Lojong 15) Whatever you encounter, immediately apply it to meditation.

Meet everything with awareness.

3. Using Adversity (11-15)

The meaning of this saying is clear as soon as we realize it is in the section called Using Adversity.  The meaning of this saying is actually a common theme in the Lojong slogans.  A common pitfall is to take an adverse event as a only a setback.  It may be a setback, but it is also an opportunity for increased awareness. Often these (so called) adverse events present the best opportunities to develop awareness. 

All that occurs is simply what happened, however, we have a tendency to label things as either an adverse event or an advantageous event; or simply labeled either good or bad.  Upon only casual inspection we can see that whatever occurs is actually neither good nor bad, but it just is what happened.  

Lojong 11 suggests that "adversity" may be a particularly good opportunity to develop awareness, but even those things we label as fortunate or advantageous are also great opportunities for development.  And if we take this Lojong to heart we will realize that everything is an opportunity to develop awareness.  

Mindfulness is "to be present in this moment".  Proper application of meditation to each moment is not contrary to being fully present, but is simply another way to describe being present.

How does one reach a place of equanimity, in which events are neither good nor bad?  It is through the process of applying this Lojong:  Whatever you encounter, immediately apply it to meditation.

Update on Monday, November 17, 2014 by Patrick C Quinn, PhD, MHA

This morning it was raining, so a bunch of leaves fell on my car.  I reached over the car to remove them and got a grease spot on my khaki pants.  My meditation was similar to the saying of Master Oogway (Kung Fu Panda, 2008), "One often meets his destiny on the path he takes to avoid it."

Thinking of Master Oogway reminded me of another favorite:

Shifu: Master! I have... it's very bad news! 
Oogway: Ah, Shifu. There is just news. There is no good or bad. 
Shifu: Master, your vision. Your vision was right! Tai-Lung has broken out of prison! He's on his way! 
[pause] 
Oogway: That IS bad news. 

Lojong 14) Emptiness comes in meditation on the four Kayas

a.  all is empty

b.  first arising of compassion from emptiness

c. compassion without conditions

d. simply being with distinctions, categories, diversions

3. Using Adversity (11 - 15)

It may seem to those unfamiliar with Buddhist Philosophy that it is pessimistic and negative.  Of course, this is only a misunderstanding.

First it naturally arises that "all is empty".  There are no exceptions to this.  "I am" starts out with wrong understanding.  Admittedly, "What seems to be me" appears to have substance and existence outside of this moment.  

Meditation on this eventually leads to the truth that all is empty and if contemplated a bit longer there is an arising of compassion in this.  Compassion for: what I experience as myself and for all sentient beings who struggle with the false perception of self (and other forms of ego clinging). 

With a little more time with the understanding that all is empty and the arising of compassion in this place, it becomes clear compassion has no conditions.  With mediation of emptiness we move beyond the simple minded "I will be compassionate to those who are compassionate to me." - which is clearly wrong thinking.  We move to compassion without conditions.  In this moment, "I" have compassion for every sentient being, no matter what his or her condition (either good or bad).  It is the same for those that deserve it (no matter what “it” is) and those who appear not to.  It is not my place to intentionally inflict suffering upon others in a misguided attempt to be an agent of Karma.  Karma operates by mechanisms over which I have no direct control.  (On another topic all together, I am not obliged to enable other's misconduct either.)  

And then with continued meditation on emptiness "I" come to simply being, again.  

I am simply in this moment with compassion

Lojong 16) Practice the five strengths

4. Life and Death

This lojong is stated as:

16) Practice the five strenghts

a. Be egoless (through)

b. Being mindful and aware

c. With virture (by cultivating Bodhicitta)

d. Abandoning clinging

e. Through prayer for others.

Sayings like this one are not my favorite kind.  This is because I don't like such obvious prescriptions.  The Practical Dharma philosohphy does not have rules.  It only requires action that is consistent with a coherent philosophy based on mindful and value driven action.  So it may be OK to eat meat as long as I am properly respectful of the sacrifice of those sentient beings who made this possible for me (such as the animals, farmers, truck drivers, etc.) So if I am fortunate enough to eat meat, I would hope to be mindful and aware during this time by saying a "prayer" to myself recognizing the sacrifice of the many others who make my life possible.  I would not say the prayer out loud or demand others engage in it.  I don't demand that I have the meat, but I recognize it is a gift from others when I am so fortunate to consume it.

This seems consistent with b) being mindful and aware, d) abandoning clinging, and e. reminding myself with prayer.  I prefer not to strive for egolessness or demand virture - what about "26) Give up hoping for results".

I like Lojong #26 a lot (and the others that wake me up without telling me what to do).  I suppose that is why I don't like the prescriptive sayings as much.  These seem to point in the direction of hoping for results by doing the precribed action.

Lojong 20 Practice even when distracted.

5. Yardsticks (16 - 20)

(Become aware when I am distracted).

This saying is near and dear to me since like so many others, I struggle with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).  I find it amusing that so many people who are critical of those who struggle with this, are merely unaware of their own issues in this area. 

I admit that when I was a child and adolescent my difficulties may have been worse.  I was a terrible student until I got to college.  Parents of children with this problem take heart, I now have a PhD, a post professional masters in healthcare administration, and a number of high level Certifications.  In college, I began my meditation practice and my beginning work in self-discovery by majoring in psychology. 

In practice, the method underlying this saying is the same as that for developing mindfulness.  When I become aware that I am distracted, I simply return to the present moment, task at hand, person I am with, or whatever is appropriate (in that moment).  As I develop more skill at becoming aware of those moments when my distraction (lack of mindfulness) begins, these become much easier to deal with.

The position of the Practical Dharma is that we are all only human and live in a real world.  Based on this, the goal of the Practical Dharma is not to transend to perfect enlightenment, but merely to be in this moment more often.  There are many sayings that address this issue, like Lojong 26 Give up hoping for results.  (Especially, hoping that all of this effort will result in perfect enlightenment.) 

In this real world, the "best" I can hope for is to beecome aware when I am distracted.

Lojong 13) Be grateful to everyone

3. Using Adversity (11 – 15)

Obstacles presented by others are some of the very best opportunities to develop.

    You may begin using this saying with the most obvious opportunities.  This occurs when we encounter the irritating and sadly unenlightened people we meet each day.  These are people like the rude ones who honk at us from their cars, or break in line, or are incompetent at their jobs.  I recently had a "customer service" experience with my cellular telephone carrier that was a huge opportunity for me to learn from adversity.  (Why yes, it was AT&T, how did you know?)  I will not burden you with all of the details.  The point is that while I may have compassion for the ignorance and suffering the "service representatives" cause for themselves and others, I still have to take care of business.  I attempted to do this without becoming so perturbed that it interfered with my peace of mind, while at the same time holding on to the energy needed to do what it took to resolve the issue.  (Such as send a registered letter to the company president, contact my state attorney general, etc.)  I was just trying to be funny when I called my issue with AT&T, "the mother of all Jihads".)  My issue was resolved after a few weeks.

     I felt anger and compassion for the ignorance of the "service representatives".  Anger for the obvious reason, and compassion because they were obviously stuck in an employment situation in which they were instructed by someone to say, "we don't have to refund all the money; do you want the $150.00 or not".  (I was able to obtain the entire $1200 that AT&T owed me.)

     However, I contend this sort of situation is relatively easy to use as an opportunity because there is a clear discrimination, from my expectation of what will happen to that which actually occurred.  The same is true of the honked horn.  It may actually jar me into awareness of the opportunity it presents to examine my own issues; and it abruptly challenges my ability to have compassion in action.  These abrupt and clearly external situations are easier than situations in relationships with others that are maintained on a daily or even intimate basis.

     In these intimate relationships, the emotions, issues, and problems are more complicated.  How do I know when my own behavior has set the occasion for the behavior in the other person?  It is so much easier when the opportunity for enlightenment hits us out of the blue.  When it creeps up on us day by day, it is much harder to be fully aware.

     My suggestion for using this Lojong is simply start with the opportunities that are easily discriminated, then gradually work your way up to analyzing how your intimate relationships provide opportunities to develop.