2008-11-10 Level 2 Zen Buddhism Class
How do we practice tolerance? The Buddha and the past sages taught us many ways. Here is an excerpt from our lecture notes:
1. By the Principle of Causality, we undergo suffering because of past wrongdoings; since we are paying off our karmic debt, we shouldn’t be angry or feel that life is unfair. We should even feel relieved.
2. Anger is a destructive emotion that poisons others as well as oneself. Being calm and forgiving and learning to see the other’s point of view help to resolve the problem. Anger will not solve the problem.
3. Adversity gives us a good opportunity to practice tolerance, to filter out the impurities of the mind, just like extracting gold from its ore. Nagarjuna says, “I should thank and respect those who inflict pain on me; they make me strong, they are my teachers. They help me perfect the practice of tolerance.”
4. We may also think: I now want to practice the bodhisattva way. A bodhisattva wishes to benefit all beings; how then can I be angry or take vengeance on others, thereby increasing their suffering? They are our brothers and sisters also.
These are practical principles and methods we need to apply when we encounter an upsetting situation.
Homework: remember each of these four principles by heart, and apply them. Share with us stories of your own results.
Question: what, then, is the perfection of tolerance?
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Shifu,
ReplyDeleteIn the Diamond Sutra, Chapter 16, the Buddha taught us the meaning of tolerance paramita. “Subhuti, the Tathagata teaches that tolerance paramita is not tolerance paramita. Therefore it is called tolerance paramita. Why not? Subhuti, in a former lifetime my body was mutilated by King Kalinga. At that time, I had no notions of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span. Why not? If I had held to the notions of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span, when my body was dismembered limb after limb, I would have given rise to feelings of resentment and hatred. Subhuti, I also recall that for five hundred lifetimes I was a rishi of tolerance. At that time, I was also free from the notions of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span. Therefore, Subhuti, bodhisattvas should relinquish all appearances and notions in their resolve to attain unsurpassed complete enlightenment.”
So I think that if we have a pure mind and do not attach to form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas, then we can overcome anger, adversity, and sufferings.
Amituofo,
Chuan Xian