An Early Practical Dharma

This book by Champat Rai Jain was published in 1929.  The translated title is The Practical Dharma.  My bookmark is on Chapter IX: Dharma in Practice.  This is the second edition of the book, the orginal went by the title Practial Path.  Unfortunately, you will not be able to buy this book. 

Today I am cleaning up my office.  I moved many of my books upstairs to the attic.  I have a Kindle and think one day, I may be able to release my attachment to books (ha! they'll just be hidden in cyberspace, my attachment will be the same).  At least my office space will look neater.  First we moved our music into digital space and soon I think "writings" (books) will go the same way.  Perhaps using the Kindle is "shaping up my behavior".  By using an eReader, I am letting go of some of my attachment to books.

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Lojong 8) 3 Objects, 3 Poisons, 3 Roots of Virtue

2. Formal Practice (2 - 10)

8) There are three opportunities presented by the objects of attachment, objects of hostility, and objects of ignorance.  Each of these three can set the occasion for virtuous action.

The Lojong sayings are often stated in a "catchy phrase" that facilitates remembering the meaning.  (My memory for words separate from meaning is very poor, so I generally do better just understanding the meaning behind a saying.)  We are often reminded in the sayings, that adversity presents an opportunity to wake up. 

This saying points out three things that can be significant barriers to enlightenment, can also be used as an opportunity to become aware.  Attachments are the major source of suffering.  The Four Noble truths recognize the primacy of attachments as a cause of suffering.  As soon as we become aware of attachment, we are given an opportunity to release from it so we turn to a path that leads to less suffering (in the shorthand of this saying, this is labeled as a virtue.)

Hostility is also a very significant barrier to peace of mind and enlightenment because it is the opposit of compassion.  Insight leads to compassion.  A frequent misunderstanding of the core teaching of detachment occurs when the listener does not see the connection to compassion.  Detachment without compassion is just another way to be selfish (overly attached to self).

Ignorance is the antithesis of awareness and insight.  Most of us reading this would object to the general label of being ignorant, because of the great effort we put into study and meditation.  Yet there are moments when each of us will be blind to our motivations, unaware of our unkindness, not see the effects of our actions, and miss the connections between our actions and the results of our actions (karma).  As soon as we wake up, there is an opportunity for increased awareness and insight in which ignorance can be transformed into actions on the path of relief of suffering for ourselves and others (bodhichitta).

Objects of attachment, hostility, and ignorance (which result in corresponding poisons to the path of enlightenment) can set the occassion for transformation into right actions.

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Lojong 7) Alternately practice sending & taking.

2. Formal Practice (2-10)

7) Alternately practice sending & taking. (Meditation:  Breathe in, All Suffering / Breathe out, Everything Good)

I am blessed to have the opportunity to do clinical supervision with a number of highly skilled mental health practitioners.  An issue that sometimes arises is "Burn Out".  It is our natural tendency when we encounter great suffering in others, that we attempt to protect ourselves from becoming induced into the same emotional state as the suffering person.  This is especially true for those of us who have empathy for others.  And of course, this is a special problem for therapists who practice intentionally elevated levels of empathy as part of psychotherapy.  This constant state of induced negative emotional arousal is a major source of therapist burn out.  It may also be a source of burn out for those of us who have family problems or any intense emotional connection to a person who chooses to suffer emotionally.  (Oops, I let my prejudice show by the using the word "choose"; I believe pain is unavoidable, suffering is optional - see many other posts here.)

When I coach therapists who are struggling with burn out, I often suggest they let go of attempts to defend themselves against the suffering of their patients.  The reason is because for a therapist attempting to practice intentional heighted empathy, defending against being induced into sympathetic negative emotion is like one step forward, two steps back - it will not get anywhere.  The alternative is the practice of Tonglen or Loving Kindness Meditation.  Lojong 7 is based on this technique.  ("Technique" under states the necessary commitment - better is "life practice".)

When I let go of the attempt to defend against negative emotions that I encounter; and instead intentionally take these in so I can send out love & kindness, I create an energy loop that allows the negative energy to pass through without sticking to me.  And more importantly, I become a vehicle through which the negative energy is transformed into a positive energy that benefits the other person, who is the source of the negative energy.

I often hear from therapists and others who encounter intense negative emotional energy, that this whole idea is way too scary to even consider.  They often say things like, "I'm just too scared to let down my barrier to all that negativity; I feel it could destroy me if I don't constantly defend against it".  Here is the paradox, by attempting to defend against the negativity you are locked in a death struggle with it.  An analogy is Jiu Jitsu, let the energy pass on by.  However, in Tonglen we do not merely send the energy past us, it is possible to use the momentum of the negative energy to amplify the amount of positive energy we can send back to another.

This "technique" works especially well in therapy due to the large amount of negative emotional content that is processed.  However, it can work just as well with negative emotion and other suffering in any situation in which it is encountered.  Please give yourself the world the benefits of this practice.

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Lojong 6) Between sessions maintain awareness of the dependent nature of reality

2. Formal Practice (2-10)

6) Between sessions maintain awareness of the dependent nature of reality.

How does one develop awareness of the dependent nature of reality?  In one way this is a purely intellectual activity.  One can become aware of this truth and many others, through rational analysis using Buddhist philosophy.  For example, the use of these Lojong sayings is based on rational analysis.  Another of my favorite sayings is number 2 - Think all phenomena are like dreams (or My reality depends on momentary perception). 

However, this saying reminds us that meditation is an integral part of the path.  Entering meditation and returning to the mundane, helps us recognize the dependent nature of reality in each moment.  If we meditate each day, there are many opportunities to see the dependent nature of reality at times when we are not distracted by the hussle and bussle of everyday life. 

The next step in this specific practice is to remember this truth in moments when we are caught up in what we think is an intense reality (like when we are self-righteous, angry, despondent, etc.)  It is very useful to remember that my reality depends on my momentary perception (in these particular moments.)  This is because this recognition can save us from a great deal of suffering at our own hands when we lose sight of this fundamental truth.  Remembering the insight of this saying at those moments is particularly difficult, so in the beginning we may remember shortly afterwards.  Perhaps as we meditate on the recollection of the thoughts and feelings that arose.  Hopefully with time we reach this state of recognition sooner and sooner, so that we can continuously keep the dependent nature of reality as a constant point of view.

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Lojong 5) Settle in pure awareness (samadhi - enlightenment / sabbodhi - awareness of things as they are)

2. Formal Practice (2-10)

5) Settle in pure awareness (samadhi - enlightenment / sabbodhi - awareness of things as they are)

On the surface this seems to be to be a high aspiration.  However, this saying clarifies that this is not an achievement to be strived for, but rather it comes from releasing.  This is the key to the meaning of this one.  It is not about striving, but about letting go.  As I let go of the chatter of my everyday thoughts, I begin to settle into pure awareness of the present moment.  When I achieve awareness of the present, I begin to see things as they really are.  This means seeing things without the filters of my judgments such as "ought to be", "is good or bad", etc.  Direct experiences of my emotions are most often in the present moment; it is those pesky thoughts that are the trouble! 

As a Behavior Analyst have been accused of being "mindless" in the past.  I hope I'm not being misunderstood again.  This is why the Buddhist have appropriated the less pejorative "mindful".  I believe a "mind" capable of direct experience and goal directed thought is "an establishing condition" for release from suffering.  And back to the point of this saying:  simply settling into pure awareness.

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