Wisdom and Compassion
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Compassion is the wish that the suffering of others be relieved. It's also the wish that the causes of that suffering be dispelled. When learning compassion practices, people sometimes express fear. What are we afraid of? Vulnerability, fear of boundaries dissolving, fear of overwhelm, inadequacy; there are so many places we could find resistance to experiencing direct and intimate contact with our own suffering and the suffering of the world. Is is possible that experiencing compassion will not be what we think? Is it possible it's a step towards freedom?
In Buddhism, one of the greatest generosities is to remove fear and the causes of fear for other beings. How can we practice generosity by offering fearlessness to others? What does fearlessness look like? To alleviate suffering brought about by fear, to promote safety and security, to empower and liberate others—or at least not to oppress them, is a start. Generosity, including the removal of fear, is an expression of compassion and wisdom in Buddhist practice. It requires understanding the causes and conditions of fear and responding with skillful means to address them. Through the practice of generosity—including helping themselves and others cultivate fearlessness—individuals cultivate qualities such as compassion, empathy, and insight, which are essential for spiritual growth and awakening.
In this episode I am remembering and sharing memories of my own American dharma teacher's teachings and teaching style. Even thinking about it now inspires my practice and my own teaching. He was humble and remarkably simple in his delivery—but years later I realize how much truth was in every sentence. You can listen to some of the teachings he gave in this last years here https://dekeling.community/teachings-of-lama-michael-conklin/, too. The collection has transcripts as well as audio recordings.
In this episode, the practice is to contemplate the kindness of all beings. In today's world this can be a challenge. Here, we explore a starting point, a few options and the fruition of this practice. This talk refers to Point 3, aphorism 13 of the Seven Points of Mind Training: Contemplate the great kindness of everyone. [Translations and numbering systems may vary, depending on the book you read.] Atisha’s 'Mind Training in Seven Points' is one of the most-beloved sets of instructions for training the heart/mind). The Seven Points comprise a complete system of practice, with instructions and guidance that cover all the essential points of Mahayana Buddhism. The Wisdom & Compassion team will add a new podcast on this topic every other week this year, and will soon backfill the podcasts from earlier teachings in this series..stay tuned. If you'd like a book to start learning, you could try by Traleg Rinpoche, or by Pema Chodron. Dekeling has many classes and retreats on this mediation method.
A meditation in the Five Elements. Jogen Sensei is a Zen Priest, as well as a facilitator. You can further explore his facilitation and teachings at solisluna.org
The body scan is an effective way to begin or nurture a meditation practice. It helps establish mindfulness. The purpose is to tune in to your body—to connect to the direct experience of the physical body—and to notice all sensations without judgement or commentary. Many people find the body scan relaxing. This makes it pleasant to do, so it's one of the ways beginners can be motivated to increase time spent in formal mediation. It can easily be done lying down, which means it's a good choice for any time you are sick or in pain. Learning to practice in such situations provides a foundation for continuous practice—something we emphasize at Dekeling. This practice is useful to train the mind to be aware of sensory experiences—and ultimately, more accepting. With time and practice, the body scan will be a meditation that will cultivate your ability to be more fully present in your life in general—especially when added to mindfulness of activity or speech and so on.
Doubt is one of the five hindrances. Doubt is also an essential element of practice. In this episode we look at the different kinds of doubt and how to navigate each. We also learn from the Buddha's teachings on the Kalama Sutra about how to know which teachings are true.
In this short podcast, Lama Lekshe talks about how to discover 'indestructible' ease and joy. This is a 'pocket practice'. You CAN take it with you--dozens of times each day.
In Buddhism, Avalokitesvara bodhisattva is regarded as the embodiment of compassion. The Tibetans call this embodiment Chenrezig—the ‘one who watches with a steady gaze.’ To do this practice, take refuge in the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Recognize the universal wish of sentient beings to be from suffering and its causes—while imprisoned in the context of delusion, oppression, hatred and greed. Allow yourself to feel the tension in between their wish to be free and the seemingly impossible web of conditions that bind them to suffering and its causes. Feel this. Give rise to the wish to free them. Can you connect with that? To taking it on? To the understanding that they be free because they too have ‘buddha nature’, the same potential for awakening as the Buddha? Set a determination to make their compassionate liberation your most heartfelt vow. To begin the main practice, in the space in front of you, bring to mind Chenrezig, as vividly as you can. Imagine this being of light, radiant with joy, gazing upon you with warmth and affection, delighting in your evolution of virtue and wisdom, while also filled with loving-kindness and appreciation for every being of every identification, every intersection of qualities and existence. Chenrezig is completely free from the fetters of conditioning, judgement, and prejudice. The very of impartial love and equanimity. As you chant the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM as many times as you like, imagine a torrent of light, Chenrezig’s heart. This light is of the nature of immutable love, joy, compassion, and healing. Imagine the light coming to the crown of your head; flowing down through your body, saturating every cell and immediately dispelling all negativity, any trace of previous unwholesome actions, and dispelling all confusion. Afflictions of the body and mind disappear, leaving only the experience of your body as light. Insubstantial. Now, at your invitation, Chenrezig diminishes in size to the height of about an inch, and appears instantaneously on the crown of your head, facing in the same direction as yourself. Imagine a soft, glowing, white eight-petalled lotus at your heart, in the center of your chest, and invite Chenrezig to dwell in the lotus of your heart. Accepting without hesitation, Chenrezig dissolves into light, descends through the central channel to the heart chakra in the center of the chest, and forms again seated in the meditation posture on a lotus, facing the same direction as you. Imagine a tiny pinpoint of radiant white light in Chenrezig’s heart, the light of your own buddha-nature, the expression of all your innate wisdom and compassion and power. Rest your awareness on that light. Now, originating from that single point, light radiates in all directions—this light of the nature of joy, of compassion, and of purification. It fills your body, and then extends out through every pore, above and below and to all sides, reaching out to every sentient being around you. Every. One. As this light touches each being it fills them completely. Their suffering and the sources of suffering are removed and their most cherished wishes are fulfilled. This light fills everyone around you, expanding in all directions, out over your home and neighborhood and city, touching every living being. It extends again in all directions over the globe, and then continues beyond this world, beyond the galaxy to all the infinite worlds. Imagine the entire universe suffused with this light. Imagine the universe in the nature of light—whole landscapes of light, and finally dissolving into a soft shimmer. This universe of light is now absorbed back into your body and your body now rests as a body of light, with Chenrezig at your heart. Let your own body dissolve into the body of Chenrezig. Let the body of Chenrezig dissolve into the seed of light at the heart and let this seed of light dissolve into empty space of infinite energy. Now from that emptiness, your own body again appears as a body of light, softly glowing, serene and yet indestructible. For the rest of the session, place the mind simply and quietly on the sensations of the breath entering and leaving the body. End by resting without any concept or effort. Offer the benefit of your practice to all. Get the image of Chenrezig here. https://www.dekeling.online/post/avalokiteshvara-chenrezig
CELEBRATING SAKA DAWA DUCHEN WHILE IN ISOLATION Saka Dawa Duchen is on June 5th in 2020 In the Tibetan tradition, Saka Dawa is a month of celebration of the birth, enlightenment and passing [Skt. ] of the Buddha Shakyamuni. means ‘month’ in Tibetan. The term comes from Tibetan astrology—the Saka star is associated with the full moon of this month. Saka Dawa observations take place in the fourth Tibetan month of each year, which in 2020 begins on May 23 and ends on June 21. The full-moon day of Saka Dawa, occurring on the 15th day of the Tibetan month, is one date most commonly associated with not only Buddha’s birth but also his enlightenment and parinirvana, and therefore often is said to be the most auspicious day of all. In 2020, the 15th day of the month—called —falls on June 5 in the Gregorian calendar. It is sometimes taught that the merit of any beneficial thoughts, speech and actions are multiplied during this time—some teachers say as much as one hundred million times. But how can we practice it during the time of Covid? You can do it! Happy Saka Dawa!
In order to be able to stay present in the experience of suffering, we have to able to rest there. Bringing awareness to the suffering of ourselves and others is a very loving thing to do. It also strengthens endurance in times of suffering. In the process of doing this, we can discover that pain and suffering are not the same. Practicing this simple meditation extends stability and the energy to be able to stay with suffering, which expands our ability to love. The practice can be done as a quick standalone meditation, or as part of a practice session for something like the Four Immeasurables. Thanks to Jenny Sasser for support during the Four Immeasurables class this month. Thanks to Chad for the use of the album, Drifter and to Thomas Walker for adding music to the podcast.
Death comes. Then what? Death is inevitable, so knowing how to integrate it is necessary, but what we might not know is that inside death are a number of beautiful teachings on life. The music in this episode was written and shared by Chad Crouch from Podington Bear, in Portland, Oregon. Thanks, Chad. Download the album at https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Chad_Crouch/Drifter Thanks to Thomas for getting our podcasts up for sharing. Thanks to the whole Monday Night Group for one-good-thing-at-a-time. Join us. See current offerings of classes at https://www.dekeling.online/ and catch us on Facebook at https://bit.ly/dekelingfacebook
Live in joy, in love, Even among those who hate. Live in joy, in health. Even among the afflicted. Live in joy, in peace, Even among the troubled. Look within. Be still. Free from fear and attachment, Know the sweet joy of the way. —The Buddha, from the When things pile up and when we get overwhelmed, it’s easy to leave our natural state of ease and joy and to enter into a constricted state. We might even mistakenly identify this as virtue if we do it during a solemn time. But to do this is is not in accord with the teachings of the Buddha. Here we tell how to practice this advice right here, right now.
In challenging times, how do you cultivate more joy? If you're suffering, one way is to suffer better. Who knew? Hear this and three other ways to increase joy. All of these practices can be used any time, any place. Buddhism has so many tools for waking up to the life you have, regardless of circumstances. The music in this episode was written and shared by Chad Crouch from Podington Bear, in Portland, Oregon. Thanks, Chad. Download the album at https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Chad_Crouch/Drifter Thanks to Jeshers for editing and Shokan, Jen and Jessica for keeping us afloat in other ways. Thanks to the whole Monday Night Group for one-good-thing-at-a-time. Join us. See current offerings of classes at https://www.dekeling.online/ and catch us on Facebook at https://bit.ly/dekelingfacebook
Everything you need to awaken is right here, right now. It's your life. Will you live it? Dekeling, in Tibetan, means 'a place of happiness'. Our offering is to support for your dharma practice & your life in an accessible, inclusive way. All are welcome. All are VERY welcome. https://www.dekeling.online/ The music for this episode is “Starlight” - by Podington Bear of Portland, Oregon - soundofpicture.com Life is a collaboration. Thanks, Chad.
