Wishes and Actions

No matter how I might wish things to be otherwise, things are as they are.

Although I wish only the best for you, I also know that your happiness and unhappiness depends upon your actions, not my wishes for you.

Still, like a tree

Whenever I intend to move (my limbs)
Or if I wish to speak,
I will first examine my mind.
Thus, ‘the stable one’ acts in the proper way.

Whenever my mind becomes attached
Or whenever I want to be angry,
I will not engage in (any) action nor will I say anything,
But will remain (still), like a tree.

Whenever I am wild or mocking,
Filled with pride or self-infatuation;
When I have the intention to expose the faults of others,
Cause dissension or have the thought to deceive others;

Whenever I am inclined to praise myself
Or when I disparage others,
Insult others or cause a quarrel:
At such times I will remain (still), like a tree.

Whenever I desire (material) gain, respect or fame;
Whenever I intend to seek an entourage of servants,
And when in my mind I desire (personal) service:
At such times I will remain (still), like a tree.

Whenever I desire to give up (working for) the benefit of others
And desire to pursue my personal welfare,
And when a thought of wishing to speak arises,
At such times I will remain (still), like a tree.

Whenever (I am) impatient, lazy and fearful,
Likewise when (I am) boastful or when (I talk) nonsense;
When thoughts of attachment to my own group arise,
At such times I will remain (still), like a tree.

Having in this way examined (whether or not) thought of afflictions
Or of pursuing what is meaningless (have arisen),
The hero will at such times hold steady this (mind of his)
By (applying) the (respective) antidote.

(Being) very certain and highly devoted,
Firm, respectful and polite;
Possessing a sense of shame, (being) apprehensive and peaceful,
I should strive to delight others.

Shantideva - Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra Chapter 5

From this place of stillness, forgive the negative thoughts, practice acceptance and practice compassion : beings everywhere suffer from these thoughts and situations, may we all be free from such suffering, may the suffering I experience - and witness, still as a tree - help liberate all beings.

Denial

The best-adjusted person in our society is the person who is not dead and not alive, just numb, a zombie. When you are dead you’re not able to do the work of society. When you are fully alive you are constantly saying "No" to many of the processes of society, the racism, the sexism, the polluted environment, the nuclear threat, the arms race, drinking unsafe water and eating carcinogenic foods. Thus it is in the interests of our society to promote those things that take the edge off, keep us busy with our fixes, and keep us slightly number out and zombie-like. In this way our modern consumer society itself functions as an addict.

-A.W. Schaef - When Society Becomes an Addict

Ears

We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.

-Epictetus

Speech in the Dhammapada

Even though a speech be a thousand (of words), but made up of senseless words, one word of sense is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.

Do not speak harshly to anybody; those who are spoken to will answer thee in the same way. Angry speech is painful, blows for blows will touch thee.

They blame him who sits silent, they blame him who speaks much, they also blame him who says little; there is no one on earth who is not blamed.

A man is not learned because he talks much; he who is patient, free from hatred and fear, he is called learned.

Silently shall I endure abuse as the elephant in battle endures the arrow sent from the bow: for the world is ill-natured.

In the body restraint is good, good is restraint in speech, in thought restraint is good, good is restraint in all things. A Bhikshu, restrained in all things, is freed from all pain.

He who controls his hand, he who controls his feet, he who controls his speech, he who is well controlled, he who delights inwardly, who is collected, who is solitary and content, him they call Bhikshu.

Him I call indeed a Brahmana who utters true speech, instructive and free from harshness, so that he offend no one.

-The Dhammapada

Monkey Mind

How hard it is to control the mind!

Well has it been compared to the maddened monkey. There was a monkey, restless by his own nature, as all monkeys are. As if that were not enough some one made him drink freely of wine, so that he became still more restless. Then a scorpion stung him. When a man is stung by a scorpion, he jumps about for a whole day; so the poor monkey found his condition worse than ever. To complete his misery a demon entered into him. What language can describe the uncontrollable restlessness of that monkey?

The human mind is like that monkey, incessantly active by its own nature; then it becomes drunk with the wine of desire, thus increasing its turbulence. After desire takes possession comes the sting of the scorpion of jealousy at the success of others, and last of all the demon of pride enters the mind, making it think itself of all importance. How hard to control such a mind!

-Swami Vivekananda

Who or How?

Do not care about who you are. Simply be attentive to how you are.

In every life situation you cannot avoid a first arrow - pain, anguish, unsatisfactoriness. Let it be.

Often, we condemn, hate, judge, criticize, deny this first arrow, this is like being struck by a second arrow. Let it go.

In most social contexts, we are struck by first arrows, let them be. We are then often compelled to react to those first arrows. When this drive to react arises, be motionless and acutely mindful, then let go of the desire to act or speak to protect who you are.

If we are mindful enough to act and speak from a place of goodwill and wisdom, who we are in this moment becomes how we are, and how we are in this moment is loving and peaceful.

A being of love and peace is a liberated and a liberating being.

Connect!

Project positive feelings on others - feelings of warm care and goodwill - and not only will others benefit, but we will benefit as well. This is because we are not truly separated or autonomous from each other. Projecting love to others is the same as cultivating love for oneself. Project boundless love, and you become boundless love.

When we bring a loving presence and a spirit of non-violence to all that is, we discover that there is a place in us where fear cannot penetrate. This is the result of letting go of a smaller sense of separated self and realizing our unity with all there is, has been and will be.

Experiencing this essential connection is to be a Buddha, to be awake.
Whenever we forget about this unity and hold on to the illusion of a separated self, we are planting the seeds of suffering for all beings.

Be Careful What You Wish For

Go ahead, light your candles, burn your incense, ring your bells and call out to the gods, but watch out, because the gods will come and they will put you on their anvil and fire up their forge and beat you and beat you until they turn brass into pure gold.

-Sant Keshavadas