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Creating Bridges: Spirituality & Philosophy:
Spirituality in Daily Life:
Impermanence and Suffering
Part 2 of 2
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by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron |
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Do we have to suffer to attain liberation (nirvana)? Must we renounce the world to become a Buddha?
Practicing Buddha's teachings brings happiness, not pain. The spiritual path itself isn't painful, and there is no special virtue in suffering. We already have enough problems, so there's no sense in causing ourselves more in the name of practicing religion. However, that doesn't mean that we won't have any problems while practicing the Dharma. While we're on the path, previous destructive actions that haven't yet been purified may ripen and bring problems. When this happens, we can transform the situation into the path to enlightenment by using the various techniques the Buddha taught. Sometimes our anger, attachment, or jealousy may arise strongly and be very disquieting when we're trying to practice. This happens because our disturbing attitudes haven't yet been eliminated. After all, we don't become Buddhas after practicing the Dharma for just a short time! We can apply the Buddha's teachings to subdue these unpleasant emotions while being patient with ourselves and recognizing that pu-rifying our minds takes time.
Although the English word "renunciation" is often used in Bud-dhist translations, it doesn't convey the precise meaning. It is more accurate to say that we must develop the determination to be free from cyclic existence and to attain liberation. We don't need to renounce people and things. Rather, we need to give up our clinging attachment to them. There is nothing inherently wrong with the world; the real problem lies in our disturbing attitudes. For example, money isn't the problem; it is merely sheets of paper. However, our clinging to and craving for money cause big problems. These erroneous and harmful attitudes are to be given up. Of course, if we are very attached to something, it's a good idea to distance ourselves from it for a while to calm our clinging. If we're attached to ice cream, it's better not to go to an ice cream parlor! Later, when we've developed a more balanced and altruistic motivation, we can actually use the objects of our previous attachment to benefit others.
Buddhism talks about accepting our suffering and also about freeing ourselves from suffering. Are these contradictory?
No. Accepting our difficulties doesn't mean becoming apathetic and resigned to suffering. Rather, our experience at a particular moment -- whatever it is -- is the reality of that moment. When we refuse to accept this, we find ourselves in conflict with reality. On the other hand, we can accept our present unhappiness and still work to free ourselves from future unsatisfactory experiences. For example, if we accept the transient nature of our world, we will cease trying to con-trol things that, by their nature, are out of our control. We will be at peace with whatever life presents and simultaneously work to benefit others with an altruistic aspiration that appreciates every being's potential to transcend suffering and become enlightened.
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Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron,
Buddhist Nun, Teacher, Author
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Thubten Chodron (Cherry Greene) graduated with a B.A. in History from UCLA in 1971. After traveling extensively in Europe, North Africa and Asia, she taught in the Los Angeles City School District did post-graduate work in Education at USC.
In l975, she attended a meditation course given by Ven. Lama Yeshe and Ven. Zopa Rinpoche, and subsequently went to their monastery in Nepal to explore Buddhism. In l977, she was ordained as a Buddhist nun.
Chodron studied and practiced Buddhism of the Tibetan tradition under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan masters for many years in India and Nepal.
She was the spiritual program director at Lama Tzong Khapa Institute in Italy for nearly two years and studied three years at Dorje Pamo Monastery in France. For two years she was resident teacher at Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore, and for ten years she was resident teacher and spiritual advisor at Dharma Friendship Foundation in Seattle.
She currently is co-founder of Sravasti Abbey at Liberation Park in USA. Ven. Chodron has taught Buddhist philosophy, psychology and meditation worldwide.
Her books include:
Open Heart, Clear Mind; Buddhism for Beginners; Working with Anger; Taming the Monkey Mind, and Blossoms of the Dharma: Living as a Buddhist Nun.
Active in interfaith dialogue, she also does prison work. Ven. Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha's teachings in daily life and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners.
www.thubtenchodron.
org
www.sravastiabbey.
org
www.dharmafriendship.
org
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