Why reflect on the four thoughts that turn the mind to the Dharma?
If our mind has not assimilated the four thoughts…
Were we to meditate for years,
We would most likely just become more rigid and more attached.
In this way they are indispensable as a basis for practice.
~ Kalu Rinpoche, Luminous Mind, p.197
Do not run full tilt at tranquility and insight.
First cultivate a fertile ground for positive qualities within yourself.
~ Jamgon Kongtrul, The Torch of Certainty
Through carefully contemplating the difficulties
of acquiring the leisures and opportunities [of a precious human existence],
the way to make it meaningful once acquired,
the way it can quickly change due to its impermanence,
the way our karma takes control once we die,
the way karma will mature without losing its potency,
how we will experience actions and their results in the three ways,
the attendant sufferings of the six classes of beings,
and the problems of the seeming happiness within existence,
we will arouse a strong motivation to strive for liberation.
Since that is the root of Dharma, it is most important at all times…
If we leave those contemplations as a one-time theoretical understanding,
at first our meditation may develop, but afterwards,
not only will we be unable to suppress our attachment, aversion, and confusion,
we will be under the sway of the sense pleasures,
such as food and clothing, and the seduction of fame and desires.
The reason it is so rare that practice is brought to fruition comes down to just this.
~ Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Moonbeams of Mahamudra, p.154
Precious human life
We all have buddha nature. Fundamentally we are inherent inalienable awareness, compassion, and responsiveness. We have the potential to fully awaken to the nature of reality for the benefit of all beings.
Right now we have a precious opportunity, endowed with many freedoms and resources — the coinciding of many causes and conditions, which can come to an end at any time.
We are not overwhelmed by danger or survival needs. Our suffering is much less than what most others experience. For now, we are free from war, oppression, grinding poverty, debilitating addiction, crippling mental illness, and many other miseries.
We have an authentic spiritual practice and a community of support.
We have intelligence, common sense, empathy, and many other positive qualities.
Pleasure and pain, loss and gain, praise and blame, good and bad reputation. Are these eight vicissitudes worthy of my life’s time and energy?
Reflect on the three motivations: (1) personal happiness and gain, (2) freedom from the constant pursuit of happiness and gain, (3) freedom for all beings.
This life has great potential for good or harm. How unfortunate it would be to waste this life. I should aspire and act for the genuine benefit of myself and others.
The truth of impermanence
Everything is changing; nothing stays the same. Internal experiences and external phenomena — none are permanent.They are all conditional arisings and fallings, without any final or fixed nature. There is no thing but change.
From moment to moment, there are invisible subtle changes. Only the most stable and sensitive awareness can detect them.
The Four Ends: The end of gathering is dispersion; The end of building (creation) is ruin (destruction); The end of meeting is parting; The end of birth is death.
Trying to avoid or grasp any experience is impossible, a futile delusion.Where in my life do I ignore change? What am I trying to cling to? “Today you live, and tomorrow you are dust. One fever will quench your pride.” (Romanus I Lecapenus).
My death will definitely come, and I have no idea when. I may live a long time, or I may die today. What I do know is that each day brings me one day closer to my inevitable death. The cause of my death is uncertain; there are so many ways to die. Nothing — not wealth, intelligence, strength, power, friends or family — will prevent me from dying.
Awareness of death helps us recognize the preciousness of life. Strength and abilities will wane as I age. I should not delay making an effort to clarify and realize my aspirations. What is really important to me? Am I living the life that I want?
The inevitability of karma
We tend to blame other people and external phenomena for our troubles, but humans are well-known to misattribute cause and effect. The truth is that we ourselves are the main cause of our experience. My thoughts, words, and deeds evolve into my experience; no one else is responsible.
Karma has four kinds of results. (1) The ripened result: in this life, my smoking can result in cancer; in the future, craving can result in my birth in a hungry ghost realm. (2) Experiences similar to the cause: my harsh speech causes others to speak harshly to me. (3) Actions similar to the cause: actions done become easier to repeat. (4) Environmental results: lying and gossip create hostile, untrustworthy environments; theft creates scarcity and aggression.
Karma isn’t simple cause-and-effect; it operates with complex dynamics. Seed and fruit: actions are seeds that come to fruition later depending on many supporting conditions; and fruit contains more seeds; one seed can lead to a grove of trees. Webbing and layering is when patterns resonate with each other to form webs of interactions, with patterns becoming components of other patterns. Resonance is how patterns absorb the energy of attention and cause attention to decay, leading to the mechanicality of automatic, nonvolitional behavior patterns. Habituation is the accumulation of energy in the operation of a pattern so that the more often it occurs, the stronger it becomes. Crystallization is how patterns form internal structures that results in fixed behaviors, positions, and beliefs.
Karma is interdependence; it can be a trap, or a source of great power, depending on my mind and actions. Karmic momentum is why practice is difficult. But the momentum can be broken with stable attention and right intention.
Disciplined behavior is key to karma. The ten acts are the traditional ways to refrain from the negative and cultivate the positive. Three of body: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct. Four of speech: lying, divisive, harsh, and idle speech. Three of mind: coveting, harmful intent, and wrong views.
Karma is not fate. The results of negative actions can be altered with four opponent powers. Regret is a rational and constructive remorse that aspires for a remedy. Reliance acknowledges mistakes,requests forgiveness and guidance, takes refuge and wishes to benefit all beings. Remedy is any positive acts that counteracts negative acts or generates (merit) goodness or wisdom. Resolve not to repeat the negative action, counteracts the tendency to repeat.
I cannot know when or how karma will play out, but I can be sure that actions have results. “We have about as much room to move as a violin in a violin case. And that’s enough.” (Lama Michael Conklin).
The faults and futility of samsara
The aches and pains of the physical body, the grief of losing what one holds dear, old age, sickness, and death — some things are unavoidable. But I create extra suffering for myself and others with craving, aversion, and delusion.
There are three levels of suffering: the suffering of physical and mental pain, the suffering of change and impermanence, and the suffering of conditioned existence itself.
“All experience is preceded by mind, led by mind, made by mind. Speak or act with a corrupted mind, and struggle follows, like the wheel of the cart follows the beast that draws the cart.” (Dhammapada 1)
Reactive emotions do not bring happiness; they produce exactly what I am trying to avoid.
The pursuit of happiness and freedom within samsara is futile; not knowing the nature of samsara, I am propelled again and again by confusion and conflicting emotions into the six realms.
Anger leads to the hell realms of conflict. Caught up in anger and aggression, I find myself in a realm of conflict.
Greed leads to the hungry ghost realms of insatiable desire. Consumed by grasping and neediness, I never seem to get what I want.
Ignorance and blind instinct lead to the animal realm. Seeking security and comfort, I get stuck in the same old ways of doing things.
Desire leads to the human realm. Jumping from desire to desire, chasing possessions and pleasures, my desires are never satisfied for long, and my busyness is endless.
Jealousy and competition lead to the jealous god realms. Feeling inadequate, jealous and competitive, I’m compelled to accomplish more and more.
Pride leads to the god realm. Self-satisfied, trying to maintain my position, I’m blind to the inevitability of change.
My fundamental buddha nature is wisdom and compassion. It is possible to free myself from samsara; rebirth can be stopped. The cycles of reactivity and suffering can be brought to an end.
A path of awakening and freedom has been developed and refined over many centuries of experience. I should be determined to place confidence in the teachers and practitioners of that path, and in my ability to travel it.