As the
earth has finally rolled around the Sun yet again, many have used this time
marker to carefully form their New Years’ resolutions. But how many of these
aspirations will actually come true? That all depends on how much effort
is devoted to making them come true.
 |
| Original Photo by Edoardo Bartoccetti available on Flickr.com |
The more of ourselves we put into
something, the greater the likelihood of our success becomes.
In
Buddhism, we’re encouraged to practice the most effort toward attaining absolute happiness. This means:
1.) Listening to the
teachings of the Dharma
2.) Sharing Dharma
with others
3.) Following the Six Paramitas taught within Buddhism
When we’re not able to listen or share
the teachings directly, that’s when we practice the Dharma in our life and with
those around us. Of course we can give
freely to everyone, but we strive the hardest for those who belong to The Three Fields. To review, the Three
Fields are the Field of Respect, the
Field of Gratitude, and the Field
of Compassion.
Field of Respect:
Buddha, Buddhism
itself, Teachers of True Buddhism,
Benefactors of True Buddhism.
Those who give all of themselves
to share the teachings that lead the way to absolute happiness.
This field also includes those who have exemplary character
and demonstrate a high level of ethics and moral conduct.
These kind of individuals work diligently
morning and night, solely for the public good
and the benefit of all mankind.
WHAT WE CAN DO: We can volunteer ourselves to help out at a
Buddhist organization, offer donation, food or household supplies to a Buddhist
temple, give a hand to someone of outstanding moral character, or lend our
assistance to various benefactors of mankind and their charities.
Field of Gratitude
Parents, Family
members, Doctors, Caretakers and Teachers.
Those who have given all of themselves
By either bringing us into this world or nurturing us
so that we could live, survive
and learn the way to be happy and healthy.
WHAT WE CAN DO: Treat
both our parents with loving kindness and make sure they are well taken care of,
show respect to doctors, caretakers, and teachers. We can write thank you
cards, give small tokens of appreciation, and try to brighten their days with a
smile as best we can.
Field of Compassion
Homeless, Poor, Sick,
Unemployed,
Victims of Disasters
or Violence.
Those who are in desperate need and are suffering just to stay alive.
These people are in actual dire
need of donation (such as food or water), help and moral support.
 |
| Photo (text added) by Ed Yourdon, original available on Flickr.com |
WHAT WE CAN DO: Offer
extra food or water we have to homeless on the street, volunteer at or donate
funds to shelters and non-profit welfare programs, lend a hand to a sick family
member, friend, or coworker, offer moral support to people looking for work,
and also just be kind to those difficult people in your life. Many times such
people are affected by trauma in their past and carry some kind of burden they
may not want to outwardly talk about. Even though it may not seem that what you
do makes a difference immediately, this will for sure bring unexpected joy and
the strength of patience to your life in ways we can’t begin to imagine.
***
The three categories above should
take up the vast majority of the effort we give toward doing good. But we can
of course do good anytime in our daily life whenever and wherever we possibly
can.
So the Fourth Paramita of Effort is a reminder and encouragement for us to
actually practice virtue using our physical body and mind to help someone else
in need. It tells us we should put the best effort we can into all of what we
do, but especially when it comes to others.
It could also be as little as just picking
up something from the floor that someone has dropped. It could be opening a
door or lending a helping hand during someone else’s move. At our work, it
could be assisting a coworker with one of their projects. It could even be putting
in a little unpaid overtime just for the company’s sake to ensure that the job
was done properly. At home, it could be picking up extra groceries for our
roommate or taking out the trash for our loved one.
We
can apply the paramita of effort toward improving our lives in its many
aspects. This can include school, work, relationships, hobbies, skills, or
health. But as we strive to accomplish our own dreams and goals, let’s remember
to also think of others along the way.
Contrary to what we think, helping others in
their dreams in no way slows us down. We only stand to gain according to the Law of Cause and Effect. For our own
happiness and well-being, it is essential for us to build and maintain
harmonious relationships by understanding the needs of others. They will then,
in their own time, follow our example and come to our aid when we’re in need. By
sticking together, we can all help each other succeed even more than on our own.
Because
every time we lend a helping hand to someone else, we are in actuality helping
ourselves feel better. Although it seems we lose effort or a material of ours
by giving it away, the spiritual value of our lives and the satisfaction and
joy we feel in life increases exponentially. What little we have suddenly doubles
or triple right before our eyes the moment we open our hearts to share it with
someone.
Bottom line, the more we help
others with anything we can, little by little, the more and more abundance and
gratitude we start to feel. This is the fundamental Buddhist concept of Benefitting Others Benefits the Self.
It is at the very heart of Buddhism and all its teachings.
The more we brighten our mindset
through the practice of good deeds, the more it will for sure brighten our own future
with radiant worldly happiness.
The Law of Cause and Effect teaches us:
Good deeds bring good
results.
Bad deeds bring bad
results.
AND
Our own deeds bring our own results.
So all this extra effort we put in,
whether it is seen or unseen, accumulates good karmic seeds within our Alaya Mind. All the more motivation to
get off our rear ends and get out there and do good more work!
Everyone
on the planet has some special talent, gift, or ability to share with humanity.
It could be as simple as telling a funny joke, having a keen sense for
business, being a great friend, or simply having a warm and wonderful smile. Some
have already found what makes them shine, and there are some who haven’t found
it yet. Some find it early in life, while some realize it much later in life. It
takes everyone a different amount of time.
But what separates people who have what
we would call “success” or an abundant amount of relative happiness from those
who do not? It is usually not because some are lacking in creativity or inspiration.
Success arrives to the people who practice working toward their goal everyday –
the mindset of diligence. We all
desire the very best out of life, but very few of us perform the necessary
routine and often tedious steps required to bring wild, amazing success to
fruition.
 |
| Original Word Art by Celestine Chua available on Flickr.com |
What we do instead (all too easily)
is envy the rich or people better off than us for their success. Rather than be
jealous of them, we should instead be encouraged by our rivals. Rather than
feel down about it, we should take it in stride and try to work harder for
ourselves. In this way, competition can be done in a healthy, sporting way
where everyone can benefit together.
The following story from Unshakable Spirit explains how a swordsman
became bitter about his rival until he learned what made his competition so
excellent.
***
What
Makes a Master Swordsmith
This happened in fourteenth-century
Japan. In a bid to decide who was the greatest swordsmith in the land, eighteen
people were chosen, and each one made a sword. Among the submissions were
swords by master smiths Okazaki Masamune and Go Yoshihiro. After rigorous
examination, Masamune’s sword was judged the best.
Yoshihiro was from central Honshu,
near the Japan Sea, and enjoyed a reputation as the finest swordsmith of the
day. He was full of braggadocio and unable to forgive anyone who got the better
of him. “There must be some explanation,” he thought, deeply disgruntled.
“Masamune must have bribed the judges.”
He traveled east to see his rival in Kamakura, determined to settle the matter with a duel. When he arrived, Masamune was just tempering a blade.
“Sounds of rhythmic hammering came
from within the foundry. Yoshihiro cautiously looked inside and was astonished
by what he saw.
 |
| Original Photo by arbyreed available on Flickr.com |
Inside the spotless foundry,
Masamune was dressed in formal hakama and wielded the hammer with clean,
regular motions. There was something majestic in his appearance.
Suspecting nothing, Masamune
welcomed his visitor from afar with full hospitality.
Yoshihiro made a full confession.
“Until now I doubted you, resented you, and was even determined to challenge
you to a duel, but that was a grave mistake. Now I have seen the dignity with
which you work, pouring yourself heart and soul into the making of a sword. In
comparison, when I get hot I strip down, and when I’m thirsty I drink my fill.
In fact there is no comparison between us. You have shown me that technical
skill and strength alone are not enough to make someone a true master.”
Yoshihiro then begged Masamune to
take him on as his disciple. At first Masamune modestly declined, but Yoshihiro
insisted, and so in the end he agreed.”
(Unshakable Spirit, pg. 177)
***
In order to succeed ourselves, we first
have to understand what is the effort required to create the happiness
that appeals to us. Then and only then can we make the steps toward bringing it
about.
Contemplate your plans in advance, then execute them.
Being
laid-back or relaxed all the time, we can’t expect our lives to improve
dramatically. We can’t expect A+ results to appear on our report card without first
studying for the test AND doing the homework.
We’ve
gotta do what we gotta do;
because
it’s the only way
we can make our dreams come true!
If we
have a really great wish in our hearts that we want to fulfill, we must put in
the effort required to make it happen. That’s what the Law of Causality teaches us.
A cause is what leads to an effect. If we don’t work hard toward
that cause, the effect isn’t going to manifest any sooner. It’s that simple.
So if we want something really AWESOME
as an EFFECT, it requires us to put in an AWESOME AMOUNT OF WORK as the CAUSE. A
story from Something You Forgot Along the
Way shows the how we should perceive life’s challenges.
***
Success is the Fruit of Effort
Long ago, there were two
merchants who always crossed a narrow mountain pass with dry good loaded on
their backs.
 |
| Original Photo by emzepe available on Flickr.com |
One
day, one of them plopped down on a rock by the roadside. “Exhausting, isn’t
it?” he sighed. “Let’s rest for a while. You know, if only this mountain pass
weren’t so high, we could cross it easily and make more money.” He looked up
balefully at the steep pass.
“I
disagree,” replied his companion. “In fact, I wish this pass were higher and
steeper.”
“You
do?” said the first man in astonishment. “Whatever for? Do you enjoy suffering?
How strange!”
His
companion explained, “If this pass were easy to cross, everybody would use it
to do business, and our profits would go down; if it were higher and steeper,
no one would cross it, and our business would prosper even more.”
Successful tradesman must be not only astute in business, but bold in
endeavor. Success is the fruit of one’s effort. All that comes easy is poverty
and shame.
The
harder the task, the more glorious the triumph.
(Something You Forgot Along the Way, p.176)
***
Successful
people have a totally different mindset than ordinary people. They push
themselves to their limits, so that they can enjoy success beyond the norm. People who have a lot in life know the
importance of saving versus spending money as soon as its earned. They plan
ahead for great fun, but they also meticulously build a safety net of their assets
in case misfortune should arise.
These hotshots do vast amounts of
research to learn their trade and master life. They travel great distances
often on their own money to get the education or resources they need for
success. They are friendly and reach out to many different people, establishing
valuable contacts in many different fields. They put in the effort to follow
through on their promises, and people trust and respect them for that. Whether
they feel good or bad, they carry a strong smile to everyone they meet. The
spirit of good customer service as well as good business practice is none other
than to provide as many people as possible with a product or experience that adds
value and happiness to their lives.
But all others see around
successful people is the luxury that the rich live their lives in. They fail to
recognize or understand the great effort that was put behind the scenes. People
bent on success work around the clock, and it’s that commitment to excellence
that brings about the results they wanted and earned.
 |
| Original Word Art by Celestine Chua available on Flickr.com |
Someone may be born rich, but it
takes wisdom not to lose it all as an adult. Ever wonder why so many people who
win the lottery go bankrupt? It’s because being rich doesn’t automatically make
you financially secure or magically better at managing a budget. In reality,
the more you have, the more difficult it is to manage!
But most people don’t care to think
about or see this big picture. They just put in an ordinary or so-so amount of
effort in. And what happens? They will only get an ordinary or so-so result. This
point should be very clear by now.
Practicing the 4th Paramita of Effort means going through the
extra trouble that others don’t. Most people when they finish a job have only
put in 80 to 90% of their efforts at best. They conserve their energy so they
can spend the majority of their energies on fun, goofing around or watching TV.
That’s fine. If you’re happy where
you are, keep on keeping on.
But know the only way to get your
biggest dream to come true is to strive higher and higher than everyone else everyday.
Reach toward that 100% more than anyone else does! Only through serious,
concentrated practice can we expect a dramatic, life-changing breakthrough. You
can do it!
Going
to college and getting your degree is a very important benchmark for young
people today. It marks the entrance into the professional labor force.
 |
| Original Photo by COD Newsroom available on Flickr.com |
But
these days, there is a lot of criticism of the academic system because many
people with degrees are unable to get jobs. Even people entering the labor
force with master’s degrees are not necessarily guaranteed employment these
days.
Many
exercise furiously at the gym and enroll in weight-loss programs that boast
many new and inventive ways to get in shape. Some boast a certain style of
fitness like kick-boxing or yoga is the ultimate aim to health. They show
testimonials and photos of before and after. Others consume a variety of specialty
foods or vitamins. But what is the key ingredient to fitness or vitality in any
of these programs? What is the difference between a body like Arnold and a
couch potato?
It’s not the programs or the
products themselves. Of course eating right is important. But it’s the mindset
of consistent effort dedicated toward a goal. The product is just a means
toward that aim. Our will power is what actually makes it happen for us.
How about the applicants who got the
best jobs from the ones who didn’t? What happened there? It’s not always intelligence
or being connected. The answer is concentrated, consistent effort. A
story from Unshakable Spirit shares
insight on how effort is all about doing the dirty work and at the same time
challenging our limitations.
***
Perseverance is Greater than Proficiency
Cuda-panthaka’s Perseverance at Cleaning
One
of [Shakyamuni]’s greatest disciples, Cuda-panthaka, was dull by birth and
unable to remember even his own name. One day Shakyamuni found him crying and
asked him kindly, “Why are you so sad?”
Weeping bitterly, Cuda-panthaka lamented, “Why was I born stupid?”
“Cheer
up,” said [Shakyamuni]. “You are aware of your foolishness, but there are many
fools who think themselves wise. Being aware of one’s stupidity is next to
enlightenment.” He handed Cuda-panthaka a broom and instructed him to say while
he worked, “I sweep the dust away. I wash the dirt away.”
Cuda-panthaka tried desperately to remember those sacred phrases from
the Buddha, but whenever he remembered one he forgot the other. Even so, he
kept at his practice for twenty years.
 |
| Original Photo by tsembo.thar available on Flickr.com |
Once
during those twenty years, Shakyamuni complimented Cuda-panthaka on his
constant diligent effort. “No matter how many years you keep sweeping, you grow
no better at it, and yet that does not cause you to give up. As important as
making progress is, persevering in the same endeavor is even more important. It
is an admirable trait – one that I do not see in my other disciples.”
In
time Cuda-panthaka realized that dust and dirt did not only accumulate where he
thought they would, but in places he least expected. Surprised, he thought, “I
knew I was stupid, but there’s no telling how much more of my stupidity exists
in places I don’t even notice.”
In
the end Cuda-panthaka attained the enlightenment of an arhat, a stage at which
one I worthy of receiving respect and offerings. Besides encountering a great
teacher and the true teachings, it was his long years of effort and perseverance
that crowned him with success.
(Unshakable Spirit, p.156)
***
In
the last blog post, we learned about the Third
Paramita of Patience. We plant good seeds and wait, knowing full well that
they will produce good results. Now we can start to see that patience and
effort really go hand-in-hand. The more we balance these two elements, the more
success we can welcome into our lives. It’s important to work furiously and
quickly, but it’s more important to hasten toward our goal step-by-step without
making waste. Remember that the turtle
wins the race, not the rabbit.
So for the very best results, we
should try focusing our efforts steadily just like Cuda-panthaka who cleaned
and cleaned, as best he could. He was well aware of his limitations, but tried
his best anyway. As his awareness of his inability grew, it only made him
try harder and harder. Suddenly, he began learning new things and growing. From
his experience, he noticed small things that others never even thought about
before. This is the nature of wisdom and how it is developed. We clean out the
darkest part of minds, knowing full well that no matter how hard we try, our
thoughts will never be spotless. But we do it anyway.
Just like Cuda-panthaka, we can and
will achieve insight and success in time that we never thought possible. We do
this by constantly challenging ourselves and becoming aware of our own shortcomings.
The Buddha admired this follower so much because of his tremendous resolve. That’s
what made him stand out from the rest. Success can come and go easily. But
our resolve is the underlying characteristic that brings about success.
 |
| Original Diagram by Duncan Hull available on Flickr.com |
But only the wiser people can
concentrate their energies toward a single endeavor in this way. A story from Unshakable Spirit tells us the
disastrous consequences if we don’t.
“Sticking to a Single
Path in Life
One night, a mouse fell into a
bucket. At first he tried mightily to jump out, but the bucket was deep, the
task hopeless. Next he tried to gnaw a hole in the side of the bucket, but the
wood proved too hard and too thick for him to gnaw through. Giving up, he moved
frantically to another place and tried gnawing there for a while, but the
results were the same. Again he gave up and tried a different spot. The stout
wood was impervious to his efforts.
After gnawing in vain all night
long, toward dawn, worn out in body and spirit, the mouse collapsed and died.
If only he had kept gnawing at the same spot the whole time, he might have
gnawed all the way through and escaped.
The world is full of people who
cannot afford to laugh at the story of the hapless mouse. Failing at one job,
they try another and fail again, changing their job over and over. Such people
may be called weak-willed; yet weakness is a general human failing.
Sticking to a single path in life
is hard to do. It requires a will of steel and ceaseless effort. The more you
waiver, the more your life’s efforts go to waste. Since this is the case, the
thing to do is weigh your options carefully to begin with, make a careful
decision, and carry it through with firm and unremitting effort. The entrance
to a commuter train at rush hour can be so crowded that it seems impossible to
squeeze another person on board—yet if you push on through, you’ll often find
there is plenty of room further in. No one should ever despair because the
entrance to his or her chosen career path is clogged.
There is an ancient saying: ‘The
persistent drip wears through stone.’”
(Something You Forgot Along the Way, p.125)
 |
| Original Photo by Wolfgang available on Flickr.com |
***
Many people give up too soon on their dreams
rather than charge forward through the most difficult parts. They feel like
they have already worked too hard, and they feel that happiness should come
sooner.
Demanding recognition, they often doubt cause and effect because the results are not showing in the way they wanted.
 |
| Original Word Art by BK available on Flickr.com |
The
Law of Cause and Effect can also be thought of as the Law of Cause, Condition, and Effect. It’s only known as the Law of
Cause and Effect to make the name easier to say. A cause cannot become an
effect without first encountering a condition.
If
you’ve ever had your own garden, you know that planting an abundance of quality
non-GMO seeds is important. Healthy seeds will grow into a large plant that
will bare many fruits.
But also
as a wise gardener, you must know the importance of just the right conditions.
For a plant to sprout and then grow up strong, it of course requires a certain
amount of sunlight, water, and the right type of soil. Too much or too little
of any of these elements and the plant could suffer or even die.
Only after
constant care and attention
over the conditions
surrounding the
cause
can flowers then emerge
and bloom.
For flowers to bud, they need certain conditions
unique to their own kind of plant. These conditions have to be around and in
just the right amounts for the buds to open up and reveal all the dazzling
color that is stored within it. The warmth of the season of spring allows this special
process to take place for most flowers. That’s when all the beautiful arrays of
purples, reds, yellows, and blues become a feast for our eyes.
Later on in winter, flowers aren’t
able to bloom because the conditions for them to exist are not present. The
invisible, karmic energy of blooming flowers is suppressed until the snow melts
away and temperatures warm up again. (However, you can make an artificial
condition using science like building a greenhouse. Then it becomes possible to
grow almost any kind of plant even in snow!)
Knowing how plants grow, live and
die serve as a metaphor that applies directly to our daily life. We have to be
the ones to clear out the snow that is accumulating in our own lives, or we
must work hard to find a way for flowers to bloom in our life by building
ourselves our own kind of greenhouse.
 | |
|
People doubt the Law of Cause and
Effect because they don’t understand that it operates well beyond this
lifetime. They look at the results of their efforts in the short-term and say,
“Look at all the hours I’ve put in at this job, and nothing’s happened.” OR “I think I’m a great person. I do charity
and volunteer work, and yet only bad stuff happens to me. Where’s all this good
I’ve been promised?”
Rather than blame others or the bad
conditions around us, we should be striving to do the actions we want to
attract to our lives. We have to go out and seek those better conditions for
our lives.
We have been transmigrating for a
long, long period of time, since ages past. It’s beyond the scope of our
imagination as human being. Only now have we come to be a human after
incalculable aeons. Each one of us has uncountable karmic seeds, good and bad,
stored in our Alaya minds. That’s why each one of us has a completely different
destiny based on these karmic deeds from the past.
It’s true, sometimes the deeds of
many lifetimes past will show up and it seems like we have no control over them.
We suffer tremendously and don’t know why. Yet it’s important to know that life
will always have suffering, even after one attains absolute happiness. However,
when one attains absolute happiness the suffering of life transforms
completely. This is why it’s our purpose of life. It’s our common purpose
to have the root cause of our suffering eliminated.
Until then, however, there is
always something we can do about our situation right now in the present. We can
listen to Buddhism. We can do positive things for ourselves and those around
us. We can avoid doing negative things that keep us from being happy. By doing
more good and less bad, we are planting the right kind of seeds for our future.
***
On Seed-Planting
Don’t worry about
when the
seeds will sprout.
Just plant them.
The world is full of
people who
spend all their time
thinking
about the crop
they’ll reap,
without ever planting
anything.
(Something You Forgot Along the Way, p.98)
***
So we can’t let
ourselves get down when we don’t see good results right away. Like the farmer
whose livelihood depends on the success of his crop, we’ve got to keep trying
to do good until the harvest finally comes. Vicious droughts and thriving rains
come and go. But lasting happiness is something we have to work steadily toward.
 |
| Original Photo by IRRI Photos available on Flickr.com |
By listening to
the teachings, it may seem we have already received momentary peace of mind and
understanding. We should remember the dharma in our daily life and put our best
effort forward to put it into practice every day. Once we do this, our
perspective begins to transform dramatically.
And once our true
self and the truth finally become one at long, this is the split-second moment when
we attain absolute happiness forever, permanently.
The one who knows the
truth is happy. (LISTENING TO DHARMA)
The one who seeks after the truth is happier. (EFFORT)
The one who has
attains the truth is the happiest. (ABSOLUTE HAPPINESS)
So
let’s listen to the Dharma and make serious efforts. Share the teachings with
family and friends. Practice the Six Paramitas. You only stand to learn more
and more about yourself on the path toward enlightenment.
 |
| Original Photo by Ed Escueta available on Flickr.com |
