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.
This month's film centers on Bön, the religion of the ancient kingdom Zhang Zhung in Tibet. Today, young monks and nuns carry on the Bön teachings and lineage, not only in the lands of the Himalayas, but also to countries around the world.
Whatever you intend, whatever you plan, and whatever you have a tendency toward, that will become the basis on which your mind is established. (SN 12.40) Develop meditation on compassion, for when you develop meditation on compassion, any cruelty will be abandoned. (MN 62)
Compassion is the way to purity for one who has much cruelty. (Vm 9.108)
Reflection
None of us like to think of ourselves as cruel, yet cruelty lies dormant in all of us and can rise up without our calling it intentionally to mind. It may not ripen into murderous intent, but it can nonetheless manifest in subtle ways and cause great harm to ourselves and others. Compassion is both the antidote to and the vaccine for this affliction, dispelling cruelty once it has arisen and guarding against its arising again in the future.
Daily Practice
Call to mind the emotion of compassion, feeling tenderness toward those who suffer and encouraging the gentle wish that they heal and become free from affliction. Notice how this has a purifying effect on your mind and heart; it almost feels like fresh, cool water washing away any residue of selfishness or ill will. Bathe in this shower of compassion at every opportunity, thereby keeping all thoughts of harm out of mind.
Tomorrow: Refraining from Malicious Speech One week from today: Cultivating Appreciative Joy
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