Tony
2nd August 2012, 09:52
The Way of the Bodhisattva.
There comes a time in spiritual practice when we might say, “What do I do now?”
We have sort of woken up to the possibility to our divine nature, and wonder,
“Do I keep doing what I'm doing, or...what?” Much depends on the individual, and how we naturally relate to ourself and others.
The word path can mean personal discovery, and it can mean joining those who feel the same way, something more formalised with techniques. Some people's personal goal is to become enlightened, and work to that end, and that's it. Others may work towards enlightenment and then come back to help others. Yet others make a promise to work with sentient beings on the way to enlightenment. This is the way of the
Bodhisattva. These are just a personal choice and are all valid.
Our problem arises when we mix paths, we have to know our temperament and how we work. There is much spiritual confusion when we think we are all the same!
The Way of the Bodhisattva.
Before committing ourselves to the Bodhisattva path (the spacious path) we must first walk along the narrow path (the discipline of lineage, teachings and community). We expose ourselves to the teacher, accept the teachings and humbly share our confusion with fellow sentient beings.
We then give up everything that supports our ego clinging, and work with our aloneness. In taking the bodhisattva vow (to work for the benefit of all sentient beings) we acknowledge our awakened state, even though we still have doubt and problems arise.
There are ten levels of a Bodhisattva, the tenth being Enlightenment. They are like stepping stones. We acknowledge confusion, frustration and all the negative and positive reactions of being sentient, and are willing to share our mutual confusion.
We are willing to step into on-man's land, we give up 'normal' life and the wish for enlightenment, to work with sentient beings. There no longer any fear, we make friends with ourselves and others. There are no mysterious dark corners, a Bodhisattva is confident, and can use intelligence to serve others, but are not doormats. Well, they are, but your shoes will now be shiny and that could cause you some discomfort!
This is not something you aim for. It is something you find you are already doing, in some way. There are subtle shifts in attitude which seems to naturally happen.
The bodhisattva does not act in order to get something in return. Their response could be gentle and warm, or sharp giving what is needed rather than something that pleases. A Bodhisattva works with another's mind but does not go beyond their own understanding. They regard themselves as students rather than teachers.
Here you are not a nuisance to yourself: you are good company, and you inspire yourself. You don't have to control yourself to avoid temptations.
Guidelines and rules are less relevant because you naturally follow an appropriate pattern.
A Bodhisattva delights in working with people. They are not concerned with converting anyone, but allows them to evolve, according to their nature. It requires tremendous discipline to avoid attempting to convert others. A Bodhisattva is not frivolous and doesn't doodle to entertain themselves. They are not concerned with psychic phenomena or other worlds – of angels or demons – to do so would be to lose track of the physical world in which we live, that would result in madness. A Bodhisattva is only interested in sanity and directly relates to earth: everything else is a side track.
The Bodhisattva don't desire to become a Buddha, but works with sentient beings confusion. There is no territory that is yours or others, as everyone is in no-man's land. Not seeking enlightenment for ego's benefit, your space becomes public space - common ground.
A Bodhisattva has great power because nothing can shake them: their actions are calm, deliberate and persevering. However, they are not inhibited by “idiot compassion” and are not afraid to subjugate what needs to be subjugated, and destroy what needs to be destroyed. Because of spaciousness, there is no sense of waiting: they just sit patiently. They do not complain in a conventional sense, but relate to others by point ing out discrepancies and neuroses. Unless we surrender to the process of treading a path, it is not possible to be patient in this way.
Bodhisattvas take delight in working hard with whatever material presents itself: our state of mind, our traditions, our society. It is not taking sides for or against these things, but taking delight in them and working with them. It is too simple-minded to abandon traditional morality as being old-fashioned. Many of the young reject tradition as they see no truth in it at all. We denounce our government, our schools, the church, hospitals, politicians, teachers, the media...but their ground may be uncertain so they will pick only what is meaningful to them and reject the rest.
This is spaciousness, with no centre or circumference. There is nothing to get hold of, as one part of space is the same as any other part of space, and therefore everything is simplified into one situation. There is no need to hold it all together.
Wisdom cuts through subtle attitudes, cutting through virtue or manipulation or fixed concepts. Cutting through is its main attribute. In earlier levels, one's action had a sense of piety about them – a sense of gratification, of acknowledging that one's practice has fulfilled its function. A very subtle expectation was present. But now, the development of skilful means signifies fully stepping out of spiritual materialism: an absence of 'me' and 'that'. The point of reference is not ourselves, but is totally focused on sentient beings, dealing with the world on a cosmic scale.
All the best,
Tony
There comes a time in spiritual practice when we might say, “What do I do now?”
We have sort of woken up to the possibility to our divine nature, and wonder,
“Do I keep doing what I'm doing, or...what?” Much depends on the individual, and how we naturally relate to ourself and others.
The word path can mean personal discovery, and it can mean joining those who feel the same way, something more formalised with techniques. Some people's personal goal is to become enlightened, and work to that end, and that's it. Others may work towards enlightenment and then come back to help others. Yet others make a promise to work with sentient beings on the way to enlightenment. This is the way of the
Bodhisattva. These are just a personal choice and are all valid.
Our problem arises when we mix paths, we have to know our temperament and how we work. There is much spiritual confusion when we think we are all the same!
The Way of the Bodhisattva.
Before committing ourselves to the Bodhisattva path (the spacious path) we must first walk along the narrow path (the discipline of lineage, teachings and community). We expose ourselves to the teacher, accept the teachings and humbly share our confusion with fellow sentient beings.
We then give up everything that supports our ego clinging, and work with our aloneness. In taking the bodhisattva vow (to work for the benefit of all sentient beings) we acknowledge our awakened state, even though we still have doubt and problems arise.
There are ten levels of a Bodhisattva, the tenth being Enlightenment. They are like stepping stones. We acknowledge confusion, frustration and all the negative and positive reactions of being sentient, and are willing to share our mutual confusion.
We are willing to step into on-man's land, we give up 'normal' life and the wish for enlightenment, to work with sentient beings. There no longer any fear, we make friends with ourselves and others. There are no mysterious dark corners, a Bodhisattva is confident, and can use intelligence to serve others, but are not doormats. Well, they are, but your shoes will now be shiny and that could cause you some discomfort!
This is not something you aim for. It is something you find you are already doing, in some way. There are subtle shifts in attitude which seems to naturally happen.
The bodhisattva does not act in order to get something in return. Their response could be gentle and warm, or sharp giving what is needed rather than something that pleases. A Bodhisattva works with another's mind but does not go beyond their own understanding. They regard themselves as students rather than teachers.
Here you are not a nuisance to yourself: you are good company, and you inspire yourself. You don't have to control yourself to avoid temptations.
Guidelines and rules are less relevant because you naturally follow an appropriate pattern.
A Bodhisattva delights in working with people. They are not concerned with converting anyone, but allows them to evolve, according to their nature. It requires tremendous discipline to avoid attempting to convert others. A Bodhisattva is not frivolous and doesn't doodle to entertain themselves. They are not concerned with psychic phenomena or other worlds – of angels or demons – to do so would be to lose track of the physical world in which we live, that would result in madness. A Bodhisattva is only interested in sanity and directly relates to earth: everything else is a side track.
The Bodhisattva don't desire to become a Buddha, but works with sentient beings confusion. There is no territory that is yours or others, as everyone is in no-man's land. Not seeking enlightenment for ego's benefit, your space becomes public space - common ground.
A Bodhisattva has great power because nothing can shake them: their actions are calm, deliberate and persevering. However, they are not inhibited by “idiot compassion” and are not afraid to subjugate what needs to be subjugated, and destroy what needs to be destroyed. Because of spaciousness, there is no sense of waiting: they just sit patiently. They do not complain in a conventional sense, but relate to others by point ing out discrepancies and neuroses. Unless we surrender to the process of treading a path, it is not possible to be patient in this way.
Bodhisattvas take delight in working hard with whatever material presents itself: our state of mind, our traditions, our society. It is not taking sides for or against these things, but taking delight in them and working with them. It is too simple-minded to abandon traditional morality as being old-fashioned. Many of the young reject tradition as they see no truth in it at all. We denounce our government, our schools, the church, hospitals, politicians, teachers, the media...but their ground may be uncertain so they will pick only what is meaningful to them and reject the rest.
This is spaciousness, with no centre or circumference. There is nothing to get hold of, as one part of space is the same as any other part of space, and therefore everything is simplified into one situation. There is no need to hold it all together.
Wisdom cuts through subtle attitudes, cutting through virtue or manipulation or fixed concepts. Cutting through is its main attribute. In earlier levels, one's action had a sense of piety about them – a sense of gratification, of acknowledging that one's practice has fulfilled its function. A very subtle expectation was present. But now, the development of skilful means signifies fully stepping out of spiritual materialism: an absence of 'me' and 'that'. The point of reference is not ourselves, but is totally focused on sentient beings, dealing with the world on a cosmic scale.
All the best,
Tony