Bodhichitta

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  • Jakuden
    Member
    • Jun 2015
    • 6141

    Bodhichitta

    Lion's Roar had a nice article today... In the new year, and in such a divisive climate, it seems appropriate to ponder Bodhichitta--what drives us to want to practice, awaken and find our true selves. Here is an excerpt:

    "...aware of our limitations, we are not paralyzed by honest self-reflection. Driven by motivations stronger than any limited self-concept, we are able to transcend our perceived limitations in order to act for the greater good. Easier said than done—after all, the voices demanding perfection are not just inside our heads. They are everywhere in our culture today. They come from outside and inside.

    Underlying this inner critic, behind the veil of rampant insecurity, we find self-absorption. If we aim to ground our lives in a concrete sense of “self,” before long we find ourselves drowning in a whirlpool of dualistic concepts. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard successful, prominent people tell me that they live in fear that others will find out who they “really” are. And students, after gaining some kind of worldly success, will tell me that they’re suffering from the feeling of not deserving it, fearing that they will lose what they’ve worked so hard to gain.

    In the West, we tend to dismiss this as an issue of self-worth, low self-esteem, or, more recently, “impostor syndrome”—but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The real problem is believing in the existence of a worthy or unworthy self in the first place. Worthy/unworthy or perfect/imperfect are equally false narratives. From the Buddhist point of view, there is no worthy or unworthy self. Instead, something else is taking place—the pervasive presence of bodhichitta as our intrinsic goodness, our natural propensity for compassionate action.

    At first, Buddhist teachings on no-self sound destabilizing. How can we develop confidence without building up a strong ego? Actually, the nonself principle skillfully disarms all our self- concepts, turning us away from the actual source of our suffering. This doesn’t have to lead to nihilism, but it could, hence Dzogchen’s emphasis on positive frameworks such as identifying with our buddhanature or resting into presence of awareness. We are directed instead to a deeper force within us that is more trustworthy and more powerful than mere concepts of self.

    To reliably locate that deeper force, we must deliberately cultivate bodhichitta: an enlightened mind-set, the wish to realize awakening in order to be of greatest benefit to all beings. In Tibetan it is called chang chub sem, the mind of enlightenment held by an “awakened mind warrior.” This powerful idea annihilates the dualism between being and doing. Being and doing can be united. When we act from the depths of being, the actions themselves arise organically from our ultimate nature. Imbued with presence, we can show up and help our world." --Pema Khandro Rinpoche


    As babies and children, we naturally develop a sense of self. But then later if we cultivate bodhichitta--we go beyond that (perhaps not in a way that destroys the ego, but in a way that includes it in a much bigger space?) We may have our different perspectives out in the world, but I think all of us here in the sangha have this in common: the desire to awaken to our true selves, because we suffer.

    Thank you all for your practice.

    Gassho,
    Jakuden
    SatToday
    Last edited by Jakuden; 01-27-2017, 10:34 PM.
  • Jundo
    Treeleaf Founder and Priest
    • Apr 2006
    • 40760

    #2
    Lovely.

    Gassho, J

    SatToday
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

    Comment

    • Mp

      #3
      This is wonderful Jakuden, thankyou for sharing. =)

      Gassho
      Shingen

      s@today

      Comment

      • Washin
        Senior Priest-in-Training
        • Dec 2014
        • 3810

        #4
        Great excerpt! Thank you, Jakuden.

        Gassho
        Washin
        st
        Kaidō (皆道) Every Way
        Washin (和信) Harmony Trust
        ----
        I am a novice priest-in-training. Anything that I say must not be considered as teaching
        and should be taken with a 'grain of salt'.

        Comment

        • Myosha
          Member
          • Mar 2013
          • 2974

          #5
          Hello,

          Thank you for the lesson.


          Gassho
          Myosha
          sat today
          "Recognize suffering, remove suffering." - Shakyamuni Buddha when asked, "Uhm . . .what?"

          Comment

          • Enjaku
            Member
            • Jul 2016
            • 310

            #6
            Thank you Jakuden
            Deep bows.
            Enjaku,
            Sat
            援若

            Comment

            • Tanjin
              Member
              • Jun 2015
              • 138

              #7
              Thank you Jakuden!

              I really admire the teachings of Tara Brach - who is an Insight Meditation practitioner. I few years ago, I read her book "Radical Acceptance" and she really talks a lot about "the trance of unworthiness".

              Here are a few highlights I made from the book that I think go along with what you have posted:

              When I look into my own feelings of unworthiness, sometimes I can't point to any significant way I'm actually falling short. Yet just this feeling of being a self, separate from others, brings up a fundamental assumption that I am not okay. This might be a background whisper that keeps me anxious and on the move. Or it might be a deep loneliness, as if being an "I" tears me away from belonging and wholeness.

              ***

              As you go through your day, pause occasionally to ask yourself, "This moment, do I accept myself just as I am?" Without judging yourself, simply become aware of how you are relating to your body, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. As the trance of unworthiness becomes conscious, it beings to lose its power over our lives.

              ***

              When we say, "I accept myself as I am, " we are not accepting a story about a good or bad self. Rather, we are accepting the immediate mental and sensory experiences we interpret as self. We are seeing the familiar wants and fears, the judging and planning thoughts as a part of the flow of life. Accepting them in this way actually enables us to recognize that experience is impersonal and frees us from the trap of identifying ourselves as a deficient, limited self."

              ***

              "When I pause and ask what is really bothering me, I realize that in each situation I am anticipating loss -- loss of something I think is essential to my life and happiness."

              ***

              Being genuinely awake in the midst of fear requires the willingness to actively contact the sensations of fear. This intentional way of engaging with fear I call "leaning into fear".

              ***

              When we come face-to-face with the fear and pain in our psyche, we stand at the gateway to tremendous renewal and freedom. Our deepest nature is awareness, and when we fully inhabit that, we love freely and are whole. This is the power of Radical Acceptance: When we stop fighting the energy that has been bound in fear, it naturally releases into the boundless sea of awareness. The more we awaken from the grip of fear, the more radiant and free becomes our heart

              ***

              We maintain the intention to forgive because we understand that not forgiving hardens and imprisons our heart. If we feel hatred toward anyone, we remain chained to the suffering of the past and cannot find genuine peace. We forgive for the freedom of our own heart.

              ***

              Realizing the truth of belonging, that we are all suffering and awakening together on the path, is the most powerful antidote to personal feelings of unworthiness. When my fear or my shame becomes our shared suffering, Radical Acceptance flowers.

              ***

              The path of awakening is simply a process of wakeful, profound relaxing. We see what is here right now and we let go into life exactly as it is. How liberating!

              ***

              In Mahayana Buddhism, the open, wakeful emptiness of awareness is our absolute nature. Our original nature is changeless, unconditioned, timeless, and pure. When we bring this awareness to the relative world of form, love awakens. We meet the ever-changing stream of life -- this living, dying, breathing world -- with accepting presence and our hearts invariably open. What our mind recognizes as empty awareness, our heart experiences as love.
              探 TAN (Exploring)
              人 JIN (Person)

              Comment

              • alan.r
                Member
                • Jan 2012
                • 546

                #8
                Thank you for sharing - this feels like a window, a quick glimpse, into how we think of ourselves.

                Gassho,
                Alan
                sattoday
                Shōmon

                Comment

                • Myosha
                  Member
                  • Mar 2013
                  • 2974

                  #9
                  Learn your self . . .

                  forget your self.


                  Gassho
                  Myosha
                  sat today
                  "Recognize suffering, remove suffering." - Shakyamuni Buddha when asked, "Uhm . . .what?"

                  Comment

                  • Jakuden
                    Member
                    • Jun 2015
                    • 6141

                    #10
                    Bodhichitta

                    Originally posted by Tanjin
                    Thank you Jakuden!

                    I really admire the teachings of Tara Brach - who is an Insight Meditation practitioner. I few years ago, I read her book "Radical Acceptance" and she really talks a lot about "the trance of unworthiness".

                    Here are a few highlights I made from the book that I think go along with what you have posted:

                    When I look into my own feelings of unworthiness, sometimes I can't point to any significant way I'm actually falling short. Yet just this feeling of being a self, separate from others, brings up a fundamental assumption that I am not okay. This might be a background whisper that keeps me anxious and on the move. Or it might be a deep loneliness, as if being an "I" tears me away from belonging and wholeness.

                    ***

                    As you go through your day, pause occasionally to ask yourself, "This moment, do I accept myself just as I am?" Without judging yourself, simply become aware of how you are relating to your body, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. As the trance of unworthiness becomes conscious, it beings to lose its power over our lives.

                    ***

                    When we say, "I accept myself as I am, " we are not accepting a story about a good or bad self. Rather, we are accepting the immediate mental and sensory experiences we interpret as self. We are seeing the familiar wants and fears, the judging and planning thoughts as a part of the flow of life. Accepting them in this way actually enables us to recognize that experience is impersonal and frees us from the trap of identifying ourselves as a deficient, limited self."

                    ***

                    "When I pause and ask what is really bothering me, I realize that in each situation I am anticipating loss -- loss of something I think is essential to my life and happiness."

                    ***

                    Being genuinely awake in the midst of fear requires the willingness to actively contact the sensations of fear. This intentional way of engaging with fear I call "leaning into fear".

                    ***

                    When we come face-to-face with the fear and pain in our psyche, we stand at the gateway to tremendous renewal and freedom. Our deepest nature is awareness, and when we fully inhabit that, we love freely and are whole. This is the power of Radical Acceptance: When we stop fighting the energy that has been bound in fear, it naturally releases into the boundless sea of awareness. The more we awaken from the grip of fear, the more radiant and free becomes our heart

                    ***

                    We maintain the intention to forgive because we understand that not forgiving hardens and imprisons our heart. If we feel hatred toward anyone, we remain chained to the suffering of the past and cannot find genuine peace. We forgive for the freedom of our own heart.

                    ***

                    Realizing the truth of belonging, that we are all suffering and awakening together on the path, is the most powerful antidote to personal feelings of unworthiness. When my fear or my shame becomes our shared suffering, Radical Acceptance flowers.

                    ***

                    The path of awakening is simply a process of wakeful, profound relaxing. We see what is here right now and we let go into life exactly as it is. How liberating!

                    ***

                    In Mahayana Buddhism, the open, wakeful emptiness of awareness is our absolute nature. Our original nature is changeless, unconditioned, timeless, and pure. When we bring this awareness to the relative world of form, love awakens. We meet the ever-changing stream of life -- this living, dying, breathing world -- with accepting presence and our hearts invariably open. What our mind recognizes as empty awareness, our heart experiences as love.
                    Hi Tanjin! Yes I think the premise of most of what is said is similar, but something about it maybe goes a little overboard? Which is probably why it's called "Radical Acceptance." I'm thinking more like, "ordinary acceptance." Lol.

                    For example, my stubborn fear does not necessarily just "release into the boundless sea of awareness," although that would be nice. I can be with the energy of it and use it for a more positive purpose, or try to plant some other seeds and not water it, but it's gonna go in its own good time. Same with anger, etc. And it sounds scary and bad to be "chained to the suffering of the past," we'd better learn to forgive or we'll suffer for sure! Nah. Just sit and practice letting go.

                    Gassho
                    Jakuden
                    SatToday


                    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                    Last edited by Jakuden; 01-28-2017, 06:48 PM.

                    Comment

                    • Jundo
                      Treeleaf Founder and Priest
                      • Apr 2006
                      • 40760

                      #11
                      I really admire the teachings of Tara Brach - who is an Insight Meditation practitioner. I few years ago, I read her book "Radical Acceptance" and she really talks a lot about "the trance of unworthiness".

                      Here are a few highlights I made from the book that I think go along with what you have posted:
                      Another lovely quote. Thank you.

                      (I sometimes hesitate at the over modern psychologizing of Buddhist Teachings these days into some "self-help" movement or therapy, but generally lovely and I do not see that too much here). Very helpful. I suffered from terrible self-esteem issues throughout my teenage years and twenties. Zen Practice was strong medicine for that.

                      Gassho, J
                      Last edited by Jundo; 01-30-2017, 05:24 AM.
                      ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

                      Comment

                      • Jundo
                        Treeleaf Founder and Priest
                        • Apr 2006
                        • 40760

                        #12
                        I also want to mention one other helpful Bodhisattva of self-worth ... Master Stuart Smalley ...

                        "I'm good enough. I'm smart enough. And doggone it, people like me."


                        Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.


                        Gassho, J

                        SatToday
                        Last edited by Jundo; 01-30-2017, 05:40 AM.
                        ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

                        Comment

                        • Risho
                          Member
                          • May 2010
                          • 3178

                          #13
                          Master Stuart Smalley! hahahahah Thank you for that one

                          Gassho,

                          Rish
                          -sattoday
                          Email: risho.treeleaf@gmail.com

                          Comment

                          • Troy
                            Member
                            • Sep 2013
                            • 1318

                            #14
                            Thank you for the lesson


                            •sat2day...合掌

                            Troy

                            Comment

                            • Jakuden
                              Member
                              • Jun 2015
                              • 6141

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Jundo
                              I also want to mention one other helpful Bodhisattva of self-worth ... Master Stuart Smalley ...

                              "I'm good enough. I'm smart enough. And doggone it, people like me."


                              Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.


                              Gassho, J

                              SatToday
                              Lol just saw this.

                              Gassho
                              Jakuden
                              SatToday


                              Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                              Comment

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