Effort - Doing Your Very Best

                  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 4^th 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.

Photo (text added) by Doug Brown, original available on Flickr.com

                      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

Patience - Counting to Ten When Angry

                So far, we have covered two of the Six Paramitas taught by Shakyamuni Buddha. Each paramita is a virtue that we practice by doing good deeds. Keeping a paramita in mind each new day, we remain focused on doing more and more good throughout our lives. In doing this and listening to the teachings deeply, we come closer to knowing our True Self. 

                Now the time has finally come to go over the third paramita of... patience.

1.)    Generosity

2.)    Discipline

3.)    Patience

4.)    Effort

5.)    Self-Reflection

6.)    Wisdom

                         Below is the Chinese symbol, Nin, meaning patience. Can you see how this pictograph is trying to communicate that idea? Hmm...

Original Photo by mliu92 available on Flickr.com

                   

                    This rather complex-looking kanji character above can be divided into two smaller parts. The top one is a sword. You can almost see a handle on the left with the large blade slightly curved at the right end. The bottom portion is made of three dots and a swerved line that together represents the concept of the mind or heart.

Original Photo (edited with labels) by mliu92 available on Flickr.com

                     The exact meaning of these ideas can seem a little vague at first. With some imagination, it can be interpreted as "a mind that waits with strength and calm under the anticipation of a coming sword's advance." Perhaps this made more sense to a Samurai or a skilled Chinese warrior.

  But how do we exactly go about getting more patience 

in this modern, fast-paced world?

                      To know the answer to this question, we must know what our nature is very, very well. Buddhism tells us that we, human beings, consist of 108 worldly passions and nothing else.

                   Of these, there are three worldly passions that trouble us the most. They are known as the Three Poisonous Passions: Desire, Anger, and Envy/Ignorance. They plague us constantly night and day. These worldly passions cause us to commit all sorts of bad deeds all the time, whether we realize it consciously or not.

                    Desire is the desperate longing for something we don’t yet have. It is also that recurring craving for more of something we already have. 

                   We all want something really tasty to eat from time to time. Everybody dreams of having the cash to buy a luxury car or a nice, big house.

Original Photo by Kurtis Garbutt available on Flickr.com

                  

                   Deep down, we all want to have romance in our lives or to feel a closeness with someone special. Everybody likes being at least a little bit popular, and for the room to be all smiles when we enter. At the end of the day, don’t we all desire a good night’s rest in a cozy bed?

                    All these things are known as the Five Desires in Buddhism: food, money, love/sex, fame, sleep. 

                    **Even if we have billions of dollars at our command, still our desires persist for something more, something new, or something greater.**

                   Anger occurs when our Five Desires become interfered with, and we can’t get what we so desperately wanted. Our emotions get hot like a fire, and we unleash all our wrath and fury, “It’s all because of that jerk!” or “She’s the one responsible!” and even “Aaaaggghhhh, I can’t stand this situation anymore!!”

                 We get angry and blame others hoping that rage will somehow bring us our desire faster. "I deserve what I want, and I want it now!!" We want anger to scale down whoever or whatever is in our way. This venomous ire cuts all our enemies back down to the level where we think they belong. Anger that gets this out of control can quickly escalate to violence as we see on the TV news everyday.

Original Photo by Za3tOoOr available on Flickr.com

            

                           Envy / Ignorance is when we can’t show this anger directly because it’s socially unacceptable for us to so. We are unwilling to express it because it is inappropriate given our standing. It festers, hidden away inside us, becoming dark and twisted in our private thoughts.

Original Photo by Ferran Jorda available on Flickr.com

             

                   Our partner seems to be flirting with someone we don’t like, but given the situation we can’t say anything about it without appearing meddling. Or our boss becomes unfair at work, and we’re unable to go against his or her final decision. Our friend is thriving at his business, and we feel that this success should actually be ours instead.

                 So envy is really just anger that has been concealed within. The one who harbors these feelings of hatred within is the one who receives the most of their destructive effects. Others, however, may feel the effects of envy indirectly through a jealous person's attitude. Grudges only become more and more self-tormenting with time.

                 However, once all that silently-kept hatred reaches the breaking point, we then show it outwardly as anger. Whenever this happens, we put blame on whatever bad situation we are facing in the moment. Fuming with anger, we have no right mind to reflect accurately on how our own past actions may have contributed to our situation. 

                 Instead we falsely believe the current misfortune came to us because of someone else's deeds or some mysterious external force like bad luck. Some incorrectly perceive it to be all the work of misaligned planets within astrology. Always looking for the next external thing to put fault on, we deny any possibility that such a negative event occurred to us because of something we ourselves have done.

                  And so when we finally lose our patience, we are letting “that @!#$ person” know, as well as the world around us, that we’re not happy, and we’re not gonna take it any longer. Honestly, haven't we all done this? In our anger, we've said to others firmly, “HEY! YOU better listen up! I’m getting sick and tired of this, and now, I mean business. You’re going to give me exactly what I want or else.” We sound a lot like robbers when we're mad, don't we?

                    Our own unfulfilled desire is the underlying motivation for all the fuss.

Original Photo by Pedro Vezini available on Flickr.com

                    Spewing with fire, our angry mind feels that threatening words or harming others in some way will make them better understand us. We think it will make them obey our wants and demands. This is an awful, foolish way of thinking, don’t you think? Anger never makes things any better… doesn't it only make matters worse? And yet when we’re mad, we’re not thinking about what’s positive or productive, are we? No, we aren't. When we’ve lost our temper, we've lost our ability to think rationally.

                     Justifying our anger, no matter how reasonable we think it is at the time, is completely useless. Even responding to someone else in anger serves no real purpose. A story from Something You Forgot Along the Way shares an insightful and historical moment when one man became very mad at the Buddha.

***

“Abuse That Is Not Accepted

Shakyamuni and the Heretic

                  One day a young heretic approached Shakyamuni and began to heap abuse on him. Shakyamuni listened silently, and when the heretic finished, asked gently, ‘Do you sometimes invite your relatives over to your home on festival days and entertain them?’

                    ‘Of course I do.’

                    ‘What if they didn’t eat the food you served them? What would you do then?’

                    ‘Nothing. The food would just be left over.’

                    ‘You gave me much abuse just now, but if I decline to accept it, whose will it be?’

                    ‘Even if you decline to accept it, it is still yours, since I gave it to you.’

                    ‘No, for if I do not accept it, you have given me nothing at all.’

                    ‘Well then, explain what it means to accept or not accept.’

                    ‘Accepting what is offered means yelling back at someone who yells at you, returning anger for anger, hitting back when someone hits you, or fighting back when someone picks a fight. If you remain indifferent, then you have not accepted anything.’

                    ‘Do you mean that you never lose your temper, no matter how you are abused?’

                   ‘Solemnly, Shakyamuni replied with a verse:

“The wise man knows no anger;

Though storms may rage against him

His mind is placid and calm.

Answering anger with anger is for fools alone to do.”

                      ‘I was a fool. Please forgive me.’ The young heretic [kneeled] in tears before Shakyamuni and swore to follow him.

(Something You Forgot Along the Way, p.49)

***

                          When children get angry, parents can make them go sit in a corner until their rage gets a bit cooled down. But unfortunately as grownups, no one can tell us to go into a corner. We couldn’t tell really angry people around us, "Excuse me... you uh. Um yeah, I'm sorry. You actually need go to into the corner for a little while." That would only make anyone who is ticked off even more upset!

 

                          The best thing for us to do is carefully step away from any person who is really, really upset until they can resolve themselves. We should try to give ourselves and people who are angry around us time and patience in heated situations. Do as the Buddha instructs us:

“Don’t respond to anger with anger.”

Original Art by Tommaso Meli available on Flickr.com

                    

                         But why is it that despite knowing this... we still get angry when we're in a jam? It is the work of those pesky 108 worldly passions boiling and churning inside us.

                      Our suffering from not getting what we really wanted in that very moment, right there and then, foolishly leads us to believe that anger is the best remedy. In selfish desperation, we feel blowing up will do the job. But trying to fix our problems using anger just leads to our own downfall. In the end, it injures everyone we know and most especially, ourselves.

                      To help us better understand anger, the Buddha teaches us about how our karma functions within the Law of Cause and Effect.

Good deeds bring good results.

Bad deeds bring bad results.

Own deeds bring own results.

                     Since anything we do in the fit of anger is a bad deed, we shouldn’t do that. So what should we do instead? 

                      Deeply learn this wisdom...

The opposite of anger is patience.

                      We are encouraged to practice patience as much as possible within the 3^rd paramita. It is a very good virtue for us to focus on because it treats and remedies our poisonous anger in the best way.

                       When things get rough, rather than react quickly, we must try to be patient. Sometimes, we got to just put up with those super-annoying people or bothersome chores in our life. When things don't go according to plan in our lives, anger is not the solution. It's only adds more to the existing problem.

                     But we’re not angry all of the time, we think. "It's not such a big deal right now, so I'll work on my temper later." It becomes less important on our to-do list, and so we forget and it happens again.

                     Now let’s read a story from Something You Forgot Along the Way that sheds light on just how difficult it is to perceive our own anger and why it's something that needs to be evaluated in the here and now.

***

“Change Irritation to Appreciation

Born with a Short Temper?

                   A man went to call on a priest for advice. ‘I was born with a short temper,’ he confessed. ‘They say getting angry only makes matters worse and they’re right. After I let off steam I feel rotten, and I regret hurting other people’s feelings, but by then it’s too late. Is there anything I can do to rid myself of my short temper?’

                 The priest smiled genially. ‘Well, well, you certainly were born with an interesting item,’ he said. ‘If I am to fix it, though, I need to examine it. Do you have it with you now?’

                ‘Well, no,’ said the man. ‘I have nothing to be upset about now, so I can’t show it to you.’

                ‘That’s odd,’ said the priest. ‘Since you told me just now that you were born with it, it must be somewhere on your person. Don’t be shy, just go ahead and bring it out for me to see.’

                ‘No,’ repeated the man, ‘it’s not here.’

                ‘Then where is it?’

               ‘When you put it like that, I don’t know what to say. Right now it isn’t anywhere.’

              ‘Of course it isn’t. No one is born with a short temper. The next time you start to blow up in irritation, ask yourself where that fit of temper came from. The answer is, it came from you yourself. To say you were born with it, as if it’s not your fault, is shirking responsibility.’

              Patience doesn’t just happen, but must be cultivated, It is all a matter of attitude.

             Change irritation to appreciation.”

(Something You Forgot Along the Way, p. 42)

***

                   Through looking within ourselves deeply (5^th Paramita of Self-Reflection), we learn that our own anger makes us think up very terrible, terrible ideas. At times, we can think absolutely horrifying things about others. This anger, unchecked, causes us to actually do those things we will regret the most in life. After it's all over, we feel really bad about what we said and did.

Original Photo by BK available on Flickr.com

                  

                        So what is something practical that can be done about this? You’ve probably heard the answer before, but never really counted on it when you were really mad. A story from the book Something You Forgot Along the Way reminds us of this timeless advice.

***

“Count to Ten When Angry

Or You May Find Yourself Weeping Alone

                    A zoo hippopotamus became pregnant. Her keepers waited eagerly for the birth, but when the time came, to their great disappointment the baby hippopotamus was stillborn. In searching for the reason, they found that when the mother was transferred to a different room during her pregnancy, she had for some reason gone berserk with anger, and this episode had resulted in the death of the fetus. I remember being shocked on reading this account of needless tragedy in the newspaper. Anger, it seems, releases toxins into the system that can destroy physical health.

                   The effects of anger on humans are just as disastrous. One often hears accounts of street quarrels that turn into fights in which someone collapses in rage before even landing a blow. And there is a famous story of an eminent priest who spent forty years reciting the Lotus Sutra, only for all the merit so painstakingly acquired to be lost in a moment’s angry outburst.

                   When blood rushes to the head in a fit of anger, we may say and do things we would never dream of ordinarily – and as a result find ourselves standing alone in a charred wasteland, weeping bitter tears. But if in the moment of anger we take a second to think why we are outraged, what it is that so upsets us, our indignation often melts away.

                   If you have been [criticized] even though you are in the right, there is no need to blame your [accuser]. Eventually he is bound to come round and beg your forgiveness. No one is a match for the truth. If you discover that you are in error, then follow the proverb, “It’s never too late to mend.” Take swift steps to correct the matter and improve yourself. To defend yourself furiously even though you are wrong is the height of folly.

                    The aftermath of anger is dreary emptiness. So when you get angry, count to ten, and when someone else gets angry, steer clear of him or her. This is the wise counsel of ancients.

(Something You Forgot Along the Way, p.84)

***

                      So when our blood pressure shoots up, we have to take our own personal time out and really examine ourselves when we get really upset.

“What exactly is making me so angry right now?”

Just doing this step is already half the battle.

                      Normally when we’re very angry, we’re not making sense. So the more you think deeply about what exactly is making you angry, the more that anger has a chance to evaporate. Then you can reflect more accurately from the other person’s point of view.

                    Next time when we’re really, really fed up and angry, let’s actually count to ten. Here’s a sample exercise so you can learn for yourself how the cooling down process works.

A CAR JUST ZOOMS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU FROM ACROSS THE OTHER LANE. 

YOU HIT THE BRAKES. 

YOU SWERVE OUT OF THE WAY. 

JUST IN TIME.

 YOUR HEART IS RACING.

TURNS OUT THAT IT'S A FLASHY, RED SPORTS CAR 

THAT SPEEDS OFF AHEAD OF YOU.

Original Photo by Pablo Ullola available on Flickr.com

10… 9…

I can’t stand that @!$%*!! I’m gonna show him!!

8… 7…

He’s just some rich jerk who thinks he owns the road or something.

6… 5…

I can’t stand people who drive like that, but I shouldn’t get so angry about it.

4… 3…

At least I wasn’t injured or anything. He really should pay attention for the safety of others.

2…

I wonder if that person is rushing to the hospital, or is having a terrible day from bad news.

1…

I wonder if my driving contributed to his behavior in some way. 

0.

Have I ever cut someone off another driver 

and not realized it?

                    This countdown process gives us time to cool down our thoughts. Our introspection helps us get back on track again. Then when our patience isn’t as boiling anymore, perhaps it’s only at a simmer, we can start to think, “Hmm, is what I am angry about really worth getting this worked up over? Isn’t there some other kind of solution or compromise? What can I do to make this situation better in a positive way next time?”

Be a hero...

Count to ten whenever you get angry.

                   We do this counting to remind ourselves that anger doesn’t bring us closer to what we really want. Counting to ten is really easy. Sometimes even children less than two years old can do this. But it takes real maturity as an adult to remember to count whenever you get really mad or feel stressed out. Ten simple numbers can keep us away from misfortune or disaster.

Good deeds bring good results.

Bad deeds only bring bad results.

Our own deeds bring our own results.

                   Doing wrong actions in the throws of some uncontrolled, childish tantrum only puts on display for everyone to see that our mind is going completely against reason and the Law of Cause and Effect. This is a senseless mind. We’re planting the wrong kind of seeds. But when we're ticked off, we don’t understand that a negative result will come to us from our angered words and clenched fists.

WHEN WE'RE CALM, THE TRUTH REMAINS VERY CLEAR

Our own deeds bring our own effects.

Yet we can’t agree with this 

when we let ourselves get too angry!!!

                                                                                       

WHEN MAD, WE FALSELY THINK

Original Photo by
周小逸 Ian

available on Flickr.com

Others' deeds brought this bad result.

"Obviously, it's ALL that person's fault. I'm not responsible for anything.

Since both the statements above 

go against the Law of Cause and Effect, 

they must be ruled out from our thoughts.

                   The Law of Cause and Effect is not a truth that was made to suit our human convenience. It's not something that turns on and off whenever we want it to, like a light switch. It is a universal truth that permeates the Three Worlds (all time) and the Ten Directions (all places). The following is a passage from Unshakable Spirit that explains this lesson clearly in just a few lines.

***

Hurry Up and Be Patient

"The Law of Cause and Effect holds true

throughout the universe.

Until cause and condition come together,

the effect will not emerge. 

It's important to wait patiently 

until then.

Hurry up and plant the seeds, and then wait

without any impatience."

(Unshakable Spirit,  p.88)

***

                  Buddhism says that we have been transmigrating since the beginning less past, planting a countless number of karmic seeds. There are so many karmic seeds stored in our Alaya Mind that we cannot begin to even fathom everything that's inside our karma.

                  We are not able to understand the relationship between all the causes and effects within our lives with this human mind made solely of worldly passions. And so we often doubt the Law of Causality of the Three Worlds whenever it brings us a suffering so severe that we don't understand where the cause came from.

                   We think that our anger in an unpredictable tragedy is justified. Yet when we truly think deeply... after a long inhale and exhale... any kind of anger never brings any true form of solace or happiness.

                     When we are angry at life, we feel "It's no more Mr. Nice Guy. I gotta get even, because I've been so taken advantage of." But these are more bad seeds that will only bring us more misfortune in the future. When we do this, we are doubting the Law of Causality. We should instead be planting good seeds all the more, as soon as possible!

A seed not planted will never grow.

Every seed planted will surely grow.

Original Photo by f2b1610 available on Flickr.com

 

 If we plant orange seeds, we get oranges.  

If we plant cucumbers, we get cucumbers. 

You can't plant the seeds of orange and in your right mind expect to harvest cucumbers.

Would you buy cucumber seeds if you wanted to grow orange plants?


That wouldn't make any sense.


IN THE SAME WAY


Bad deeds NEVER produce good results.

 Good deeds NEVER produce bad results.
 

Yet when we're angry, we are desperately wanting to eat an orange...

while we ourselves are planting cucumber seeds.

Choose the right kind of seeds 

for the happiness

you wish to plant 

in your life!

                     This in turn means that when we are feeling adversity, we must, to some degree, accept that what has happened to us is because of our own karma from ages past. Of course, some traumatic experiences especially early in life are still beyond our capacity to accept. This is only natural. 

                     And yet, as we reflect over all the various evils that we’ve done in this life alone… do we have an accurate count? Is it really possible for us to fathom exactly how bad our own deeds are from our own perspective? We are a little bit… biased. Aren't we? With time, don't we forget and lessen the severity of what we've done wrong?

                     What did you eat for lunch today? Was it tasty? How about yesterday's breakfast? Maybe it wasn't all that fulfilling because you were in a rush. But what about what you had for lunch two weeks ago today? Do you remember the taste? ... How about five years ago? ... Ten years ago?… Our memory gets more and more hazy as time keeps on ticking. We can't keep accurate tabs of what we did wrong or right. And yet, why is it that our mind has such precise accuracy for what others did wrong to us?

                     Buddhism challenges us to examine our own mind, first and foremost. It encourages us with the Law of Cause and Effect to reflect on ourselves and our own deeds.

                      Bad things must have happened to us for a reason. Sure, we may not comprehend the cause of it from the narrow span of this lifetime, but however terrible that event was, it still drove us toward this precious moment where we are listening to the teachings of Buddhism. Because of our past experiences, we have become open and searching for life’s true purpose in the present. This is a tremendous blessing!

Original Photo by Crystal Coleman available on Flickr.com

                       We can assign at least some percentage of responsibility on tragic events that befall us, however small. We can start with as low as 1% my responsibility, and work our way up later to 10% and 25%. Then in other cases we might start to think… maybe it was mostly my fault.

                        A story from Unshakable Spirit demonstrates the transformation that occurs when you reflect positively and make amends amongst catastrophe.

***

“The Window Frame Hurts Too

A Winsome Mother and Child

                    This happened once when I was riding a train on my way to give a speech. The car interior was spacious us and quiet, with many unfilled seats. Feeling relaxed, I spread myself out and opened up a book I’d brought along. After a while, tired from reading and lulled by the rhythmical vibrations of the train, I began to nod off – only for my dreams to be shattered by an ear-splitting whistle and the metallic screech of brakes. Apparently the driver had found an obstruction of some kind at a crossing.

                    The shock of the sudden stop threw me forward, but I managed somehow to stay upright. In the same instant, the shrill sobs of a little child rang out. I saw then that the seats across the aisle in front of me were occupied by a young mother and her child, who had apparently been amusing himself by sitting with his forehead pressed against the windowpane, watching the scenery fly by. When the train jerked to a stop, the tot’s head banged sharply into the window frame. His wails grew louder and more frantic. Afraid he was hurt, I jumped up, but to my relief there was no sign of injury. Then I witnessed a scene so heartwarming that I was deeply touched. 

                     As the child’s pain lessened, he gradually quieted down while his mother rubbed his head reassuringly and murmured soothing words: “Sweetheart, that must really hurt. I’m so sorry. I’ll rub it for you and make the pain go away. But you know, you weren’t the only one who got hurt. The poor window frame did too! Let’s run it and make it feel better, shall we?” The tot nodded, and sure enough, he and his mother began to pat the window frame.

Original Photo by Andre Mouraux available on Flickr.com

                       I felt ashamed of myself, for I had assumed she would say something more along these lines: “That must really hurt. I’m so sorry. It’s all the fault of this naughty window frame. Let’s spank it and teach it a lesson, shall we?” Such a scene is common enough, giving a toddler a vent for his rage and allowing the moment to pass.

                        All too often, when faced with difficulties, we cope by searching for someone else to blame for our suffering. Perhaps, I reflected, we  implant this response in our children without meaning to. The child is father of the man, goes the saying, and surely parents have enormous influence in shaping the character of small children.

                         People who think only of themselves and cannot empathize with others, end in darkness. The act of making others happy itself brings happiness. Those who would set their sights on the Pure Land must keep to the high road of benefiting others as well as themselves.

                         I left the train wishing true happiness to that mother and child with all my heart.

(Unshakable Spirit, p.48)

***

                            By taking ownership of everything that happens to us, it does not mean we become masochistic and take everything out on ourselves. It is not some critical form of self-punishment. It's ownership of one's destiny. We become more responsible in the present because we know our actions will tremendously impact our future.

                             We may not always understand the cause of a bad experience, how it came to us, or where it came from. But we can accept that tragedy has now occurred to us… so what should we do about it? We must start planting good seeds so that we can reap good results.

Original Word Art by AuthenticAng11 available on Flickr.com

                           By being patient, we are believing deeply in the Law of Cause and Effect. “Even though misfortune is all around me, I am going to keep doing what is right.” This comes from knowing that good seeds bring good results deeply. However, this is a very, very difficult to do. But still it can be done. I know you can do it. (I'll try my best too!)

                            To conclude this post on patience, here are some insightful words from my Buddhist teacher, Mr. Takamori Kentetsu and his book Unshakable Spirit.

***

                             Once a monstrous typhoon made a direct hit on Japan. Inside a country school, pupils and teachers sat in mortal terror as the building swayed and creaked. No one knew what to do.

                            Finally the teacher jumped up. “Everyone, go out and face the wind!” The children obediently ran outside – only to be blown about at the mercy of the wind. Instinctively, they tried to walk downwind.

                            “No!” shouted the teacher. “Crawl into the paddy, hold tight to the rice stalks, and head INTO the wind!”

                             Surprised at the ferocity in the teacher’s voice, the children did as they were told. Soon the school building downwind from them collapsed with a great crash, but luckily no one was killed or injured.

Original Photo by Vinoth Chindar available on Flickr.com

                               Life is like that. We know it’s important to face trials head-on with calm and courage, but doing so is hard.

                               Even little things can be grating. From the time we get up till the time we go to bed, one thing after another gets under our skin. The tap may be too cold or too hot, the coffee too strong or too weak. Weather is seldom to our liking, and people at home or work can be impossible to get along with. On top of it all, disasters and tragedies befall us. Life brings suffering, sadness, and pain. Happiness is rare.

                               The way to deal with life’s frustrations is to face them individually, head-on, in the moment. “Get through this somehow.” When you face a trial, tell yourself, “Just get through it,” and the burden will ease. When you are suffering, and showing kindness to others seems impossible, tell yourself, “Just get through this,” and you can do it with a smile. When courage is needed, tell yourself, “Just get through it,” and find strength to forgive. Walk forward step by step into the storms of suffering, telling yourself, “Just get through this!”

(Unshakable Spirit, p.185)

***

                             This story can be interpreted many ways, but it contains within it the very spirit of patience.

                             We must face the storm of our own anger and troubles in life with calm and look within to find strength. If we let the wind of our anger sweep us away, we lose our tempers and get lost in the storm.

                              If we instead go INTO THE WIND, and face that direction that is challenging us head-on with patience, we find come to know ourselves more deeply while at the same time make our way to safer ground. As hard as things may be around us, we must first take the initiative for the change occur from within.

       Let us strive to interpret everything in a positive way.

                 - Takamori Kentetsu                        

                               Some people wait around miserably for happiness to just come along by itself magically with intentions alone. This is not the right kind of patience. Some things in life no matter how hard we try just prove to be impossible. The best choice is to walk away or avoid conditions or people that are bad for us.

                               But the key is that throughout it all, our minds are what shape the way we perceive the world around us. Thinking negatively, our words and actions will also be negative. Everyone around us will then react negatively to us. Suddenly, we blame them for how they treat us, and we become even more pessimistic.

                                 A pessimist is someone who publicly proclaims that they have given up on trying to do good. They feel the world is too negative to ever get any better. So they go about their lives never making a true effort themselves. They discourage those around them from even trying to do good. Stop trying is motto for life. Does this sound like a healthy, solid plan for your life?

Original Photo by ARMLE available on Flickr.com

                                 Conversely, an optimist is someone who faces the adversity that life dishes out with a smile. They smile even when it hurts, and seeing this, the people around them want to help such a special person.

                                 We must make the best of our life in the present moment in order to build toward a better future. Patiently choose hope and positivity everyday, but remember also to put in the work (4th Paramita of Effort). We will cover this next time.

                                Keep on listening to Buddhism patiently as well as practicing its teachings, and for sure, in no time, you will become the happiest person in the universe.