country, based on sexual orientation alone. This historic day, the voice of compassion and the voice of justice have spoken, and they have said, “No longer will will allow such violence to occur on our watch!”

Finally, it is a victory for one of my personal heroes, Harvey Milk, who was martyred for the cause of LGBT rights, just one month shy of thirty-one years ago today.

We did it Harvey!

Namasté

gurudas sunyatananda

_____________________________________________

Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Dharmacharya Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2008, His Eminence Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

As we practice mindfulness of the Four Noble Truths, and utilise the Noble Eightfold Path as a means of perfecting our spiritual practice, we begin the journey toward spiritual awakening. However, like any journey, the more information we have: directions, information about the path itself, and guidance at times of unexpected obstacles — the better our chances of arriving at our destination.

In the eleventh century, a Indian Buddhist master, Atisha, created a condensed and focused exposition of some of the great sutras, calling them the “Lamp of the Path”. Nearly three hundred years later, a great sage and Bodhisattva, whose incarnation was actually foretold by the Buddha Sakyamuni and by Guru Rinpoche, Je Tsongkapa expanded upon Atisha’s writings in what would come to be known as the Lam Rim Chenmo or “Great Exposition on the Gradual Path to Enlightenment”.

As a young monk, I began studying the Lam Rim Chenmo (commonly referred to as the lamrim), as well as the spiritual writings of the Desert Fathers, St. Francis of Assisi and St. Romuald of Camaldoli. What stuck me as particularly significant was that these great sages and Bodhisattvas grasped something that might be missed in reading the canonical scriptures and texts of their respective traditions.

Both Buddha Sakyamuni and Rav Yeshua (Jesus) understood that the spiritual path was not about “studying” and “praying” only. True transformation — what we refer to as awakening or realisation — only occurs when we allow ourselves to directly experience the things upon which we’ve meditated and studied. That is why the mystics path and lamrim are so very useful.

When we become grounded in the Gradual Path to Enlightenment, we become grounded in that sense of Emptiness that allows us to continue our practice, regardless of the circumstances and situations in which we find ourselves from day to day.

When broken commitments and some unsavoury business people failed to deliver on promises this morning, I discovered that for the third consecutive week, we would have no revenue at all. I don’t need to tell you what a devastating effect that has had on our work and on our lives. We buy groceries from week to week, sometimes from day to day. Without any source of income, there are  no groceries bought, and we get very creative extending the bean soup and handful of frozen vegetables. But that does nothing to feed the homeless, who count on us for assistance as well.

The past year and a half has been very difficult and at times, very discouraging for me personally. Many of our students and monks have had to move away. We’ve never managed to rebuild the small monastic house that was lost in New Orleans, or the house we were in the process of establishing in Washington, D.C.

Now, we have an opportunity to relocate to Costa Rica, which would require half the monthly expenses (a total of $1800, compared to $3600 in the United States), or to find a new place to live in Philadelphia or Harrisburg.

Having had to deal with the reality of not even having enough money for the co-pay on medications I take, has at times pushed me to the end of my rope.

But guess what happens at such times? Guess what happens when we are pushed to the end of the rope, and lose our grasp on the last thread?

In that moment of free-falling, we often learn to fly. We experience the letting-go that is at the heart of understanding Emptiness. We find that it doesn’t matter… and we continue to do what we can, for as long as we can.

By becoming firmly grounded in the lamrim, we are able to continue working with our minds, without distraction. When distractions and discouragement arise, we acknowledge them as such, and without judgment, simply move through the pain, the discomfort, the disappointment. The same is true when things are going well! Then too, we move through the experience, mindful of the impermanent nature of these moments of “satisfaction”, and ready to get back to the work of realising Emptiness.

Yes, it’s true that I am in some fairly extreme physical pain now. And yes, it is true that we are facing some very difficult decisions, which might put my health at greater risk, in order for us to stay afloat. But I am reminded of something my dear patron, the Bodhisattva Francis d’Assisi said, “All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.”

It is my choice to be that light for others!

Namasté

gurudas sunyatananda

_____________________________________________

Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Dharmacharya Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2008, His Eminence Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

Some years ago, my colleague, Sr. Margaret Funk, OSB reported as an observer of the Kalachakra empowerment and initiation given by His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama. In it, she said that His Holiness pointed out that one could not be Catholic and Buddhist.

Responding specifically to the question of whether one could be both Christian and Buddhist, His Holiness replied, “You can’t be half anything.” At early stages one may take both in, but at some point one must choose one path and be faithful to it: you cannot both believe in God and simultaneously adhere to a non-theistic religion. However, all genuine religions are in agreement about the need to treat other persons with love and compassion and to alleviate suffering wherever possible. “Christians should be good Christians. Buddhists should be good Buddhists. The differences are good, rich, and helpful to all sentient beings.”

Now that is quite different from saying that one cannot be Buddhist and Catholic. What he said was that you cannot be half- Buddhist or half-Catholic.

These are simply labels, and His Holiness is well aware of the illusory nature of labels and labeling. What he was saying, however, was that your spiritual path must be consistent, complete, whole.

Whether or not one chooses a particular spiritual path is often a matter of the comfort level, their frame of reference and their abilities. For example, if one is not accustomed to change, then switching from a theistic tradition to something non-theistic would likely be unsettling and not terribly helpful. Some people are comfortable with and rely upon imagery in their spiritual journeys. They need a “Father/Mother God” or a saviour figure.

By contrast, some people prefer to concentrate on the abstract. For them, the god-concept is unimportant, and may only be regarded as metaphoric. But whether your path focuses on the abstract or something less abstract, the path is valid for you, and that is what matters. In fact, it is all that matters.

The purpose of the spiritual journey is to become free of suffering… in terms of the Abrahamic traditions, this liberation is seen as being rewarded with “paradise”, while those of us in non-theistic traditions actually recognise this as becoming divine or returning to the eternal source, which we call Emptiness. Scientifically, it means that we recognise that we are matter, and when we no longer live (suffer), we return to become one with all the matter in the universe. The physical, ego-manifestation of self ceases to exist, but the “stuff” from which we are composed continues to live on in form and formlessness.

The reason that the members of the Contemplative Order of Compassion choose to identify as non-sectarian, non-theistic and post-denominational is that we recognise the traditions from which we draw our spirituality as sources, much like a spring from which a traveler draws water. The traveler may take water from the Silver Spring, but that does not mean that he must now identify as “the Silver Spring man”. So too do we draw from the rich heritage of the Dharma teaching — primarily from the Tibetan “crazy wisdom” tradition and Japanese Zen schools; likewise, we draw our contemplative heritage and engaged approach to social justice, service and recognition of the sacramental presence from the early apostolic traditions from which our succession (lineage) is derived. And we celebrate that contemplative spirituality, as it was lived by the Desert Fathers and Mothers of Egypt, the Camaldolese Benedictine followers of St. Romuald, and the “poor little brothers and sisters” of Francis and Claire d’Assisi.

Despite those who find my teachings too controversial and non-traditional, I continue to maintain that I am a simple Buddhist monk and a retired Eastern Catholic Successor to the Apostles (archbishop and priest).

From the time I was sixteen, I have been a Buddhist monk — not half-Buddhist, but entirely Buddhist. I embrace the Dharma completely, and without reservation have taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.

From the time I was eighteen, I have been a Franciscan contemplative (although decidedly more Benedictine/Camaldolese in my spirituality). I may not follow or believe the superstitious doctrine, dogma or cultural mythos of the institutional Catholic “religion”, but am no less fully-Catholic, insofar as I believe the word refers to the original, universal Path (or Way) followed by the Apostles — none of whom subscribed to the ritual, the doctrine, the dogma or mythos of the Roman Catholic institution either. The Apostles, from whom my succession is derived, were not institutionally “Catholic”. None of them (including Peter) ever served as a bishop or pope in Rome. Peter, in fact, never led an institutional church of any kind. These are Roman Catholic myths and legends, to put it kindly. (Some might recognise them as something less honourable and call them the foundational lies used to manipulate entire generations of people.)

The Apostolic Tradition was the tradition of the Christ, whose Dharma was a Way of Compassion, of peace and of gnosis. And so I am fully a successor and adherent of that Apostolic Way.

Don’t be “half” anything… be the very best of whatever it is that you are right now. Tomorrow you can always change. Live in the moment, and let go of the need for labels.

Be at peace and remember that what matters most is that you do all you can today to alleviate suffering in any beings, wherever you encounter it. Do this, and your path will be blessed!

Namaste!

Widely regarded as the second incarnation of the Buddha, Je Tsong Khapa was the primary teacher and guru of the first Dalai Lama. He is recognised as an eminent scholar, who reformed the old Tibetan Kadampa sect, creating the Gelugpa sect, or the “System of Virtue”. Over time, the Gelugpa grew to become the predominant Buddhist sect in the region, converting Mongolia and most of the other Himalayan kingdoms to the Tibetan path of Dharma.

From my earliest recollections, I was drawn to the life and teachings of Je Tsong Khapa, who began his studies as a child, and learned from many lamas of different traditions. Inspired by that example, I would take refuge under Swami Abishektananda (Benedictine Fr. Henri LeSaux, OSB) at the age of seven, while continuing to study the Christ Dharma, until my ordination as a monk at 16, and immediately thereafter, entry into the Catholic seminary. Throughout this time, I began studying in earnest with a number of Eastern Orthodox, Jewish mystics and members of the ancient Celtic and Romany spiritual paths as well. I could not get enough spiritual information. During my teen years, as a seminarian, I traveled and studied with Buddhist and Advaita teachers, collecting the teachings, empowerments and lineages of many traditions, until I left the Jesuit formation program and entered the life of a Franciscan contemplative.

There, I returned to my study of the writings of St. Francis d’Assisi, St. Romuald and Je Tsong Khapa, whose emphasis on a strict ascetic life resonated with me. But it was in Je Tsong Khapa’s logical, clear and concise treatment of the Dharma, recognising the fundamental consistency between the four major schools, continued to draw me in.

My seminary formation began with the Jesuits, because from an early age, I was keenly aware that wisdom, and not religious superstition and ritual, were the key to assisting others in their desire to become free of suffering. And it was in Je Tsong Khapa that I found that emanation of the Buddha of Wisdom — Manjusri.

Today, I consider myself to be devoted to the teachings of Je Tsong Khapa first and foremost, and it was because of this that I asked my Root Guru to release me to find a Lama well-versed in the teachings of this great master, as well as able to give me the full Vajrayana empowerments. Twenty years ago, I began studying in earnest, Je Tsong Khapa’s “Great Exposition of the Path” (Lam rin Chen mo) — the clearest and most definitive analysis of the Dharma that has ever been written, and the best insight into the Tibetan Buddhist perspective.

According to Je Rinpoche (the name by which Je Tsong Khapa is most frequently known, meaning “Beloved and Precious One”), there are three principal aspects of the Middle Way:

1. The definitive decision to leave the samsaric (cyclic) existence, and abandon temporal pleasures.
2. The cultivation of Supreme Bodhiscitta (altruistic intentionality and great compassion) by viewing all beings as precious as our own mothers.
3. The attainment of the proper understanding of emptiness (sunyata)

In his book “Kindness, Clarity and Insight“, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, includes a translation of Je Rinpoche’s “Three Principal Aspects of the Path”, which best describes, I believe, the focus and intentionality of our spiritual community – the Contemplative Order of Compassion (which includes the Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path, the Spiritus Project and Lojong Ashram). It transcends the boundaries of Buddhist vs. Catholic, and speaks to the post-denominational, non-sectarian, non-theistic path we embrace in our Order.

And because last night I had the auspicious fortune of receiving encouragement from one of those I have considered to be my Elder Spiritual Brother, if indeed not an upa-guru, I thought I would share it with you today. As promised a few weeks back, this will be our next topic of discussion in the Spiritus Project Forum:

The Three Principal Aspects of the Path
by Je Tsong Khapa

I will explain as well as I can
The essential meaning of all the Conqueror’s scriptures,
The path praised by the excellent Conqueror children,
The port for the fortunate wishing liberation.

Whoever are not attached to the pleasures of mundane existence,
Whoever strive in order to make leisure and fortune worthwhile,
Whoever are inclined to the path pleasing the Conqueror Buddha,
Those fortunate ones should listen with a clear mind.

Without a complete thought definitely to leave cyclic existence
There is no way to stop seeking pleasurable effects in the ocean of existence.
Also, craving cyclic existence thoroughly binds the embodied.
Therefore, in the beginning determination to leave cyclic existence should be sought.

Leisure and fortune are difficult to find
And life has no duration.
Through familiarity with this,
Emphasis on the appearances of this life is reversed.

If you think again and again
About deeds and their inevitable effects
And the sufferings of cyclic existence,
The emphasis on the appearances
Of future lives will be reversed.

If, having meditated thus, you do not generate admiration
Even for an instant for the prosperity of cyclic existence,
And if an attitude seeking liberation arises day and night,
Then the thought definitely to leave cyclic existence has been generated.

Also, if this thought definitely to leave cyclic existence
Is not conjoined with generation of a complete aspiration to highest enlightenment,
It does not become a cause of the marvelous bliss of unsurpassed enlightenment.
Thus, the intelligent should generate the supreme altruistic intention to become enlightened.

All ordinary beings are carried by the continuum of the four powerful currents,
Are tied with the tight bonds of actions difficult to oppose,
Have entered into the iron cage of apprehending self (inherent existence),
Are completely beclouded with the thick darkness of ignorance,
Are born into cyclic existence limitlessly, and in their births
Are tortured ceaselessly by the three sufferings.
Thinking thus of the condition of mothers who have come to such a state,
Generate the supreme altruistic intention to become enlightened.

If you do not have the wisdom realizing the way things are,
Even though you have developed the thought definitely to leave cyclic existence
And the altruistic intention, the root of cyclic existence cannot be cut.
Therefore work at the means of realizing dependent-arising.

Whoever, seeing the cause and effect of all phenomena
Of cyclic existence and nirvana infallible,
Thoroughly destroys the mode of misapprehension of those objects (as inherently existent)
Has entered on a path that is pleasing to Buddha.

As long as the two, realization of appearances -
the infallibility of dependent-arising – and the realization of emptiness -
The non-assertion (of inherent existence) -
Seem to be separate, there is still no realization
Of the thought of Sakyamuni Buddha.

When (the two realizations exist) simultaneously without alternation
And when from only seeing dependent-arising as infallible,
Definite knowledge entirely destroys the mode of apprehension
(of the conception of inherent existence),
then the analysis of the view (of reality) is complete.

Further, the extreme of (inherent) existence is excluded
(by knowledge of the nature) of appearances
(existing only as nominal designations),
And the extreme of (total) non-existence is excluded
(by knowledge of the nature) of emptiness
(as the complete absence of inherent existence and not the absence of nominal existence).

If within emptiness the appearance of cause and effect is known
You will not be captivated by extreme views.
When you have realized thus just as they are
The essentials of the three principal aspects of the path,
Resort to solitude and generate the power of effort.
Accomplish quickly your final aim, my child.

When you read the words of this great teacher, what do they say to you about your path? How do you see the three aspects of the Middle Way as relating to your spiritual journey?

Namasté

dharmacharya gurudas sunyatananda

_____________________________________________

Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Dharmacharya Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2008, His Eminence Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

We live in a world that is growing more aware of the need for better health. Few people would disagree that it’s important to train our bodies through exercise, proper eating and adequate rest. Bottled water sales have quadrupled in the United States in the past couple years, as more and more people realise the importance of physical health.

Many of those reading this will have been among the hundreds of thousands of people who decided to train their bodies and lose excess weight, as part of their New Year’s resolution.

But how many of us have ever considered the importance of training our minds?

The Tibetan Lama Langri Tangpa authored a text known as “The Eight Verses of Thought Transformation” — a foundational part of the study of Lojong, or Mind Training. The practice of Lojong was developed over a 300-year period, between the tenth and thirteenth centuries of the Common Era, as part of Mahayana practice.

One monk, named Chekawa, learned of the Eight Verses and went to study with one of Lama Langri Tangpa’s disciples for twelve years. Upon leaving that teacher (Sharawa), Chekawa went to live among a colony of lepers, with whom he shared the practice of Lojong.

Over time, many of those who had been suffering from leprosy began to be healed. As the news of these healings spread, soon people who were not infected came to study Lojong with Master Chekawa.

The Eight Verses of Thought Transformation are part of the morning reflections of every monk in the Order of Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path but they are useful tools for each of us to contemplate and attempt to put into practice, as we strive to follow a Dharma of Compassion:

• With the thought of attaining enlightenment for the welfare of sentient beings, who are more precious than a wish fulfilling jewel, I will constantly practice holding them dear
• Whenever I am with others, I will practice seeing myself as the lowest of all and from the very depth of my heart, I will respectfully hold others as supreme
• In all actions, I will examine my mind and the moment a disturbing attitude arises, endangering myself and others, I will firmly confront and avert it
• Whenever I meet a bad person who is overwhelmed by negative energy and intense suffering, I will hold such a rare one dear, as if I had found a precious treasure
• When others, out of jealousy, mistreat me with abuse, slander, and so on,I will practice accepting defeat and offering the victory to them
• When someone I have benefited and in whom I have placed great trust hurts me badly, I will practice seeing that person as my supreme teacher
• In short, I will offer directly and indirectly every benefit and happiness to all beings, my mothers. I will practice in secret taking upon myself all their harmful actions and sufferings
• Without these practices being defiled by the eight worldly concerns, by perceiving all phenomena as illusory, I will practice without grasping to release all beings from the bondage of the disturbing, unsubdued mind and karma

By working with the practice of Lojong, we can develop better control over our emotional states, and bring about what we refer to as “calm abiding” — the state in which we are able to use our minds, rather than having our minds use us.

His Holiness, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama speaks of the benefits of Lojong, which increases our ability to generate true compassion:

“From my own limited experience I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion.

“The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. This helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the ultimate source of success in life.

“As long as we live in this world we are bound to encounter problems. If, at such times, we lose hope and become discouraged, we diminish our ability to face difficulties. If, on the other hand, we remember that it is not just ourselves but every one who has to undergo suffering, this more realistic perspective will increase our determination and capacity to overcome troubles. Indeed, with this attitude, each new obstacle can be seen as yet another valuable opportunity to improve our mind!

“Thus we can strive gradually to become more compassionate, that is we can develop both genuine sympathy for others’ suffering and the will to help remove their pain. As a result, our own serenity and inner strength will increase.”

Perhaps it’s time we gave as much attention to the need to train our mind as we do to train our abs!

नमस्त

Namasté

dharmacharya gurudas sunyatananda

_____________________________________________

Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Dharmacharya Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2008, His Eminence Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

Today I was reminded of a peculiar phenomenon that we normally find among less educated and poorly formed clergy, particularly those in the so-called “independent liturgical movement”, but which is making something of a comeback even among those with proper formation and training.

I’m talking about an aversion to the via mystica or the Mystic’s Path of spirituality. Found in the writings of some of the greatest thinkers of the theistic tradition, including Teresa d’Avila, John of the Cross, Meister Eckhart, Merton, Anthony deMello, Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Hildegarde de Bingen, this less literalist, more deeply rooted approach to spirituality seems to cause some clergy to bristle… and despite their protests to the contrary, bristle with fear.

Why is that? I would surmise that it is because approaching spirituality from a perspective that is not so wrapped up in the superstition, dogma and dramatics of the institutional church might actually lead people to realise that they do not need the priests, the bishops and the hierarchy of these little empires at all. In fact, if people began to understand the authentic teaching of Rav Yeshua ben Yusef (Yeshu Asef, upon whom be peace) — the so-called “Jesus the Nazarene” of the Bible and Qur’an, they would realise that the teaching has little at all to do with the primitive superstitions that were later adopted by the Roman Church, and imposed upon its followers.

Meister Eckhart, one of the most profound spiritual thinkers of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries observed, “The knower and the known are one. Simple people imagine that they should see God as if he stood there and they here. This is not so. God and I, we are one in knowledge.”

Such philosophies threaten those who enjoy the control they exercise over their flocks. These men (and I chose that word with intentionality, because we seldom find women-clergy in such abusive positions) are the ones who relish in the pomp and regalia of being priests or bishops. Even in the independent ecclesial movement, we find these types, who claim to have separated from Rome because they found it intolerable (but who often were kicked-out of their respective ecclesiastical communities due to scandal and other unsavoury circumstances), go on to recreate the very hierarchical institution they protest. Suddenly they are grand masters of their own “new versions” of the Jesuits, the College of Cardinals, even the Papacy!

The simple fact is that these people are highly suspect in my book, and always will be. A closer look into their personal lives will often reveal that that concern is well-founded also.

These are the people who shudder at the suggestion that the reason and purpose for the mythos of the Incarnation of the Christ is simply an illustration of our divine potential. Yet Athanasius I, a respected Doctor of the Catholic Church, who in fact served as a Roman Pontiff, himself wrote, “The meaning of the Incarnation is that God became man, so that man could become God.”

Such clergy are an embarrassment to their office, much like the late Pope John Paul II, who wrote in Crossing the Threshold of Hope, “If [Christ] were only a wise man like Socrates, if He were a ‘prophet’ like Mohammed, if He were ‘enlightened’ like Buddha, without any doubt, He would not be what He is. He is the one mediator between God and humanity.”

That kind of hubris is among the worst failures in which a spiritual leader can engage, because it shuts the door to genuine compassion, by imagining a delusional sense of “other” — and that “otherness” only generates intolerance and false pride.

While I have no question in my mind that the concept of a personal god is among the most pointless, useless and absurd of all primitive ideas and superstitions, I will never disrespect the right of others to choose a path that includes such mythical beings. And as such, I will never tolerate those who condemn others whose beliefs are incompatible with their own.

Earlier this week, one scholar, whose work among theists is admirable, published a condescending piece about the so-called New Atheists. Now, I find the over-zealousness of these New Atheists to be every bit as tiresome and non-useful as the religious fundamentalists, and I identify with neither camp personally. But I was quick to put myself in the line of fire by expressing my disappointment and offense at the article that surprisingly appeared in Foreign Policy magazine, because I do believe that it is wrong to dismiss someone’s beliefs in such a non-compassionate way. Similarly, when members of an atheist discussion group attacked the traditions of a group of folks from the Emergent Church movement in the Anglican Church, I was quick to express my offense there as well.

What probably disappoints me more than anything is the lack of witness I see among those clergy who dismiss the followers of the more authentic (mystical or dharma-oriented) teaching of Rav Yeshua. Seldom have I seen those who complain actually out there feeding the hungry, or working with the sick. (Oh, they waste no time trolling the bars for hot, young men… you can be sure. And the company they keep is frequently enough to raise scandal on sight. But lift a finger to do any real social justice work? Sadly, such things are seldom seen.)

These are also among those who are quick to point out that I am unfit to hold the title of “Successor to the Apostles”, because I am a so-called heretic. The simple fact that I will teach (and have always said) that people do not need me, or any other spiritual teacher… nor churches, nor clergy… neither religions nor doctrines… creed nor rituals in order to achieve spiritual liberation (enlightenment, salvation, happiness, or whatever one chooses to call it) will always be “heretical” to these people. The simple fact that I will also remind folks that Rav Yeshua was never Catholic, and certainly not a ‘Christian”, nor did he or any of his apostles start a church… that none of his apostles (including Simon Peter) ever served as a “pope” or headed an institutional church in Rome or anywhere else… causes these men to bristle.

The fact that I reject the notion these so-called clergy put forth that it is “enough” for them to simply offer Mass once a week in their homes or rented church space… that such lack of ministerial work disgraces the office they hold, and proves them to be of little value to people searching for spiritual guidance… makes these men angry.

Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us, “The place to touch the Kingdom of God is within us,” which is what Rav Yeshua taught as well. “The miracle,” Master Hanh writes, “is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.”

Some have suggested that the reason donations to the Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path have fallen is because I am too controversial of a leader. I don’t know if that is true or not. But I do know this… as long as I have a voice, I will have a responsibility to speak out against injustice… to encourage compassion, kindness and inclusion… to demand that those who have more than enough get off their fat, lazy and greedy asses and feed others… care for the sick… reach out to those who suffer.

And some will not like it. To them, I can only offer these ten words…

Tough shit. Get over it. Do something. And grow up!

Namasté

gurudas sunyatananda

_____________________________________________

Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Dharmacharya Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2008, His Eminence Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

One of the most significant aspects of the spiritual journey, as I understand it, is to develop the skills to transcend ourselves and become the embodiment of compassion. In the theistic tradition, this is often referred to as one’s “ascent toward God”. In non-theistic terms, we refer to it as “awakening”. In either tradition, it is a process of unfolding, of opening, so effortless and simple that we frequently miss it. When we allow this Manifest Love or primal energy to lay hold of us, the ego-self ceases to exist (although it never really existed before, outside of our dualistic thoughts and delusions).

The mystics refer to this experience as “dying to oneself”. And it is in this ego-death that we realise that we are manifestations of Love… Christs… Buddhas… or as the Desert Fathers called it, “the hidden children of God”.

It’s not necessary to frame such experiences in the mythology and superstition of theistic traditions at all. One need not embrace a notion of a “personal god” in order to let go of the ego-self. The philosopher Ryokan notes, “In all the ten directions of the universe, there is only one truth. When we see clearly, the great teachings are all the same.”

Even within the theistic tradition, the mystics understood that the imagery of a personal god was simply a metaphor for something more profound. Meister Eckhart wrote that “(t)he eye with which I see God is the same as that with which God sees me. My eye and the eye of God are one eye, one vision, one knowledge, and one Love.” This is the same expression of Manifest Love that Augustine described as “radiant in light, yet invisible in the secret place of the heart…” and which the Buddha Sakyamuni refers to as “the Eternal Law”.

When we begin to approach our spiritual journey from the perspective of a journey of transcendence, we no longer find it useful to comment on the paths of others. What purpose is served by wasting energy debating the superstitious dogma, creedal exclusivity or intolerant doctrines of someone else? Their beliefs do not absolve us of the need for compassion. And if their beliefs contribute to suffering, particularly for themselves, we must respond with compassion and extend our hand in charity toward them… not cast them aside.

Just as fire transforms everything it touches into its own nature, so too does compassion. If we focus on bringing compassion to our own traditions, to our own philosophies and paths, then all that is dark will become transmuted and we will begin to see clearly, as Ryokan suggests.

The great Rabbi Jesus (Rav Yeshua ben Yusef) lived exactly as he taught. The power of his example was that there was synergy between what he taught and how he lived. If we are to become a self-realised manifestation of Love, as he was — an alter-Christus in mystical terms — then we must strive to bring about that same kind of synergy between our words and our actions.

There is only one compassion… only one enlightenment… the Enlightenment of the Buddha or the Compassionate Way of the Christ depend on you and me to be sustained in the world today. We become the hands and feet of the Buddha and the Christ, and we extend or destroy that compassion and awareness in all that we do. Let us choose wisely.

Never underestimate the infectious power of the smile or laughter. And having said that, I will leave each of you with a smile for the day… And promise to “say a little prayer for you…”

Namasté

gurudas sunyatananda

_____________________________________________

Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Dharmacharya Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2008, His Eminence Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

In the book, Spiritual Direction and Meditation, Thomas Merton writes:

“The instinctive characteristic of religious meditation is that it is a search for truth which springs from love, and which seeks to pursue the truth not only by knowledge, but also by love… The presence of love in our meditation intensifies our thought by giving it a deeply affective quality.”

There are only so many hours in any given day, and it is our responsibility to approach those hours from a perspective of “good stewardship”. Anything which distracts our minds from these moments of groundedness in love ought to be seen as unnecessary and non-essential. Such things should be avoided when possible.

I made the decision this afternoon to walk away from involvement in a self-described “Buddhist discussion group”, because it was becoming an increasingly unhealthy pursuit. I had to consider the fact that I walked away from the religious community I co-founded, after 26 years… and from the institutional church, where I had complete financial security, healthcare, and shelter, after 20 years… so why would I not walk away from an endeavour in which there was far less invested, when it has become increasingly toxic?

Consider your own lives for a moment. What relationships exist in which you find yourself distracted from the groundedness of love? What groups, pursuits, activities or events cause you to lose sight of the fact that it’s all about love, because love is all there is?

Now consider eliminating such things from your life.

It may be difficult. There are members of this small group, who have done just that in various ways in their lives. So it’s always possible.

When we eliminate such toxic situations, we improve our ability to sit in love and allow the Sacred Silence to envelope us.

There is a story in the Christian mythos, in which Rav Yeshua tells his disciples that if they encounter a place which does not welcome them, the disciples are to shake every speck of dust from their sandals and move on.

Why is this?

Put simply, a single grain of sand could, as they journeyed on, create an abrasion on the foot of the traveler. And if ignored, that abrasion could become infected. Left unattended still, the infection might cause the person to lose a leg or even one’s life.

The toxic residue or dust of being in a place in which we are unwelcomed is no different for us.

Without sounding like I am whining, I will acknowledge that I face a great number of personal difficulties right now, ranging from progressive neurological problems, a very slow healing (or non-healing) reconstructive surgery on my arm, significant financial problems, and a level of pain that literally drains me of the energy I usually have. So perhaps I am less willing to tolerate the kinds of bullshit and nonsense that others consider grist for the mill. I prefer to conserve that energy for the things that matter most.

Today, I had the heartbreaking experience of passing a homeless person, who asked for some money for food. Our personal account is now $300 overdrawn, due to circumstances beyond our control, so I didn’t have a dime to spare. I went home, grabbed some cabbage soup, and made a peanut butter and jam sandwich for him. Put it all in a bag, along with a “real” spoon, some napkins and water. And luckily caught up with him, right where I passed him last.

It’s 38 degrees today, here in Lancaster. No one should have to be in the cold like that. I took my burgundy monk’s “robe” (similar to a blanket of sorts) with me, and gave it to him, knowing it would at least keep him warm. He smiled, thanked me for the food, and with a tear in his eye, said that no one had ever done anything that nice for him. Well, you can bet I beat him to the punch on the teary-eyed thing! I thanked him for blessing me with his gratitude and chance to do some little thing to help. I told him that we had no cash ourselves, owe the electric company $127 and only had food because we went to the food bank on Monday and got some. Of course, come the beginning of November, the financial situation for us will be a little easier. Not so for my new friend.

I asked him if he’d been to the homeless shelter, just a short distance away. He said he had not, so I invited him to walk with me, and we went to the shelter, where I introduced him to the intake manager. He wore that monastic “robe” over his shoulder with a sense of pride, and smiled warmly at the intake case manager, as I shook his hand and walked back to our little hermitage.

On the way back, I realised the contrast between that experience and dealing with the fundamentalists and argumentative folks on that discussion list. One situation edified me, and kept me grounded in the Primal Love that is the Source of All that Is. The other situation was nothing more than aggravation.

When I walked in the door, I sat down and removed myself from that group. The decision came easy, when I allowed myself to think more clearly about it.

Take time today to do that with situations in your own lives, which might be toxic or distracting. Let go of the attachment you might have to the drama, the recognition, the gossip.

Experience the love that you are… and become still, alive and full!

Namasté

gurudas sunyatananda

_____________________________________________

Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Dharmacharya Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2008, His Eminence Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

In our community, the Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path practice a range of meditation techniques, drawing from the rich traditions of non-sectarian Buddhism, the charism of Franciscan unity with all that exists, and the contemplative awareness of the Benedictine-Camaldolese tradition. The ultimate objective of these techniques is to generate mindfulness, concentration, tranquility and insight.

Central to each of these practices is learning to stay in the moment, following your breath, so that random thoughts may pass without judgment, and gradually slow-down, until you are able to achieve what we call “samma samadhi” or Right Concentration.

By learning to cultivate a “quiet mind”, we gain the skill of moving beyond the tendency to worry about things that are beyond our control, things which happened in the past, and fears of things which may never, in fact, occur.

It sounds simple, and yet we often find ourselves struggling against the simplicity with a mind that has been conditioned to obsessive-thinking (the root of our delusional perceptions of phenomena as “real” and “permanent”). The power, however, remains within each of us to still the endless chatter, and begin to turn our awareness to the Sacred Silence that is the Ground of Being.

The Desert Father, Evagrius Ponticus, pointed out, “If you want to see clearly, you do not scratch your eyes.” That is an apt description of what we do, when we “overthink” during our periods of meditation and contemplation. Quieting our minds requires commitment and pratice. It involves becoming aware of our breath, our posture, and learning to focus on clear comprehension of the phenomena that arise and dissipate, reflections on the impermanence of the body with which we identify, and even the material elements.

In the Tibetan tradition, we often employ what we call “cemetary contemplations”, learning to “dance upon the cremation pyre”. This metaphoric concept arises from being able to embrace death without fear, since we are not our bodies, and between each breath, in the space between inhaling and exhaling, we experience what death is. So there is nothing to fear.

In meditation, we learn to love the moment, because the moment is all there is. And all there is is Love Itself. As Corita Kent encourages, “Love the moment, and the energy of the moment will spread beyond all boundaries.”

I wish you peace!

Namasté

gurudas sunyatananda

_____________________________________________

Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Dharmacharya Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2008, His Eminence Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.