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.
RIGHT LIVING Undertaking the Commitment to Abstain from Taking What is Not Given
Taking what is not given is
unhealthy. Refraining from taking what is not given is healthy. (MN 9)
Abandoning the taking of what is not given, one abstains from taking
what is not given; one does not take by way of theft the wealth and
property of others. (MN 41) One practices thus: “Others may take what is
not given, but I will abstain from taking what is not given.” (MN 8)
On tasting a flavor with the tongue, one does not grasp at its signs and
features. Since if one left the tongue faculty unguarded, unwholesome
states of covetousness and grief might intrude, one practices the way of
its restraint, one guards the tongue faculty, one undertakes the
restraint of the tongue faculty. (MN 51)
Reflection
The precept
against stealing, phrased here as taking what is not given, protects us
from ethical misconduct and from unhealthy mind states such as greed and
covetousness. On a more subtle level, every time we go beyond the given
data of sense experience we are in a sense taking more than is given,
which can be seen as a form of stealing. It can be challenging to be
with what is without mental proliferation, but it is worthwhile.
Daily Practice
See if you can
train yourself to be aware of the raw texture of sensory input without
looking beyond what is given in experience and trying to take more. The
Buddha often urged his followers, “Train yourself thus: In the tasting
there will only be what is tasted,” nothing added or taken away. This
injunction is also in the mindfulness instruction: “Be just aware, just mindful, that there is flavor, without clinging to anything in the world.”
Tomorrow: Abandoning Arisen Unhealthy States One week from today: Abstaining from Misbehaving Among Sensual Pleasures
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Wisdom
isnʼt something that others can give to us. While they can teach us, it
remains words and external knowledge. But when it comes to the crunch,
we have to make wisdom arise ourselves.
Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto, “The Forest Container of the Rains Retreat”
Jealousy, or envy, is a familiar feeling for most of us, even though we might not admit to it so easily. Described as “ubiquitous and invisible” in the Fall 2015 issue of Tricycle
magazine, jealousy is so common that it would appear to be something
readily discussed, but because it is often tinged with shame, it usually
goes unspoken.
Meditation teacher, psychotherapist, and hypnotherapist Mindy Newman
explores the guilt or shame often associated with jealousy in the latest issue of Tricycle.
She finds that the antidote to this ubiquitous but invisible emotion is
empathetic joy, one of the four sublime states, also known as the brahmaviharas or four immeasurables.
To embody empathetic joy, she says, we must start by recognizing and owning up to jealousy
in ourselves. While it may be painful, this first step alone creates
space from the afflictive emotion, and the necessary foundation to move
away from it. Eventually, shame can drop away and the roots of jealousy
may become clear. As we rejoice in the happiness and achievements of
others, their gains become ours, too.
This week’s Three Teachings presents practices for cultivating empathetic joy and appreciation as an antidote to jealousy.
Meditation
teacher, psychotherapist, and hypnotherapist Mindy Newman offers a
step-by-step guide to finding authentic empathetic joy, including
practical and meaningful advice, like focusing on your feelings instead
of the object of your jealousy. She also shares a meditation practice
for going deeper.
Meditation
teacher Scott Tusa shares a practice for cultivating boundless
joyfulness, which he describes as a great antidote to jealousy, in the
fourth video of his four-part Dharma Talk on opening your heart
Former
minister of the Buddhist Temple of Chicago Reverend Patti Nakai
reflects on the power of appreciating our own lives, including the
inevitable suffering, and what we already have, in the face of jealousy.
However the seed is
planted, in that way the fruit is gathered. Good things come from doing
good deeds; bad things come from doing bad deeds. (SN 11.10) What is the
purpose of a mirror? For the purpose of reflection. So too verbal
action is to be done with repeated reflection: (MN 61)
When you wish to do an action with speech, reflect upon that same verbal
action thus: “Is this action I wish to do with speech an unhealthy
verbal action with painful consequences and painful results?” If, upon
reflection, you know that it is, then do not do it; if you know that it
is not, then proceed. (MN 61)
Reflection
What we say has
its origin in intention, the set of our mind as we speak. It is
intention that initiates action of body, speech, and mind. Intention can
be conscious or unconscious. Sometimes we know exactly what we want to
say and say it, but much of the time words just pour out, apparently on
their own. We are encouraged here to be consciously aware of our speech
and to actively monitor its effect on others.
Daily Practice
The practice
here is not so much to monitor the content of your speech as to attend
carefully to your attitude of heart and mind as you are about to say
something. You may say something accurately, but if it comes with a
tinge of judgment or dismissal or disrespect, then it is likely to have a
harmful effect. Speak what is true, and do so with an attitude of
kindness or equanimity, guarding against aversion and hate.
Tomorrow: Abstaining from Taking What is Not Given One week from today: Reflecting upon Mental Action
Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel
‘Don’t Miss Your Life’ Ann Tashi Slater in conversation with Sylvia Boorstein
Ann
Tashi Slater speaks with Spirit Rock cofounder Sylvia Boorstein about
losing those you love, the bardos of old age, and the daily practice of
dwelling in the moment.
August’s film is available now!
“I Leave Home,” directed by Sunghwan Kim is a heartwarming drama that
follows a man yearning to become a Buddhist monk and the obstacles he is
met with along the way.