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This Sunday Jeff H guided our Sangha as we listened to a very powerful talk by James Baraz titled “Seeing Beyond the Mask: Looking Past Our Assumptions”.

In his teaching on the Four Noble Truths, the Buddha describes in the Second Noble Truth four kinds of attachments that cause suffering. One of these is attachment to ideas and opinions. We explore this topic of looking beyond our views and opinions that are causing so much divisiveness and separation in these pandemic days.

Jeff writes, “James provides a humbling account of quickly jumping to judgement about someone, only to be quickly proven wrong. I know that I have had similar experiences. Collectively we may be able to do better if we discuss the topic and learn from each other.”

The talk by James is available here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/67480/

More of Jeff’s notes from our gathering follow:

“Don’t be so quick to judge”

Can we not be so quick to judge? Our biology and our social training conspire to hone our ability to see a person and immediately classify them. A story about the person can quickly follow. If we are lacking mindfulness, the story can become well-developed based on nearly zero information about the individual we observe.

James described the process of observation in typical terms:
• Sense contact: the eye and a person
• Perception: a human being; positive, negative, neutral
• Mental formations – thoughts about the object
The process happens “automatically”. We typically cannot prevent sense contact nor perception. Mental formations are more under our control, in theory, as we may be able to use mindfulness to limit how far we take the story that starts to unfold after perception.

The Buddha’s teaching on views sets a pretty high bar. We need to abandon all views and opinions. For lay practitioners, the bar is probably too high. If we look deeply, we can see that we carry around views and assumptions which lead to suffering in ourselves and in others. Self-study and accrued wisdom can help us lessen this suffering.

A quote which struck me:

The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. Who can cut out a piece of their own heart?

We lose our capacity to act wisely when we put others in a bin. We create a sense of separation.

You have no moral authority over anyone who can feel your underlying contempt.

MLK Jr.

The challenge with views is amplified when we perceive that people’s decisions affect us all. We will suffer less when we do not banish everyone with different views. 

Everybody has their own reality.

James Baraz

If you could read the secret history of your enemies you should find enough sorrow and hurt to disarm all hostility.

Longfellow

Don’t push others out of your heart
Never give up on anyone
Send metta to everyone
Wish for others to find their own goodness

The challenge and the practice:
Be clear and strong in communicating your own take on things in a way that can invite someone to see things in another way, while not putting anyone out of your heart.

The meaning of “faith” is complex and, for many of us, strongly colored by past experience. In Buddhist philosophy, the word is sometimes translated as “trust” and is based solely on our own experience. We have “faith”, after all, that the sun will rise because we’ve seen it happen so many times. It is not blind faith but proven faith. In our practice, we cultivate awareness in order for us to find this kind of faith in the teachings of the Dharma. We explored this concept together through a series of short talks from IMC teacher Gil Fronsdal, sitting practice, and an exchange of responses and ideas, led this week by Steve.

A link to the talks is forthcoming.

Our perceptions shape our lives. Fortunately, with a little practice, we can perceive how we shape our own perceptions, and realize we are making our situations better or worse by how we perceive them.

Then our whole understanding can be stood on its head, transformed: “Here in the dragon’s jaws—many exquisite jewels,” says the Blue Cliff Record of Zen commentaries. The all devouring dragon can transform our sense of life in a way the chipmunk can never quite manage.

Don S. guided our reflections this Sunday, drawing on excerpts from a talk by dharma teacher Brian LeSage.

You can listen to the talk here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/63885/

After leaving his cushy palace home in search of deeper insight into life, the Buddha spent most of his life in the outdoors, walking the roads, living in forests, sitting at the edges of rivers.  Most of the instructions on how to meditate begin with the direction to find the base of a tree at which to sit. And when his very right to awaken was challenged by Mara, the Buddha simply placed his hand on the earth, calling it to bear witness in his favor. 
     The deep interconnection between the dharma and nature continues to the present, when Buddhist teachers such as Joanna Macy are among the most articulate and forceful advocates for the environment.  This Sunday, Mike Blouin guided our reflections, drawing on Macy’s passion and acuteness of insight. 

You can listen to Joanna’s excellent talk here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/12664/

Perhaps the easiest fundamental of the Dharma for almost everyone to agree with is anicca – that everything changes. On the surface, at least, it seems like common sense.  But if that is the case, why do we find it so difficult to let go of our preferences, attachments, and long-held ideas?  Sam guided our reflections on this conundrum today, enhancing our discussion with a guided meditation by Tara Brach and an excerpt of a dharma talk by Eugene Cash.

The guided meditation is available here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/65689/

Eugene’s talk is available here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/54042/

This Sunday Margaret guided our reflections on the Buddha’s advice about how to deal with what he called the eight “worldly winds,” which are often paired as

gain and loss,
pleasure and pain,
praise and blame,
fame and shame.

“Wind” is a wonderful characterization for these circumstances, because they are as much beyond our control as is the wind, even as they may affect us profoundly, even changing the course of our lives. We based our discussion on a talk given by Zohar Lavie at Gaia House.

You can listen to the talk here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/62126/

And here is the translation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu of the Lokavipatti Sutta, on which Zohar bases her talk: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN8_6.html

Last week Ginny led us in reflection on why we practice.   Lorilee built on that theme today, with a teaching on developing gracefulness in the face of suffering.  “Dukka is part of the deal,” states Eugene Cash. Buddhism teaches to become “bigger containers” for this world’s challenges.  Suffering itself can call forth a grace in the art of living. Andin the end, growing our own inner harmony can be our largest contribution to our community and our planet.

The talk is available here:

https://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/68/talk/67029/

Highlighting the centrality of Karma, Thich nhat Hanh said, “My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.”

In leading our discussion, Ginny focused this Sunday on how our meditation practice supports us in our daily actions. Why sit? Why walk? How can we water the seeds of love and wholesome actions through a life of dedicated practice?

Beautiful Chorus – Be Like Water

“Under duress, we do not rise to our expectations, but fall to our level of training.”

Bruce Lee

The talk, Gil Fronsdal – Kalyana – The Beauty of Practice, is here:

https://www.audiodharma.org/talks/11267

“It began to seem that one would have to hold in the mind forever two ideas
which seemed to be in opposition. The first idea was acceptance, totally without
rancor, of life as it is, and men as they are: in light of this idea, it goes without
saying that injustice is a commonplace. But this did not mean that one could be
complacent, for the second idea was of equal power: that one must never, in one’s
own life, accept these injustices as commonplace, but must fight them with all
one’s strength. This fight begins, however, in the heart and it now had been laid to
my charge to keep my own heart free of hatred and despair.”

James Baldwin from Notes of a Native Son

“The wave does not need to die to become water. She is already water. [this is the concentration of the Lotus Sutra] Live every moment of your life deeply, and while walking, eating, drinking, and looking at the morning star, you touch the ultimate dimension.”

from TNH Heart of the Buddha’s Teachings p.112

Forgiveness is both possible and necessary. It is never too late to find forgiveness and to start again.  Buddhist psychology offers specific teachings and practices for redemption and the development of forgiveness.  Like the practice of compassion, forgiveness does not ignore the truth of our suffering.  Forgiveness is not weak.  It demands courage and integrity.  Yet only forgiveness and love can bring about the peace we long for.  This week Stephanie guided our reflections on the possibility and necessity of forgiveness by sharing a dharma talk by Phillip Moffitt and encouraging a discussion of his offerings on the topic.

You can listen to the talk yourself here:

https://soundcloud.com/user-961397128/forgiveness?utm_source=dharmawisdom.org&utm_campaign=wtshare&utm_medium=widget&utm_content=https%253A%252F%252Fsoundcloud.com%252Fuser-961397128%252Fforgiveness

Forgiveness Practice

At the heart of the Buddha’s understanding and practice are the Marks of Existence, the three characteristics that are true of all things: the normality of suffering, the pervasiveness of change, and the absence of an enduring individual self.  As excerpts from several talks selected by Sam demonstrated this Sunday, we can return to these insights again and again, each time encountering fresh perspectives that arrest the mind and heal the heart.

The full talks are linked below.

Kamala Masters 2017-12-08 46:38

46:38 Part 2 – The Three Universal Marks of Existence

Perth, Australia: Perth Insight Meditation Retreat

https://dharmaseed.org/talks/48256/

John Peacock 2011-07-03 45:43

45:43 What is this Path of Mindfulness?

Gaia House: The Path of Mindfulness

https://dharmaseed.org/talks/13522/20110703

Howard Cohn 2011-01-07 65:43

65:43 Song of Awakening: Confronting the Three Marks of Existence

Spirit Rock Meditation Center: Monday and Wednesday Talk

https://dharmaseed.org/talks/11594/20110107