dharmatalks

*We spend so much of our lives trying be anywhere but in the moment. We occupy our days with planning for the future… with striving for that next promotion… planning that next vacation… deciding which temple or church or dharma centre we’re going to visit next… and in the process, we miss millions-upon-millions of opportunities to grow, to find balance… to awaken.

One of my favourite passages in the Digha Nikaya, the first of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that comprise the Tipitaka or central text for practitioners of Theravadan Buddhism (the Primary Vehicle or Hinayana Path), is the following text:

“ Make an island of yourself, make yourself your refuge;
there is no other refuge. Make truth your island, make truth your refuge; there is no other refuge.”
                                                          -  Digha Nikaya, 16

Recently I had an engaging conversation with a bright and dedicated student, who was completely absorbed by the notion that because she has had many past lives, and is now more aware that she was in previous lives, there is no way she could ever take a "lower birth". Of course, her very attachment to the egocentric idea that she is so advanced now will very likely result in her creating a lower rebirth, because she is clinging to her perceptions, not reality, and self-absorbed, not mindful. So I challenged her to let go of these ideas, and of the new age fluff that often surrounds such things as past life regression.

So you think you can remember your past lives, so what? Many people have, and it doesn’t mean that they are guaranteed any kind of future merit. What matters is what you do with NOW… with this moment… not what you did in the past.

Here’s a newsflash… If you were anywhere near as wonderful as your ego-mind would like you to believe in your past incarnations, you wouldn’t be here. The simple fact is that you have never been more ready for awakening than you are right now, so let go of what you did in the past… whether it was your last lifetime or last week… or last night.

The great Theravadan teacher, Ajhan Chah once taught:

"Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything.
Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. What you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. If you haven’t wept deeply, you haven’t begun to meditate."

The only reason we fail to open our hearts and minds to the potential of this moment is attachment. If we fear the possibility of one particular outcome or another, we will either find ourselves clinging to something or someone, or resisting and running away from something or someone or some idea. In either case, the fear is irrational. The only moment that matters is the present moment. Bring your awareness to that moment, and you begin to transform everything. Only to the degree we begin to look compassionately at ourselves, we can begin to look compassionately at the world around us. Only to the degree that we let go of the need to tell anyone else how wonderful we were in the past can we begin to see how wonderful the present moment is.

The ancient wisdom of the Dharma offers sage advice, "Speak quietly and kindly, and don’t force your opinions or advice upon anyone. Be near when help is needed, but far when praise and thanks are being offered. You, no less than all beings, have the Enlightened Nature within you. Your essential Mind is pure."

I don’t find it useful to become obsessed with worrying about what kind of rebirth I will take. What matters to me is what I can do right now, to alleviate and end self-cherishing, attachment, grasping and resistance. If I do that, I progress on the path. If I am faithful to my spiritual practice, if I cultivate a strong and healthy relationship with my teachers, then my spiritual practice will accumulate merit, and negative karma will not ripen, but will begin to whither, as the positive merit ripens and inspires me to do whatever I can to alleviate the suffering of others. Short of doing that, I would have no interest in spirituality at all.

Our spiritual practice, when rooted in mindfulness and the constant practice of staying in the moment, can be like an oil lamp, with compassion being the oil, and wisdom serving as the flame itself. We need only choose to carry that lamp with us always, and in time, as the flame begins to burn more brightly, the darkness will yield to our innate Light.

Namasté

khenpo gurudas sunyatananda

*image courtesy of hylah on flickr

_____________________________________________

“Chenrezig, Treasure of Objectless Compassion;
Manjushri, Lord of Stainless Wisdom;
Vajrapani, Destroyer of all adversarial forces;
O Je Tsong Khapa – Losang Drakpa —
Crown Prince of the Sages of the Land of Snows,
Humbly at Your Lotus Feet I ask your blessing.”

_____________________________________________

Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Khenpo 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 ©2010, Khenpo 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.

Generating genuine compassion is a simple practice, which benefits the practitioner as well as the recipient of that compassion, the community in which they each reside, the world, and indeed, the entire universe.

This is because compassion is not just something we "ought to develop", but is, I would suggest, who we are. His Holiness, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama notes, "At the time of our birth, we have neither religion nor ideology nor culture. We acquire or learn about these later in our lives. But I believe no one is born free from the need for love. No material object, however beautiful or valuable, can make us feel loved, because our deeper identity and true character lie in the subjective nature of the mind." (from Disarmament, Peace and Compassion)

This is why we strive toward becoming compassion for those who might be perceived as our adversaries, our enemies or our "biggest pains in the ass".
You see, when we show what we think is compassion toward someone we love, it’s not pure loving-kindness… because our emotion investment in that person is a type of attachment. But those who have done nothing but attempt to harm us, discredit us, anger us… those are the ones who teach us to dig deeper, and find the source of who we are. They push us to become living dharma, not just mouthpieces for some lofty ideas. They are the grains of sand, which enter the depths of who we are, without whom, we could never generate the true pearl of Compassion.

Namasté

khenpo gurudas sunyatananda

_____________________________________________

“Chenrezig, Treasure of Objectless Compassion;
Manjushri, Lord of Stainless Wisdom;
Vajrapani, Destroyer of all adversarial forces;
O Je Tsong Khapa – Losang Drakpa —
Crown Prince of the Sages of the Land of Snows,
Humbly at Your Lotus Feet I ask your blessing.”

_____________________________________________

Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Khenpo 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 ©2010, Khenpo 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.

Below, you can listen to the current week’s lecture on the Lam Rim Chenmo. (You an also access all of our archived programs by visiting: http://blogtalkradio.com/punkmonk )

An essential part of our teaching lineage is based upon a commitment to an essential philosophy, which Master Morehei Ueshiba describes as masakatsu agatsu katsu hayabi – literally “true victory is victory over the self”. The word masakatsu is a compound word combining  “true/correct” (masa) with “triumph, or success” (katsu) – in other words, “true victory” or “lasting success”.

There is, in the Japanese traditions of Buddhism, Shinto, and Omotokyo esotericism, an interpretation of masakatsu, which defines it as meaning, “If your work is true, it will emerge victorious and endure.”

This is a principle upon which I draw inspiration to maintain the uncompromised sense of perseverance and determination necessary to continue in the face of seeming adversity. It is a determination in which we don’t try to run from attackers, but move toward them, without resistance. Again the Japanese term for this is muteiko, or as it is called in Sanskrit, ahimsa  (अहिंसा). It recognises that, as is stated in the Tao, “The best way to conquer an enemy is not to engage him.”

This is why Dr. Martin Luther King understood the importance of non-violence, and could note, “(All of) humanity is involved in a single process, and to the degree I harm my brother, to that extent I am harming myself.”

Rav Yeshua (Rabbi Jesus) would teach this same principle, according the the Christian mythos, saying:

You have heard it said, “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, “Do not resist the adversary. If the enemy strikes you on the right cheek, turn and give him your left also.”

(cf: Matthew 6: 38-39)

And of course, in the Dhammapada, Buddha Shakyamuni is said to have taught, “Hatred never ceases by hatred. Hatred ceases by love alone. This is the eternal principle.” (Dhammapada 5)

Master Morehei Ueshiba once defined the principle of masakatsu  as “accomplishing your purpose on this earth.” He taught his students how to use the energy of the attacker to create balance and thereby stop the attack without inflicting further violence. Drawing on the Buddhist wisdom, which understands that suffering always results from trying to avoid that which we perceive as bringing pain, dissatisfaction or discomfort, he taught students to “turn the other cheek” literally, in what are called kaitenagi – techniques in which one gracefully turns into the attack, opening the path so that the aggression and energy (momentum) of the attack.

Each of us faces adversity every day. Some will try to fight it. Others will try to avoid it. But there are some, committed to the principle of non-violence and determined to find a way to eliminate suffering in their own lives, so that they can do the same for others – and as such, these individuals have formed something of an organic, loosely structured and intentional spiritual community. We call this community “The Living Dharma Community.” 

We are made up of people from many spiritual traditions – Buddhist, Franciscan and Benedictine contemplatives, New Thought practitioners, alchemists, Episcopalians, Quakers, Unitarians, Vaisnavas, Shaivites, Jains, Pagan, and Metaphysical Jews.

Within the Living Dharma Community is a second group, more focused and committed to their spiritual growth than some of the others might be at this time, and those individuals are participating in a 26-week eCourse, studying the teaching of Je Rinpoche, Lama Tsongkhapa’s Lam Rim Chenmo.

Although there are initially only 15 students enrolled in the program, we are allowing those who are interested in the course to register at the LOTUS Institute this week, and “catch up”, before Monday’s next class. This is a two-step process, which first requires one to register at the Institute (there is no charge for this), and then, after doing so, email us and let us know that you are interested in the course. We will approve your request, and you can log-in, listen to the first seminar, complete this past week’s brief “assignment” and then begin studying with the rest of the group. This course will allow students to study at their own pace, return to previous lectures and listen again, and is designed to provide a 26-week intensive study of the Dharma.

It is a required course for all members of the Contemplative Order of Compassion, and is optional for members of the Living Dharma Community, although strongly recommended.

I consider it an honour to bring together people from such diverse spiritual traditions, and to offer them the wisdom and understanding of the Dharma, as taught by Lama Tsongkhapa, and passed down through our lineage, to Pabongka Rinpoche, Kyabje Trijang (Dorje Chang) Rinpoche, Lama Thubten Yeshe, as well as the Dharma transmitted through His Holiness the Dalai Lama to my Root Guru Tenzin Yangchen Ma (Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati). The path we have taken, however, is distinctly different, and as the reincarnation of the Venerable Lama Thubten Yeshe, whom I considered to be my Root Guru in the Tibetan tradition, has confirmed, is post-modern, post-denominational and transcends the cultural and religious limitations of traditional Tibetan Buddhism. This willingness to celebrate diversity and syncretism, while drawing the criticism, threats and attacks from those within traditional Buddhist circles, is also endorsed by my Root Guru in the non-sectarian path, who was given the name Tenzin Yangchen Ma, by His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, and is something I’ve expressed commitment to in many previous blog entries, dharma talks and lectures.

I am committed to make the teaching of Je Rinpoche (Tsongkhapa) accessible, relevant and embraceable by all people, regardless of religious, spiritual or cultural tradition. If that means drawing criticism from traditional Buddhists, and their refusal to accept my right to continue to function as a lama and monk, then I am willing to pay that price. It won’t change the message. My vows are to realise enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. The monastic tradition is nothing more than a means of achieving that. It is not more important than the vows themselves.

In the past, for the sake of my students, I have fought against those who have condemned us, and rallied against claims that the Contemplative Order of Compassion was a cult… that we were heretics, and that I ought to be stripped of my role as a semi-retired archbishop and Successor to the Apostles (because I refuse to engage in superstitious, irrelevant and non-useful discussions about imaginary personal gods and other primitive, sociologically pointless notions), and that my robes should be demanded to be returned by some of the great lamas and teachers, including the guru who initiated me in the Kalachakra empowerment, with whom many feel I have broken samaya, over my refusal to condemn and endorse the treatment of those who continue to honour the traditional sadhana and devotion to Dorje Shugden.

For many years, I allowed the pressure that has been put upon me to make no waves and listen to the advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, to prevent me from returning to the Lotus Feet of my Root Guru’s Teacher, now reincarnated as His Holiness Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche. However, because I could not find peace with the marginalisation I was seeing, and because my teaching was causing such a stir among traditionalists, who insisted that I was a heretic for not enforcing some of the cultural, religious aspects of the monastic vinaya, and was devoted to making the Dharma accessible to people who did not subscribe to the entire Buddhism-as-religion path, I stopped using my Tibetan name (Jampal Shinje Shesneyen), and simply returned to the Dharma name given by my Refuge Guru and Tenzin Yangchen Ma.

Gradually, because my heart was heavy, and new understanding and awareness of a misleading agenda began to come to light, would not wear the traditional Tibetan robes, because I found the intolerance, hatred and lack of compassion that the Tibetans-in-exile were showing toward the Shugdenpa.

The time has come for that resistance to end. I will continue to speak out against intolerance and the social justice issues that plague those marginalised by hatred and other horrible agendas, even if those perpetrating such injustices are respected leaders and beloved teachers. I realise that this is considered unsavoury behaviour for a Buddhist monk, who is encouraged to remain uninvolved in politics. However, as the wisdom tradition teaches, “First beg for your rights, failing that, seize them!”

And I will now rededicate every action of this Dharma Centre and of the Contemplative Order of Compassion to cultivating the causes for the manifestation of enabling the powerful work of Tsongkhapa to continue to spread through the Trijang Rinpoche, and through the Tsongkhapa’s Throne Holder, His Holiness Gaden Trisur Rinpoche Jetsun Lungrik Namgyal, in the four directions and countless realms, until all sentient beings are free of suffering.

In your own way, I offer the encouragement to stop fighting whatever it is that tries to prevent you from moving forward. Join me in learning the art of kaiten, and the Way of the Peaceful Warrior. Consider becoming involved in the Lam Rim course, at LOTUS Institute and join me in making our plans to build a post-denominational contemplative community in South Florida.

We’ve entered into an amazing, powerful and transformative time and space, which began on May 27th, and which will bring about global transformation, healing and peace. The time of the Peaceful Warrior is now. The era sectarianism have now passed and will gradually bring about a global shift in consciousness.

Compassion is the Way… Service to others is the Path.

Namasté

khenpo gurudas sunyatananda
(khenpo jampal shinje shesneyen)
Wisdom of the Desert Hermitage – Lojong Ladrang

_____________________________________________

“Chenrezig, Treasure of Objectless Compassion;
Manjushri, Lord of Stainless Wisdom;
Vajrapani, Destroyer of all adversarial forces;
O Je Tsong Khapa – Losang Drakpa —
Crown Prince of the Sages of the Land of Snows,
Humbly at Your Lotus Feet I ask your blessing.”

_____________________________________________

Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Khenpo 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 ©2010, Khenpo 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.