Eh jan2015 contents print by MicKey Lad PriYa

EDITORIAL

With Gratitude and Hope for the New Year The United Nations has declared 2015 as the Time for Global Action, especially to end poverty, promote prosperity and well-being for all, protect the environment, and address climate change. In trying to achieve these goals, the UN is working with governments, civil society and other partners, including religious groups, throughout the world. Yet the past year has witnessed more wars and suffering of millions of people in different parts of the world. Natural disasters, many of which can be attributed to man’s own greed, continue to wreak havoc on many countries causing untold suffering to thousands of people. To a large extent, we can consider ourselves fortunate to be in Malaysia, and be grateful for the peace and harmony that we continue to enjoy. This brings us to a very important teaching in Buddhism. To be born human is itself something for which we should be immensely grateful, as it is one of the traits that enables us to seek enlightenment. Along with being human, we are fortunate to have been born in a country where the Buddha dharma is known, with faculties to study and practice the dharma, and to be able to meet Dharma masters from all three Buddhist traditions living in this country, or coming to guide us along the path from time to time. So it is indeed a great privilege to have a life in which we are able to focus on spiritual seeking, and to be in contact with true spiritual masters. In the grand scheme of existence, this is considered extremely rare, and extremely valuable. So we should be thankful. As Oprah Winfrey once said,”be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. But if you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” In one of his most important piece of advice, HH the 14th Dalai Lama has said, “Everyday, as you wake up, think - today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.” So as we start another year in the new millennium, let us all remember this wonderful message from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama for as long as we are alive.

EASTERN HORIZON | 1

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 1

17/12/2014 10:06:43 AM

CONTENTS

SEPTEMBER 2014

12 11

04 12 17 20 25

LEAD ARTICLE Seven Tips for a Happy Life by Ven. Thubten Chodron FACE TO FACE Fieldwork and Film by Lina Verchery Promoting Buddhism through Stamps by Leong Kok Hing TEACHINGS The Habits of Happiness by Venerable Dr Matthieu Ricard

24 17

30 22

A Commentary on the Heart Sutra by Geshe Lama Konchog (1917-2001)

NEWS Meditation is fine, but what about the Buddhism behind it?

Indonesian Muslim, Buddhist team seeks to ‘bring peace for Rohingya’

Thich Nhat Hahn’s condition shows progress

FORUM What is Prayer in Buddhism? by Venerable Aggacitta, Venerable Shi Zu Ren & Geshe Jampa Tsundu

FEATURE Understanding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity with Kindness

What Does It Mean To Be Enlightened? by Venerable Dr Bhikkhu Bodhi

Chan Practice and Faith by Ven Master Sheng Yen (1930-2009)

Finding Our Way: Marriage and the Precepts by Susan Rakow

The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom – The Heart Sutra

2 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 2

17/12/2014 10:06:44 AM

ISSUE NO.45

40 38 29

50 48 38

EasTern HorIzon Many Traditions, One Wisdom.

...................................................................... JANUARY 2015 ISSUE NO. 45 (Published 3 times a year)

59 61 63

BOOK REVIEWS Buddhism: One Teacher, Many Traditions Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong17 crash DHARMA AFTERMATH A Himalayan Journey by Rasika Quek

EASTERN HORIZON PUBLICATION BOARD CHAIRMAN

: Dr. Ong See Yew

EDITOR

: B. Liow <Bennyliow@gmail.com>

SUB EDITORS

: Tan Yang Wah / Dr. Ong Puay Liu

MANAGER

: Teh Soo Tyng

ART DIRECTOR : Geam Yong Koon PUBLISHER

: YBAM <ybam@ybam.org.my>

PRINTER

: Vivar Printing Sdn Bhd(125107-D) Lot 25, Rawang Integrated Industrial Park, 48000 Rawang, Selangor, MALAYSIA. Tel : 603-60927818 Fax : 603-60928230

COVER DESIGN : Geam Yong Koon COVER PHOTOGRAPHER : Hoh Cheng Meng EASTERN HORIZON is a publication of the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM). A non-pro it making project, this journal is non-sectarian in its views and approach. We aim to inspire, stimulate and share. The opinions expressed in EASTERN HORIZON are those of the authors and in no way represent those of the editor or YBAM. Although every care is taken with advertising matter, no responsibility can be accepted for the organizations, products, services, and other matter advertised. We welcome constructive ideas, invite fresh perspectives and accept comments. Please direct your comments or enquiries to: The Editor EASTERN HORIZON Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia 9, Jalan SS 25/24, Taman Mayang, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, MAlAYSIA Tel : (603) 7804 9154 Fax : (603) 7804 9021 Email : admin@easternhorizon.org or Benny Liow <Bennyliow@gmail.com> Website : www.easternhorizon.org KDN PP 8683/01/2013(031165)

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 3

17/12/2014 10:06:45 AM

TEACHINGS

SEVEN TIPS FOR A HAPPY LIFE By Ven. Thubten Chodron

Venerable Thubten Chodron, founder and abbess of Sravasti Abbey (Washington State, USA) shared some tips on how to lead a happy life with Buddhist youth in Singapore. Drawing on her personal experience, Ven. Chodron offered several strategies that Buddhist youth can keep in mind to strengthen their practice and lead truly happy lives. The following is an excerpt from Ven. Chodron’s talks. I was asked to speak about “Seven Tips for a Happy Life,” but I’ve had a hard time narrowing the tips down to just seven! Actually there are many more, and hopefully as you live with mindfulness, wisdom, and compassion, you’ll become aware of the others too.

LIVE WITHOUT HYPOCRISY Many of us go through life being extremely attached to what other people think of us. Most of us try to look good and try to make others think positively of us. We spend a lot of our time just trying to be what we think others think we should be, and this makes us crazy because everybody expects us to be something different. Besides, what is our motivation when we try to be what we think others think we should be? Are we acting with sincerity, or are we trying to be a people-pleaser? Are we simply putting on a good show so that other people will say good things about us? We can act and create personal images, and other people may even believe that we are what we pretend to be. However, that does not have any real meaning in our lives because we are the ones who have to live with ourselves. We know when we’ve been phoney and even though others may praise us for the persona we’ve created, that doesn’t make us feel good about ourselves. Inside we know we’re being fake. We’re much happier when we are sincere and feel comfortable with who we are.

4 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 4

17/12/2014 10:06:45 AM

TEACHINGS

Being a hypocrite does not work because the karmic results of our actions depend on our intention. Our motivation is the key that determines whether what we do is meaningful and beneficial. Even if we look like we’re very kind and considerate, when our motivation is just to get people to like us, our actions aren’t truly kind. Why not? Because our motivation is concerned with our own popularity, not with benefiting others. On the other hand, we may act with a genuinely kind motivation but people misinterpret our actions and get upset. In this case, we don’t need to doubt ourselves because our intention was good, even though we may need to learn to be more skilful in our actions. Furthermore, we want to learn to derive happiness from doing the action, not from receiving others’ praise afterwards. For example, in spiritual practice we want to train our minds to take delight in giving. When we take delight in giving, then regardless of where we are and who we give to, we feel happy. It does not matter whether the other person says thank you or not, because our happiness does not come from the recognition we receive but from the deed of giving.

REFLECT ON YOUR MOTIVATION AND CULTIVATE AN EXPANSIVE MOTIVATION We should constantly reflect on our motivations. Some of the questions we can ask ourselves include:  What is the thought motivating what I’m about to say or do? Is there the intention to harm someone? Is there the intention to benefit them? Am I doing things to impress others or due to peer pressure?  Am I doing something for my own self-gain, or am I doing something out of genuine care for other living beings? Or is it a mix?  Am I trying to do what other people think I should do, or am I really in touch with myself and know what is best for me to do?  In discerning what I feel is best for me to do, am I operating out of attachment or anger, or am I operating out of kindness and wisdom? Besides the process of looking inside and seeing what our motivation is, we can also consciously cultivate a more expansive motivation. An expansive motivation is one that aspires for the benefit and welfare of other living beings. Caring about others does not mean we neglect ourselves or make ourselves suffer. Self-respect is important, but we want to go beyond selfindulgent motivations and see that all of us living beings are interdependent. Our actions affect others, and because we see that everyone wants happiness and wants to avoid suffering as intensely as we do, we care about the effects of our words and deeds on others.

EASTERN HORIZON | 5

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 5

17/12/2014 10:06:46 AM

TEACHINGS

Most people tend to be quite self-centred, so our initial motivation is not always for the welfare of other living beings. Especially when we refer to ALL living beings, which include the ones we cannot stand! So we need to stretch our mind and our motivation. In order to cultivate an expansive motivation, such as the motivation to become a fully awakened Buddha, we will need to learn what a Buddha is, how it is possible for us to become a Buddha, what are the steps of the path for becoming a Buddha, and what benefits do we bring to ourselves and others by becoming a Buddha,. The more we understand these things, the more an expansive motivation will grow and shine within us.

SET WISE PRIORITIES One of the most important activities in our life is to set good priorities; to know what in life is most important to us. We have received so much conditioning throughout our lives, so it takes some time to discern for ourselves what we think is valuable. Our parents teach us to value X, Y, and Z; our teachers encourage us to think A, B, and C. Advertising tells us who we should be and what we should look like. All the time, we are getting messages about who we should be, what we should do and what we should have. But how often do we ever think about whether we really want to be, do, or have those things? How often do we ever think about what actually nourishes our hearts in a truly joyful, vibrant and beautiful way? We want to live; we want to be vibrant! We do not want to live like a pushbutton robot who operates on others’ commands. We have dreams and aspirations. We want to choose what we do in life because we have some passion for that activity or field. What is your passion? How do you want to contribute? What is your unique talent or ability, and how can you use it to make a difference in the lives of others? When we set wise priorities, we will choose activities that are for the longterm benefit of ourselves and others. When I need to make a decision, I use a particular set of criteria to evaluate which direction to take. First, I consider, “Which situation is most conducive for me to keep good ethical conduct?” I want to make sure I don’t hurt others or myself, and keeping good ethical conduct is important for that. If we sincerely try to live an ethical life, even though we do not make as much money as the next person, or have as nice a house, when we go to bed at night, we feel peaceful. Our mind is calm and free from self-doubt and self-loathing. That inner peace is worth more than anything else we could ever have. Plus, no one else can take our inner peace away from us.

6 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 6

17/12/2014 10:06:46 AM

TEACHINGS

Second, I examine, “Which situation will enable me to be of greatest benefit to other living beings in the long term?” Since another one of my priorities is benefiting others, I evaluate the various options in front of me to discern which one will enable me to do that. Which situation will make it easier for me to cultivate a kind, compassionate and altruistic attitude? Sometimes our priorities are not what others think they should be. In such a situation, if our priorities are not selfish and they are for the long-term benefit of ourselves and others, then even if other people do not like what we are doing, it really does not matter because we know we are living in a good way. We are confident inside ourselves that our priorities will lead to the long-term benefit of others.

KEEPING OURSELVES BALANCED To keep ourselves balanced on a day-to-day basis, we first need to maintain good health. This means we need to eat well, have sufficient sleep and regular exercise. We also need to engage in activities that nourish us. Spending time with people we care about nourishes us. In my observation, what most people really want is connection with other living beings. Take the time to be with your family and with people you care about. Cultivate the friendships of people who have good values, people who you can learn from, people who will be good role models for you. Nowadays, people walking down the street are all looking at their handphones, colliding with real human beings while texting people who are not there. Sometimes we need to turn off our technology and tune in to real, live human beings. So much of our communication is through non-verbal cues – our body language, how we move our hands, how we sit, what we do with our eyes, the tone of our voice, the volume of our voice. But many children and young adults are now growing up without being sensitive to those kinds of things because they are hardly ever around real live people. They are always in their two by four universe, texting on their phones. To be a balanced human being, we also need time alone, without our phones and computers. It is so helpful, not to mention relaxing, to sit and read an inspiring book and think about life. We don’t have to always be doing or making something. We also need some time to be with our friends. We need to nourish our body as well as our mind. We need to do things we enjoy, such as engaging in hobbies or playing sports. We should be careful not to waste the time in our precious human life on the computer, iPad, iPhone etc.

EASTERN HORIZON | 7

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 7

17/12/2014 10:06:46 AM

TEACHINGS

BE FRIENDS WITH YOURSELF Sometimes when we are alone, we have thoughts such as “Oh, I am a failure! I cannot do anything right! I’m worthless, no wonder nobody loves me!” This low self-esteem is one of our biggest hindrances on the path to full awakening. We live with ourselves 24/7 but we do not even know who we are and how to be our own friend. We constantly judge ourselves using standards that we’ve never examined to determine if they are realistic or not. We compare ourselves with others and always come out a loser. None of us are perfect; we all have faults. That is normal and we do not need to berate ourselves for our faults or think that we are our faults. Our selfimage is exaggerated because we don’t really know who we are. We need to learn to be our own friend and accept ourselves, “Yes, I have faults and I’m working on them, and yes, I have many good qualities, abilities, and talents too. I’m a worthwhile person because I have the Buddha nature, the potential to become a fully awakened Buddha. Even now, I can contribute to others’ wellbeing.” Meditation and the study of Buddhist teachings will help us become friends with ourselves. To overcome low self-esteem, we should contemplate our precious human life and Buddha-nature. Doing so enables us to understand that the fundamental nature of our mind is pure and undefiled. The nature of our mind is like the wide open sky—totally spacious and free. Mental afflictions such as ignorance, anger, attachment, pride, jealousy, laziness, confusion, conceit and so on are like clouds in the sky. When the clouds are in the sky, we cannot see the clear, open, wide, and spacious nature of the sky. The sky is still there, it is just hidden from our view at that time. Similarly, sometimes we might be discouraged or confused, but all those emotions and thoughts are not who we are. They are like the clouds in the sky. The pure nature of our mind is still there. It is temporarily hidden, and when the wind of wisdom and compassion comes and blows the cloud-like disturbing emotions away, we see the wide open, free sky. Take some time each day to sit quietly and do a spiritual practice. To do a daily meditation practice, learn the Buddha’s teachings and spend some time alone each day reflecting on your life. Observe your thoughts and learn to discern realistic and beneficial ones from unrealistic and harmful ones. Understand how your thoughts create your emotions. Give yourself some space to accept and appreciate yourself for who you are. You don’t need to be the perfect, number one whatever-type-of-person-you-think-you-should-be. You can relax and be you, with all the complexities of the sentient being you are.

8 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 8

17/12/2014 10:06:46 AM

TEACHINGS

Then you can tap into your potential and unlock all sorts of doors to help you understand yourself. The Buddha taught many techniques for overcoming disturbing emotions, transforming negative thoughts and removing wrong views. You can learn these and learn how to apply them to your mind, how to work with your own mind so that it becomes clearer and calmer, how to open your heart in kindness toward yourself as well as toward others. In the process of doing this, you will become your own friend.

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT ME Nowadays we think everything is about us. There’s even a magazine called “Self” and another one called “Me.” We buy iPhones and iPads, and from the time we are little kids the advertising industry conditions us to always search for the most pleasure, prestige, possessions, popularity, and so forth. We have this idea that it is all about me! My pleasure and pain are more important than anyone else’s. Think about what makes you upset. When your friends get criticised, you usually don’t get upset, but when somebody says the same words of criticism to you, it becomes a big deal. Similarly, when your neighbour’s child fails his spelling test, it doesn’t bother you, but when your child fails his spelling test, it is a catastrophe! Our mind gets incredibly upset by anything that happens to us or is related to us. We see everything in the world through the narrow periscope of Me, I, My, and Mine. Why is it a narrow periscope? Because there are over 7 billion people on this planet and we think we are the most important. It would be really good if we can chill a little bit and have as one of our slogans – “It is not all about me”. This self-centeredness causes us so much misery. When we suffer from fear, anxiety and worry, it is because we are paying too much attention to ourselves in a very unhealthy way. Nothing has happened, but we sit there thinking, “What if this happens? What if that happens?” when in reality, nothing has happened. Experiencing fear, anxiety and worry is definitely suffering, and the source of this suffering is our self-preoccupation. Our self-centred thought is not who we are, It is not an inherent part of us; it is something added onto the pure nature of our mind, and it can be eliminated. Initially, we may be afraid to let go of our self-preoccupation, “If I don’t hold myself first and foremost, I will fall behind. People will take advantage of me. I won’t be a success.” But when we examine these fears, we see that they are not true; the world isn’t going to crash down around us if we release our self-centredness and open our hearts to care about others.

EASTERN HORIZON | 9

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 9

17/12/2014 10:06:47 AM

TEACHINGS

We can still be successful without being so self-preoccupied, and we’ll be a lot happier too. For example, if we reach out and help others—friends, strangers, and enemies—they’ll be a lot nicer to us, and our own lives will be happier.

CULTIVATE A KIND HEART As a corollary to “It is not all about me”, we want to cultivate kindness. To do this, we reflect on the benefit we have received from so many people, and animals too. When we contemplate the kindness of other living beings, we see that we can benefit from whatever somebody does if we know how to think about it properly. Even if somebody is harming us, we can see it as kindness, because by putting us in a difficult position, they are challenging us and helping us to grow. They are helping us to find qualities and resources within ourselves that we did not know we had, making us stronger. It is easy to think of the kindness of our family and friends, but what about the kindness of strangers? Actually we receive benefit from so many people we do not know. When we look around, everything we use comes due to the kindness of others – the construction workers who built the building, the farmers who grew the vegetables, the electricians, plumbers, secretaries, and so forth all play important roles that enable society to run smoothly. For example, I was once in a city where all the garbage collectors were on strike. That really helped me to see the kindness of the garbage collectors, so now I stop and thank them for their work when I walk down the street. We benefit from all the different kinds of work that others do. All the people we see around us – on the bus, on the subway, in the stores – are the people who are making the things we use and doing the services we benefit from on a day-to-day basis. Hence, when looking at the people around us, let’s consider their kindness and the benefit we’ve received from them. In turn, let’s regard them with eyes of kindness, and with awareness of how dependent we are on others just to stay alive, let’s reach out and be kind to them in return. If you have a kind heart, you will be honest in your business dealings because you care about the welfare of your clients and customers. You know that if you lie to them or cheat them, they will not trust you and will not do business with you again in the future. In addition, they will tell others about your unscrupulous actions. However, if you help your clients and customers, they will trust and have confidence in you. You will have good relationships with them that will last for many years and will be mutually beneficial.

10 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 10

17/12/2014 10:06:47 AM

TEACHINGS

When cultivating kindness, we should also learn to be trustworthy. When somebody tells you something in confidence, keep it in confidence. When you make a promise, do your best to keep the promise. We have to look beyond our own immediate gratification and learn how to be a good friend. Consider, “How can I be a good friend? What do I need to do and stop doing in order to be a good friend to others?” As we all want to have friends, let us make ourselves good friends to other people.

CONCLUSION Please take some time and think about these seven tips. Don’t simply rush off to the next activity, but apply these tips to your life. Imagine thinking or acting according to them. What would that look like? How would you feel? Seeing the benefits of implementing these tips in your life will inspire you to do so. As you do this, you will experience the benefits in both your mental state and your relationships with others. There will be more mental peace, more satisfaction and more connection with others. Come back to these tips over time. Read this every so often to remind yourself to live without hypocrisy, reflect on your motivation and cultivate an expansive motivation, set wise priorities, keep yourself balanced, be friends with yourself, realise “it’s not all about me”, and cultivate a kind heart. Transcribed by: Colette Janning Edited by: Debbie Tan EH

Are you searching for a spiritually challenging work? Do you enjoy mee ng fellow Dharma prac oners, Buddhist leaders, and Dharma masters? Would you like to introduce the latest Buddhist book you read recently? How about researching into the latest web-sites on Buddhist ac vi es around the world? And of course, what about telling us how you first came in contact with the dharma and what the dharma means to you today. Well, if you find all of these interes ng, we can make it spiritually challenging for you too! In every issue of EASTERN HORIZON, we publish special chat sessions with leading Buddhist personali es, essays on all aspects of Buddhism, book reviews, and news and ac vi es that are of interest to the Buddhist community. We need someone to help us in all these projects. If you are keen to be part of this exci ng magazine, please e-mail to the editor at Bennyliow@gmail.com, and we will put you in touch with what’s challenging for the next issue!

Let us share the dharma for the benefit of all senƟent beings!

EASTERN HORIZON | 11

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 11

17/12/2014 10:06:47 AM

FACE TO FACE

Fieldwork and Film By Lina Verchery

Lina Verchery is a filmmaker and doctoral student in Buddhist Studies at Harvard University, where she is a Frank Knox Fellow and Presidential Scholar. Before writing and directing The Trap for the National Film Board (NFB) of Canada, which won the best Acadian Short Film at the 2008 Festival International du Cinéma Francophone en Acadie, Lina co-wrote and codirected De midi à minuit, a documentary short about cab drivers in Montréal which won first prize in the Alliance Française’s Concours Senghor in collaboration with a workshop for first-time filmmakers at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. Since then, Lina has written and directed several short documentaries and multi-platform video projects, including Échos de la francophonie and Ta parole est en jeu! for the NFB, as well as In Ordinary Life and The Outdoor Church with the Harvard Film Study Center and the Sensory Ethnography Lab. Lina visited Malaysia in August 2014 to meet up with several Buddhist groups as part of her doctoral study on Buddhism. Benny Liow of Eastern Horizon met with Lina over lunch and had invited her to respond to an on-line interview for the magazine.

12 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 12

17/12/2014 10:06:47 AM

FACE TO FACE

You wrote and directed the film The Trap which went on to win an award in Canada in 2008. What motivated you to do this film? Studying Buddhism and making films are my two greatest passions -- so this film was an incredible opportunity to combine my two favorite things! More specifically, I grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia, which is the world headquarters of Shambhala Buddhism (the Buddhist organization depicted in the film) and within driving distance of Cape Breton island where the main Shambhala monastery, Gampo Abbey, is located. So, growing up in Halifax, I was always curious to learn more about the local Buddhist community in Nova Scotia. In addition -- and this is probably even more personally important to me -- Gampo Abbey is located in a traditionally Acadian (that is, FrenchCanadian) area of Cape Breton. I myself am Acadian on my mother’s side and we Acadians, like all cultural minorities, have a very rich and complicated identity (something I think many Malaysians understand!). In other words, this film was born not merely from my own academic interest in Buddhism, but also from a deeply personal desire to connect with my roots as an Acadian, which is why I spent a great deal of time in the film with the Acadian fishermen. Like the

Buddhists, the fishermen, too, have a lot to teach us about nature, compassion, and the cycle of life. In The Trap, you have delicately weaved a connection between two contrasting groups of people – fishermen who capture lobsters for the dinner table, and a group of Buddhist monastics who went to buy the fishermen’s catch to be released to the sea? What were you trying to convey to the audience? The film follows two communities who, at first glance, seem irreconcilably different: one group is Francophone, Catholic, and make their living by catching and selling animals, while the other group is Anglophone, Buddhist, and strives to follow the Buddhist precept against killing living beings. It would appear as though these two communities would be in utter conflict with each other, and yet the reality is, as I hope the film communicates, that they share much more than meets the eye. On a profound level, both communities understand something deep about samsara, about the cycles of life, about impermanence, and about respect for living beings. Whether these realizations are arrived at through meditation and scriptural study, or through daily engagement with the rhythms of nature, we find that in the end, both groups share a common insight into the human condition and the nature of compassion.

EASTERN HORIZON | 13

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 13

17/12/2014 10:06:48 AM

FACE TO FACE

Do you think the message of kindness and compassion to all living creatures by the monastics of Cape Breton monastery was understood or even appreciated by the fishermen? Yes, I do think the fishermen understand the Buddhist notion of compassion quite well, even if they might not call it ‘Buddhist’. We see this, for instance, in the care taken by the fishermen when putting the eggcarrying female lobsters back into the ocean; and in their philosophical appreciation of what that simple act means for future generations. When we speak of compassion, I think it is sometimes useful to let go of the label ‘Buddhist’ in order to recognize the many non-Buddhists who are also advanced ‘practitioners of compassion’, so to speak. I like to think that the Buddhist teachings about compassion are actually descriptions of a human potential that is bigger than even ‘Buddhism’ itself. Do you think it’s ironic that the same lobsters that are purchased by the monastics to be thrown into the sea will later end up as the fishermen’s catch again? This is a profound and interesting question, practically but especially philosophically. The practical answer, at least from a Buddhist point of view, is quite clear: as you know, in fang sheng (liberation of life) rituals, there are mantras recited to the animals. It is thought that just being in the presence of these powerful ritual utterances will help the lobsters secure a better rebirth, no matter how long they live after their release. There is also an important practical aspect for the humans performing the ritual; namely, that through this ritual process, those releasing the lobsters have a precious opportunity to cultivate compassion. As you may know, up close and personal, lobsters are somewhat strange and frightening-looking creatures. This kind of direct encounter with an animal that we may find strange is a valuable opportunity to meditate on the inherent value of all forms of life, even those that are extremely different from us humans.

But, even more compellingly, the possibility that the lobsters might just get caught again the following year raises a profound question about compassion and the problem of nihilism. That is, how should we ‘measure’ the value of an act of compassion? Is the value of a compassionate act determined in the moment, in the instant of the act? Or is it measured by the act’s outcome, in a utilitarian sense? Of course, it is natural to wish that the benefits of every compassionate act last forever, but the nature of life is that we don’t control the future and, as Sakyamuni Buddha taught, no matter where you are in samsara, life involves suffering. And if it is unavoidable that, for those of us who are not yet enlightened, life is suffering, then does this mean that all compassionate action is futile? Simply because it does not last? I

14 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 14

17/12/2014 10:06:48 AM

FACE TO FACE

think the answer to this question is obviously no; one of the greatest teachings of Buddhism is that life, though impermanent, is still meaningful. But I think that anyone who takes the notions of samsara and compassion seriously must confront the ‘abyss’ of nihilism, as two of my favorite philosophers -Nishitani Keiji and Nietzsche -- put it. And this is very much brought to the fore in the film by the fact that, although we can do a compassionate act for the lobsters, we cannot control their destiny. What is your biggest satisfaction in producing The Trap?

I have been very touched by the film’s enduring popularity with audiences. Every few years, it plays in different festivals -- which is quite unusual after a film has been out for a while -- and new audiences encounter these ideas about Buddhism, suffering, and compassion. I have had the pleasure of showing it in Buddhist Studies courses in several universities, at Buddhist monasteries throughout Asia, and even on Oprah Winfrey’s upcoming interview with Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron! It is gratifying to see that audiences connect with the characters and the ideas in the film, because I, too, am very moved by those ideas and characters. I believe I have learned as much from the film as the audiences have. You are an award-winning filmmaker and also a doctoral student in Buddhist studies. What made you choose to do a PhD on Buddhism and not something related to film making or even film history? I love filmmaking, and have a strong interest in Cinema Studies as well. But I have been deeply committed to the study of Buddhism for many years already -- doing my undergraduate and Master’s degrees in Buddhist Studies. As you know, in the study of Buddhism, the more you learn, the more there is to learn! It is such an expansive and rich tradition that, to be honest, one lifetime is not enough! (No pun intended!) But, truly, to pursue a deep study of Buddhism requires many, many years of focus and commitment, and I feel that the PhD in Buddhist Studies is really just the beginning of that process. How do you see Buddhism - a religion, philosophy or just a way of life? Well, this depends on what you mean by ‘religion’, what you mean by ‘philosophy’, and what you mean by ‘way of life’. It is true that people often ask whether Buddhism is a religion or a philosophy. And you can see that implicit in this very question are certain assumptions that need to be questioned; for instance, the notion that ‘religion’ and ‘philosophy’ are opposed categories, and that somehow these are both different from what we call a ‘way of life’. Very sadly, I think,

EASTERN HORIZON | 15

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 15

17/12/2014 10:06:49 AM

FACE TO FACE

nowadays we have lost touch not only of the notion that, for many people, ‘religion’ is a way of life, but also that ‘philosophy’, in its true sense, is a way of life as well. (That is, in fact, the title of one of my favorite books, Philosophy as a Way of Life, by philosopher Pierre Hadot.) This is to say that the labels ‘religion’ and ‘philosophy’ are both constructs; we use these terms as an easy way to compartmentalize our life. But the truth is that these ‘compartments’ -- and even our efforts to construct compartments in the first place -- are all part of a human experience which is fundamentally continuous, whether we recognize this or not. One of the teachings of Buddhism I appreciate a lot is the way it forces us to deconstruct our preconceived ‘compartments’ (including, for example, the compartment we call ‘self’). So, with this in mind, I think it is inaccurate to say that Buddhism either is or is not a ‘religion’, ‘philosophy’, or ‘way of life’, precisely because one of the first things Buddhism calls us to do is question the impulse toward ‘categorization’ itself. Do you regard yourself more as an outsider looking into Buddhism or as a practitioner of Buddhism, as what is today popularly called in Western Buddhist circles as a “scholar practitioner”? As I often say, I am not ‘Buddhist’ but I am also not ‘not-Buddhist’. I am originally Roman Catholic, and have always felt a very deep personal connection to that tradition despite not being strictly raised in the Church. But there is no question that my primary motivation in studying Buddhism over all these years is that I hope to learn from the Buddhist tradition, not merely academically but personally as well. I think this imaginary line separating ‘scholars’ and ‘practitioners’ is artificial to begin with; the teachings of Buddhism, as I understand them, are teachings about life. And there is no such thing as an ‘outsider’ of life, who stands outside looking in. When it comes to life and living, we are all practitioners. You have an interest in Chinese Buddhism, for when you visited Malaysia recently you met up

with several Chinese Buddhist groups. What is your interest in Chinese Buddhism, especially in the lineage of the late Master Hsuan Hua? I have been interested in Master Hsuan Hua and his Buddhist organization, the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association (DRBA), for a number of years. I was introduced to this organization somewhat by chance -- or perhaps, more accurately, you could say it was karma! -- when my former Professor at McGill University in Montreal, Professor Victor Hori, was preparing a book about consecrated religious life in Canada. He had heard about the Avatamsaksa Sagely Monastery in Calgary, Alberta, and suggested I do ethnographic fieldwork there to contribute to the book. Once there, I was so moved by the nuns and laypeople I met, by their devotion to the Dharma, and especially by their deep commitment to disciplinary practice, that I decided to continue studying the teachings of Master Hua and the DRBA however I could. Thanks to a grant from Harvard University and the Jeffrey Cheah Institute (of Malaysia), I was able to do fieldwork this past summer at DRBA temples in Malaysia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Could you share with us your next project related to Buddhism? I am very interested in deconstructing the boundaries between what we call ‘Buddhism’ and what we call ‘ordinary life’. In my personal opinion, it is often impossible to separate the two, and I would like to continue exploring this theme in my future work. I have a few preliminary ideas for new film projects -some of which address Buddhism as an explicit theme, others which do not appear ‘Buddhist’ on the surface, but which deal directly with Buddhist issues deep down. Regardless of the genre of the project -- whether it is academic or artistic, documentary or fiction -- in each case I strive to explore the ways in which Buddhist ideas illuminate human life and experience. It would be my pleasure to let you know when my next work comes out! EH

16 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 16

17/12/2014 10:06:49 AM

FACE TO FACE

PROMOTING BUDDHISM THROUGH STAMPS by Leong Kok Hing When did you first start to have an interest to collect stamps with a theme on Buddhism?

Leong Kok Hing graduated from the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) with a degree in Social Science. He was also trained as a teacher at the Malayan Teachers College. Kok Hing had served as the General Secretary (1976 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1986) and President (1098 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1990) of the

I organized a Buddhist Cultural Exhibition in USM in 1975 to commemorate the first Wesak celebration in the campus. A Buddhist friend loaned me some Buddhist stamps as part of the exhibits on display. It attracted the attention of many visitors. This had aroused my interest in collecting stamps with a Buddhist theme. When I took over the post of General Secretary of YBAM, I was very keen to organize exhibitions to introduce the history, culture, and basic teachings of Buddhism to the public. I started collecting items such as stamps, postcards, posters, images, publications and souvenirs that could be used for future exhibitions. I bought my first few sets of Buddhist stamps from a store in Japan. Later, I collected more when I visited Thailand, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. What are your collections? Please explain how you categorize them.

Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM). He shares his thoughts about his vast collection of Buddhist stamps with Teh Soo Ting of Eastern Horizon.

My philatelic collection consists of stamps, first day covers, souvenir covers, miniature sheets, stamp sheets, souvenir sheets, maximum cards, postcards, and stamp booklets. I also collect stamps from Malaysia, Singapore, China Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. I started collecting them when I began to focus on Buddhist theme ten years ago. Bud With reference to my Buddhist stamps, they could be roughly W cate categorized under Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Buddhist Pantheons, Sac Sacred Places, Jataka Tales, Symbols, Sangha, Art, Education, Rui Ruins, Heritage Sites, Temples, Pagodas, Customs, Celebrations, Per Personalities, Culture, and Monuments. Of course, there is no clea clear cut categorization for many items.

EASTERN HORIZON | 17

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 17

17/12/2014 10:06:49 AM

FACE TO FACE

Is there a group of collectors who share similar interest with you? Are you associated with the Malaysian Stamps Association? I know of a Buddhist stamp collector from Klang who passed away a few years ago. So far I have come across two fellow Buddhists who are serious collectors of Buddhist stamps in Malaysia. I am not a member of any philatelic associations in the country. How do you collect all these stamps? Wherever I travel, especially to Buddhist countries, I would buy stamps. I have a cousin brother in Bangkok who is a well-known philatelist in Thailand. He has helped me to buy a number of stamps from Thailand and Laos during the 1970s to 1990s. A distant relative also helped me to find stamps in Sri Lanka when he was posted there by his company. I used to patronize stamp shops in Penang and Kuala Lumpur and sometimes I could get the stamps that I wanted. With the advent of internet, I began to purchase stamps on line from famous websites, including from e-bay. How do you maintain the condition of the stamps? I make sure that the place where I keep the stamps is free from humidity and insects. Any plan to enhance the value of the stamps? I did not collect Buddhist stamps with any purpose of expecting financial returns. To me this is not a financial investment. I am very happy that my collection of stamps has become a useful tool to introduce Buddhism to the public and educate fellow Buddhists about the history, culture, and development of Buddhism. I organize sharing sessions called “Buddhism as Seen through Postage Stamps” throughout the country. I must have held more than 60 of such sessions over the years. Under these sharing sessions, I have also completed three topics under the series of “The Tathagata”, “World Cultural Heritage Sites”, and “The Buddha Family”. The fourth one is on the way to completion, and will be named accordingly later.

18 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 18

17/12/2014 10:06:49 AM

FACE TO FACE

What is your advice to others who wish to start this ‘hobby’ of collecting Buddhist stamps? In this high-tech age, one of the fast diminishing items is stamps. Stamp collecting is no more a hobby for the young. However, if one is interested in the hobby, one should focus on a topic or theme that one is familiar. For a Buddhist, it is good to make Buddhism as the theme of our collection. There are quite a number of stamp collectors in China and Taiwan who are interested in Buddhism as theme in their stamp collections. Unfortunately, their scope will be limited unless they know English which is a powerful language that can enrich their stamp collection worldwide. What have you learn from this process of Buddhist stamps? No attachment as taught by the Buddha! Do not be attached to your collection. This is the reason why I like to share my collection with people. I am pleased that at my age, I can still share Dharma with people both young and old, using my “interest” in Buddhist stamps. What are your future plans? Will you hold more exhibitions or even a Buddhist stamp auction? I have hosted three solo Buddhist stamp exhibitions in the 1980s and early 1990s. But I had to turn down many offers when I started my sharing journey because it was too expensive to organize such exhibitions. There is a suggestion to have the stamps printed into a few volumes. It is also a good idea to have my whole collection of Buddhist stamps properly kept in a Buddhist gallery. Unfortunately, this is still very much a dream in Malaysia. I will definitely not auction my collection. If I am not around, it is my wish that my collection will remain in the country and kept by a Buddhist organization with proper facilities to preserve the stamps for eternity. Any final words for readers of our magazine regarding this unique hobby of yours? Yes, I would like to say that I am always ready to go to any organization to host the “Buddhism as Seen through Postage Stamps” sharing session if invited, even at my own expense. EH

EASTERN HORIZON | 19

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 19

17/12/2014 10:06:50 AM

TEACHINGS

The Habits of Happiness By Venerable Dr Matthieu Ricard

What is happiness, and how can we all get some? Sometimes called the “happiest man in the world,” Matthieu Ricard is a Buddhist monk, author and photographer. Trained as a bio-chemist in France, Matthieu Ricard says we can train our minds in habits of well-being, to generate a true sense of serenity and fulfillment. His deep and scientifically tinged reflections on happiness and Buddhism have turned into several books, including The Quantum and the Lotus: A Journey to the Frontiers Where Science and Buddhism Meet. At the same time, he also makes sensitive and jaw-droppingly gorgeous photographs of his beloved Tibet and the spiritual hermitage where he lives and works on humanitarian projects. His recent book on happiness is Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill; while another recent book of photographs is Tibet: An Inner Journey. Matthieu Ricard gave the talk on Happiness at a TED Conference in 2004 and the following is an edited transcript of what he said.

20 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 20

17/12/2014 10:06:50 AM

TEACHINGS

I guess it is a result of globalization that you can find Coca-Cola tins on top of Everest and a Buddhist monk in Monterey. (Laughter) And so I just came, two days ago, from the Himalayas by your kind invitation. I would like to invite you, also, for a while, to the Himalayas themselves - to show you the place where meditators, like me (who began with being a molecular biologist in Pasteur Institute) found their way to the mountains. These are a few images I was lucky to take while I was there. There’s the Mount Kailash in Eastern Tibet -- wonderful setting. This is from Marlboro country. (Laughter) This is a turquoise lake. A meditator. This is the hottest day of the year somewhere in Eastern Tibet, on August 1. And the night before, we camped, and my Tibetan friends said, “We are going to sleep outside.” And I said, “Why? We have enough space in the tent.” They said, “Yes, but it’s summertime.” (Laughter) So now, we are going to speak of happiness. As a Frenchman, I must say that there are a lot of French intellectuals who think happiness is not at all interesting. (Laughter) I just wrote an essay on happiness which caused controversy. Someone wrote an article saying, “Don’t impose on us the dirty work of happiness.” (Laughter) “We don’t care about being happy. We need to live with passion. We like the ups and downs of life. We like our suffering because it’s so good when it ceases for a while.” (Laughter) This is what I see from the balcony of my hermitage in the Himalayas. It’s about two meters by three, and you are all welcome any time. (Laughter) Now, let’s come to happiness or well-being. First of all, despite what the French intellectuals say, it seems that no one wakes up in the morning thinking, “May I suffer the whole day?” (Laughter) Which means that somehow -- consciously or not, directly or indirectly, in the short or the long term, whatever we do, whatever we hope, whatever

we dream -- somehow, there is a deep, profound desire for well-being or happiness. As Pascal said, even the one who hangs himself, somehow, is looking for cessation of suffering -- he finds no other way. But then, if you look in the literature, East and West, you can find incredible diversity in the definition of happiness. Some people say, I only believe in remembering the past, imagining the future, never the present. Some people say happiness is right now; it’s the quality of the freshness of the present moment. And that led to Henri Bergson, the French philosopher, saying, “All the great thinkers of humanity have left [the definition of] happiness vague so that each of them could define [it in] their own terms.” Well, that would be fine if it was just a secondary preoccupation in life. But now, if it is something that is going to determine the quality of every instant of our life, then we better know what it is, have some clearer idea. And probably, the fact that we don’t know is why, so often, although we seek happiness, it seems we turn our back to it. Although we want to avoid suffering, it seems we are running somewhat towards it. And that can also come from some kind of confusion. One of the most common ones is happiness and pleasure. But, if you look at the characteristics of those two, pleasure is contingent upon time, upon its object, upon the place. It is something that changes in nature. Beautiful chocolate cake: first serving is delicious, second one not so much, then we feel disgust. (Laughter) That’s the nature of things. We get tired. I used to be a fan of Bach. I used to play it on the guitar, you know. I can hear it two, three, five times. If I had to hear it 24 hours, non-stop, it might be very tiring. If you are feeling very cold, you come near a fire, it’s so wonderful. Then, after some moments, you would back up a little, and then it starts burning. It sort of uses itself as you experience it. And also, it’s something within you -- it is not something that is radiating outside. Like, you can feel intense pleasure and some others around you can be suffering a lot.

EASTERN HORIZON | 21

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 21

17/12/2014 10:06:50 AM

TEACHINGS

Now, what, then, will be happiness? And happiness, of course, is such a vague word, so let’s say well-being. And so, I think the best definition, according to the Buddhist view, is that well-being is not just a mere pleasurable sensation. It is a deep sense of serenity and fulfillment, a state that actually pervades and underlies all emotional states, and all the joys and sorrows that can come one’s way. For you, that might be surprising. Can we have this kind of well-being while being sad? In a way, why not? Because we are speaking of a different level. Look at the waves coming here to shore. When you are at the bottom of the wave, you hit the bottom. You hit the solid rock. When you are surfing on the top, you are all elated. So you go from elation to depression -- there’s no depth. Now, if you look at the high sea, there might be a beautiful, calm ocean, like a mirror. There might be storms, but the depth of the ocean is still there, unchanged. So now, how is that? It can only be a state of being, not just a fleeting emotion, sensation. Even joy -- that can be the spring of happiness. But there’s also wicked joy, you can rejoice in someone’s suffering. So how do we proceed in our quest for happiness? Very often, we look outside. We think that if we could gather this and that, all the conditions, something that we say, “ to have everything to be happy.” That very sentence already reveals the doom or destruction of happiness. To have everything. If we miss something, it collapses. And also, when things go wrong, we try to fix the outside so much, but our control of the outer world is limited, temporary, and often, illusory. So now, we look at inner conditions. Aren’t they stronger? Isn’t it the mind that translates the outer condition into happiness and suffering? And isn’t that stronger? We know, by experience, that we can be in what we call “a little paradise,” and yet, be completely unhappy within. The Dalai Lama was once in Portugal, and there was a lot of construction going on everywhere.

So one evening, he said, “Look, you are doing all these things, but isn’t it nice, also, to build something within?” And he said, “Unless you have that -- even if you get a high-tech flat on the 100th floor of a super-modern and comfortable building, if you are deeply unhappy within, all you are going to look for is a window from which to jump.” On the opposite, we know a lot of people who, in very difficult circumstances, manage to keep serenity, inner strength, inner freedom, confidence. Of course, the outer conditions do influence us, and it’s wonderful to live longer, healthier, to have access to information, education, to be able to travel, to have freedom. It’s highly desirable. However, this is not enough. Those are just auxiliary, helpful conditions. The experience that translates everything is within the mind. So then, we have to ask oneself how to nurture the condition for happiness, the inner conditions, and which are those which will undermine happiness. We have to know from our own experience, that there are certain states of mind that are conducive to this flourishing, to this well-being, what the Greeks called eudaimonia, flourishing. There are some which are adverse to this well-being. And so, if we look from our own experience, anger, hatred, jealousy, arrogance, obsessive desire, strong grasping, they don’t leave us in such a good state after we have experienced it. And also, they are detrimental to others’ happiness. So we may consider that the more those are invading our mind, and, like a chain reaction, the more we feel miserable, we feel tormented. At the opposite, everyone knows deep within what an act of selfless generosity is, if from the distance, without anyone knowing anything about it, we could save a child’s life, make someone happy. We don’t need the recognition. We don’t need any gratitude. Just the mere fact of doing that fills such a sense of being adequate with our deep nature. And we would like to be like that all the time. So is that possible, to change our way of being, to transform one’s mind? Aren’t those negative emotions, or destructive emotions, inherent to

22 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 22

17/12/2014 10:06:50 AM

TEACHINGS

the nature of mind? Is change possible in our emotions, in our traits, in our moods? For that we have to ask, what is nature of mind? And if we look from the experiential point of view, there is a primary quality of consciousness that’s just the mere fact to be cognitive, to be aware. Consciousness is like a mirror that allows all images to rise on it. You can have ugly faces, beautiful faces in the mirror. The mirror allows that, but the mirror is not tainted, is not modified, is not altered by those images. Likewise, behind every single thought there is the bare consciousness, pure awareness. This is the nature. It cannot be tainted intrinsically with hatred or jealousy because, then, if it was always there -like a dye that would permeate the whole cloth -- then it would be found all the time, somewhere. We know we’re not always angry, always jealous, always generous. So, because the basic fabric of consciousness is this pure cognitive quality that differentiates it from a stone, there is a possibility for change because all emotions are fleeting. That is the ground for mind training. Mind training is based on the idea that two opposite mental factors cannot happen at the same time. You could go from love to hate. But you cannot, at the same time, toward the same object, the same person, want to harm and want to do good. You cannot, in the same gesture, shake hand and give a blow. There are natural antidotes to emotions that are destructive to our inner well-being. So that’s the way to proceed. Rejoicing compared to jealousy. A kind of sense of inner freedom as opposed to intense grasping and obsession. Benevolence, loving kindness against hatred. But, of course, each emotion then would need a particular antidote. Another way is to try to find a general antidote to all emotions, and that’s by looking at the very nature of emotions. Usually, when we feel annoyed, hatred or upset with someone, or obsessed with something, the mind goes again and again to that object. Each time it goes to the object,

it reinforces that obsession or that annoyance. So then, it’s a self-perpetuating process. So what we need to do now is, instead of looking outward, we look inward. Look at anger itself. It looks very menacing, like a billowing monsoon cloud or thunderstorm. But we think we could sit on the cloud -- but if you go there, it’s just mist. Likewise, if you look at the thought of anger, it will vanish like frost under the morning sun. If you do this again and again, the propensity, the tendencies for anger to arise again will be less and less each time you dissolve it. And, at the end, although it may rise, it will just cross the mind, like a bird crossing the sky without leaving any track. So this is the principal of mind training. Now, it takes time because it took time for all those faults in our mind, the tendencies, to build up, so it will take time to unfold them as well. But that’s the only way to go. Mind transformation -- that is the very meaning of meditation. It means familiarization with a new way of being, new way of perceiving things, which is more adequate with reality, with interdependence, with the stream and continuous transformation, which our being and our consciousness is. So, the interface with cognitive science, since we need to come to that, and it was, I suppose, the subject of -- we have to deal in such a short time with brain plasticity. The brain was thought to be more or less fixed. All the nominal connections, in numbers and quantities, were -- until the last 20 years -- thought to be more or less fixed when we reached adult age. Now, recently, it has been found that it can change a lot. A violinist, as we heard, who has done 10,000 hours of violin practice, some area that controls the movements of fingers in the brain change a lot, increasing reinforcement of the synaptic connections. So can we do that with human qualities? With loving kindness, with patience, with openness? So that’s what those great meditators have been doing. Some of them who came to the labs, like in Madison, Wisconsin, or in Berkeley, did 20 to

EASTERN HORIZON | 23

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 23

17/12/2014 10:06:51 AM

TEACHINGS

40,000 hours of meditation. They do, like, three years’ retreat, where they meditate 12 hours a day. And then, the rest of their life, they will do that three or four hours a day. They are real Olympic champions of mind training. (Laughter) This is the place where the meditators -- you can see it’s kind of inspiring. Now, here with 256 electrodes. (Laughter) So what did they find? Of course, same thing. The scientific embargo -- if ever has been to submit it to “Nature,” hopefully, it will be accepted. It deals with the state of compassion, unconditional compassion. We asked meditators, who have been doing that for years and years and years, to put their mind in a state where there’s nothing but loving kindness, total availability to sentient beings. Of course, during the training, we do that with objects. We think of people suffering, we think of people we love, but at some point, it can be a state which is all pervading. Here is the preliminary result, which I can show because it’s already been shown. The bell curve shows 150 controls, and what is being looked at is the difference between the right and the left frontal lobe. People who have more activity in the right side of the prefrontal cortex are more depressed, withdrawn. They don’t describe a lot of positive effects. It’s the opposite on the left side: more tendency to altruism, to happiness, to express, and to be curios and so forth. So there’s a basic line for people. And also, it can be changed. If you see a comedy, you go off to the left side. If you are happy about something, you’ll go more to the left side. If you have a bout of depression, you’ll go to the right side. Here, the -0.5 is the full standard deviation of a meditator who meditated on compassion. It’s something that is totally out of the bell curve. So, I’ve no time to go into all the different scientific results. Hopefully, they will come. But they found that -- this is after three and a half hours in an MRI, it’s like coming out of a space ship. Also, it has been shown in other labs -- for instance, Paul

Ekman’s labs in Berkeley -- that some meditators are able, also, to control their emotional response more than it could be thought. Like the startle experiments, for example. If you sit a guy on a chair with apparatus measuring his physiology, and there’s kind of a bomb that goes off, it’s so instinctive response that, in 20 years, they never saw anyone who will not jump. Some meditators, without trying to stop it, but simply by being completely open, thinking that that bang is just going to be just a small event like a shooting star, they are able not to move at all. So the whole point of that is not, sort of, to make, like, a circus thing of showing exceptional beings who can jump, or whatever. It’s more to say that mind training matters. That this is not just a luxury. This is not a supplementary vitamin for the soul. This is something that’s going to determine the quality of every instant of our lives. We are ready to spend 15 years achieving education. We love to do jogging, fitness. We do all kinds of things to remain beautiful. Yet, we spend surprisingly little time taking care of what matters most -- the way our mind functions -- which, again, is the ultimate thing that determines the quality of our experience. Now, our compassion is supposed to be put in action. That’s what we try to do in different places. Just this one example is worth a lot of work. This lady with bone TB, left alone in a tent, is going to die with her only daughter. One year later, how she is. Different schools and clinics we’ve been doing in Tibet. And just, I leave you with the beauty of those looks that tells more about happiness than I could ever say. And jumping monks of Tibet. (Laughter) Flying monks. Thank you very much. EH

24 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 24

17/12/2014 10:06:51 AM

TEACHINGS

What Does It Mean To Be Enlightened? By Venerable Dr Bhikkhu Bodhi

Bhikkhu Bodhi is an American Buddhist monk from New York City. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1944, he obtained a BA in philosophy from Brooklyn College (1966) and a PhD in philosophy from Claremont Graduate School (1972). Drawn to Buddhism in his early 20s, after completing his university studies he traveled to Sri Lanka, where he received novice ordination in 1972 and full ordination in 1973, both under the late Ven. Ananda Maitreya, the leading Sri Lankan scholar-monk of recent times. He was appointed editor of the Buddhist Publication Society (in Sri Lanka) in 1984 and its president in 1988. Ven. Bodhi has many important publications to his credit, either as author, translator, or editor, including the Buddha — A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya (co-translated with Ven. Bhikkhu Nanamoli (1995), The Connected Discourses of the Buddha — a New Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya (2000), In the Buddha’s Words (2005), and The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya (2012). In May 2000 he gave the keynote address at the United Nations on its first official celebration of Vesak (the day of the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passing away). He returned to the U.S. in 2002. He currently resides at Chuang Yen Monastery and teaches there and at Bodhi Monastery. He is currently the chairman of Yin Shun Foundation.

EASTERN HORIZON | 25

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 25

17/12/2014 10:06:51 AM

TEACHINGS

In a conversation with an aged brahmin, the Buddha once explained concisely what is meant by a Buddha, an enlightened one: “What has to be known, that I have known; What has to be abandoned, that I have abandoned; What has to be developed, that I have developed; Therefore, O brahmin, I am a Buddha.” These are not only three characteristics of a Buddha; they are also the three objectives we aim at in following the Buddha’s teaching. We follow the Dhamma to fully know what should be known; to abandon what should be abandoned; and to develop what should be developed. These are the goals of the Buddhist path and the three accomplishments that mark the attainment of enlightenment. What does it mean to say that our task is “to know that which should be known”? What we have to know, what we have to understand, is that which is closest to ourselves, what we usually refer to as our self. What we usually refer to as our self is this complex of body and mind. For most of us, from the time we are born right up to the time of our death, our minds are oriented outwardly, engaged in a tireless quest for pleasure and sensual grati ication, for the enhancement of our self, for the con irmation of our sense of egoidentity. Very few people stop and turn around to consider the question, “What is it that I call my self? What is it that I refer to as my self?” And yet, if you re lect for just a moment, you will see that this is the most important question we can ask. So our task in following the Buddha’s teaching is to investigate, to examine, that which we refer to as “I,” as “my self,” as “what I am.” We usually take these terms to refer to some kind of persisting entity, an ego, a substantial self possessing a real identity, but what the Buddha asks us to do is to see what we ind when we look for the referents of the terms, “I,” “me,” and “my self.” When we look, when we investigate, what we ind are just components of bodily and mental experience, which the Buddha has classi ied into ive aggregates: physical form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. These are called the “ ive aggregates of clinging” because they are the things that we ordinarily cling to as, “This is mine, this is what I am, this is my true self.” Our task in following the Buddha’s teaching is to understand the true nature of these ive aggregates. We thereby come to know that which constitutes our identity. From birth, through adulthood, through old age, to death — this whole process of life is just a procession of the ive aggregates.

26 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 26

17/12/2014 10:06:51 AM

TEACHINGS

The second project the Buddha’s teaching sets for us is “to abandon that which should be abandoned.” What should be abandoned are the de ilements. The Buddha uses the word kilesas as an umbrella term that includes all the mental states that cause suffering and unhappiness in our lives. The unwholesome mental states are called kilesas. The word can be translated af lictions because they bring suffering. It can also be translated de ilements because they de ile and corrupt the mind. The Buddha has analyzed the nature of the de ilements and has beautifully explained how they can all be traced to the three “root de ilements” of greed, hatred, and delusion. Our task in following the Buddha’s teaching, in practicing the Dhamma, is to overcome, to eliminate, to abandon the de ilements of greed and hatred that give rise to many other branch de ilements. But greed and hatred spring ultimately from delusion or ignorance. And thus to eliminate all the de ilements, we have to eliminate ignorance. Ignorance is what covers up the ive aggregates, that which should be known. Thus the way to overcome ignorance is through the irst task — “knowing that which should be known.” When we know that which should be known, ignorance falls away — and then greed, hatred, and all the other de ilements fall away. It isn’t possible, however, to accomplish this merely by having the desire to do so. We can’t expect simply to think, “I want to know that which should be known,” and immediately it is known. That’s why the whole practice of Buddhism is a process of walking a path. The great gift that the Buddha offers the world is not simply a profound philosophy, not simply a very penetrating psychology, but a practical, systematic, step-by-step path that we can cultivate in sequence. To cultivate the path means to “develop that which should be developed.” That is the third project the Buddha speaks of in his four-line verse: “That which should be developed, that I have developed.” So what the Buddha has developed is what we have to develop. The path is structured in such a way that it proceeds not suddenly, not abruptly, but in a gradual step-by-step manner to help us climb the ladder to the ultimate freedom of enlightenment. One has to begin by keeping the coarser expression of the de ilements under control. One does this by observing the precepts, the Five Precepts or the Eight Precepts. These control the coarser expressions of the de ilements, the way the de ilements break out or erupt in the form of unwholesome actions. We next have to cultivate concentration. When we try to collect the mind, we gain insight into the workings of our own minds. By understanding the workings of our own minds, we’re gradually changing the shape of the mind.

EASTERN HORIZON | 27

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 27

17/12/2014 10:06:52 AM

TEACHINGS

First, we are beginning to scrape away the soil in which the unwholesome roots have been lodged. The process isn’t a quick or easy one, but requires gradual, persistent, and dedicated effort. As one practices consistently, the mind will eventually settle into irm concentration. It acquires the skills needed to remain consistently settled upon an object, without wavering, and this provides the opportunity for wisdom to arise. Wisdom is the third quality that needs to be developed. Wisdom comes through examination, through investigation. When one has developed a strongly concentrated mind, one uses that mind to investigate the ive aggregates. As one investigates, one directly sees into their real nature, into “the true characteristics of phenomena.” Generally, one irst sees the arising and falling away of the ive aggregates. That is, one sees their impermanence. One sees that because they’re impermanent, they’re unsatisfactory. There’s nothing worth clinging to in them. And because they’re impermanent and unsatisfactory, one cannot identify with any of them as a truly existing self. This is the empty or self-less nature of the ive aggregates. This marks the arising of true insight wisdom. With insight-wisdom, one cuts deeper and deeper into the root of ignorance until one comes to fully understand the nature of the ive aggregates. When one does so, one can then say that one has “known that which should be known.” And by fully knowing that which should be known, the de ilements “that should be abandoned have been abandoned,” and the path “that should be developed has been developed.” One then realizes that which should be realized, the extinction of suffering right here and now. And, in the Buddha’s own words, that is the mark of an Enlightened One. EH

28 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 28

17/12/2014 10:06:52 AM

TEACHINGS

Chan Practice and Faith By Ven Master Sheng Yen (1930-2009)

Master Sheng Yen 聖嚴 was a Buddhist monk, a religious scholar, and one of the mainstream teachers of Chinese Zen (Chan) Buddhism. He was a 57th generational Dharma heir of Linji Yixuan in the Linji school (Japanese: Rinzai) and a 3rd generational Dharma heir of Master Hsu Yun. In the Caodong (Japanese: Sōtō) lineage, Sheng Yen was a 52nd generational Dharma heir of Master Dongshan (807-869), and a direct Dharma heir of Master Dongchu (1908–1977). Sheng Yen was the founder of the Dharma Drum Mountain, a Buddhist organization based in Taiwan. During his time in Taiwan, Sheng Yen was well known as one of the progressive Buddhist teachers who sought to teach Buddhism in a modern and Western-influenced world. In 2000 he was one of the keynote speakers in the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders held in the United Nations.

People interested in Chan practice often ind it dif icult to have religious faith. As faith is intrinsically emotional, and Chan practitioners emphasize personal cultivation to gain physical and mental bene its or the experience of Chan, they ind it hard to accept religious faith. This is actually a great mistake. Many people think that Chan practice depends solely on their own efforts, requiring self-reliance, while those who practice by reciting the Buddha’s name depend solely on external help. Both of these views are incorrect. In reality, Chan practice also requires external help, and the practice of reciting the Buddha’s name also requires one’s own effort. One can hardly become an accomplished Chan practitioner through one’s own efforts. In India, China and Tibet, all meditators need the support and assistance of teachers, Dharma-

EASTERN HORIZON | 29

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 29

17/12/2014 10:06:53 AM

TEACHINGS

protecting deities, and the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. That is why Chan monasteries in China erect and worship the statues of Dharma-protecting deities such as the eight divisions of divinities and the four deva kings. In the past, eminent masters often encouraged Chan practitioners to “entrust their bodies to the monastery and their lives to the Dharma-protecting deities” during Chan meditation. You don’t need to be concerned about your body since it will be taken care of by the masters on duty. You simply follow the monastery’s routines. However, to achieve good results in your practice, you need the support of Dharma-protecting deities. Without such assistance, one may face physical and mental obstructions, which may turn into demonic hindrances. Practicing Chan depending solely on one’s own efforts without believing in the power of the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and Dharma-protecting deities cannot be considered practicing Buddhism at all. Accumulate merit and Cultivate Virtue Chan practitioners should believe that in addition to meditating diligently and working on Chan, they need to accumulate merit and cultivate virtue. The idea that one can attain enlightenment or liberation by meditating on one’s own is itself an obstacle that precludes real liberation. How can a self-seeking person become enlightened? Therefore, the Chan school also emphasizes practices such as giving and repentance. If one does not show concern for the bene it of all sentient beings, sincerely give of oneself for others, and devotedly practice giving and make offerings, it will be quite dif icult to succeed in spiritual practice. In the past, many as-yet-unenlightened Chan masters at large monasteries engaged in “work cultivation,” performing all kinds of manual labor for their masters and monasteries. Such work included carrying water, chopping wood, cooking and other kitchen chores, growing vegetables, as well as cleaning up and maintaining the monastery and grounds. At traditional Buddhist monasteries, forty-eight types of work were performed by monastic practitioners. Even today, they are relieved of complex tasks only during seven-day Chan retreats to avoid distractions. Otherwise, every monastic is assigned longterm tasks. Therefore, during our seven-day Chan retreats, we make it a rule to ask every participant to do some simple chores.

30 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 30

17/12/2014 10:06:53 AM

TEACHINGS

Chan monasteries encourage monastics to give their spare clothes, money or other possessions to the needy, keeping only the most basic necessities. In the past, a typical monastic Chan practitioner’s belongings weighed just a little over one kilo, because they gave away whatever came into their possession. From these examples, we can see that a Chan practitioner must be ready to make offerings and practice giving, as well as give away unnecessary personal belongings to those who need them. Unfortunately, many Chan practitioners today are presumptuous, arrogant, sel ish and petty, and lack faith. This is a pity -and it is dangerous. How did this happen? It’s because people who take up Chan practice hope to have physical and mental experiences such as stability, joy and health. However, once these objectives are achieved, they see those achievements as the product of their own efforts, rather than the result of a spiritual response from the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, or the support of Dharmaprotecting deities in the monastery. Nor do they believe these effects are due to the skilful guidance of a venerable master or teacher. As a result, they become arrogant, conceited and complacent, lacking both belief and a sense of respect. “Faith” means that, in spite of our own limited capacities and knowledge, we believe in the existence of certain realities. This can best be illustrated by the Chinese expression: “We look up to a sage’s noble behavior like looking up to a lofty mountain. Unattainable though it may seem, we yearn for it in our hearts.” When we see a lofty mountain, even though we’re as yet unable to reach its peak, we still believe that there must be great masters residing yonder, and the scenery must be fantastic. The higher we climb, the more we discover things we’ve never seen before. This is belief based on admiration. Standing far below, we revere what is high above us, generating a belief that there must be some unknown power above that can help us. But

if our faith is insuf icient, we won’t be able to believe in things that Buddhism talks about that are beyond our ken, and our spiritual practice will not be effective. Believe in our own ability to attain Buddhahood Chan Buddhism advocates belief in our own nature, that is, the belief that we ourselves can attain Buddhahood, and that we are originally the same as all Buddhas, not lacking in any single attribute of a Buddha. Chan Buddhism asserts that if only we let go of our self-centeredness, we will instantly see our “original face,” so we can all attain Buddhahood. Our original face is the Buddha in our own nature. The Buddha- nature is inherent in us, not acquired after cultivation. For this reason, many people misunderstand Chan Buddhism and neglect the importance of faith. The basic theory that we are all intrinsically Buddhas is correct. But in practice, it doesn’t quite work that way. As an illustration, everyone may become a parent, but does that mean a newborn baby is a parent? He has yet to grow up and reach adulthood. He is not a parent yet, and is still a baby. Will a baby become a parent in the future? Not necessarily. Those who take monastic vows at an early age and practice celibacy will not become parents, nor will those who are married but are infertile. In theory, everyone can be a parent. But in actuality, it’s not necessarily so. Similarly, in a democratic society every citizen has the right to vote, and be elected to of ice. However, while the majority has the right to vote, few have the opportunity to be elected. Due to a lack of ability or causes and conditions, we can only vote, but can never be elected. There are, however, those who, upon hearing that in Chan teaching “everyone has the Buddha-nature,” fancy themselves as equivalent to Buddhas with perfect wisdom, though they are nothing but ignorant, mediocre people. Seeing Buddha

EASTERN HORIZON | 31

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 31

17/12/2014 10:06:53 AM

TEACHINGS

images, they not only refuse to prostrate, but scoff, saying that as present Buddhas themselves, they do not prostrate to past Buddhas. They think, “I have a Buddha within. Why bother to worship clay or wooden statues of Buddhas, or their painted images!” Such people believe that only their own mind is the Buddha and that there is no Buddha outside their mind. When they see other people making prostrations, they call it attachment. When people prostrate to a venerable master, these self-proclaimed Chan practitioners shake their heads and sigh, “There’s no need to prostrate to the Buddha, let alone a monastic.” Once, while someone was prostrating to me, they were pulled up by a lay practitioner who said to them, “Don’t prostrate! Don’t harm the master!” I, to whom the followers made prostrations, was being harmed? I was puzzled, so I asked, “What do you mean? How is he harming me?” He said, “If you are really an eminent monk of great attainment, do you still need to have people prostrate to you? If you do, that means there is attachment in your mind. The more people prostrate, the more you feel like an eminent monk. You won’t attain liberation and enlightenment your whole life.” I thought to myself, “Well! He has a point.” The lay practitioner continued, “If you have really attained liberation, then when he prostrates to you, you should reproach him saying, ‘Don’t be attached to anything. Since one should have no notion of self, person, sentient beings, or beings with a lifespan, naturally there should be no notion of master and disciples. Why bother to make prostrations!’” Oh! This layman has a really sharp tongue. I asked him, “Do you prostrate to the Buddha?” He said, “I prostrate to the Buddha within.” I asked, “How do you do that?” He replied, “I don’t do it with my body, but with my mind.” I asked, “How do you do it with your mind?” He said, “Achieving a free and easy state of mind is prostration.

32 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 32

17/12/2014 10:06:53 AM

TEACHINGS

Having no obstructions in the mind is prostration.” What he meant is that there was no need to prostrate to Buddhas or bodhisattvas, and he believed in nothing but himself. Actually, this is neither Buddhism nor Chan, but a type of arrogant, demonic view that lacks faith. This kind of person may have had some minor experiences in meditation and developed a kind of overcon idence, which we call “pride of superior attainment.” After having read some specious Chan texts, they are caught up in erroneous views. While in this life, they think they’ve already attained liberation. Once they die, they may be reborn in the heavenly realm if they have great merit. However, because they don’t have the right view and understanding or believe in the Three Jewels, they will fall into a miserable plane of existence once they’ve exhausted their karmic rewards in heaven. If they have an improper attitude, don’t keep the precepts, and always do evil, they’ll fall into hell as fast as an arrow. Therefore, Chan masters believe in the existence of heaven, hell, Buddha lands, and worlds of troubles. Only to highly advanced Chan practitioners who are practicing vigorously but still harbor some attachment in their minds would a Chan master say, “There is no Buddha, no Dharma, and no Sangha. There is no heaven and hell.” Chan masters say this because liberation can never be attained if one’s mind is attached to the Three Jewels, heaven, or hell. On the other hand, beginning Chan practitioners must be reminded to make a clear distinction between cause and effect, and between ordinary people and sages. Otherwise, in speaking against attachment, they become trapped in inverted views, reversing cause and effect, and, as ordinary people, passing themselves off as sages. Ordinary people are just ordinary people. We should not fancy ourselves as ancient Buddhas who reappear in this world, equal in all respects to the Buddhas of the past, present and future.

Chan Practice is not just Sitting Meditation Chan practice is not just sitting meditation. Chan practice is not about just talking big, or solely seeking enlightenment and wanting to be equal to all past, present and future Buddhas. While promoting Chan teachings, we should also emphasize the importance of faith. By so doing, we can make it easier for people to practice successfully and help uplift their character. Chan methods also require that we let go of our attachment to the self. This must start with having faith, practicing giving, and keeping the precepts. Eliminating this attachment requires a sense of shame, humility, gratitude, and repentance. We should also have faith in the Three Jewels, Buddhas and bodhisattvas, the various Dharma-protecting deities, and Chan patriarchs, as well as the teachers who guide us in our practice. On the contrary, if you are so arrogant that, having barely embarked on the Chan path, you refuse to prostrate to the Buddha, respect the Dharma and Sangha, or believe in the various Dharma-protecting deities, then don’t even think about the possibility of attaining enlightenment or seeing your true nature. EH

EASTERN HORIZON | 33

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 33

17/12/2014 10:06:53 AM

TEACHINGS

Finding Our Way: Marriage and the Precepts by Susan Rakow

Susan has been practicing Zen since 1969 when she met Roshi Philip Kapleau, founder of the Rochester Zen Center (RZC), New York, USA. Currently, her teacher is Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede. In 2004, Susan was invested as a lay member of the Three Jewels Order of RZC. In 2010 she went with a group of Zen practitioners on a pilgrimage to China where they visited many sites related to the life and teaching of Bodhidharma. She has also been to Japan and sat briefly at Sogen-ji. Both of these experiences moved her deeply. Susan has been the group leader of the Cleveland Zazen Group, Ohio, for over twenty years. She is married (for almost 45 years) with two grown children and four grandchildren and they all live in Cleveland, Ohio. Susan was a middle school teacher for 30 years, a college professor in the College of Education of Cleveland State University for 10 years, and is now a Clinical Mental Health counselor part-time, specializing in the needs of gifted children and families, but with a general practice as well. Eastern Horizon wishes to thank Susan for allowing us to reproduce her article which was first published in Zen Bow, journal of the Rochester Zen Center, New York.

34 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 34

17/12/2014 10:06:53 AM

TEACHINGS

There are many different kinds of relationships—friends, siblings, parents, children, colleagues, and co-workers. But the relationship that seems to hold up the most signi icant mirror to who I am is an intimate relationship with the partner I chose to share my life with and to whom I have a unique commitment. Marriage seems to be a koan to be demonstrated and experienced and investigated thoroughly.

Right speech is obvious—no namecalling, no railing against things that happened in the past which we can’t change. This precept (as well as the resolution not to indulge in anger) also reminds us to consider the lasting impact words have before we say them.

When I irst got together with the boy who 18 months later would become my husband, the word ‘relationship’ wasn’t even part of the popular vocabulary. Striding across campus toward our irst date in his cape, cowboy boots, and sunglasses, long hair lying out behind him, I thought he was the sexiest, most exciting person I’d ever known. His reality was he had just swallowed a bug that had lown into his mouth and was trying to spit it out ! (A then unspoken, unacknowledged demonstration that there are two sides to every relationship experience.) Almost forty- ive years, two children and four grandchildren later, what exists between us is deeper and different than what either of us imagined. As part of our mutual exploration—of each other, of other people, of college, of ‘better living through chemistry,’ of yoga—we stumbled upon Roshi Kapleau’s Three Pillars of Zen and attended a workshop together in about 1968. We began practicing at the same time, took the precepts and received rakusus together, and have been able to continue to support each other’s spiritual paths as we have the other aspects of our individual lives and our marriage. When asked ‘how’ and ‘why’ we have thrived in our relationship, a number of answers emerge. While I am the one writing this Zen Bow article, we are continually discussing aspects of our marriage and trying to thoroughly investigate what makes us ‘tick’ together. Recently, as I am approaching retirement, my husband and I were discussing how we will deal with my presence in the house more during the day. He has worked from home for the last 20+ years. My grown daughter, overhearing part of this conversation, stated that she thought that by now, we’d have ‘worked everything out.’ We laughed and explained that it’s never ‘done’— every change, personal or external, is interconnected to and impacts the relationship, requiring discussion and adjustments. Our marriage needs to be an ever-changing responsive connection if it is to survive and thrive. It is a model of impermanence. The marriage of 1970 is not the marriage of 2014. Are the two people in it even the same? There’s a reason that taking the precepts together is part of the marriage commitment ceremony at the Rochester Zen Center. And we have found them to be powerful guidelines to relationship building, to nurturing forgiveness and compassion, and to decision-making in times of distress and con lict.

EASTERN HORIZON | 35

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 35

17/12/2014 10:06:53 AM

TEACHINGS

Right action, too, seems obvious and is connected to Right Attention in the sense that when we attend to and nurture the relationship, we take actions to ensure its growth and mutual satisfaction.

Riding the roller-coaster of marriage through decades, the precepts provide a rudder. Right speech is obvious—no name-calling, no railing against things that happened in the past which we can’t change. This precept (as well as the resolution not to indulge in anger) also reminds us to consider the lasting impact words have before we say them. In addition to what not to say, the precept guides us in what does need to be said, making sure to raise problems before they become festered sores and explode. This includes sharing feelings, even when they are irrational, dif icult and/or painful—how something frustrated us, hurt our feelings, made us angry. These conversations are not always pretty, but they seem to be necessary to keep ‘the dynamic interplay of larger energies’ lowing (Welwood). Neither of us is perfect, so the precepts about others’ faults and shortcomings as well as our own provide daily challenges. When my husband has done something that I think is wrong or problematic, how can I confront him in a way that’s compassionate and understanding yet honest? Can I see the same law in myself just as clearly? The other side of Right Speech, though, is silence, and knowing when to talk and when to be quiet is only learned through experience, error, and forgiveness, both of one’s self and one’s partner. Right action, too, seems obvious and is connected to Right Attention in the sense that when we attend to and nurture the relationship, we take actions to ensure its growth and mutual satisfaction. A.R. Orage states that in conscious love we ‘will the good of the other and act in behalf of the full unfolding of the beloved, regardless of the consequences to oneself’ (cited in Welwood). This is more than the two of us achieve on a daily basis, since it describes the Bodhisattva more than the two of us, but we try. One of the most romantic and appreciated actions Larry ever took was to commit to doing the dishes every night regardless of who cooked. This is a chore I have never liked and so he just took it over. It has been years since I have regularly washed and dried the dishes and every morning when I (as the irst one awake every day) walk into the kitchen, I am grateful to see it clean. The third precept on sexuality reminds us to be ‘caring and responsible.’ Physical needs and wants have varied between us at different points in our individual lives and in the relationship. When is snuggling enough to show caring and when does being responsible mean that we need to respond to the need of our partner for something more? In a somewhat pop-psychology book called The 5 Love Languages, author Gary Chapman suggests that each person has one of ive primary ‘languages’ that say ‘I love you’ to them : words of af irmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service and physical touch.

36 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 36

17/12/2014 10:06:53 AM

TEACHINGS

When our partner’s language and ours are different, we may not feel the love he or she thinks they are clearly demonstrating. This has been true for us in regards to sexuality because ‘touch’ has meant something different to each of us at different times, like when I was pregnant and when Larry was preoccupied with starting a new business. When we were irst together, we differed on what level of affection could or should be shown in public. To me, if you didn’t hold my hand when we were out, it was a clear sign you didn’t love me, but I didn’t want to force something that wasn’t genuine.

The challenge seems to be to balance all the aspects of us as separate but interconnected. The same balancing / juggling act is true with family and work.

This leads to the second precept, ‘not to take what is not given, but to respect the things of others.’ It was very hard for me to realize that marriage didn’t mean that everything that was my husband’s was mine (money, time, body, possessions) and that everything that was mine was also his. I nearly lost my mind (and not in a good way) and de initely lost my temper the day he ‘cleaned up and organized’ my computer desk top as ‘a favor’! I couldn’t ind some documents and folders for days. I think he felt the same way when I discarded some of his favorite, but ragged, t-shirts. The challenge seems to be to balance all the aspects of us as separate but interconnected. The same balancing / juggling act is true with family and work. Who needs what when … and what does that mean for me and us? Flexibility and forgiveness, responsiveness and respect! We try to igure this out on a daily basis moment-by-moment. If ultimately there is no self, then who feels taken advantage of ? Neglected ? Unheard ? How do we love without attachment, knowing we and everyone and everything else are ever-changing? Our relationship has survived boredom, temptation, and all the poisons of greed, anger, and delusion, sometimes emerging battered and bruised, but not defeated or abandoned. Some karmic connection holds us together and precepts practice is the rudder of our relation-ship. Since our original marriage was in a civil ceremony in a judge’s chambers, we renewed our vows on our 25th anniversary in a private ceremony at home and took the precepts together. We’re hoping to do this more publicly at our 50th! Who knows what two people will show up then? References Chapman, Gary. (2010) The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts. Chicago, IL: North ield Publishing. Welwood, John, ed. (1985) Challenge of the Heart: Love, Sex, and Intimacy in Changing Times. Boston, MA : Shambhala Press. Source: Zen Bow, Vol. XXXVI, No. 4, 2013-14 (Rochester Zen Center, New York). EH

EASTERN HORIZON | 37

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 37

17/12/2014 10:06:53 AM

TEACHINGS

THE HEART OF THE PERFECTION OF WISDOM – THE HEART SUTRA Translated by HH the 14th Dalai Lama

Thus have I once heard: The Blessed One was staying in Rajagrha at Vulture Peak along with a great community of monks and great community of bodhisattvas, and at that time, the Blessed One fully entered the meditative concentration on the varieties of phenomena called the Appearance of the Profound. At that very time as well, holy Avalokitsevara, the bodhisattva, the great being, beheld the practice itself of the profound perfection of wisdom, and he even saw the five aggregates as empty of inherent nature. Thereupon, through the Buddha’s inspiration, the venerable Sariputra spoke to holy Avalokitsevara, the bodhisattva, the great being, and said, “Any noble son who wishes to engage in the practice of the profound perfection of wisdom should train in what way?” When this had been said, holy Avalokitsevara, the bodhisattva, the great being, spoke to venerable Sariputra and said, “Sariputra, any noble sons or daughters who wish to practice the perfection of wisdom should see this way: they should see insightfully, correctly, and repeatedly that even the five aggregates are empty of inherent nature. Form is empty, emptiness is form, Emptiness is not other than form, form is also not other than emptiness. Likewise, sensation, discrimination, conditioning, and awareness are empty. In this way,

Sariputra, all things are emptiness; they are without defining characteristics; they are not born, they do not cease, they are not defiled, they are not undefiled. They have no increase, they have no decrease. “Therefore, Sariputra, in emptiness there is no form, no sensation, no discrimination, no conditioning, and no awareness. There is no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind. There is no form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no texture, no phenomenon. There is no eye-element and so on up to no mindelement and also up to no element of mental awareness. There is no ignorance and no elimination of ignorance and so on up to no aging and death and no elimination of aging and death. Likewise, there is no suffering, origin, cessation, or path; there is no wisdom, no attainment, and even no non-attainment. “Therefore, Sariputra, since the bodhisattvas have no obtainments, they abide relying on the perfection of wisdom. Having no defilements in their minds, they have no fear, and passing completely beyond error, they reach nirvana. Likewise, all the Buddhas abiding in the three times clearly and completely awaken to unexcelled, authentic, and complete awakening in dependence upon the perfection of wisdom.

“Therefore, one should know that the mantra of the perfection of wisdom - the mantra of great knowledge, the precious mantra, the unexcelled mantra, the mantra equal to the unequalled, the mantra that quells all suffering - is true because it is not deceptive. The mantra of the perfection of wisdom is proclaimed: tadyatha - gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha! Sariputra, a bodhisattva, a great being, should train in the profound perfection of wisdom in that way.” Thereupon, the Blessed One arose for that meditative concentration, and he commended holy Avalokitsevara, the bodhisattva, the great being. “Excellent!” he said. “Excellent! Excellent! Noble child, it is just so. Noble child, it is just so. One should practice the profound perfection of wisdom in the manner that you have revealed - the Tathagatas rejoice!” This is what the Blessed One said. Thereupon, the venerable Sariputra, the holy Avalokitsevara, the bodhisattva, the great being, and that entire assembly along with the world of gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, all rejoiced and highly praised what the Blessed One had said. EH

38 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 38

17/12/2014 10:06:53 AM

TEACHINGS

A Commentary on the Heart Sutra By Geshe Lama Konchog (1917-2001)

Geshe Lama Konchog, born Lobsang Puntsog (1917– 2001), was a Tibetan Buddhist lama of the Gelug school, who had thousands of followers around the world. Konchog was recognized by HH the Dalai Lama to be a Mahasiddha, or realized guru. Konchog spent a total of 26 years in isolated mountain retreat, seeking illumination. Beginning in 1985, he resided at Kopan Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal. He also traveled around the world teaching. Konchog died at the age of 84 in 2001. Tenzin Nyudrup (Phuntsok Rinpoche) was recognized by HH the Dalai Lama to be Konchog’s reincarnation.Konchog’s funeral rites, and the search for his subsequent reincarnation by his close disciple Geshe Tenzin Zopa, are documented in the 2008 film, Unmistaken Child.

The subject we are going to discuss today is the most essential point of the 84,000 sets of teachings that the Buddha gave—the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra (Heart Sutra). This sutra has various levels which are called the extensive, the intermediate, and the short levels. It is called the most essential point because it contains the condensed meaning of all three levels of the Prajnaparamita sutras. We will begin with a discussion of the two categories of this sutra—the common and the uncommon. The common category explains the four excellent qualities, which are the explanations of the excellent times, the excellent teaching, the excellent teacher, and the excellent disciple.

EASTERN HORIZON | 39

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 39

17/12/2014 10:06:53 AM

TEACHINGS

The root text begins: “Thus have I heard ... at that time.” This indicates the excellent time. The place where this teaching was given was Rajagriha on Vulture’s Peak, which was considered to be an excellent place. When Buddha taught this particular discourse, infinite bodhisattvas descended into this world system to receive these teachings. They were the disciples of the Buddhas from the ten directions and this shows the excellent retinues that were there at that time. While the Buddha was teaching the bodhisattvas, they emanated infinite light from their bodies, which illuminated the darkness of the three world systems. The three universal world systems are comprised of billions of other world systems and this was the place where Shakyamuni Buddha performed the twelve holy deeds. We might think that Shakyamuni Buddha only performed these holy deeds in this world and nowhere else; however, in reality Buddha performed all the twelve holy deeds in many world systems — particularly the deeds of providing Dharma teachings. Since the topic of the discourse on the Prajnaparamita (the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra) is so precious and unique, the infinite bodhisattvas asked if they could also attend the teachings that Buddha was giving to the different worlds. The buddhas gave their permission to their disciple bodhisattvas because they made so many offerings to Shakyamuni Buddha while he was teaching them. In fact, the buddhas recommended that while the bodhisattvas were listening to the teachings they were to be seen as good examples and therefore must act correctly. The reason why they were given this advice was because human beings in this world system were not conducting themselves well at all and needed to be shown by example.

So not only was the Buddha giving the discourse on Vulture’s Peak to countless bodhisattvas from the ten directions, at the same time he was able to train and subdue many more disciples. This was a most extraordinary time. It was extraordinarily fortunate to have all these extraordinary and supreme disciples in one place at one time, and they were being taught the extraordinary teachings on the Prajnaparamita, The Wisdom Gone Beyond by the Buddha himself. At that time Buddha was teaching in the aspect of being absorbed into the concentration of profound illumination. It was while he was showing the aspect of being absorbed into this particular concentration, that a discussion occurred between Avalokiteshvara and Shariputra. It was due to the power of the blessing that was given to Avalokiteshvara by Shakyamuni Buddha that Avalokiteshvara was able to look perfectly at the practice of the emptiness of inherent existence of the five aggregates. He was then able to engage in an investigation of all phenomena. Then through the power of the Buddha, the Venerable Shariputra said to Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva, the great being: “How should a child of the lineage train, who wishes to train in the practice of the profound wisdom gone beyond?” Training on the Path Now, there are many questions within this question, for instance, how did the initial bodhisattvas train on the meditational path of accumulation, the path of preparation, the path of seeing, and so forth? That question comprised many different kinds of questions relating to how the practitioner— whether a beginner, middle or superior being—should train on the path.

40 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 40

17/12/2014 10:06:54 AM

TEACHINGS

There are two categories of beings who should follow the practices of the Prajnaparamita— those who are of less intelligence and those of greater intelligence. For those of less intelligence, Avalokiteshvara asked how he should investigate and analyze the profound view of those who hold the lineage of this particular tradition. Then the noble Avalokiteshvara replied to the venerable Shariputra as follows: “Shariputra, whatever son or daughter of the lineage wishes to engage in the practice of the profound perfection of the wisdom gone beyond, should do it exactly like this. Analyze perfectly and correctly the nature of the five aggregates, which are by nature empty.” This is the short answer. Initially he gave this brief answer, then later on, he elaborated on it by saying: “Form is empty, emptiness is form. Emptiness is no other than form and form is no other than emptiness.” Our physical body is composed of the four elements, the twelve constituents and so forth, and due to the aggregation of all these elements, we are able to label this body “physical”. We are able to say that it is form. However, there is nothing inherently existing in that form from its own side. It is said that the physical form or the form aggregate, lacks inherent existence, but we appear as a physical form. Therefore, the nature of form is equal to the nature of emptiness and emptiness is equal to the nature of form. These two are considered to be of one nature, yet different in the sense that they are conceptually isolated. This also shows how existence is free from permanence. This is because although the physical form appears, it is empty. Who posited this physical existence? This physical form was posited by the consciousness. The mind or consciousness posited this physical

form, and because the physical form appears to the mind, it therefore lacks inherent, or true, existence. Due to gaining some understanding of emptiness, we can then eliminate the belief in inherent existence and also by having an understanding of the impermanence of physical form, we can eliminate the thought of eternalism. When we talk about a lack of inherent existence, or say that things do not exist inherently, this itself shows the nominal existence of conventional existence. From now on the root text describes the practices on the paths of accumulation and preparation. These discussions are based on the fact that we have already generated bodhicitta and we are training in an understanding of emptiness. Generating Bodhicitta and Understanding Emptiness The Heart Sutra tells us how we should first understand the importance of having a realization of emptiness, and then generate bodhicitta. This is necessary because initially we meditate on the seven instructions of cause and effect to generate bodhicitta. We start to recognize that all sentient beings are our mother and by remembering this kindness, we then want to repay that love, compassion and that extraordinary attitude. When we generate this extraordinary attitude, the unusual thought of leading all sentient beings to the state of everlasting happiness by ourselves alone is generated. At this time, we then investigate whether it is possible to achieve the state of enlightenment. The reason for doing this is so that we, alone, can lead others out of the state of suffering. But first of all we must be freed from that state ourselves.

EASTERN HORIZON | 41

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 41

17/12/2014 10:06:54 AM

TEACHINGS

Then we investigate whether or not it is possible to be completely freed from all suffering. We need to come to the understanding that when we are able to remove all defilements and delusions from our mental continuum, it is possible to get out of cyclic existence, the state of suffering. Delusions are caused by the self-grasping attitude. When we realize that we can eliminate this self-grasping attitude, we can get out of the state of suffering. We then come to know that defilements are removable and that the state of liberation or enlightenment is attainable. In the tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa and his teaching on the graduated path to enlightenment, the lam-rim, he says that first of all we need to generate bodhicitta, then follow this with the realization of emptiness. However, Lama Tsongkhapa also says that we must keep the doctrine secret, so initially in this tradition, this topic was hidden until the practitioner generated bodhicitta. Attachment to the ‘I’ In our case, we feel this sense of ‘I’ and on that basis we designate the five aggregates. However, the ‘I’ or the self is merely labeled and is only imputed on the basis of the five aggregates. There is no independent ‘I’ that arises from the five aggregates. Upon investigation, we find that there is no ‘I’ arising independently from the five aggregates, yet we cherish the ‘I’ and cling to it more and more, even though it is unfindable. We cherish that ‘I’ as if it were solid and permanent. We have this attachment to the ‘I’, therefore we accumulate friends who support and benefit us and we generate attachment towards them. We consider those who harm us and provide us with

difficult situations our enemies, and we generate anger towards them. This keeps us in samsara, in the state of suffering. The self-grasping attitude does not recognize the emptiness of the ‘I’ and cannot realize that it is merely labeled. It grasps at something that is completely non-inherently existent and because of this self-grasping attitude, the object is misconceived. This self-grasping attitude is known as ignorance. This attitude is also called the changeable view or the transient view. As long as we have this self-grasping ignorance, we shall remain in samsara. When we replace this self-grasping ignorance with the correct wisdom, this is generated initially through the path of accumulation. During this training, we generate the wisdom of hearing the subject. We also generate the wisdom of contemplation on the subject, then due to generating this wisdom, we can identify selflessness. Due to having the right identification, we should try to become habituated with that concept. During the path of preparation, we contemplate and meditate on this. “Form is empty, emptiness is form. Emptiness is no other than form and form is no other than emptiness.” This refers to the aggregate of form alone. The same reference is then made to feeling, recognition, karmic formations and so forth. After the part “Form is empty ... consciousness are all empty,” the sutra shows how to train on the paths of accumulation and preparation. At this point, emptiness is understood or recognized by applying these antidotes. When we train in emptiness on the path of seeing, the other antidotes, such as the eight antidotes and so on, are applied.

42 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 42

17/12/2014 10:06:54 AM

TEACHINGS

Shariputra was told that all phenomena are empty, without characteristics. They have no defilements and no separation from defilements; they have no increase and no decrease, and so forth. This indicates that those who are training on the path of seeing eliminate the eight types of object negation. In “true” or inherent, there is no decrease and no increase. The whole eight objects are negated during the path of seeing and we train in developing the wisdom that is required during the path of seeing. So by telling Shariputra that in emptiness there is no form, no feeling, no discrimination, down to no eye and so forth, this indicates how we should train ourselves on the path of meditation. On this path, the consciousness is one with the object, emptiness—like water being poured into water. There is complete oneness, without duality. If this non-dual wisdom that only perceives emptiness could also see physical form, then this would be inherently existing or truly existing. Therefore, for those who are absorbed in meditation on emptiness, in that wisdom, conventional existence cannot be seen. If conventional existence is seen by that wisdom, then the lack of inherent existence does not apply. This would mean that there should be inherent or true existence. Therefore, the practitioner who resides on the path of meditation needs to abandon all obscurations by applying the direct antidote found on the ten bhumis or grounds. For those who observe the meditation on emptiness, all conventional phenomena cease to exist.

At the end of the paragraph it says: “There is no attainment and no non-attainment.” At this point the practitioner who is on the path of meditation absorbs into the vajra-like concentration. Bodhisattvas rely on and abide in the perfection of wisdom. Their minds have no obstructions and no fear, because they have attained the final state beyond sorrow. At this point the sutra is talking about the different categories of emptiness. Up to this point it is about how the less intelligent practitioners train in the wisdom gone beyond. By the power of mantra alone, the most intelligent practitioners are able to train in the perfection of wisdom. The mantra of the perfection of wisdom, the mantra of unsurpassed knowledge does not refer to the mantras we find in tantra. It is, however, called “mantra” because it has the same power as tantric mantras. Profound emptiness has the same power and potential to destroy all wrong concepts. So all these mantras—the mantras that pacify all sufferings, that pass beyond all falsity, should be known as the truth. They have the same power as we find in secret mantras, therefore they are all labeled “mantra”. By this mantra alone, the most intelligent ones can understand the entire practice: TADYATHA OM GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA. TADYATHA is “thus” or “it is like this”. GATE GATE means “go, go”. So, go to the path of accumulation, go to the path of preparation. This refers to the two initial paths.

EASTERN HORIZON | 43

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 43

17/12/2014 10:06:54 AM

TEACHINGS

PARAGATE refers to going to the path of seeing. PARASAMGATE refers to the path of meditation. BODHI refers to the Buddha. It means going towards buddhahood. “Go, go to the path of accumulation, to the path of preparation, to the path of seeing, to the path of meditation—go towards buddhahood.” So, the entire discussion between Noble Avalokiteshvara and the Venerable Shariputra, in condensed form, is included within this mantra. Shariputra was told to train in the perfection of wisdom, which is the instruction known as the power of the blessings of the buddhas. The instruction or teaching on rejoicing is given with permission to allow others to compose. “Then the Blessed One arose from that concentration...” This part is said to be a direct verbal instruction. This is to encourage us to follow the practice as it is described in this text. Then we should rejoice, to increase the virtues [merit]. There are two ways to carry on the recitation of the Heart Sutra—one is the normal recitation and the other is the particular recitation done by the Kadampas. Visualization for the recitation of the Heart Sutra The procedure for recitation done by the Kadampa masters is to visualize the wisdom mother at the heart of Shakyamuni Buddha. At her heart, visualize the syllable AH, and surrounding this is the Heart Sutra mantra.

While reciting the mantra, infinite light emanates from the mantra. Then imagine oneself and all other sentient beings gaining a realization of emptiness. Another method is to visualize oneself and others arising in the form of Shakyamuni Buddha, then offer praises to Shakyamuni Buddha, make offerings and so forth. However, it is still alright to follow the normal way of recitation. Just by having the conviction that this prayer contains the entire collection of excellent qualities, you can follow the simple recitation. It is said that if we are able to recite this Perfection of Wisdom sutra, there is a type of substance we can gain that will protect us from being harmed by animals such as snakes, as well as giving protection from spirits and other interferers. They will not come near us. Verses at the beginning of teachings: I prostrate to the gatherings of dakinis in the three chakras, who abide in the holy yoga of using space. By your powers of clairvoyance and magical emanation, Look after practitioners like a mother looks after her child. AH KHA SAMA RAJA SADHA RASA MARAYA PHAT (21 times) TADYATHA OM GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA.

44 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 44

17/12/2014 10:06:54 AM

TEACHINGS

By the truth of the existence of the Three Jewels, May all inner and outer hindrances and adversities be overcome. May they become non-existent! (CLAP) May they be pacified! (CLAP) May they be completely pacified! (CLAP) May all negative forces opposed to the Dharma be completely pacified. May the eighty-four thousand kinds of hindrances be pacified. May all sentient beings be separated from discordant, harmful conditions. May all be harmonious, excellent and auspicious in the future. This commentary on the Heart Sutra was given by Geshe Lama Konchog at Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore on May 7, 1995. It was transcribed and edited by Ven. Thubten Konchog, who accepts responsibility for all errors and omissions. A second edit was made by Sandra Smith in February 2013. We thank Dr Nick Ribush of Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archives for allowing Eastern Horizon to republish this article for the benefit of our readers. Source: www.lamayeshe.com EH

EASTERN HORIZON | 45

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 45

17/12/2014 10:06:54 AM

NEWS

MEDITATION IS FINE, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BUDDHISM BEHIND IT? by Jessica Brown, The Independent, 29 August 2014 Closing your eyes and being mindful isn't the only way to achieve inner wellbeing

Jessica is a copywriter, and blogs at cantshutitup.blogspot.com

London, UK -- Just when you thought it was safe to close your eyes, there has been recent warnings from psychiatrists on the adverse effects of mindfulness meditation. As well as evidence of underqualified teachers, there have been rare cases of depersonalization, where people feel an out-ofbody experience. There has also been questions raised over the vulnerability of some of those who seek meditation as a form of treatment, regarding the increase in awareness and the emotions this can conjure. Meditation has fast become synonymous with the improvement of mental wellbeing. With its incredibly generous praises sang from a range of experts, it’s no wonder we expect amazing results quickly and easily. But these concerns highlight just how quickly and intensely a Buddhist tradition has become an unquestioned convenience in the UK. Lunchbreak meditation classes with quickly qualified teachers, short mindfulness courses – we’ve successfully westernized Buddhism to fit into our lifestyles. And with more and more of us suffering with depression, anxiety and stress, we

certainly have an appetite for anything that promises to help. These problems are far from enough to bring the practice of Western meditation into question – but they do serve as a good opportunity to explore it. Our busy, loud lives aren’t particularly conducive to regular meditation. It isn’t an easy thing to master, and the friction this causes can end up stressing us out more. We’ve marketed an ancient Indian tradition as an antidote to stress, but traditional Buddhist meditation has two objectives: to become more compassionate, and gain insight into the true nature of reality. But meditating to gain compassion seems to have got lost in translation. We’ve separated meditation and mindfulness from the tenets of Buddhism, and we could be starving ourselves of the best bits. The underlying beliefs of Buddhism could help us with stress and anxiety – without the risk of underqualified teachers. They can help identify and quash the habitual patterns of thinking that keep us unsatisfied, by gaining realistic expectations of others, but also by not expecting material gain to make us any happier, and accepting that everything in life is transient. The principles of Buddhism can't be applied to all aspects of our lives, but they can be molded around our problem areas.

I become interested in meditation about three years ago, during a bad patch of anxiety. Although, I found learning about the Buddhism behind it to be even more helpful. Since then, it has helped me to stop indulging in prolonged periods of rumination over things I can’t control. It’s made me aware that I’m responsible for my own suffering, and lack thereof. Working in fashion and having a penchant for pretty things, Buddhism allows me to derive pleasure from aesthetics designed for mass, meaningless consumption, while remembering what’s really important. Buddhism is closer to a science than a religion. It’s a modern way of thinking, and perfectly suited to tackle the problems of Western culture. So next time you’re staring at an apple, being mindful of its every molecule, and wondering how this will bring happiness to your life, pick up a book on Buddhism instead. Pick and choose what works for you and apply it to your thinking. Meditation and mindfulness are great, but learning the thinking behind them could help in the long-term, without giving you a stiff back. Source: Buddhist Channel (www.buddhistchannel.tv) EH

46 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 46

17/12/2014 10:06:55 AM

NEWS

INDONESIAN MUSLIM, BUDDHIST TEAM SEEKS TO ‘BRING PEACE FOR ROHINGYA’ Mizzima, Nov 24, 2014

Jakarta, Indonesia -- Muslims and Buddhists in Indonesia have joined hands to help resolve the conflict over the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar and plan to send a team to Rakhine State to talk with Buddhist monks, according to the Jakarta Post. Reporting November 23 on the 5th World Peace Forum held in Jakarta November 20-23, the newspaper says Indonesia’s largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama, in collaboration with the Indonesian Ulema Council and the Council of Buddhist Communities or Walubi, would make a trip to Myanmar in December to start a dialogue with Myanmar Buddhist monks. Nahdlatul Ulama executive council chairman Slamet Effendy Yusuf told media: “I agree with the United Nations which said that the conflict in Myanmar could be resolved by allowing the Muslim community and Buddhist community to meet and talk. This is not only a problem for Myanmar, Suhadi Sendjaja from Walubi told the newspaper that through the visit, he hoped that people in Myanmar could learn “Here, the number of Muslims is so many while the Buddhists are only a few, but we are safe. In Myanmar, it is the other way around,” he said, adding that the Indonesian delegation would not force a reconciliation in Myanmar.

The World Peace Forum has been held every two years since 2006. This year’s event, the 5th World Peace Forum was held in Jakarta with the theme, “Quest for Peace: Lessons of Conflict Resolution.” Photo: muhammadiyah.or.id

“We will not direct them toward a reconciliation. We will only explain our situation in Indonesia,” said the Buddhist community representative at the forum aimed to reduce conflicts around the world. Myanmar’s estimated 1.3 million Rohingya have been denied citizenship with the authorities officially categorizing them as Bengali, claiming they are illegal immigrants. Attacks by Buddhist mobs in 2012 left hundreds dead and 140,000 detained in camps. Many have been trying to flee the country, according to the newspaper. Source: Buddhist Channel (www.buddhistchannel.tv) EH

EASTERN HORIZON | 47

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 47

17/12/2014 10:06:55 AM

TEACHINGS NEWS

THICH NHAT HAHN’S CONDITION SHOWS PROGRESS The Buddhist Channel, Nov 17, 2014

Thénac, France -- Plum Village has issued an announcement stating that the Ven. Thich Nhat Hahn “is showing good progress in terms of remaining stable and not having major changes in his condition during this critical part of his recovery”. It also said that on November 15,Thay “opened his eyes for the first time since his cerebral hemorrhage, to look at his attendants for a brief moment.” Nevertheless, the statement also cautioned that his “condition is still in a critical stage and conditions can change at any moment.” The following is the statement in full. Plum Village, 15 November, 2014 To all Plum Village Practice Centers, To all Practice Centers and Sanghas World Wide, To our Dear Beloved Friends, Thay is now in a hospital with a highly reputable neurologist monitoring his progress. He is in the right place with the best possible care and attention. New tests have been done.

Doctors report that Thay is showing good progress in terms of remaining stable and not having major changes in his condition during this critical part of his recovery. The area of hemorrhage has not grown and his vital signs are normal. In the early morning, Saturday, November 15, Thay opened his eyes for the first time since his cerebral hemorrhage, to look at his attendants for a brief moment. He was very conscious and attentive to what was happening around him, lifting his left hand to touch the attendant next to him. Since then, he has also opened his eyes several times and his gestures of communication are clearer, nodding or shaking his head to respond. Thay has been able to rest and sleep peacefully for several hours each day. The doctors are cautiously optimistic and remind us that Thay’s condition is still in a critical stage and conditions can change at any moment. Source: Buddhist Channel (www.buddhistchannel.tv) EH

48 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 48

17/12/2014 10:06:55 AM

FORUM

TEACHINGS

WHAT IS PRAYER IN BUDDHISM? Venerable Aggacitta Mahathera is the founder of the Sāsanārakkha Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS) near Taiping, Perak, Malaysia, and a well-known Buddhist meditation teacher and scholar.

Ven Shi Zu Ren ( 釋祖仁） received his novice and Bhikkhu ordination at Wat Bovoranives, Bangkok, and has trained under Ven Yuan Fan, abbot of Singapore Buddhist Institute. He received his bhikhu and Bodhisattva precepts in Taiwan, and is now studying and practicing under Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche.

Geshe Jampa Tsundhu is the resident teacher of the Losang Dragpa Buddhist Society in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 49

It is often said that instead of prayers, Buddhists practice meditation. Yet very often we see Buddhists at temples and monasteries offering prayers in front of images of the Buddha and various Bodhisattvas. Scholars have explained that the purpose of Buddhist prayer is to awaken our inherent inner capacities of strength, compassion, and wisdom rather than to petition external forces for protection, heavenly bliss, or simply out of fear. Buddhist prayer is therefore regarded as a form of meditation, or a practice of inner reconditioning. We have asked our three expert panelists – Venerable Aggacitta Maha Thera, Venerable Zu Ren and Venerable Geshe Tsundhu – to explain Buddhist prayer in the following context in our Forum: 1. What is the actual purpose of prayer in Buddhism? 2. Why do we pray to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Devas? 3. Does prayer and meditation serve the same purpose in Buddhist practice? 4. How do protective prayers such as parittas and mantras work?

17/12/2014 10:06:55 AM

FORUM TEACHINGS

What is the actual purpose of prayer in Buddhism? Bhante Aggacitta: According to my WordWeb digital dictionary, the primary meaning of prayer is: the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving). In the early Pāli suttas, there is no such practice. Perhaps the earliest practices close to the above definition can be found in Khandha Sutta, Āṭānāṭiya Paritta and Dhajagga Sutta. Khandha Sutta (aka Ahirāja Sutta in AN 4.67) was given by the Buddha after one of his monks died of snakebite. However, it is not really a petition to deities. The sutta is recited to radiate mettā to the nāga kings and all animals with an entreaty to animals to retreat. It also includes an invocation to the greatness of the Buddha, Dhamma and Saṅgha and respects to the seven Buddhas. Āṭānāṭiya Paritta (in DN 32) was given by Vessavaṇa, the King of Yakkhas, to the Buddha for protection of the latter’s disciples from malevolent spirits. Again, it is not a supplication to the deities, but it extols the glory of the Four Great Kings, declaring that even their subjects revere the Buddha, thus showing his superior greatness. Dhajagga Sutta (SN 11.3) was prescribed by the Buddha to overcome fear. It is close to the WordWeb definition, as its injunction to recollect the virtues of the Buddha, Dhamma and Saṅgha can be regarded as a form of adoration. Other Pāli passages, such as Ratana Sutta (Khp 6), Aṅgulimāla Paritta (in MN 86) and Bojjhaṅga Sutta (a versified summary, composed after the Pāli commentaries, of the three Gilāna Suttas in SN 46.1416) are chanted for protection, safety and well being. While the Pāli commentaries tell an elaborate story illustrating the use of Ratana Sutta by the Buddha himself as an efficacious paritta, the actual Canon is silent about the circumstances behind the discourse.

The other parittas that are prevalent today were not prescribed by the Buddha for protection. Nevertheless, their popularity could perhaps be due to their occasional efficacy, and to the human need for a sense of hope and security. Shih Zu Ren: The phrase 祈願 Qi Yuan is widely used amongst those following Chinese Mahayana. 祈願 Qi Yuan made up of two words, Prayer 祈禱, and Aspiration 願望. The actual purpose of Buddhist prayers can be summarized as follows: a. Help us avert dangers and sufferings b. Help us in spiritual growth and improvement in one’s present life c. Help us in spiritual growth and improvement for future lives d. Create worldly (Samsara) happiness for oneself and all sentient beings e. Create supramundane (Nirvana) happiness for oneself and all sentient beings f. Create a firm footing in our path to become an arahat g. Create a firm footing in our path to become a Pratyekabuddha h. Create a firm footing in our path to become a Buddha i. Provides guidance and establish communication with Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Arhats and Devas. j. Repentance (懺悔) prayers in front of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will remove destructive emotions/ defilements (煩惱) and obstacles created by previous bad karma (業障). One of most common prayers is the Compassionate Samadhi Water Repenting Prayer (慈悲三昧水懺) k. Create the right environment for the practice of giving, observance of precepts, meditation, and developing wisdom. l. Dedication (迴向) prayers at the end of practices such as giving, observing precepts, meditation, or developing wisdom will protect our good karma m. (功德) accumulated from our spiritual practice.

50 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 50

17/12/2014 10:06:55 AM

TEACHINGS

Geshe Tsundhu: The actual purpose of prayer is to receive blessings from the Triple Gem so that one may be able to direct one’s mind towards Dharma. The Dharma, of course, is the path leading to liberation and Buddhahood. At the same time, prayers allow us to feel closer to the Buddhas and receive their inspiration for overcoming our daily problems such as sickness, unsuccessful business deals, relationship problems, emotional upsets, depressions, etc. However, the main purpose of prayer is not limited to merely pulling us through those temporary daily problems mentioned above. It is to create a bridge or connection between oneself and the Buddhas, to be inspired and to emulate them through knowing that one has the same potential. The Buddha taught that we have the necessary conditions to attain Buddhahood. Buddha wasn’t fully enlightened at the beginning, as he was once exactly like us - an ordinary being with mental afflictions but through his efforts, he attained the state of perfection. Prayers remind us to follow his footsteps and therefore, there is no reason why one cannot be fully awakened like him.

Thus praying to Gotama Buddha and other earlier Buddhas to invoke their magical power in order to fulfil one's worldly and spiritual aspirations became a facet of Folk Buddhism. This phenomenon prevails even in so-called conservative Theravāda Buddhist countries such as Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Needless to say, praying to devas for the same purpose is even more common, as it is a remnant of the ancient practice of animism and deity-worship that those cultures had earlier embraced. Praying to bodhisattas, however, is not a practice among Theravāda Buddhists. Shih Zu Ren: There are several reasons why we pray to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Devas: a. When our mind is weak and we are faced with great danger, we can ask for help from the enlightened beings. Of course the Buddhas will be the most reliable, but we can also seek help from the Bodhisattvas and arahats, and even devas. One can choose to practice according to： i.

We can recite prayers that contain teachings in a condensed manner such as the Foundation of All Good Qualities. While reciting, we should contemplate and meditate on its meaning which will integrate the whole essence of the Buddhadharma in our mind and bring about a positive transformation, such as a reduction of and final dispelling of all mental afflictions, and cultivation of wholesome thoughts of compassion and wisdom. Why do we pray to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Devas? Bhante Aggacitta: The early Pāli suttas emphasise self-reliance for liberation from saṁsāra as well as for the accumulation of merits to fare on happily and comfortably in saṁsāra. As Buddhism evolved into a popular religion, such a lofty ideal had to be compromised for the masses who found it more acceptable to depend on external agencies.

Medicine Buddha Sutra （《藥師琉璃光七佛本願功德經》）

ii. Lotus Sutra Chapter on Universal Gate (《妙法蓮華經》〈普門品〉)by reciting the sutra and/ or single-mindedly reciting Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s name (一心稱名觀世音菩薩) iii. Great Compassion Mantra (大悲咒) b. We normally pray to Buddhas and Bodhisattva as they are our inspiration and model for us to practice the path to become a Buddha, and overcome obstacles along the way. c. The more diligently we practice the Buddha’s teachings, the stronger will be our mind and closer to becoming a Buddha.

EASTERN HORIZON | 51

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 51

17/12/2014 10:06:55 AM

FORUM TEACHINGS

Geshe Tsundhu: We pray to Buddhas and Bodhisattavas because they are holy beings with great compassion. They also possess incredible powers because in the past they have made aspirational prayers that whoever sees, hears, remembers, calls on them or takes refuge in them, will receive protection, help, and actualization of their aspirations. Mother Tara, an emanation of the Buddha, is known as the Liberator, for she liberates anyone who prays to her for freedom from harm and all kinds of obstacles, particularly the 16 kinds of fears (fear of fire, poison, malevolent spirits, etc) and she brings success to aspirants. These holy beings had in the first place, developed altruistic thought for the benefit of all sentient beings, having attained high stages of enlightenment for the welfare of others. Their sole purpose is to benefit sentient beings. Therefore, when someone prays to them, his or her prayers will be heard. When one has offered prayers, it is a virtuous act and one should dedicate the merits of those prayers for the welfare of all living beings. If one only dedicates for oneself or one’s own family, it is not as “strong” a virtue. After all, the Buddha worked for all sentient beings and it is good for us to pray/do Dharma with the same type of vast motivation that the Buddha had. Dedication in this way is important to give strength to the prayer and it also protects the merit from being destroyed. Does prayer and meditation serve the same purpose in Buddhist practice? Bhante Aggacitta: Prayer as defined above is definitely different from meditation. Meditation is only one aspect of bhāvanā which is often translated as mental development or meditation. Actually, bhāvanā (literally “the act of causing to become”) covers a wider range of practice such as sense restraint and ethical behaviour, as well as the two major types of Buddhist meditation, i.e. that of stilling the mind and developing experiential wisdom. One practice of stilling the mind is the recollection of the virtues

of the Buddha, Dhamma and Saṅgha. If we regard this practice of recollection as adoration, a form of prayer, then prayer and meditation would serve the same purpose: that of stilling the mind. This practice is popularly regarded as tranquility or serenity (samatha) meditation in contradistinction to vipassanā meditation, which is the practice of developing experiential wisdom. Shih Zu Ren: From the Chinese Mahayana perspective, both prayer and meditation are similar because they help us to achieve the ultimate goal of becoming Buddha. However, each has its own distinct function. The role of prayer is to create the right environment for meditation practice while the aim of meditation is to help us develop either concentration (Samadhi) or Wisdom: i. Prayers that are carried out before meditation, such as taking three refuges, arising Bodhichitta, and reciting the Heart Sutra and Great Compassion Mantra(大悲咒), will help us establish the right connection for practice. Prayers will also create the right intention and right emotions such as mindfulness, wisdom and compassion for our meditation practice. Having properly performed the prayers, one’s mind will more easily establish a firm connection with one’s meditation object. ii. Prayers after meditation, such as dedication ( 迴向) prayers, will help us store good karma accumulated during from the meditation from being destroyed by defilements. Such prayers will also direct one’s good karma towards accomplishing our goals in this life and future lives, until we finally realize Buddhahood. Geshe Tsundhu: The ultimate purpose of prayer and meditation is to achieve liberation and full enlightenment. However, on the level of how these are practiced there seems to be a difference. Prayers are aspirations - therefore it is wishing for something or seeking the removal of something. For instance

52 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 52

17/12/2014 10:06:55 AM

TEACHINGS

there is the prayer - “may there be happiness in the world and no suffering”. On the other hand, meditation involves much more than that. Through meditation, one will gain a deep understanding and eventual realization of the entire Buddhadharma. One should first ascertain the nature of the object of meditation and then concentrate on it without distraction to gain a profound understanding through analysis. What is the actual purpose of prayer in Buddhism? Bhante Aggacitta: Besides the faith of those who depend on parittas, a few other principles seem to be involved in their efficacy: (1) mettā, e.g. Khandha Sutta, (2) asserveration of truth, e.g. Aṅgulimāla Paritta, (3) faith in the Buddha, Dhamma and Saṅgha, e.g. Dhajagga Sutta, (4) divine protection, e.g. Āṭānāṭiya Paritta, (5) miraculous power of the Buddha, Dhamma and Saṅgha, e.g. Pubbaṇha Sutta (Pāli verses, most of which were composed after the Pāli commentaries, found in popular compilations of parittas). Mantras are not part of the Pāli Buddhist tradition, but in its folk version they are popularly used to fulfil aspirations, give protection and aid meditation, especially samatha meditation. They may compose of words from Pāli, Sanskrit, local dialects, unidentified languages, or a mixture of them. The origins of most cannot be traced and some are allegedly given by deities. Their efficacy depends on where they originated from. If they are derived from the Pāli suttas or commentaries, then it is attributed to the power of the Buddha, Dhamma and Saṅgha; otherwise to divine providence.

Shih Zu Ren: For protective prayers such as parittas and mantras to work, we must develop the basic mental factors of faith, mindfulness, concentration, and great compassion or Bodhichitta. To make these prayers really powerful, we should carry out wholesome activities that generate good karma such as keeping eight percepts, studying the Dharma, and teaching the Dharma. The longer we recite these protective prayers with a virtuous mind, the more powerful the protective prayers will be. Geshe Tsundhu: Mantras and prayers have immense power in themselves because they are the words of the Buddhas. The Medicine Buddha Mantra, for example, has immense healing power because of Medicine Buddha’s power of prayer and the pledge he made earlier in the presence of other Buddhas. His pledge was that he would render whoever sees, recites, or remembers this mantra to be free from all kinds of problems, sickness in particular, and to be able to fulfill all wishes. Due to the power of this prayer and his pledge, there is healing power in it and the same basis goes for the prayers/mantras of other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. When there is strong faith in the power of mantra from a devotee, there’s already power in the mantra. Thus when these two factors - the power of the prayer, and the faith of the devotee comes together, it has the potency to produce all kinds of protection from obstacles and bring benefit. EH

EASTERN HORIZON | 53

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 53

17/12/2014 10:06:55 AM

FEATURE

Understanding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity with Kindness A Forum on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer Issues Reported by Mettānandī

“There’s nothing in the early Buddhist scriptures suggesting that homosexuality is sexual misconduct”, said Āyasmā Kumāra Bhikkhu from Sāsanārakkha Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS) in a forum on “Understanding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity with Kindness” held on July 6th in Samādhi Vihāra, Shah Alam. About 130 people attended the forum organised by KL Buddhist Mental Health Association (BMHA), Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia (BMSM) and Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM). The forum on “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ)” issues featured 5 panellists, namely Āyasmā Kumāra Bhikkhu from SBS; Dr Keng Shian Ling, clinical psychologist and assistant professor in National University of Singapore (NUS); Ms Jellene Eva, human rights activist working with Justice for Sisters; Mr Pang Khee Teik, co-founder of Seksualiti Merdeka; and Ms Angela M. Kuga Thas, cofounder of Knowledge and Rights with Young People Through Safer Spaces (KRYSS). The forum moderator was Dr Phang Cheng Kar, president of BMHA who is a consultant psychiatrist in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Dr Keng began by explaining several terms such as “gender identity”, “biological sex”, “sexual orientation” and “gender expression”. She pointed out that based on research done by scientists, sexual orientation

appears to be based primarily on biological factors such as genetics and hormones. Contrary to common public perception, being LGBTQ is unrelated to the individual’s lifestyle. As of 1974, homosexuality is no longer classified as a form of mental illness. She also pointed out that reparative or conversion therapy to change the sexual orientation of LGBTQ individuals is based on the idea that homosexuality is an illness, sin, or aberrant behaviour. The potential risks of reparative therapy are great: these include depression, anxiety, and self-destructive behaviour. Therefore many mental health professional organisations, including the American Psychiatric Association, oppose the use of such therapy. Dr Keng said that LGBTQ individuals deserve kindness and understanding, not judgement and discrimination. Experiences of prejudice and discrimination may

54 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 54

17/12/2014 10:06:55 AM

FEATURE

fuel stress and research suggests that there is a strong relationship between discrimination and stress-related mental health problems such as anxiety, depression in LGBTQ individuals. LGBTQ individuals who experienced rejection, discrimination, victimisation or violence have higher risks of suicidal tendencies. Prejudice towards the lifestyle of many Malaysian transgendered individuals (known as “Mak Nyahs”), has forced them into the sex industry. Citing the early Buddhist scriptures, Āyasmā Kumāra showed that homosexuality existed around the time and place of the Buddha, yet the scriptures don’t include homosexual acts in the definition of sexual misconduct. “Abandoning sensual misconduct, he abstains from sensual misconduct. He does not get sexually involved with those who are protected by their mothers, their fathers, their brothers, their sisters, their relatives (clan), or their Dhamma; those with husbands, those who entail punishments, or even those crowned with flowers by another man.” Āyasmā Kumāra also shared his personal experiences of meeting his own phobia towards LGBTQ individuals and how he overcame it. “Meditating over this issue, I noticed that the pain around it is due to view-clinging to what is supposedly ’normal’. Imagine if you were born into a society where people commonly accepted a variety of genders and sexual orientations. Raised in such a society, how would you be? Wouldn’t your perception of ’normal’ be different?”

“Speaking for myself, yes, it certainly would. So, any negative reaction I have over this issue is conditioned. It’s not good or bad. It’s simply conditioned.” “So, how can we overcome LGBTQ phobia? Just recognise this conditioning.” Āyasmā Kumāra, who has a few meditation students he knows are homosexual, also spoke on how LGBTQ individuals can overcome their phobia of LGBTQ phobia. “It’s easy to say, ‘They don’t accept me for who I am.’ And you know the pain around that stressful idea. How about turning it around to ask, ‘Do I accept them for who they are: people who are caught in a social conditioning?’” Speaking openly and candidly of their gender identity and sexual orientation, and their opening up to friends and family were 3 representatives from the LGBTQ community— Ms Jellene Eva, Mr Pang Khee Teik and Ms Angela M. Kuga Thas. Ms Jellene Eva spoke on her growing up as a transgender and how boxing into the dichotomy of genders made her feel uncomfortable, especially when it wasn’t the gender she identified with. Advising parents to love their children unconditionally, Ms Jellene shared with the participants how grateful she is for parents who do not make her doubt herself. “Being in denial and not trying to understand what the child goes through is not healthy for both parties. Disowning and physically abusing the child is not the correct way to communicate love.” EASTERN HORIZON | 55

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 55

17/12/2014 10:06:56 AM

FEATURE

As a transactivist working with Justice for Sisters, Jellene urged members of the audience to be an ally: to speak out when violence is being inflicted upon LGBTQ individuals; to help homeless or depressed LGBTQ individuals because they are, after all, human. “Despite our differences, basic human rights to health and well being is unalienable from all of us”. Angela, who grew up with supportive and trusting parents, said, “I’m glad my parents didn’t make me doubt myself, didn’t make me doubt me for who I am, didn’t make me feel less of a human being, less of a person, less of their child. I think such trust, much more than kindness between parents and their children, is important. That trust makes kindness that much more real. It is more than being superficially civil” “Parents should learn to trust that they’ve done well in the way they’ve raised their children, to feel assured that their children know what is right and what is wrong. They need to be confident that their children will grow up to be the kind of people they can be proud of. Children need to know too, even if indirectly, that their parents will never abandon them, never disown them.”

As a trainer-facilitator who is focused on guiding young Malaysians to become principled leaders based on the five core values of human rights— dignity, diversity, respect, equality and choice. Angela urged parents and people in general to confront the discomfort they or their peers may have with the LGBTQ individuals. “Take a step back before judging, and question what exactly makes you/them uneasy”. Pang, who identifies himself as a gay, spoke on the angst of ’having crushes on boys’ as a teen studying in Singapore; on his joining a Christian ministry to overcome his ’sexual brokenness’ and finally, the liberating acceptance of his sexuality. The journey to realising that there is nothing wrong with him was the most difficult part. “Other people are the ones who think there is something wrong with you, therefore it is not your problem; it is theirs. That’s the reason I came out – because I realised the problem is not with me but with those who think there is a problem. Why should their problem with homosexuals affect me?” Highlighting the challenges faced by LGBTQ children and their parents arising from discriminatory policies, Pang urged members of the audience to establish an alliance to support family and friends of LGBTQ individuals within the Buddhist community. EH

56 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 56

17/12/2014 10:06:56 AM

EASTERN HORIZON | 57

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 57

17/12/2014 10:06:56 AM

EasTern HorIzon needs your support! The Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia publishes the EASTERN HORIZON journal every four months. The journal is a non-profit making project and needs the support of wellwishers like you to ensure that the Buddhist com munity continues to have a good quality Buddhist journal for their reading pleasure. You can support the EASTERN HORIZON through the following means. Be an Honorary Patron of EASTERN HORIZON and receive 3 copies of each issue published for one year by contributing RM500/SGD250/USD150. Be an Honorary Director of EASTERN HORIZON and receive 2 copies of each issue published for one year by contributing RM200/SGD100/USD60. Be a Sponsor of EASTERN HORIZON and receive 1 copy of each issue published for one year by contributing RM 100/SGD50/USD30. Any General Donation. Subscribe EASTERN HORIZON as a gift for your love ones/ friends/colleagues.

EasTern HorIzon Many Traditions, One Wisdom.

......................................................................

I would like to be an Honorary Patron/ Honorary Director/ Sponsor* of EASTERN HORIZON for year/s. via cheque/bankdraft no. Enclosed is RM/SGD/USD as my contribution to EASTERN HORIZON. Name (Dr/Mr/Mrs/Ms) : Add : Postcode : (Off) (H/P)

Tel : Email : Date :

(Hse)

Signature :

All payment shall be made payable to EASTERN HORIZON. For Fund Transfer, Public Bank Berhad Account no. : 3-1216712-35 For International Fund Transfer, Swift code: PBBEMYKL Kindly send your payment or email or fax your bank-in slip to: EASTERN HORIZON 9, Jalan SS 25/24, Taman Mayang, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, MALAYSIA Tel : (+603) 7804 9154 or (+603) 7804 9157 Fax: (+603) 7804 9021 Email : admin@easternhorizon.org You may also subscribe online and pay by credit card at our website: www.easternhorizon.org

Name: Add :

Postcode : (Off) (H/P)

Tel :

(Hse)

Email : Date : Gift | Please send to the following as a gift. M

Name: Add :

Postcode : Date :

Published every January, May & September Newsstand price: RM10 per copy (Malaysia) Subscription Yes! I want to subscribe for 1 year 3 Issues (RM25/SGD27/USD27) 2 years 6 Issues (RM50/SGD50/USD50) 3 years 9 Issues (RM70/SGD70/USD70) Please commence my personal subscription with the next issue with issue no. 58 | renewal; EASTERN subscription HORIZON no.

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 58

I herewith enclosed

SGD

USD

crossed cheque/bankdraft no.

17/12/2014 10:06:57 AM

BOOK REVIEWS Wisdom Publications 199 Elm Street, Somerville, Massachusetts 02144, USA. www.wisdompubs.org

Buddhism: One Teacher, Many TradiƟons Boston: Wisdom Publica ons, 2014. pp. 318. Hardcover. US$29.95, Reviewed by Benny Liow Today we are not short of good books that explain the different tradi ons within Buddhism. Many are academic texts such as David Kalupahana’s Buddhist Philosophy: A Historical Analysis (Hawaii, 1976), Rupert Gethin’s The FoundaƟons of Buddhism (Oxford, 1998), and Richard Robinson, Willard Johnson and Thannisaro Bhikkhu’s Buddhist Religions (Wadsworth, 2005). However, there are not that many books that explain Buddhism from the perspec ve of the different tradi ons’ visions of the path to enlightenment. This book by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and well-known American Buddhist nun Thubten Chodron meets this need because it explores the common ground underlying the diverse expressions of the Buddha’s teachings. Divided into fi een chapters, this book focuses on teachings as found in both the Pali and Sanskrit tradi ons. The modern Theravada school has derived its core teachings from the Pali tradi on which is based on discourses and commentaries in Prakit and the old Sinhala languages. As a school, the Theravada is more homogenous than the Mahayana. On the other hand, the Sanskrit tradi on came from sutras and commentaries in Prakit, Sanskrit, and central Asian languages. Today, we tend to associate Chinese Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism with the Sanskrit tradi on. However, as the authors have pointed out, the Buddhism of East Asia (or Chinese Buddhism as it is also popularly called) and Tibetan Buddhism are quite different in expression. The book begins with an explora on of the origin and spread of the Buddha’s teachings from India to Southeast Asia, China, and Tibet. This is followed very appropriately by a chapter on what it means to take refuge in the Three Jewels as prac ced in both the Pali and Sanskrit tradi ons. Another common and shared teaching – the Four Noble Truths – or “The Four Truths of the Ariyas”, as the authors prefer to term them, is next explained in detail - this being the common framework for understanding all of the Buddha’s teachings. The next three chapters focus on the essence of Buddhist prac ce – training in morality, concentra on, and wisdom. The chapter on morality highlights the three extant vinaya lineages from the original eighteen schools of early Buddhism – the Theravada, Dharmaguptaka, and Mulasarvas vada. The authors also clarified that there is no such thing as a Mahayana vinaya monas c ordina on, although many people who prac ce the Bodhisa va path become monas cs and prac ce vinaya. Likewise, there is an in-depth discussion on concentra on prac ces in both the Pali and Sanskrit tradi ons, including jhanas and serenity medita on. The chapter on wisdom training explains the 37 factors of enlightenment taught in both the Pali and Sanskrit sutras. These 37 factors directly and

EASTERN HORIZON | 59

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 59

17/12/2014 10:06:57 AM

BOOK REVIEWS

indirectly contribute to the cul va on of insight (or wisdom) into selflessness and the Four Noble Truths, thus leading to enlightenment. Subsequent chapters delve into more complex topics such as selflessness (ana a) and emp ness (sunyata), dependent origina on, and the unity of serenity (samatha) and insight (vipassana). There is also a chapter that explains the path to arahatship and buddhahood. In the Pali tradi on, the reference is Buddhaghosa’s seven purifica ons prac ces, while in the Sanskrit tradi on, the authors highlighted the five paths and ten bodhisa va grounds. Another common prac ce in both the Pali and Sanskrit tradi ons explained in this book is the prac ce of the sublime states (brahma vihara) of loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. The authors chose the term “immeasurable” because they are directed toward immeasurable sen ent beings with a mind free from par ality and also because they are medita ve states not limited by the five hindrances of the desire-realm world. Though the prac ce of Bodhici a is always seen as synonymous with both the Chinese and Tibetan Buddhist tradi ons, the authors explained that while in the Pali tradi on most prac

oners seek arahatship, the bodhisa va path is available for those wishing to pursue the

path of Buddhahood. The authors men oned several canonical scriptures in the Pali tradi on – Buddhavamsa, Cariyapitaka, Jatakas, Mahapadana Su a (DN 14) and Apadana – that speak about previous Buddhas fulfilling the bodhisa va prac ces. Likewise, the bodhisa va ideal is also not foreign to Theravada countries as there are prac

oners there who aspire to develop

Bodhici a to become Buddhas. The final chapter asks a per nent ques on: is libera on possible? The authors then explained that two factors make libera on possible: the nature of our mind is clear light, and our defilements are adven

ous, thus not inherent in us. In fact, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has

once said that if there’s anything good about our defilements is that they are impermanent, and hence can be transformed! The final chapter is about tantra which is the subject of much controversy especially among followers of the Pali tradi on. In his preface, His Holiness the Dalai Lama men oned that some Theravada prac as prac

oners believe Tibetan monas cs do not follow the vinaya and that

oners of tantra, they have sex and drink alcohol! This chapter helps to alleviate this

major misconcep on about tantra. In conclusion, I must say that for anyone who has doubts about the commonali es of the many Buddhist tradi ons, this book is the answer to their doubts. His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Ven Thubten Chodron have very clearly explained in this book that all the diﬀerent schools within both the Pali and Sanskrit tradi ons are inspired by one teacher – Sakyamuni Buddha. EH

60 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 60

17/12/2014 10:06:57 AM

BOOK REVIEWS Shambhala Publications Horticultural Hall, 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 www.shambhala.com

Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong 2012 Shambala Publications Reviewed by: Debbie Tan Training in Compassion is a commentary on the “Root Text of the Seven Points of Training the Mind”, also known as Lojong. Being a Zen Buddhist priest, Norman Fischer provides an insightful, relevant and practical perspective on the practice of Lojong in the twentyfirst century. This Zen approach to a non-Zen text, not only explains the teachings with straightforward common-sense simplicity, but also provides a thorough and systematic method of cultivating compassion and resilience in our modern life. The premise behind Lojong is that our minds are plastic and hence trainable. In Lojong, slogans are used as tools to develop Bodhicitta or compassion. Applying Zen wisdom, Fischer explains how the practice of Lojong can be beneficial for everyone, regardless whether they are interested in Buddhism or not. People who find Buddhist explanations of how the mind works, complicated or difficult to understand, would enjoy reading Fischer’s explanations, which are illustrated in the context of modern living. Knowing how complex Buddhist teachings can be applied to our everyday lives, not only empowers us to live a life of compassion and wisdom, but also gives us the capacity to develop a greater understanding of ourselves. Although Fischer has skilfully explained complex Buddhist teachings in ways that would not discourage a new reader, he does not shy away from discussing the profound absolute truth. In fact, Fischer explains the differences between practising absolute Bodhicitta and relative Bodhicitta; how the mind training slogans oscillate between the profound and mundane. Hence Training in Compassion provides valuable insights and techniques, not only for people new to Buddhist teachings but also seasoned practitioners. In fact, Fischer’s approach to Lojong appeals not only to Buddhists, but to all with the basic human aspiration for goodness and happiness. Readers will find that Fischer’s commentary to the Lojong is a very handy manual for training the mind. The book is structured around seven categories shown below, which serve as the basis for the fifty-nine slogans discussed. 1)

Resolve to Begin

Train in Empathy and Compassion

Transform Bad Circumstances into the Path

Make Practice your Whole Life

Assess and Extend

The Discipline of Relationship

Living with Ease in a Crazy World

EASTERN HORIZON | 61

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 61

17/12/2014 10:06:57 AM

BOOK REVIEWS

One of my favourite slogans is “Turn things around”. Fischer explains that the problems and obstacles we face in life are our treasures, which have the potential to bring us much joy and spiritual wealth. In most instances we run away from our suffering and problems, so Fischer provides some helpful tips on how we can face the difficulties and engage them creatively, making use of the pain to make us stronger and more compassionate. Another slogan is “Drive all blames into one” – we are told to take responsibility for all the problems and obstacles we may face. As described by Fischer “eat the blame and it will make you strong”. Such slogans are used to train our minds to boldly face the inevitable suffering we experience in saṃsāra. They empower us to deal with them positively, turning them into benefits. Fischer also highlights how the slogans can be used to help us when we feel that our spiritual practice is going nowhere. The slogan “Practice when you are distracted” reminds us that when we are distracted or lazy or overwhelmed by anger, jealousy etc. they are all part of the practice. As explained by Fischer “you fall down on the ground and you use the ground to get up”. Another slogan “Abandon hope” trains us to practice without the concepts of gain or loss. Fischer instead encourages us to keep on going with the training, in the faith that it is worthwhile for its own sake. Attachments to the concepts of gain or loss in spiritual practice only serve to encourage pride or disappointment, which are self-defeating. Both slogans – “Practice when you are distracted” and “Abandon hope” train us to be kind and compassionate to ourselves, to accept our inadequacies while turning them into practice. In this way, our whole life becomes practice. Another powerful slogan is “Don’t be predictable”. In life, often what we expect to happen does not happen. Fischer explains that “freshness and openness and a capacity for surprise are hallmarks of mind training”. Expecting the unexpected and then learning to manage and accept them, builds our capacity to deal with the vicissitudes in life. This helps us to develop compassion and resilience within ourselves. Mind training in Tibetan Buddhism requires a lot of commitment and patience, which may not sit well with an untrained mind in the twenty-first century. In this book, Fischer offers a practical approach towards Lojong practice amidst candid discussions of possible difficulties one might face. Indeed, Fischer’s approach to the Lojong resonates with the modern mind. The slogans are introduced in a way that is clear, practical and filled with wisdom. Fischer’s Zen perspective on Lojong makes it a valuable aid to anyone who aspires to live life to the fullest, while doing so with ease. EH

62 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 62

17/12/2014 10:06:58 AM

A Himalayan Journeythe Four Roads of Success by Rasika Quek

Dharma Aftermath

More than sixteen years ago, Venerable Sanghasena of the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre (MIMC) invited me to visit his centre in Ladakh, probably the only Theravada Buddhist monastery in this Himalayan state of north-east India. I have seen pictures and videos of MIMC since then, recorded for posterity’s sake by notable Malaysian Buddhists like Dato’ Sri Dr Victor Wee and Datuk Charlie Chia who make regular pilgrimages there. After procrastinating for one-and-a-half decades, I decided to make the trip there with my entire family of four. My last trip with Dato’ Sri Dr Victor Wee and Datuk Charlie Chia to India was in end 2010 where we met Venerable Sanghasena in Chandigarh for the opening of the MIMC branch hostel there. Fast forward to September 2014, I found myself being greeted by the rugged mountainous landscape in Leh airport, Ladakh. Even though I have been to Kathmandu in Nepal before and familiar with the Himalayan sights, the spectacular views of Ladakh with mountains coming so close was simply awesome. I marvelled at the variations in colours and surfaces of these imposing giants, some with brown craggy moonscapes, others etched with bands of striations inclined at almost vertical angles while the rest were a picturesque blue punctuated by white snow blankets at the peaks. The valleys looked so deep below that I felt pangs of concern as the four-wheel-drive vehicles weaved their way through the mountainous passage. Surprisingly, the quality of the roads could even surpass some of our Malaysian trunk roads. This was courtesy of the Border Roads Organization (BRO), India. The air and streets are so much cleaner compared to other cities in India or Nepal. The term “”blue skies” takes on a meaning of its own in Ladakh – pure, unadulterated deep blue with no trace of industrial smog. At night, thousands of stars can be clearly seen with the naked eye. Even MIMC itself is quite interesting with its beautiful landscaped gardens and a viewing point for the golden sunset apart from the numerous buildings for the hospital, old folks, orphanages, schools, girls’ and boys’ hostels, visiting guests, the visually impaired and so on, not to mention the wellirrigated orchards. During my stay there, we met volunteers from Germany who came to assist in improving the sewage and water systems. A mother and her son from Down Under Australia also came to visit. The array of solar panels is testament to the contribution made by well-wishers from East and West. I was mildly surprised to find back issues of Eastern Horizon displayed prominently in MIMC’s Samadhi Restaurant where the viewing point is close by.

EASTERN HORIZON | 63

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 63

17/12/2014 10:06:58 AM

Dharma Aftermath Besides the customary visit to the Hermis and Thiksay monasteries and Khardung La (the highest motorable road in the world), we also visited the MIMC branch schools at Tingmosgang and Budh Karbo (reputedly the coldest place in India). The reception by the schools there was inspiring and heart-warming as the open display of gratitude was evident and genuine. Kudos to our Malaysian benefactors who helped built these schools through their generosity and compassion. Venerable Sanghasena could not have manifested all these blessings in his 200 acres MIMC monastery in Leh and elsewhere in Ladakh without his exercise of the Four Iddhipadas (the Four Roads of Success). From my understanding, these four : chanda (will/desire), viriya (effort), citta (consciousness), vimamsa (discrimination/wisdom) are essential to manifest our wishes. For things to manifest successfully, we need strong will or desire to focus (or concentrate) continuously on what we want and apply right effort towards achieving it. Without strong will, focus and effort, nothing will happen. Awareness of our consciousness (mind) and how to apply our wisdom to get what we want helps us reach our goals even faster. By knowing our state of mind, we can switch from negative to positive mental states and maintain a healthy attitude which definitely helps us in our goal. By applying wisdom, we become aware of what is required and the steps to be taken to reach our goal. So focused awareness of our consciousness and applied wisdom are necessary to ensure success in achieving our goals apart from having a strong will and continuous right effort focused on results. Venerable Sanghasenaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s compassion speaks for itself. He does not merely talk about it but clearly walks the talk through his own actions. His is a life of compassion through action. How wonderful the Four Iddhipadas have served him! We too can emulate him through the practice of the Four Iddhipadas to achieve our personal goals. Rasika Quek, 2 December 2014

64 | EASTERN HORIZON

EH_Jan2015_Contents_PRINT.indd 64

17/12/2014 10:06:58 AM