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Thoughts and impressions on applying Buddhist principles in daily life, and modern applications of Buddhist concepts.
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
Buddhism is About Seeing the Big Picture
For people with a basic understanding of Buddhism, a common misconception is that Buddhism is simply about having a positive attitude about life. You know, 'Don't worry; be happy.' But while being positive is an important aspect about Buddhism, it is not about being carefree and happy-go-lucky--it's about having a broad and open mind about 'where we fit in the grand scheme of things.'
To deal with this misconception, it's important to deal with another important one--that of Buddhism being perceived to be solely about the individual and nothing else. In fact, the exact opposite is true. While Buddhism does relate most of its teachings on an individual level, it does so by stating the intricate relationship a person has, both within him or herself, with others, with the environment, and with the universe.
In Buddhism, the concept of 'oneness' or unity is extremely important in its understanding of how to deal with a person's perception of their life. There are the concepts of the Oneness of Body and Mind, Oneness of Self and Environment, Oneness of Person and the Law, and Oneness of Mentor and Disciple which define the intricate relationships we have that impact our lives. The more we understand these relationships, the more we can use our understanding to strengthen our life condition to deal with situations that challenge our goal of achieving Buddhahood, or absolute happiness.
Overall, in Buddhism, to deal with one's attitude towards and about life, one needs to understand and accept the intricate web of relationships that define our existence. While many people relate 'luck' with Buddhism, in fact, nothing is defined 'by chance.' Everything that happens or that exists in your life has a reason, defined by the relationships you have within yourself, with others, and with the environment. In short, you are the sum of the intricate relationships that existed long before you were born.
For example, your present socio-economic status is defined by the choices and situations that defined your parents' life up to and after your birth. Your cultural distinctiveness is defined by the upbringing you had as a child, infused with the values passed down by your parents and extended family. Your personality and character were defined by the combination of family genes and environmental influences that molded the person you are today. In short, the relationships between body and mind, self and environment, parent and child, just to name a few, defines your existence. In other words, your existence is the effect of innumerable causes created in the past.
So what does this complicated web of relationships have to do with 'seeing the big picture'? Well...everything. When we are able to realize how much it took for us to come alive as a human being, we are able to see beyond the narrow confines of our self-interest and ego. We realize, not only that we are more than the sum of our parts, but that the sum of relationships that created our parts is huge and immeasurable. When we are able to realize and appreciate what it took for us to be alive, despite the struggles of countless generations of people, it's hard to be selfish and egotistical about our own individual life. We are the culmination of the causes created in the past, and out of the most basic appreciation and respect, we should make the most of it and prove that the efforts of past generations were not made in vain.
So, seeing 'the big picture' is ultimately more than simply having a positive attitude; it's about having a profound sense of appreciation of life that extends beyond ourselves and includes everyone and everything around us that nurtures our existence. To neglect this sense of appreciation is to depreciate your own life and the lives of those before you, for no other reason except your own pride, ignorance, and selfishness (qualities Buddhism describes as the Three Poisons).
By being able to see the big picture, it's possible to not only have a positive attitude, but to see things in a whole new light. Rather than seeing circumstances as negative and problematic, they are in fact opportunities for us to develop our Buddha Nature and strengthen our life condition.
For people with a basic understanding of Buddhism, a common misconception is that Buddhism is simply about having a positive attitude about life. You know, 'Don't worry; be happy.' But while being positive is an important aspect about Buddhism, it is not about being carefree and happy-go-lucky--it's about having a broad and open mind about 'where we fit in the grand scheme of things.'
To deal with this misconception, it's important to deal with another important one--that of Buddhism being perceived to be solely about the individual and nothing else. In fact, the exact opposite is true. While Buddhism does relate most of its teachings on an individual level, it does so by stating the intricate relationship a person has, both within him or herself, with others, with the environment, and with the universe.
In Buddhism, the concept of 'oneness' or unity is extremely important in its understanding of how to deal with a person's perception of their life. There are the concepts of the Oneness of Body and Mind, Oneness of Self and Environment, Oneness of Person and the Law, and Oneness of Mentor and Disciple which define the intricate relationships we have that impact our lives. The more we understand these relationships, the more we can use our understanding to strengthen our life condition to deal with situations that challenge our goal of achieving Buddhahood, or absolute happiness.
Overall, in Buddhism, to deal with one's attitude towards and about life, one needs to understand and accept the intricate web of relationships that define our existence. While many people relate 'luck' with Buddhism, in fact, nothing is defined 'by chance.' Everything that happens or that exists in your life has a reason, defined by the relationships you have within yourself, with others, and with the environment. In short, you are the sum of the intricate relationships that existed long before you were born.
For example, your present socio-economic status is defined by the choices and situations that defined your parents' life up to and after your birth. Your cultural distinctiveness is defined by the upbringing you had as a child, infused with the values passed down by your parents and extended family. Your personality and character were defined by the combination of family genes and environmental influences that molded the person you are today. In short, the relationships between body and mind, self and environment, parent and child, just to name a few, defines your existence. In other words, your existence is the effect of innumerable causes created in the past.
So what does this complicated web of relationships have to do with 'seeing the big picture'? Well...everything. When we are able to realize how much it took for us to come alive as a human being, we are able to see beyond the narrow confines of our self-interest and ego. We realize, not only that we are more than the sum of our parts, but that the sum of relationships that created our parts is huge and immeasurable. When we are able to realize and appreciate what it took for us to be alive, despite the struggles of countless generations of people, it's hard to be selfish and egotistical about our own individual life. We are the culmination of the causes created in the past, and out of the most basic appreciation and respect, we should make the most of it and prove that the efforts of past generations were not made in vain.
So, seeing 'the big picture' is ultimately more than simply having a positive attitude; it's about having a profound sense of appreciation of life that extends beyond ourselves and includes everyone and everything around us that nurtures our existence. To neglect this sense of appreciation is to depreciate your own life and the lives of those before you, for no other reason except your own pride, ignorance, and selfishness (qualities Buddhism describes as the Three Poisons).
By being able to see the big picture, it's possible to not only have a positive attitude, but to see things in a whole new light. Rather than seeing circumstances as negative and problematic, they are in fact opportunities for us to develop our Buddha Nature and strengthen our life condition.
Our Attitude is Defined by our Life Condition
Almost a year ago, I gave a presentation entitled, "Buddhahood Begins in the Bathroom." The idea for that speech came to me by joining two completely separate thoughts I had from some articles I read, but the idea seemed to make a lot of sense to me at the time--and it illustrates the fact that how we perceive our life is very dependent on our condition of life, as defined by the Ten Worlds.
When we first wake up in the morning, one of the first places we go is the bathroom--for obvious reasons. After a good night's sleep, we have to remove the waste generated while our body was resting. But aside from that, going to the bathroom is also our first look at ourselves through the bathroom mirror. Depending on how we're feeling (before or after using the toilet), we can either say we look really bad, or feel nothing about our appearance and simply be content at the start of another day (or relieved to use the toilet). Both these attitudes are defined by our state of mind, or more accurately, our state of life.
Feeling negative, or complaining inside about our appearance in the mirror--first thing in the morning--shows our low life condition, ranging from Hell to Anger, depending on how bad we feel about it. While, on the other hand, feeling positive about a new day, despite our bad hair or puffy eyes illustrates a high life condition, where we are not swayed by our perception of our physical selves. In both cases, our appearance is the same, but our attitude towards it is vastly different.
This is just a basic example of how the Buddhist concept of the Ten Worlds illustrates the importance of 'exercising our spirit' in order to improve our own life. It's not uncommon in our modern lives to look outside ourselves for the sources of our problems--another person, a specific situation, something you disagree with. Often we say to ourselves, 'if this was different, my life would be better.'
From a Buddhist perspective, however, it is not our environment that is the problem, but our attitude towards it. If, as Buddhist teachings suggest, we are in control of our perception of life, then we must develop a sense of self-control over our emotions in order to maintain a positive and sustainable attitude towards ourselves and our environment. We must--as conflict-resolution moderators have--train ourselves to step back and be somewhat objective about a given situation rather than be controlled by it.
But, stepping back by itself does not solve the problem--the negativity generated from a given situation is still sitting there 'in reserve' like a AA battery. When something else makes you frustrated or angry, it will only recharge the battery until it explodes and leaks and ruins other parts of your life. Besides stepping back, it's vital to release that pent up energy, transforming that negativity into something positive and useful.
Going back to looking at yourself in the bathroom mirror, if you are unhappy about your morning hair, or puffy eyes, you can take a shower and clean yourself up. Likewise, if something or someone is bothering you at work, step back and look at why the situation is bothering you and find a way to resolve the problem. Rather than let it linger and mould into a bigger problem, make the most of it as an opportunity to improve yourself and grow as a person.
Almost a year ago, I gave a presentation entitled, "Buddhahood Begins in the Bathroom." The idea for that speech came to me by joining two completely separate thoughts I had from some articles I read, but the idea seemed to make a lot of sense to me at the time--and it illustrates the fact that how we perceive our life is very dependent on our condition of life, as defined by the Ten Worlds.
When we first wake up in the morning, one of the first places we go is the bathroom--for obvious reasons. After a good night's sleep, we have to remove the waste generated while our body was resting. But aside from that, going to the bathroom is also our first look at ourselves through the bathroom mirror. Depending on how we're feeling (before or after using the toilet), we can either say we look really bad, or feel nothing about our appearance and simply be content at the start of another day (or relieved to use the toilet). Both these attitudes are defined by our state of mind, or more accurately, our state of life.
Feeling negative, or complaining inside about our appearance in the mirror--first thing in the morning--shows our low life condition, ranging from Hell to Anger, depending on how bad we feel about it. While, on the other hand, feeling positive about a new day, despite our bad hair or puffy eyes illustrates a high life condition, where we are not swayed by our perception of our physical selves. In both cases, our appearance is the same, but our attitude towards it is vastly different.
This is just a basic example of how the Buddhist concept of the Ten Worlds illustrates the importance of 'exercising our spirit' in order to improve our own life. It's not uncommon in our modern lives to look outside ourselves for the sources of our problems--another person, a specific situation, something you disagree with. Often we say to ourselves, 'if this was different, my life would be better.'
From a Buddhist perspective, however, it is not our environment that is the problem, but our attitude towards it. If, as Buddhist teachings suggest, we are in control of our perception of life, then we must develop a sense of self-control over our emotions in order to maintain a positive and sustainable attitude towards ourselves and our environment. We must--as conflict-resolution moderators have--train ourselves to step back and be somewhat objective about a given situation rather than be controlled by it.
But, stepping back by itself does not solve the problem--the negativity generated from a given situation is still sitting there 'in reserve' like a AA battery. When something else makes you frustrated or angry, it will only recharge the battery until it explodes and leaks and ruins other parts of your life. Besides stepping back, it's vital to release that pent up energy, transforming that negativity into something positive and useful.
Going back to looking at yourself in the bathroom mirror, if you are unhappy about your morning hair, or puffy eyes, you can take a shower and clean yourself up. Likewise, if something or someone is bothering you at work, step back and look at why the situation is bothering you and find a way to resolve the problem. Rather than let it linger and mould into a bigger problem, make the most of it as an opportunity to improve yourself and grow as a person.
