Transforming the Three Poisons

[Stewart]

Slowly appreciating Bernie Glassman & Rick Field’s book ‘Instructions to the Cook’ and I came across this intriguing idea of transforming the three poisons into medicines. The practical point was, if ego or self is removed from greed, anger and ignorance you get a desire to see all beings get whatever they need, a flexible openness to the unknown and the energy to sustain the first two. How does this strike folks here?

Stewart
Sat

[Sekishi]

I think this sums up our way nicely. When we let go of ownership, there is only “suffering”, not my suffering or your suffering, just suffering arising and passing.

Without “self” and “other”, the left hand cares for the right hand without any loss or gain to be found.

Thank you for sharing.

Deep bows,
Sekishi


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[Bion]

Absolutely! Free from greed, anger and ignorance we can’t but feel absolute compassion and generosity, except instead of them being misguidedly directed towards oneself, they now go towards everything. Since ignorance is what creates the divided mind, being free from it, there ceases to be any concept of “me and others”. I know that is why we have to work tirelessly and continuously to stay away from those three poisons.

Sorry for the extra lines there!


[emoji1374] SatToday

[Jundo]

Lovely.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Seikan]

This is wonderful. The title alone ("Transforming the Three Poisons") conjures up images of Taoist alchemy in my mind.

I've always loved the concept of transformation as a practice. Nothing is added or subtracted. The energies of greed, anger and ignorance are not dispelled, they are transformed through practice into their opposites--generosity, compassion/love, and wisdom.

Perhaps the ego is itself the lead we must turn into gold?

Gassho,
Seikan

-stlah-

[Stewart]

Thank you all. I first encountered this idea of transforming poisons in what was probably a very twisted view of tantric Buddhism seen through a western, toxic masculine lense - have sex with an outcast prostitute while drunk in a cemetery and your yogic powers will be greatly boosted......I therefore tended to dismiss such talk.

Stewart
Sat

[Jundo]

- have sex with an outcast prostitute while drunk in a cemetery and your yogic powers will be greatly boosted......

So, you are recommending that I should give that up???

Gassho, J

STLah

[Suuko]

Slowly appreciating Bernie Glassman & Rick Field’s book ‘Instructions to the Cook’ and I came across this intriguing idea of transforming the three poisons into medicines. The practical point was, if ego or self is removed from greed, anger and ignorance you get a desire to see all beings get whatever they need, a flexible openness to the unknown and the energy to sustain the first two. How does this strike folks here?

Stewart
Sat

This matches our way. "Drop the body and mind". If there's no self, there's no suffering.

Gassho,
Sat today,
Lah,
Guish.


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[Tairin]

Very nice Stewart. Thanks for sharing.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Suuko]

I would also practise caution with the no self concept though. We may deny our emotions or feelings saying that they are not real and this will not allow us to fix things that need to be fixed. Am I being too logical about it?

Gassho,
Sat today,
Guish.



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[Bion]

I would also practise caution with the no self concept though. We may deny our emotions or feelings saying that they are not real and this will not allow us to fix things that need to be fixed. Am I being too logical about it?

Gassho,
Sat today,
Guish.



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Well, recognizing the reality of no self does not and should not mean we deny emotions and feelings, but rather that we simply understand their origin and nature and handle them in a different way. We actually embrace them as something that comes along with being humans. When we speak of what individuals experience, it is our duty as boddhisatvas to treat that as absolutely valid and worthy of care, because the suffering that arises from these “empty” emotions is still very much real


[emoji1374] SatToday

[Suuko]

Well, recognizing the reality of no self does not and should not mean we deny emotions and feelings, but rather that we simply understand their origin and nature and handle them in a different way. We actually embrace them as something that comes along with being humans. When we speak of what individuals experience, it is our duty as boddhisatvas to treat that as absolutely valid and worthy of care, because the suffering that arises from these “empty” emotions is still very much real


[emoji1374] SatToday

I agree with you. I mentioned it because it's called Spiritual Bypassing and in my practice, I have been very careful about it and have observed it happening with other people.

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[JohnS]

For the first time in my life, I see clearly the presence and effects of the three poisons in my mind. Seeing them as they are, exposed like this, feels a bit liberating in itself. Does Zazen transform them?

Gassho

John

SatToday

[Jundo]

For the first time in my life, I see clearly the presence and effects of the three poisons in my mind. Seeing them as they are, exposed like this, feels a bit liberating in itself. Does Zazen transform them?

Gassho

John

SatToday

Yes, Zazen and all our Practice helps transform them. Excess desire, anger, jealousy and other uglies may still do their things sometimes, but our practice leaves us better able to tame and moderate their extremes, and lets us see through them.

Gassho, J

STLah

Gassho, J

[Zenkon]

From a practical standpoint, as long as you still "want", want the world to be different than it is, even if you "want" this difference for all beings, you still create suffering because the world is not the way you want it to be. Perhaps, better to radically accept things "as they are" for all beings, yet continue to work to improve.

Gassho

Dick

sat/lah