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The six liberating actions are a motivational
teaching for direct use in one's life. As is generally known,
Buddhism has a very practical aim and its view is exceedingly
clear. No one gets enlightened from only hearing teachings.
Lasting results come from real experiences and the changes
they bring about. Because this is so important, Buddha gave
much practical advice, which should never be seen as commandments
but as help from a friend. Being neither a creator nor a judging
god, he wants no followers nor students who are a flock of
sheep. Instead he wants colleagues - mature people sharing
his enlightenment and the massive responsibility it entails
are his real goal.
For those who mainly think of themselves, his advice is contained
in the Noble Eightfold Path. Starting with a useful lifestyle,
it culminates in proper concentration. Whoever has reached
the level of compassion and insight, and wishes to be useful
to others, finds the Six Paramitas or Six Liberating Actions
more useful. 'Ita' means 'gone' and 'Param' means 'beyond'.
The paramitas develop love which takes one beyond the personal.
It is the view which sets one free, the deep insight that
seer, things seen, and the act of seeing are interdependent
and one, that subject, object and action cannot be separated.
The Paramitas liberate not because bad pictures in the mirror
of one's mind are replaced with good ones, but because the
confident states the latter produce allow one to go behind
the good and the bad and recognize the mirror itself; shining,
perfect and more fantastic than anything that it may reflect.
The actions are liberating because they bring a recognition
of the ultimate nature of mind. If one only fills the mind
with good impressions, that would of course bring future happiness,
but it would not go beyond the conditioned. With the view
of the oneness of subject, object and action, whatever is
undertaken for the benefit of others will bring the doer timeless
benefit.
Generosity opens up every situation. The world is full
of spontaneous richness, but no matter how good the music
is, there is no party if no one dances. If no one shares anything
of themselves, nothing meaningful will happen. That is why
generosity is so important. At Buddha's time, people were
much less complicated than today. They also did not have amazing
machines working for them. At that time, generosity was a
question of helping others survive, of assuring that they
had enough to eat. This meant the act was often focused on
material things. Today, in the free and non-overpopulated
part of the world, this is not the case; one usually dies
from too much fat around the heart. Due to a lack of clear
thinking, people develop inner problems as the outer ones
diminish, and start to feel lonely and insecure. Instead of
worrying about necessities, they develop complicated inner
lives and many have never tasted the joy of their physical
freedom.
Thus in the Western world and parts of Asia where material
things are abundant, generosity refers mostly to the emotional.
It means sharing one's power, joy and love with others, from
the beyond-personal levels from where there is no falling
down. If one meditates well and taps into the unconditioned
states of mind, there is no end to the good that one may pass
on to others. Sharing one's ultimate certainty is the finest
gift of all - giving beings one's warmth - and though one
cannot take one's car or fame past the grave, not everything
is lost at death. The qualities developed during former lives
are easily re-gained in later ones and there is no richness
that is passed more directly from one existence to another
than joyful energy. Squeezing the juice out of life pays,
and a few more mantras or prostrations, some more love for
one's partner than usual, not only bring power here and now,
but speed up enlightenment.
As already mentioned, the finest and only lasting richness
one may bring beings is an insight into their unconditioned
nature. But how to do that?
How does one show others their innate perfection? The best
mirror is Buddha's teachings and this is why no activity is
more beneficial than the making of meditation centers. The
practical wisdom they disseminate acquaints many with the
clear light of their consciousness and the seeds thus planted
will grow over all future lives until enlightenment. Though
many socially minded people claim that such teachings are
a luxury and that first one should give people something to
eat, this is not true. There is ample space for both. When
the mind functions well, the stomach will digest the food
better and maybe then one can understand the reasons for having
less children. In any case, the body will disappear while
the mind continues on.
As terms like morality and ethics are employed by governing
classes to control those below, many prefer not to use them.
People are consciously intimidated by this, and often think,
"If the state doesn't get you in this life, the church
will get you afterwards." Even when only advice is given,
as in the case of the Buddha, and the full development of
beings is the only goal, one has to choose words which instruct
clearly, without employing fear. The best definition of the
second liberating action is probably living meaningfully and
for the benefit of others.
So what does this mean? How can one encompass
the countless actions, words and thoughts during just one
single day? Buddha, seeing everything from the state of timeless
wisdom, had a few unique ideas. Because people have ten fingers
for counting and then remembering, he gave ten pieces of advice
concerning what is useful and what is not. Encompassing body,
speech and mind, they become meaningful also to independent
people when one recognizes that Buddha is not a boss, but
a friend wishing one happiness. He wants everybody to share
the blissful clear light of mind; the knower of past, present
and future. Understanding that everybody is a Buddha who has
not realized it yet, and recognizing the outer world to be
a pure land, all experience becomes the expression of highest
wisdom simply because it can happen. How else could the Buddha
act? He never teaches by dogma or from above but shares his
wisdom with beings whom he knows to be his equals in essence.
Due to the good karma of those surrounding him, Buddha tought
for a full 45 years and died with a smile. He taught many
extraordinary students. The questions they asked him were
on the level of Socrates, Aristotle and Plato; the best minds
of an amazing generation came to test him with the complete
range of their philosophical tools and found not only convincing
words, but Buddha's power was so skillful that it changed
them in lasting ways. Beyond perfecting their logical abilities,
he influenced their whole mind. Introducing them to the timeless
experiencer behind the experiences, there was no space left
for doubt.
On the levels of body, speech and mind, it is not difficult
to understand what is useful to avoid. When people have problems
with the police, usually they have caused some trouble with
their body. Killing, stealing, or harming others sexually
are the main points here. When they are lonely, usually they
say things which disturb others. They usually lie with the
intent to harm others, spread gossip, split friends or confuse
people. If somebody is unhappy, one will develop a tendency
to dislike others, feel envy and permit states of confusion
to drag on.
The opposite are ten positive actions of body, speech and
mind which only bring happiness. They make one powerful and
useful to others. Here the Buddha advises using one's body
as a tool to protect beings, to give them love and whatever
else they need. Whoever has success with others now, has developed
that potential during earlier lives, so the quicker one starts,
the better.
One's speech may touch many more beings with the means of
communication today. Kind words previously spoken, create
pleasant experiences now and strengthen good karma. If people
listen, speak kindly and receive clear information, then again,
in this life they will see benefit in telling the truth whenever
possible, avoid telling lies to harm others, show people how
things work in the world, and bring them calm.
And finally, what to do with one's mind? Good wishes, joy
in the good that others do and clear thinking is the way to
go. These qualities brought us the mental happiness we enjoy
today and making a habit of them insures happiness until enlightenment.
The mind is most important of all. Thoughts today become words
tomorrow and actions the day after. Every moment here and
now is important. If one watches the mind, nothing can stop
one's progress.
When one is accumulating spiritual richness through generosity
and directing it with the right understanding, the third quality
needed on one's way is patience; not to lose the good energy
at work for others and oneself.
How may one lose it? Through anger. Anger is the only luxury
mind cannot afford. Good impressions gathered over lifetimes
- mind's capital and the only source of lasting happiness
- may be burnt in no time through fits of hot or cold rage.
Buddha said that avoiding anger is the most difficult and
most beautiful robe one can wear, and he gave many means to
obtain that goal. One which is very useful today is experiencing
a situation as a series of separate events to which one reacts
without any evaluation. This "salami tactic" or
"strobe light-view" is very effective when reacting
to a physical danger. Also other methods like feeling empathy
with whomever creates bad Karma, knowing it will return to
them, and being aware of the impermanent and conditioned nature
of every experience, and imagining how deluded people must
be to cause such trouble are beneficial approaches. Reacting
to whatever appears without anger will set free the timeless
wisdom of body, speech, and mind and one's reactions will
be right. On the highest level of practice called the Diamond
Way, one lets unwanted emotions float on a carpet of mantras,
letting them fall away without causing any bad habits. One
may also let the thief "come to an empty house"
by simply being aware of the feeling while doing nothing unusual.
When it has visited a few times without receiving any energy,
it will come less frequently and then stay away. Whoever can
be aware as anger appears, plays around and then disappears,
will discover a radiant state of mind, showing all things
clearly like a mirror.
In any case, it is wise to avoid anger as well as one can.
And when it bites, to let it go quickly. The decision to stop
anger and remove it whenever it appears is the support for
the "inner" or Bodhisattva vow. Force is useful
to protect and teach, but the feeling of anger is always difficult
and causes most of the suffering in the world today. The Buddhist
protectors removing harm, or Tilopa and Marpa polishing off
their students in record time fall under the category of forceful
action. Probably no teacher could survive without having to
resort to it.
Meditation centers need this view for a balanced policy for
their visitors. If people appear drunk, on drugs, unwashed
or behave badly, one should make them leave quickly. They
disturb others, plus the next day they will not remember what
they have learned. The function of a Buddhist center, and
especially of the Karma Kagyu lineage, is to offer a spiritual
way to those who are too critical and independent for anything
else; there are enough churches and places for people searching
for help. Not everybody brings the necessary conditions for
entering the Buddhist practice, however. To practice the Diamond
Way one needs a foundation of being at least behaved, able
to not take things personally and to think of others.
Next follows joyful energy. Without that, life has no "zap"
and one will get older but not wiser. It is a point where
one should be conscious and keep feeding body, speech and
mind the impressions which give an appetite for further conquest
and joy. As most have a strong tendency towards inertia and
the status quo, one should make sure to stay alive from the
inside out, which actually happens best through the pure view
of the Diamond Way. Knowing that all beings are Buddhas just
waiting to be shown their richness and that all existence
is the free play of enlightened space: What would be more
inspiring than making all that come true? There is an immense
joy inherent in constant growth, in never allowing anything
to become stale or used. Real development lies beyond the
comfort
zone and it pays well to demand little from others and much
from oneself.
The former four points should be evident to everybody. Whoever
wants to give life power and meaning has to invoke others.
This happens best through generosity with body, speech and
mind. One needs to direct the energy thus arising through
skillful thoughts, words and actions and then to avoid the
anger which destroys all good seeds one may have planted.
Also energy gives that extra push which opens new dimensions.
But why meditation? Because one cannot willfully keep the
states so joyfully reached at times.
Unwanted emotions often lurk in dark corners of beings' consciousness
and may bring them to do, say or experience things they would
rather have avoided. Here, the pacifying meditation of calming
and holding the mind gives the necessary distance to choose
taking roles in life's comedies and avoiding it's tragedies.
So far, the five actions mentioned have mainly been kind deeds
which fill mind with good impressions and thus produce conditioned
happiness. In themselves, they go no further than that. What
makes them liberating or "gone beyond" paramitas
is the sixth point, the enlightening wisdom which the Buddha
supplies. In it's fullness it means the understanding of the
sixteen levels of "emptiness" or interdependent
origination of all phenomena, outer and inner, which is the
subject of many weighty books. In a short few words it may
be expressed as the understanding that doing good is natural.
Because subject, object and action are all parts of the same
totality, what else could one do? They condition one another
and share the same space while no lasting ego, self or essence
can be found either in them or elsewhere. This insight makes
one realize how all beings wish for happiness and one will
act to bring them benefit in the long run.
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