B O D H ー C ー T TA sider, once again, their harmful nature. Second, 、 must apply the appropriate antidotes and marshalthe determi- nat10n not tO indulge these emotions further. We must remain focused on our commitment tO all sentient beings. ・ We have been exploring the way to open our hearts. Compassion iS the very essence Of an open heart and must be cultivated throughout our JOurney. Equanimity removes our prgudices and enables our altruism tO reach all sentient beings. Bodhicitta is the commitment to actually help them. We shall now learn the methods by which we de- velop the concentratlon neccesary tO cultivate the Other aspect Of our practice, WiSdom. 12 5

T H E D E 引 RE F O R H A P 円 N E S S first reflect upon the way idle gossip leads us to speak badly of others, wastes a lot of time, and leaves us unfulfilled. We then consider the attitude we have tO 、 Mard people 、 MhO gos- sip, how we don't really trust them and would not feel con- fident asking their advice or confiding in them. Perhaps you can think Of Other aspects Of senseless speech that are unpleasant. Such reflection helps us restraln ourselves 、 Mhen 、 are tempted tO gossip. lt is these seemingly ele- mentary meditation practices that are, I believe, the most effective way of bringing about the fundamental changes necessary in our quest for happiness. THE THREE JEWELS OF REFUGE From the outset of the Buddhist path, the connection be- tween our understanding ofthe way things are and our spiri- tual behavior is important. lt is through this relationship that we establish that we are followers ofthe Buddha. A Buddhist is defined as one who seeks ultimate refuge in the Buddha, in his doctrine known the Dharma, and in the Sangha, the spiritual community that practices according tO that dOC- trine. These are known the Three Jewels of Refuge. For us 3 5

KARMA not have tO better our state in li , will depend on our karma in this life, our present acts. Though our current S1t- uation has been determined by past behavior, 、 ve do remarn responsible for our present actions. We have the ability and the responsibility tO choose tO direct a vrr- tuous path. When 、、 a particular act, to determrne 、 vhether it moral or spiritual, our criterion should be the quality of our motivation. When someone deliberately makes a reso- lution not to steal, if he or she is simply motivated by the fear of getting caught and being punished by the law, it is doubtful 、 Mhether engaging in that resolution is a moral act, S1nce moral considerations have not dictated hiS or her choice. ln another instance, the resolution not tO steal may be motivated by fear of public opinion: "What would my friends and neighbors think? 用 1 would scorn me. I would become an outcast. '' Though the act of making the resolu- t10n may be positlve, 、 Mhether it IS a 1 れ oral act is agaln doubtful. Now, the same resolution may be taken with the thought "lfl steal, I am acting against the divine law of God. '' Some- one else may think, "Stealing is nonvirtuous; it causes Others 6 9

ー N T RO D U C T ー O N longer relevant. ・ must 、 tO resolve conflicts ln a spirit Of reconciliation and al 、 Mays keep in mind the in- terests Of Others. ・石 cannot destroy our neighbors! We cannot ignore their interests! DOing SO 、 ultimately cause us tO suffer. I therefore think that the concept Of ViO- lence IS no 、 unsuitable. NonvioIence iS the appropriate method. Nonviolence does not mean that 、 indifferent to a problem. On the contrary, it is important to be fully engaged. HO 、 Mever, we must behave in a 、 that does not benefit us alone. ・ must not harm the interests Of others. Nonviolence therefore is not merely the absence of viO- lence. lt involves a sense Of compasslon and caring. lt iS almost a manifestation Of compasslon. I strongly believe that 、 must promote such a concept Of nonviolence at the level of the family as well as at the national and inter- nationallevels. Each individual has the ability to contrib- ute tO such compassronate nonviolence. HO 、 should 、 ve go about this? ・ " can start with our- selves. We must try to develop greater perspective, looking at situations from all angles. Usually when we face prob- lems, 、 lOOk at them 伝 0n1 our own point Ofvie 、 even sometlmes deliberately ignore Other aspects Of a SituatIOn.

ー N T RO D U C T ー O N very much the same. They all advocate love, compassion, and forgiveness.. And even those 、 vho do not believe in reli- g10n can appreciate the virtues Of basic human values. Since our very existence and well-being are a result of the cooperation and contributions Of countless Others, 、 must develop a proper attitude about the 、 May 、 relate to them. We often tend to forget this basic 信 c [. Today, in our modern glObal economy, national boundaries are irrele- vant. NOt on dO countries depend upon one another, but SO dO continents. ・ are heavily interdependent. When we look closely at the many problems facing humanity tOday, 、 can see that they have been created by us. I am not talking of natural disasters. However, con- flicts, bloodshed, problems arising out of nationalism and national boundaries, are all man-made. If we looked down at the world from space, we would not see any demarcations Of national boundaries. ・石 would simply see one small planet, Just one. Once we draw a line in the sand, we develop the feeling of "us" and "them. '' this feeling grows, it becomes harder to see the reality Of the situation. ln 1 an メ countrres in . Africa, and recently in some eastern European countrres such 9

A F T E RW O に D expressed our gratitude. He had once shared 、 vith us how alone he had felt when first escaping into exile [ 0 lndia in a refugee, virtually friendless, his homeland occu- 1959 ー pied by the Chinese army and his people brutalized by a systematically planned genocide. Now, some forty years later, through nothing more than the simple truth of his 、 MOrds and the complete commitment of his good heart, he has sincere friends every 、 Mhere. The subject of His Holiness's talk, 方んぉル ing ど M 切 is a very high Buddhist practice. TraditionaIIy a teaching ofthis kind would not have been given publicly, and surely not tO such a large audience.We were overjoyed thatso many people had come to listen, though we also realized thatthe material was dense and challenging. How many of us would be able to implement his wise words? A special mention must be made of Rato Geshe Nicholas Vreeland's effort in editing His Holiness s teachings om the three days at the Beacon Theatre and the talk in CentraI Park. Much of the material is quite advanced, some well beyond the understanding of a general audience. When discussing these inherent difficulties, His Holiness tOld Nicholas to "follow your nose" while being mindful not to 1 8 8

M E D ー TAT ー O N , A B E G ー N N ー N G Such meditation is tO be used extensively in our spiritual practlce. This technique is not in and of itself Buddhist. Just as musrcrans train their hands, athletes their reflexes and tech- niques, linguists their ear, SChOlars their perceptions, SO 、 direct our minds and hearts. Familiarizing ourselves with the different aspects Of our spiritual practice is therefore a form Of meditation. Simply reading about them once is not Of much benefit. If you are interested, it is helpful tO contemplate the subjects men- tioned, as 、 did in the previous chapter with the nonvrrtu- ous action Of senseless talk, and then research them 1 れ ore extensively tO broaden your understanding. The more メ ou explore a topic and subject it tO mental scrutiny, the more profoundly you understand it. This enables you to judge its validity. lfthrough your analysis you prove something [ 0 be invalid, then put it aside. However, if you independently establish something tO be true, then your faith in that truth has powerful solidity. This whole process of research and scrutiny should be thought of as one form of meditation. The Buddha himself said, "O monks and wise ones, do not accept my words simply out 0f reverence. You should subject them tO critical analysis and accept them on the 4 7

M E D ー TAT ー O N , A B E G ー N N ー N G As we become more adept, we can skillfully switch bet 、 veen the ハ MO forms of meditation in order to intensify the desired quality. ln Chapter 1 1 , 。℃ alm Abiding," we shall examine the technique for developing our settled med- itatlon tO the point 、 vhere 、 can remain focused single- pointedly on our object of meditation for as long as we wish.. As l've said, this 。 Object Of meditation is not neces- sarily something Ⅵ℃ can see. ln a sense, one fuses hiS or her mind with the Object in order tO cultivate familiarity with it. Settled meditation, like Other forms Of meditation, IS not virtuous by nature. Rather, it is the Object 、 ve are concentrated on and the motlvation with 、 Mhich 、 engage in the practice that determine the spiritual quality Of our meditation. If our mind iS focused on compassion, the meditation is virtuous. If it is placed on anger, it is not. ・み must meditate ln a systemat1C manner, cultivating familiarity with a chosen object gradually. Studying and listening tO qualified teachers is an important part Of this process. ・み then contemplate 、 vhat 、 ve have read or heard, scrutlmzrng lt SO as tO remove any confusion, m1S- conceptions, or doubts we might have. ThiS process itself helps affect the mind. Then, when we focus on our object 5 3

C A L M A B ー D ー N G mind, a clear experience Of 、 is obscured in our normal experience. When meditating on the mind, you must try tO remain focused on the present n101 ent. You must prevent recollections Of past experiences from inter- fering with your reflections. The mind should not be directed back into the past, nor influenced by hopes or fears about the future. Once you prevent such thoughts 伝 0n1 interfering with your focus, 、 Mhat is le 丘 is the interval between the recollections of past experrences and your anticipations and projections Of the future. ThiS interval is a vacuum. You must work at focus on JLlSt this vacuum. lnitially, your experience of this interval space is on fleeting. ト{0 、 as contlnue tO practrce, you become able to prolong it. ln doing so, you clear away the thoughts that obstruct the expression of the real nature of the mind. Gradually, pure knowing can shine through. 気 h practice, that interval can get larger and larger, until it becomes pos- sible for you to know what consclousness is. lt is important tO understand that the experience Of this mental interval conscrousness emptied Of all thought processes IS not S01 れ e kind Of blank mind. lt is not what one experiences when in deep, dreamless sleep or when one has fainted. 1 3 5

C U LT ー VAT ー N G E QU A N ー M ー TY whom we believe to have ill will and harmful intentions tO 、 us are our enemies. ・ therefore Vie 、 people as friends or enemies based on our perception Of the thoughts and emotions they harbor tO 、 Mard us. SO, nobody is essen- tially our friend or essentially our enemy. ・ often confuse the actlons of a person with the actual person. This habit leads us to conclude that because of a particular actlon or statement, a person IS our enemy. Yet people are neutral. They are neither friend nor enemy, Buddhist nor Christian, Chinese nor Tibetan. As a result of crrcumstances, the person 、 hOld in our sights could change and become our closest friend. The thought "Oh' you used tO be SO mean tO me in the past, but now 、 are such good iS not inconceivable. Another way of cultivating equanimity and transcending our feelings ofpartiality and discrimination is tO reflect upon how we are equal in our aspiration to be happy and over- come suffering. Additionally, we feel that we have a basic right to 応 lfi Ⅱ this aspiration. How do we justify this right? Very simply, it is part of our fundamental nature. I am not umque; I have special privilege. are not do you hold special privileges. My aspiration to be happy and overcome suffering iS part Of m メ fundamental nature, 1 1 3