In the forum, a fellow dhamma user posted the question if we are ready to Die now? And there is a poll for it with most of the posters choosing the option "Come what may ..let go", one choosing "Somehow ready" and no one choosing options "not yet, still thinking i am in the pink of health..." or "I need some time !!!!"
Here's some of the replies posted online to this topic -
1) This is a taboo question in many people , but death can happen to us anytime , anywhere
Being a Buddhist , one should let go when the Time comes and Reflect on what one have done and not done and Wholeheartedly preparation for the afterlife
2) 西藏度亡经 retell by Yi FanYi Fan is a very great writer with excellent writing skill, making very brilliant examples to make reader understand the profound parts. if anyone is holding this book, pls turn to page 131-143where Guru Rinpoche impart the heart of Enlightenment. it is a key! If one can understand and apply that into daily practice, step by step...the result will be far beyond what we can imagine.
3) I've live a full life so if my time is up, I have no regrets in crossing over. Though I do wonder who'll take care of my funeral arrangements and if I'll have a wake as my immediate and extended family are all Christians.
Below was my reply to this topic and i wish it has helped in someway to stress the importance of impermanence and the art of living here and now.
Nope, i do not think i will ever be fully prepared to die, at least not in the near future that i can forsee (although i'm not saying we cannot prepare for it). The truth is sometimes while lying down on the bed and i will just wonder what is it going to be like after death? And the stark reality is i do not know at all depsite all that we can learn and read or even hear about it from various people and masters.
I recalled once reading a short passage about a student asking the master what is it like after death? Will they go to Pureland? Will they be re-born? How can they be sure that there's a rebirth and it will not be nothing after death? The master simply smiled and replied that he does not know and will only know on the day he passes away. A very truthful and insightful answer by the master and we know that the master is absolutely right.
The more i reflect upon death, the less fearful i become of it but at the same time, the more i found myself inadequate in preparation. Embracing this feeling of inadequacy, it allows and reminds me the importance of impermanence, the importance of living here and now, in the present moment - to learn to think, speak and act with loving kindness and wisdom whenever possible, allowing me to develop internally and externally, helping in the betterment of the lives for both myself and those around me.
Below are some quotes from Master Thich Nhat Hanh that stressed the importance of impermanence and living in the present moment.
"If we really understood and remembered that life was impermanent, we would do everything we could to make the other person happy right here and right now. If we spend twenty-four hours being angry at our beloved, it is because we are ignorant of impermanence"
"Whatever you do or say in a state of anger will only cause more damage in the relationship. Instead, try not to do anything or say anything when you are angry."
with metta
Tuesday 28 April 2009
Saturday 25 April 2009
Buddha Nature - Its Inherently The Same
Buddha Nature resides in each and one of us and all of us have the potential to realise this nature. Regardless of what notions and concepts we may have, the truth is Buddha Nature is inherent in all sentient beings and the same for all.
You do not have anymore Buddha Nature than i do nor do i have more Buddha Nature than you. And do not ever think that saints have more Buddha Nature than we do, for this only serves to undermine ourselves, our potential to emulate them in terms of their kindness and compassion. =)
There is a simple illustration that can give us a glimpse of how non-increasing and non-decreasing the Buddha nature is, how inherently it is the same for all sentient beings. In this illustration, we make use of a Mountain (Buddha Nature) and 4 basic groups of people, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Arhats and Other Sentient Beings.
The Mountain (Buddha nature) is some distance away from these 4 groups of people. To these 4 groups of people, the Mountain is the same, there is no difference for they are facing the same Mountain. The only difference is how clear do these 4 groups of people have the Mountain in sight - it depends on how much obstruction has been cleared and how uncluttered their minds are.
For Buddhas - there are no obstruction, just like seeing the mountain on a clear bright sunny day. The whole mountain is in sight clearly with all its granduer and details.
For Bodhisattvas - there are very little obstructions, it is akin to seeing the mountain on a clear day but with occasional passing clouds. Once in a while, the sight is not all that clear when the clouds passes by and the sunlight shining on the mountain is dimmed.
For Arhats - there are slightly more obstructions compared to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, it is like seeing the mountain with some mist. The mountain is clearly in sight but they are not able to see the full details with the mist shrouding the mountain.
For Other Sentient Beings (including myself) - it is like seeing the mountain shrouded with a huge fog. The sight is fuzzy and to some extent, the fog may be so bad that we do not see the mountain even when we stand at the mountain feet.
This simple illustration provide us some insights to how non-increasing and non-decreasing the Buddha nature is. It is the same in all sentient beings, no more and no less just as the Mountain (Buddha Nature) is to these 4 groups of people. All there is to it, is the amount of obstructions we have that prevent us from having a clear sight like a Buddha.
You do not have anymore Buddha Nature than i do nor do i have more Buddha Nature than you. And do not ever think that saints have more Buddha Nature than we do, for this only serves to undermine ourselves, our potential to emulate them in terms of their kindness and compassion. =)
There is a simple illustration that can give us a glimpse of how non-increasing and non-decreasing the Buddha nature is, how inherently it is the same for all sentient beings. In this illustration, we make use of a Mountain (Buddha Nature) and 4 basic groups of people, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Arhats and Other Sentient Beings.
The Mountain (Buddha nature) is some distance away from these 4 groups of people. To these 4 groups of people, the Mountain is the same, there is no difference for they are facing the same Mountain. The only difference is how clear do these 4 groups of people have the Mountain in sight - it depends on how much obstruction has been cleared and how uncluttered their minds are.
For Buddhas - there are no obstruction, just like seeing the mountain on a clear bright sunny day. The whole mountain is in sight clearly with all its granduer and details.
For Bodhisattvas - there are very little obstructions, it is akin to seeing the mountain on a clear day but with occasional passing clouds. Once in a while, the sight is not all that clear when the clouds passes by and the sunlight shining on the mountain is dimmed.
For Arhats - there are slightly more obstructions compared to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, it is like seeing the mountain with some mist. The mountain is clearly in sight but they are not able to see the full details with the mist shrouding the mountain.
For Other Sentient Beings (including myself) - it is like seeing the mountain shrouded with a huge fog. The sight is fuzzy and to some extent, the fog may be so bad that we do not see the mountain even when we stand at the mountain feet.
This simple illustration provide us some insights to how non-increasing and non-decreasing the Buddha nature is. It is the same in all sentient beings, no more and no less just as the Mountain (Buddha Nature) is to these 4 groups of people. All there is to it, is the amount of obstructions we have that prevent us from having a clear sight like a Buddha.
Saturday 11 April 2009
Let's Talk About Money and Monks
This entry came about when one of fellow dhamma forum user who posted some questions due to recent news that she read about a monk. She wanted to clarify on her thinking that Buddhist monks are never paid a salary since their needs would be taken care of by the temple administrators who draw from temple donations. She also read up something that is confusing, it goes like this,
"The interpretation of the rules, however differs between the Mahayana and Theravada traditions. The Theravadins, especially those from Thailand, claim to observe these rules to the letter of the law, however, in many cases, the following is more in theory than in actual practice ......... Also, a rule prohibiting the handling of gold and silver, in other words - money, is considered by the Mahayana Sangha a handicap were it to be observed strictly in today's world. They interpret this rule as avoiding the accumulation of riches which leads to greed. Theravadin monks tend to split hairs on this rule as, although most will not touch coins, many carry credit cards and cheque books."
She liked to know if it wasn't Buddha's intention for those who joined the religious order to detach themselves from worldly pleasures, desires and material things and if so, how did the Mahayana teachings end up deviating?
For someone who is new to Buddhism, it may seem contradicting to have read such news and articles and it may even shake their faith and trust in the teachings of the Buddha. For that i would like to share some insights on this which i have shared earlier in the forum so each and one of us can reflect and clear the doubts on the Sangha that might have arose within us.
First of all, let's not lose heart at the Sangha just because there were some unfavourable news reported. We have to remind ourselves what Buddha taught before he passed into parinibbana. He said to the Sangha to be a light upon themselves, to use the Dhamma as a guide, as a teacher.
"Think not that you have no teacher after my death. Regard the Dhamma and Vinaya I have taught you as your teacher."
Let us use the Dhamma to reflect and contemplate for ourselves, to look for the meaning and purpose why certain precepts were introduced by the Buddha. That way i believe, is the best way to clear our minds of doubts, shedding light for each and everyone of us.
We must recall the intentions for these precepts and codes. They were setup to help the practitioner to develop spiritually, to rid themselves of suffering which has its roots in attachments and ignorance.
So is it all that truly important not to touch money at all? Let's contemplate on this scenario:
There is a sick person on the deathbed in the final moments. For the last time before passing away, he or she wishes to hear the preaching of the Dhamma from the abbot of a small local modest monastery of their rural town that he or she attends regularly.
Because the monastery is a small establishment with small followings, they do not own a vehicle as they are not able to afford one. Very much due to the fact the donations from the local followers were small although they have already been very generous in their givings.
Now, the family members of the sick person are extremely poor, there is no way that they could afford to hire a car to fetch the abbot. They even have to borrow the phone from their neighbours to call the abbot. Now, this abbot is currently alone in the monastery. Having received this call, he realised that he has to do something to fulfil the final wishes of this dying person.
He knows that there is enough money left from the donations in the monastery to allow him to hire a car to quickly travel to the home of the dying person. What should he do when the precepts indicate that he should not have contact with money?
1) Refuse the family saying that he cannot go as he needs to adhere to the precepts. If he breaks them, his spiritual development will be hindered. Not only that, he gets to retain the donations.
2) Request one of the family members to walk for the next 2 or 3 hours to his monastery so that the family member can take physically handle the money. With that, they can hire a car and he will not need to break his precepts.
3) Simply pick up the money, hire the car and reach the dying person in the shortest possible time to expound the Dhamma for the last time, generating merits for the person.
Of these 3 solutions, which one will generate the most merits? Which one will help the most number of people develop spiritually? I hope this little story helped to clear some doubts if the Mahayana had actually deviated from the Teachings.
Sometimes, things are not what they may appeared to be on the surface. When handling money, it does not mean that one is attached to wealth and when not handling money, it does not mean that one does not crave for wealth.
One classic story is about attachments and how deceiving appearances can be revolves around 2 monks, one elderly master and his disciple helping a woman cross a river.
In the story, these 2 monks were on a long journey and reached a river. There is a young lady who wishes to cross the river but did not wish for her dress to get wet as she has to be presentable in her match making session later, it could decide her life long happiness. Seeing the 2 monks approaching the river, and an idea came to her and she requested them for assistance, to bear her across the river.
The young monk was very hesitant and did not agree to the request as it was in violation of the precepts to be in contact with a member of the opposite sex. To his shock, his master acceded and carried the young lady across the river. Once they were across the river, the lady gave her thanks and left. The monks continue their way.
On their, the young monk kept thinking about the incident and was absolutely furious that his master had broken a precept. At first, he kept it to himself but the more he think of it, the more disgusted he was. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he burst out and shouted at his master, how could he be so shameless and hanker after physical contact with young lady.
The old master simply broke out with a smile and said, "I've left her at the riverside once we have crossed the river. If you did not mentioned it again, i would not have recalled the incident. But you instead, have carried her all the way till now, over such a long distance." In this story, we can now see who truly is attached and who is not.
"The interpretation of the rules, however differs between the Mahayana and Theravada traditions. The Theravadins, especially those from Thailand, claim to observe these rules to the letter of the law, however, in many cases, the following is more in theory than in actual practice ......... Also, a rule prohibiting the handling of gold and silver, in other words - money, is considered by the Mahayana Sangha a handicap were it to be observed strictly in today's world. They interpret this rule as avoiding the accumulation of riches which leads to greed. Theravadin monks tend to split hairs on this rule as, although most will not touch coins, many carry credit cards and cheque books."
She liked to know if it wasn't Buddha's intention for those who joined the religious order to detach themselves from worldly pleasures, desires and material things and if so, how did the Mahayana teachings end up deviating?
For someone who is new to Buddhism, it may seem contradicting to have read such news and articles and it may even shake their faith and trust in the teachings of the Buddha. For that i would like to share some insights on this which i have shared earlier in the forum so each and one of us can reflect and clear the doubts on the Sangha that might have arose within us.
First of all, let's not lose heart at the Sangha just because there were some unfavourable news reported. We have to remind ourselves what Buddha taught before he passed into parinibbana. He said to the Sangha to be a light upon themselves, to use the Dhamma as a guide, as a teacher.
"Think not that you have no teacher after my death. Regard the Dhamma and Vinaya I have taught you as your teacher."
Let us use the Dhamma to reflect and contemplate for ourselves, to look for the meaning and purpose why certain precepts were introduced by the Buddha. That way i believe, is the best way to clear our minds of doubts, shedding light for each and everyone of us.
We must recall the intentions for these precepts and codes. They were setup to help the practitioner to develop spiritually, to rid themselves of suffering which has its roots in attachments and ignorance.
So is it all that truly important not to touch money at all? Let's contemplate on this scenario:
There is a sick person on the deathbed in the final moments. For the last time before passing away, he or she wishes to hear the preaching of the Dhamma from the abbot of a small local modest monastery of their rural town that he or she attends regularly.
Because the monastery is a small establishment with small followings, they do not own a vehicle as they are not able to afford one. Very much due to the fact the donations from the local followers were small although they have already been very generous in their givings.
Now, the family members of the sick person are extremely poor, there is no way that they could afford to hire a car to fetch the abbot. They even have to borrow the phone from their neighbours to call the abbot. Now, this abbot is currently alone in the monastery. Having received this call, he realised that he has to do something to fulfil the final wishes of this dying person.
He knows that there is enough money left from the donations in the monastery to allow him to hire a car to quickly travel to the home of the dying person. What should he do when the precepts indicate that he should not have contact with money?
1) Refuse the family saying that he cannot go as he needs to adhere to the precepts. If he breaks them, his spiritual development will be hindered. Not only that, he gets to retain the donations.
2) Request one of the family members to walk for the next 2 or 3 hours to his monastery so that the family member can take physically handle the money. With that, they can hire a car and he will not need to break his precepts.
3) Simply pick up the money, hire the car and reach the dying person in the shortest possible time to expound the Dhamma for the last time, generating merits for the person.
Of these 3 solutions, which one will generate the most merits? Which one will help the most number of people develop spiritually? I hope this little story helped to clear some doubts if the Mahayana had actually deviated from the Teachings.
Sometimes, things are not what they may appeared to be on the surface. When handling money, it does not mean that one is attached to wealth and when not handling money, it does not mean that one does not crave for wealth.
One classic story is about attachments and how deceiving appearances can be revolves around 2 monks, one elderly master and his disciple helping a woman cross a river.
In the story, these 2 monks were on a long journey and reached a river. There is a young lady who wishes to cross the river but did not wish for her dress to get wet as she has to be presentable in her match making session later, it could decide her life long happiness. Seeing the 2 monks approaching the river, and an idea came to her and she requested them for assistance, to bear her across the river.
The young monk was very hesitant and did not agree to the request as it was in violation of the precepts to be in contact with a member of the opposite sex. To his shock, his master acceded and carried the young lady across the river. Once they were across the river, the lady gave her thanks and left. The monks continue their way.
On their, the young monk kept thinking about the incident and was absolutely furious that his master had broken a precept. At first, he kept it to himself but the more he think of it, the more disgusted he was. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he burst out and shouted at his master, how could he be so shameless and hanker after physical contact with young lady.
The old master simply broke out with a smile and said, "I've left her at the riverside once we have crossed the river. If you did not mentioned it again, i would not have recalled the incident. But you instead, have carried her all the way till now, over such a long distance." In this story, we can now see who truly is attached and who is not.
Saturday 4 April 2009
Metta - Loving Kindness (Includes Loving Yourself Too)
The topic on metta and self love came about when there was question posted in the forum on what happens to a Buddhist who has taken the vows but commits suicide? This is a question that is thought invoking and truly deserves our attention.
My opinion was that one must have reached a point in life where he or she believed that suffering and pain has reached beyond their ability to bear, having reached such a decision. To that effect, he or she has not realised the Teachings of Buddha and the action of suicide only serves to imprint the last thought before death as a thought of suffering. And if one is to believe that there is re-birth and due to the strong kamma of the last lingering thought before death, one will be most likely to be reborn in a place of suffering regardless whether or not the vows were taken. Of course, the sense of guilt will be stronger for a person who has taken the vows, resulting in the last thought to be even more negative, causing further suffering.
Before one reaches the point to even contemplate about suicide, we should constantly remind ourselves in the interdependency of all phenomenon. The truth is that our actions affects not only ourselves but also our loved ones, friends, communities and if you can believe, the world. The fact is, we do not live alone. If one commits suicide, we must understand that the loved ones of the one committing such an act will be devastated and they will have much suffering to bear for the actions of one committing such grave acts. If we truly love our loved ones, how can we even bear to entertain such thoughts allowing them to bear the consequences of our unwholesome actions?
One may then raise a point, what if our parents have passed on and with no close confidants, does that provide a more compelling reason for one to consider or even commit suicide? That is to say that one believe that there is no one who will feel sad or devastated if we were to pass on. The only repercussion is that people will feel shock momentarily or just disgusted about this happening in their vicinity, probably worrying about the decrease in the value of their property due to bad publicity. Otherwise, it is only the effort of requiring public resources like police, coroner and undertakers to handle and close the case formally.
For that we have to work on the basis that life is precious and all beings are equal in their pursuit for happiness. When someone contemplates suicide or chose to hurt themselves, in a matter of fact, they are seeking happiness although it may be very self-deluded. If possible, there is no one who will wish for pain and suffering in life. But when the mind is unclear and clouded, we can sometimes make the wrong call or judgement, committing actions which we believe will end our suffering. Suicide, self-mutilation are some of the actions that people make when it comes to such times.
With the thought that life is infinitely precious and all beings are equal, it does not make it anymore compelling for any person to consider suicide just because their loved ones are not around. However, we must admit that there is most likely lesser support for someone who does not have their loved ones around them, making it easier for them to sink deeper into depression and ultimately reaching such decisions.
Let's bear in mind that when someone commits suicide, he or she has not realised the Teachings of Buddha and in this case, has not realised the 4 sublime states of the mind, metta (loving kindess), karuna (compassion), mudita (sympathetic joy) or upekkha (equanimity). In specific, metta is the state of mind that should be stressed on in this particular discussion.
Buddha has taught that metta should be cultivated towards all beings just like the unconditional love that a mother has towards her only child where the life of her child is just as important to hers. When Buddha mentioned all beings, it includes ourselves. We must not forget to love others as equally as we love ourselves and to love ourselves as equally as we love others. Here is a quote from Master Thich Nhat Hanh on the importance of self love.
"In taking good care of yourself, you take good care of your beloved one. Self-love is the foundation for your capacity to love the other person. If you don't take good care of yourself, if you are not happy, if you are not peaceful, you cannot make the other person happy. You cannot help the other person; you cannot love. Your capacity for loving another person depends entirely on your capacity for loving yourself, for taking care of yourself."
If one is to believe in the subject of rebirth, knowingly that committing suicide will only result in more suffering in the next rebirth, then in the spirit ot metta and self love, that itself can be one of the most valid reasons not to commit such an act.
Let's also not forget the benefits that metta can bring. If we can cultivate ourselves constantly with metta, we will naturally be loving and generous in our ways (thoughts, speech and actions). One of the many benefits of being generous and loving is that people around us will naturally be attracted to us. Of these people, there are definitely some that will be worthy of our companionship. We can then seek to foster a friendship that could last a lifetime providing the support that is not in anyway lesser than those that could be showered by our own family members.
When it come to developing metta, most of us will find that it will be near impossible to develop it overnight to the state where we can reach out with unconditional love for all beings, we may not even be able to do it in this lifetime. Those who are able to are usually the ones who have in their previous lives cultivated great merits enabling them to be born in conditions where it allows them to do so. The rest of us will find that it is a lifetime (or even countless lifetimes) journey of cultivation.
As most of us have yet to perfect metta and our love are mostly conditioned, it is important for us to start the embarkment on this lifetime journey of learning and practice. While practicing, we must always remember that happiness comes from within and not without. As an old Tibetan saying goes, "Seeking happiness outside ourselves is like waiting for sunshine in a cave facing north." So, let's start by cultivating self love which is the first basic exercise of metta meditation which generally starts with the following four exercises in sequence.
1) Love for ourselves
2) Love for someone we like
3) Love for someone we are neutral to
4) Love for someone we dislike
One may then raise another point, what if a quick relief is needed and we all know that metta meditation requires time and effort to bear fruits. In that case, we have to understand that for the person suffering, the people (families, friends, communities and Sangha) around him or her can provide immediate relief, support, concern and care making one feel better. He or she may also seek a doctor to have medication prescribed for temporary easing of the symptoms.
But again, we must understand that this is temporary. Ultimately, one has to realise that true happiness comes from within and not externally. So, if he or her continuously dwell on their pain and do not break off from the vicious cycle, then one is likely to be trapped within no matter how much relief and support is provided. Both must work hand in hand for the best results, self determination to be well and happy and support from the communities, lacking of either will make it very much harder although we cannot say it is impossible. And if i remembered correctly, Master Sheng Yen once mentioned that pain is unavoidable in life but suffering is not and suffering is our mentality towards pain.
My opinion was that one must have reached a point in life where he or she believed that suffering and pain has reached beyond their ability to bear, having reached such a decision. To that effect, he or she has not realised the Teachings of Buddha and the action of suicide only serves to imprint the last thought before death as a thought of suffering. And if one is to believe that there is re-birth and due to the strong kamma of the last lingering thought before death, one will be most likely to be reborn in a place of suffering regardless whether or not the vows were taken. Of course, the sense of guilt will be stronger for a person who has taken the vows, resulting in the last thought to be even more negative, causing further suffering.
Before one reaches the point to even contemplate about suicide, we should constantly remind ourselves in the interdependency of all phenomenon. The truth is that our actions affects not only ourselves but also our loved ones, friends, communities and if you can believe, the world. The fact is, we do not live alone. If one commits suicide, we must understand that the loved ones of the one committing such an act will be devastated and they will have much suffering to bear for the actions of one committing such grave acts. If we truly love our loved ones, how can we even bear to entertain such thoughts allowing them to bear the consequences of our unwholesome actions?
One may then raise a point, what if our parents have passed on and with no close confidants, does that provide a more compelling reason for one to consider or even commit suicide? That is to say that one believe that there is no one who will feel sad or devastated if we were to pass on. The only repercussion is that people will feel shock momentarily or just disgusted about this happening in their vicinity, probably worrying about the decrease in the value of their property due to bad publicity. Otherwise, it is only the effort of requiring public resources like police, coroner and undertakers to handle and close the case formally.
For that we have to work on the basis that life is precious and all beings are equal in their pursuit for happiness. When someone contemplates suicide or chose to hurt themselves, in a matter of fact, they are seeking happiness although it may be very self-deluded. If possible, there is no one who will wish for pain and suffering in life. But when the mind is unclear and clouded, we can sometimes make the wrong call or judgement, committing actions which we believe will end our suffering. Suicide, self-mutilation are some of the actions that people make when it comes to such times.
With the thought that life is infinitely precious and all beings are equal, it does not make it anymore compelling for any person to consider suicide just because their loved ones are not around. However, we must admit that there is most likely lesser support for someone who does not have their loved ones around them, making it easier for them to sink deeper into depression and ultimately reaching such decisions.
Let's bear in mind that when someone commits suicide, he or she has not realised the Teachings of Buddha and in this case, has not realised the 4 sublime states of the mind, metta (loving kindess), karuna (compassion), mudita (sympathetic joy) or upekkha (equanimity). In specific, metta is the state of mind that should be stressed on in this particular discussion.
Buddha has taught that metta should be cultivated towards all beings just like the unconditional love that a mother has towards her only child where the life of her child is just as important to hers. When Buddha mentioned all beings, it includes ourselves. We must not forget to love others as equally as we love ourselves and to love ourselves as equally as we love others. Here is a quote from Master Thich Nhat Hanh on the importance of self love.
"In taking good care of yourself, you take good care of your beloved one. Self-love is the foundation for your capacity to love the other person. If you don't take good care of yourself, if you are not happy, if you are not peaceful, you cannot make the other person happy. You cannot help the other person; you cannot love. Your capacity for loving another person depends entirely on your capacity for loving yourself, for taking care of yourself."
If one is to believe in the subject of rebirth, knowingly that committing suicide will only result in more suffering in the next rebirth, then in the spirit ot metta and self love, that itself can be one of the most valid reasons not to commit such an act.
Let's also not forget the benefits that metta can bring. If we can cultivate ourselves constantly with metta, we will naturally be loving and generous in our ways (thoughts, speech and actions). One of the many benefits of being generous and loving is that people around us will naturally be attracted to us. Of these people, there are definitely some that will be worthy of our companionship. We can then seek to foster a friendship that could last a lifetime providing the support that is not in anyway lesser than those that could be showered by our own family members.
When it come to developing metta, most of us will find that it will be near impossible to develop it overnight to the state where we can reach out with unconditional love for all beings, we may not even be able to do it in this lifetime. Those who are able to are usually the ones who have in their previous lives cultivated great merits enabling them to be born in conditions where it allows them to do so. The rest of us will find that it is a lifetime (or even countless lifetimes) journey of cultivation.
As most of us have yet to perfect metta and our love are mostly conditioned, it is important for us to start the embarkment on this lifetime journey of learning and practice. While practicing, we must always remember that happiness comes from within and not without. As an old Tibetan saying goes, "Seeking happiness outside ourselves is like waiting for sunshine in a cave facing north." So, let's start by cultivating self love which is the first basic exercise of metta meditation which generally starts with the following four exercises in sequence.
1) Love for ourselves
2) Love for someone we like
3) Love for someone we are neutral to
4) Love for someone we dislike
One may then raise another point, what if a quick relief is needed and we all know that metta meditation requires time and effort to bear fruits. In that case, we have to understand that for the person suffering, the people (families, friends, communities and Sangha) around him or her can provide immediate relief, support, concern and care making one feel better. He or she may also seek a doctor to have medication prescribed for temporary easing of the symptoms.
But again, we must understand that this is temporary. Ultimately, one has to realise that true happiness comes from within and not externally. So, if he or her continuously dwell on their pain and do not break off from the vicious cycle, then one is likely to be trapped within no matter how much relief and support is provided. Both must work hand in hand for the best results, self determination to be well and happy and support from the communities, lacking of either will make it very much harder although we cannot say it is impossible. And if i remembered correctly, Master Sheng Yen once mentioned that pain is unavoidable in life but suffering is not and suffering is our mentality towards pain.
Thursday 2 April 2009
Is Kamma Predictable?
Sometime back in the forum we had a discussion on several points and one of them revolved around kamma. The question posted - Is kamma predictable? Is it possible for us to predict what sort of kamma will befall on us? For example, if a person is a life-long thief in the present life, is it likely that in the next life, this person will constantly suffer loss of personal property ?
Here are my views posted on the forum based on the limited knowledge i have on the Dhamma. There is nothing mystical about kamma and in fact, my tendency towards kamma is to relate it to our daily activities so it is more personal and relevant. Below is my take on it and if there are any lacking, it is due to my limited understanding.
As long as we have not liberated ourselves and perfect our wisdom and compassion, there is only a limit to how much we can determine the effects of our actions. Let's revisit the meaning of kamma -
Kamma is commonly known as the law of causes and effects. However, it is more than that, the law of causes and effects only form part of kamma. The word kamma implies volition meaning action with intention. Action here will encompass all three aspects, mental, speech and body. With every deed, it is naturally followed by an effect and this is how kamma came to be commonly known as the law of cause and effect.
There are four main types of kamma. They are kamma that rippens in this birth, kamma that rippens in next birth, kamma that rippens in successive births and kamma that is ineffective due to a lack of auxillary conditions.
Kamma is then further divided into the following categories. Kamma that produces their own resultants, kamma that supplements (supports) the resultants of another, kamma that alters the resultants of another and kamma that destroys the resultants of another.
To the question on next life, we cannot be sure that the person who is a thief in this life will always suffer constant loss of property in his next life. We have to bear in mind that for kamma to bear fruits, it is also dependent on the auxillary conditions for the fruits to rippen. Not only that, there are also kamma that one may accumulate to alter or even negate the bad effects of previous actions. As such, not all fruits will rippen, be it this birth, next birth or successive births.
Maybe for illustration purposes, let's use Robin Hood. He constantly robs the rich and gives to the poor. So in robbing others, if kamma is so fathomable and direct and without recourse, he will have to bear the effects of constantly losing his property in his next re-birth. But what about his generosity that he practiced due to compassion for those that are poor and suffering? Wouldn't that help him to ensure that his next birth be in the realms of heaven without material wants and needs. If so, how can he then suffer the kamma of a thief? I leave you to contemplate more on this point.
Instead of thinking about kamma and re-births as in our next lives and beyond, why not think of them in the following manner which is more practical in our day to day living. Esp when Buddha constantly stressed that we should be mindful of here and now since the past has gone and the future yet to be.
1) kamma that rippens in this birth - kamma that rippens this moment / today
2) kamma that rippens in next birth - kamma that rippens in the next moment / tomorrow
3) kamma that rippens in successive births - kamma that rippens many moments later / many days later
By reflecting in this manner, i believe we will be more mindful of our actions and their effects on us, our families, communities and environment here and now. If we are already so mindful of our actions here and now, constantly ensuring that each action was done with right intentions, with love and compassion, why should we worry about our next re-birth? By taking care of now, haven't we already took care of our future?
Here are my views posted on the forum based on the limited knowledge i have on the Dhamma. There is nothing mystical about kamma and in fact, my tendency towards kamma is to relate it to our daily activities so it is more personal and relevant. Below is my take on it and if there are any lacking, it is due to my limited understanding.
As long as we have not liberated ourselves and perfect our wisdom and compassion, there is only a limit to how much we can determine the effects of our actions. Let's revisit the meaning of kamma -
Kamma is commonly known as the law of causes and effects. However, it is more than that, the law of causes and effects only form part of kamma. The word kamma implies volition meaning action with intention. Action here will encompass all three aspects, mental, speech and body. With every deed, it is naturally followed by an effect and this is how kamma came to be commonly known as the law of cause and effect.
There are four main types of kamma. They are kamma that rippens in this birth, kamma that rippens in next birth, kamma that rippens in successive births and kamma that is ineffective due to a lack of auxillary conditions.
Kamma is then further divided into the following categories. Kamma that produces their own resultants, kamma that supplements (supports) the resultants of another, kamma that alters the resultants of another and kamma that destroys the resultants of another.
To the question on next life, we cannot be sure that the person who is a thief in this life will always suffer constant loss of property in his next life. We have to bear in mind that for kamma to bear fruits, it is also dependent on the auxillary conditions for the fruits to rippen. Not only that, there are also kamma that one may accumulate to alter or even negate the bad effects of previous actions. As such, not all fruits will rippen, be it this birth, next birth or successive births.
Maybe for illustration purposes, let's use Robin Hood. He constantly robs the rich and gives to the poor. So in robbing others, if kamma is so fathomable and direct and without recourse, he will have to bear the effects of constantly losing his property in his next re-birth. But what about his generosity that he practiced due to compassion for those that are poor and suffering? Wouldn't that help him to ensure that his next birth be in the realms of heaven without material wants and needs. If so, how can he then suffer the kamma of a thief? I leave you to contemplate more on this point.
Instead of thinking about kamma and re-births as in our next lives and beyond, why not think of them in the following manner which is more practical in our day to day living. Esp when Buddha constantly stressed that we should be mindful of here and now since the past has gone and the future yet to be.
1) kamma that rippens in this birth - kamma that rippens this moment / today
2) kamma that rippens in next birth - kamma that rippens in the next moment / tomorrow
3) kamma that rippens in successive births - kamma that rippens many moments later / many days later
By reflecting in this manner, i believe we will be more mindful of our actions and their effects on us, our families, communities and environment here and now. If we are already so mindful of our actions here and now, constantly ensuring that each action was done with right intentions, with love and compassion, why should we worry about our next re-birth? By taking care of now, haven't we already took care of our future?
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