A personal blog by a graying (mostly Anglo with light African-American roots) gay left leaning liberal progressive married college-educated Buddhist Baha'i BBC/NPR-listening Professor Emeritus now following the Dharma in Minas Gerais, Brasil.
"Most of us armor our hearts in dealing with the immensity of the suffering that exists in the world. We look at all the people who are starving when we have just finished a big breakfast and we turn away. We feel like there is nothing we can do and can't bear to see the suffering.
Armoring the heart is the opposite of opening the heart. You know the feeling of loving another person; you know how love feeds you. It is also with love that we feed each other. But when you experience overwhelming suffering, most of us veil our hearts. Your heart feels protected and less vulnerable but it is also deadened in the process.
Armoring the heart cuts off the living spiritual interchange of energy that exists in the universe..."
Harsh speech is unhealthy. Refraining from harsh speech is healthy. (MN 9) Abandoning harsh speech, one refrains from harsh speech. One speaks words that are gentle, pleasing to the ear, and affectionate, words that go to the heart, are courteous, and are agreeable to many. (DN 1) One practices thus: “Others may speak harshly, but I shall abstain from harsh speech.” (MN 8)
When one says, “All those disengaged from the pursuit of self-mortification have entered upon the right way,” one thus extols some. But when one says instead, “The disengagement from the pursuit of self-mortification is a state without suffering, and it is the right way,” then one is not extolling anyone but simply stating the truth. (MN 139)
Reflection
The principle we reviewed earlier about criticizing the negative actions of people rather than criticizing them as people also applies in the positive direction. It is better to extol, to praise, positive words and deeds than to extol the person. While the negative comments lead to protective defensive behaviors, the positive comments could result in an increase of pride and conceit.
Daily Practice
Praising someone for being a great person boosts their sense of self, and while this may be a good thing in the case of the developing egos of youngsters, it is not something encouraged for Buddhist practitioners. By all means extol the value and benefit of benevolent words and deeds, for example, but practice the habit of not feeding people’s view of self, lest you contribute to their self-aggrandizement. Help people be humble.
Tomorrow: Reflecting upon Mental Action One week from today: Refraining from Frivolous Speech
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The Tibetan word that gets translated as “faith” (dad pa) does not mainly mean belief; more significantly, it suggests receptivity, openheartedness, and the capacity for taking delight in what inspires you.
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