A N O P E N H E A RT THE SEVENFOLD CAUSE-AND-EFFECT METHOD lfwe have been reborn time after time, lt IS evident that 、 Me have needed many mothers to give birth to us. lt should be mentioned that our births have not been limited [ 0 the planet Earth. According to the Buddhist view, we have been going through the cycle of 1 飛 and death for far longer than our planet has existed. Our past lives are there- fore infinite, as are the beings 、 MhO have grven birth tO us. Thus, the first cause bringing about bodhicitta is the recog- nition that all beings have been our mother. The love and kindness shown us by our mother in this 1 飛 would be difficult to repay. She endured many sleepless nights to care for us when we were helpless infants. She fed us and would have willingly sacrificed everything, including her own life, to spare ours. we contemplate her example of devoted love, we should consider that each and every being throughout existence has treated us this way. Each dog, cat, fish, 明 and human being has atsome point in the begin- ningless past been our mother and shO 、 us overwhelming love and kindness. Such a thought should bring about our appreciation. This is the second cause OfbOdhicitta. 12 0

SO FAR 、 ve have discussed what spiritual practice is in the Buddhist sense and how we work to change 01d mental habits and develop ne 、 M, virtuous ones.We d0 so by means Of meditation, a process of familiarizing ourselves 、 Mith the virtues that bring about our happiness. This enables us to embody those virtues and to clearly realize the profound truths that are hidden from us in our dailylives. We shall no 、 examine hO 、 our mental states are generated in much the same way that objects are generated in the physical world. ln our physical world, things come into being by the com- bined force ofcauses and conditions.. A. sprout iS able tO arise because Of a seed, 、 Mater, sunshine, and riCh garden SOil. W1thoutthese elements, the sprout would not have the con- ditions lt needs tO germinate and poke through the earth. ln 5 7

BROTHERS AND SISTERS, GOOD MORNING. I BELIEVE THAT every human being has an rnnate desire for happiness and does not want to suffer. I also believe that the very purpose 0 日飛 is to experience this happi- ness. I believe that each Of us has the same potential to develop inner peace and thereby achieve happiness and joy. Whether 、 ve are rich or poor, educated or uneducated, black or white, 伝 om the East or the West, our potential is equal. We are all the same, mentally and emotionally. Though some of us have larger noses and the color of our skin may differ slightly, physically we are basically the same. The differences are mmor. our mental and れ 0- tional similarity is what is important. ・石 share troublesome emotions as well as the positive ones that bring us inner strength and tranquillity. I think 5

C O M PA S 引 O N ・ must work to recognize our dependence on those for whom 、 feel compassion. ThiS recognition brings them even closer. lt requlres sustained attentlon [ 0 see Others through less self-centered lenses.We must work at recog- mzing their enormous impact on our 、 Mell-being.When we resrst indulging in a self-centered view Of the world, we can replace it with a worldview that takes every living being lnto account. 、 must not expect our 、 0f others [ 0 change sud- denly. RECOGNIZING THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS After empathy and developing closeness, the next im- portant practice our cuItivat10n Of compasslon IS an insight intO the nature Of suffering. Our compassion for all sentient beings must stem 仕 01 a recognition Of their suffer- ing. One thing very specific to the contemplation of suffer- ing is that it tends tO be more po 、丘 11 and effective if 、 focus on our 0 、 suffering and then extend that recogm- tion tO the suffering Of Others. Our compassion for Others gro 、 as recognition Of their suffering does. 9 3

A N O P E N H E A RT present sltuatlon as humans is relatively comfortable. HO 、 M- ever, we stand [ 0 experrence much difficulty in the future if 、 mlsuse this present opportunity. Compassion enables us to refrain om thinking in a self-centered way. ・ We experi- ence great JOY and never lto the extreme ofsimply seeking our own personal happiness and salvation. We continually strive tO develop and perfect our virtue and 、 Misdom. ・ W1th such compassion, we shall eventually possess 引 1 the neces- sary conditions for attaining enlightenment.We must there- fore cultivate compassion 伝 0n1 the very start Of our spiritual practlce. So far, we have dealt with those practices that enable us tO refrain 0n1 un 、 vholesome behavior. ・ have discussed hOW the mind 、 MOrkS and how 、 must work on it much as we would work on a physical object, by applying certain actlons ln order tO bring about desired results. We recog- nize the process Of openlng our hearts tO be no different. There is no secret method by which compassion and loving- kindness can come about.We must knead our minds skill- fully, and with patience and perseverance we shall find that our concern for the well-being of others will grow. 10 6

A N O P E N H E A に丁 Of concern for a person. ln order tO develOP such closeness, ℃ must reflect upon the virtues Of cherishing the 、 vell- being Of Others. ・み must come tO see hO 、 this brings one an lnner happiness and peace Of mind.We must come tO recognize hOW Others respect and like us as a result Of such an attitude tO 、 vard them.We must contemplate the short- commgs Of self-centeredness, seeing hOW it causes us tO act ln UnV1rtuous ways and hO 、 our own present fortune takes advantage Of those less fortunate. lt is alSO important that we reflect upon the kindness Of Others. ThiS realization is alSO a fruit Of cultivating empa- thy. We must recognize how our fortune is really depen- dent upon the cooperation and contributions Of Others. Every aspect of our present well-being is due to hard work on the part of others. As we 100k around us at the buildings 、 ve live and work in, the roads 、 ve travel, the clothes we wear, or the fOOd ℃ eat, we must ackno 、 Mledge that all are provided by others. None of these would exist for us to enJOY and make use Of were 1 [ not for the kindness Of SO many people unknown tO us. 、 As we contemplate in this manner, our appreciation for Others grows, as does empathy and closeness tO them. 9 2

A N O P E N H E A RT SO ん〃〃ツど〃み〃尾 az 〃 , 0 ツ砿加の切怩 , Thatsort of thinking brings one mner strength and confi- dence. lt has brought purpose to my life. No matter how difficult or complicated things may be, ifwe have this type ofmental attitude, 、 can have inner peace. Again, I must emphasize that ルど 4 んどゞ 4 Some Of you may have the impression thatthe Dalai Lama is some- how different. That is absolutely wrong. I am a human being like all ofyou. We have the same potential. Spiritual growth need not be based on religious faith. Let us speak ofsecular ethics. I believe that the methods by which we increase our altruism, our sense Of caring for Others and developing the attitude that our 0 、 individual concerns are less impor- tant than those ofothers, are common tO all major religious traditions. Though we may find differences in philosophi- cal vie 、 and rites, the essential message Of all religions IS 8

A N O P E N H E A RT Basically, this 、 MOrkS in tWO 、 vays. One 、 occurs when a stimulus or cooperative condition glVes tO a state Of mind in the same key. An example of this dynamic might be when 、 mistrust someone and find that the mere thought of that person occasions more dark feelings. Other states Of mind oppose each Other, as when 、 cultivate a sense Of confidence, thereby countering depresslon IOSS Of faith in ourselves.. As 、 recognize the effects Of cul- tivating different mental qualities, we see hOW 、 can bring about changes tO our state Of mind. We must remember thatthis is simply the way the mind works. We can utilize this mechanism tO further our spiritual development. As 、 ve saw in the last chapter, analytical meditation is the process of carefully applying and cultivating particular thoughts that enhance positive states Of mind and diminish and ultimately eliminate negative ones. ThiS is hOW the mechanism Of cause and effect iS utilized constructively. I profoundly believe that real spiritual change comes about not by merely praying or wishing that all negative aspects 0f our minds disappear and all positive aspects blos- som. lt is only by our concerted effort, an effort based on an understanding Of hO 、 the mind and its var10LlS emotional and psychological states that we bring about true 6 0

AN O P E N H EA RT The final verse, om the eighth-century lndian master Shantideva's G どないッ研乙 reads: ん 4 化尾 az These lines express a PO 、 sentlment. , bodhisattva should view himself or herself as the possessron of other sentient beings. Just as phenomena in the natural 、 Morld are there tO be enjoyed and utilized by others, SO must our own entire being and existence be available tO them. lt is only once 、 ve start thinklng in such terms that we can develop the powerfulthought that "I will dedicate my entire being for the benefit of others. I exist solely to be of service to them. ' Such po 、 verful sentiments express themselves out- 、 vardly in acts that benefit sentient beings, and in the process our own needs are fulfilled. ln contrast, if 、 live our entire lives motivated by selfishness, 、 ultimately can- not achieve even our 0 、 self-centered aspiratlons, much less the well-being of others. 1 7 8

KARMA SO that a ruthless murderer's lack of remorse in taking human 1 飛 began in a past 1 飛 of simple disregard for the lives Of Others as seemingly inconsequential as animals or lnsects. lt is unlikely that a murderer would be immediately reborn as a being. circumstances under 、 one human being kills another determines the severity of the consequences. A brutal murderer, committing the crime with delight, is likely to be born to greatsuffering in a re 1 れ Of existence 、 call hell. A less severe case say, a killing in self-defense ーー might mean rebirth in a hell of lighter suffering. Less consequential nonvirtues might lead one to be born as an animal, lacking the ability to improve mentally or spiritually. When one is eventually reborn as a human being, the consequences ofvarious unvlrtuous actS determine the Cir— cumstances ofone's li in different 、 Mays. Killing in a previ- ous lifetime dictates a shortlife span and much illness. lt also leads to the tendency to kill, ensuring more suffering in future lives. Similarly, stealing causes one to lack resources and be StOlen 01 Ⅱ ; it alSO establishes a tendency tO steal in the future. Sexual misconduct, such as adultery, results in future lives in which the company you keep will 6 7