COMPASSION AND EMPTINESS The compassion that 、 must ultimately possess is derived 伝 0n1 our insight intO emptiness, the ultimate nature of reality. lt is at this point that the vast meets the profound. This ultimate nature, as explained in Chapter 6 , "The Vast and the Profound," is the absence of inherent existence in all aspects of reality, the absence of intrinsic identity in all phenomena.We attribute this quality of inherent existence tO our mind and bOdy, and then perceive this objective the self, or 。 me. " This strong sense of self then Status grasps at some kind Of inherent nature ofphenomena, such as a quality Of car-ness ln a ne 、 car ℃ fancy.. And as a result Of such reification and our ensuing grasprng, 、 may also experience emotlons such as anger or unhappiness in the 1 0 1

A N O P E N H E A RT MEDITATING ON EMPTINESS Understanding emptiness IS not easy.. Years are devoted tO 1tS study in Tibetan monast1C umverslties. MonkS memo- relevant sutras and commentaries by reno 、 lndian and Tibetan masters. They study with learned scholars and spend many hours a day debating the topic. TO develop our understanding Of emptiness, 、 must study and contem- plate this subJect as 、 F•,rell. lt is important tO dO SO under the guidance 0f a qualified teacher, one whose understanding Of emptiness is 、 vithout fla 、 M.. As with the other subjects in this book, wisdom must be cultivated with analytical meditation as well as settled med- itation. ト{0 、 htever, in this case, in order tO deepen your real- lzatron Of emptiness, you dO not alternate bet 、 these two techniques but actually join them. You focus your mind on your analysis Of emptiness by means Of your recently acquired single-pointed concentration. This is called the union of calm abiding and special insight. By constantly meditating in this way, your insight evolves intO an actual realization Of emptiness. At this point you have attained the Path Of Preparation. 1 5 6

A N O P E N H E A RT pride or self-confidence. This is also part of training the mind. ln my own practice, when I have an arrogant feeling, "Oh, l'm somehow special," I say to myself. "lt is true that l'm a human being and a Buddhist monk. I thereby have a great opportunity to practice the spiritual path leading t0 Buddha- hood. " I then compare myselfto a small insect in front ofme and think,"This little insect is very weak, with no capacity to think about philosophical matters. lt has no ability to develop altruism. ln spite ofthe opportunity I have, I behave in this stupid way" If I judge myselffrom this point ofview, the insect is definitely more honest and sincere than I am. Sometimes, 、 Mhen I meet someone and feel that I am a little better than this person, 1100k for some positive quality of the person. He may have nice hair. I then think, "I am now bald, so 伝 om this point ofview the person is much bet- ter than I am!" み can always find some quality in someone else where we are outshone. This mental habit helps in countering our pride or arrogance. Sometimes 、 ve feel hopeless; 、 become demoralized, thinking that 、 are unable tO dO something. ln such situa- tions we should recall the opportunity and potential we have tO be successful.

B O D H ー C ー T TA As 、 envrsion the present condition of all these beings, we begin [ 0 develop the desire to help them change their 10t. This is the third cause, and out of it comes the fourth, a feeling oflove cherishing all beings. This is an attraction toward all beings, similar to what a child feels upon seeing his or her mother. This leads us to compassion, 、 is the 6 丘 h cause of bodhicitta. Compassion is a wish to separate these suffering beings, our mothers of the past, 仔 01 れ their miserable situation.. At this point 、 ve also experience loving- kindness, a wish that all beings find happiness. As we progress through these stages of responsibility, we go 伝 om wishing that all sentient beings find happiness and freedom 仔 om suffering to personally assuming responsibility for helping them enter this state beyond misery. This is the final cause. 、 AS we scrutlnize hO 、 best tO help others, we are dra 、 tO achieve the fully enlightened and omniscient state of Buddhahood. The implicit question in this methOd is central to Mahayana Buddhism: if 砠 other sentient beings who have been kind tO us Since beginningless time are suffering, hOW can 、 devote ourselves tO pursuing merely our own happi- ness? TO seek our 0 、 happiness ln spite Of the suffering others are experiencing is tragically unfortunate. Therefore, 121

A N O P E N H EA RT to have the will to seek ultimate refuge in the Three Jewels, 、 must initially ackno 、 a dissatisfaction with our present predicament li ; 、 must recognize ltS nature. Based on a true, profound recognition Of this, 、 naturally 、 Mish tO change our condition and end our suffer- ing. We are then motivated to seek a method for bringing this about. Upon finding such a method, we V1ew it as a haven or shelter 0n1 the misery 、 wish tO escape. The Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are seen to 0 飛 r such shelter and are therefore apt providers 0f refuge om our suffering. lt is in this spirit that a Buddhist seeks refuge in the Three Jewels. Before we seek refuge 01 れ suffering, we must first deepen our understanding Of itS nature and causes. DOing SO intensifies our WiSh [ 0 find protection 01 れ suffering. such a mental process, which incorporates study and con- templation, must also be applied to develop our apprecia- tion of the Buddha's qualities. This leads us to value the method by which he attained these qualities: his doctrine, the Dharma. From this ensues our respect for the Sangha, the spiritual practitloners engaged in applying the Dharma. Our sense of respect for this refuge is strengthened by such 3 6

ー N T RO D U C T ー O N problems. Then your neighbor is really happy. Without having inflicted any physical harm, he has fulfilled his 圧 in spite of his i 可 ustices, you remain calm, happy, and peaceful, your health remains strong, you contlnue tO be joyful and more friends come visit you. Your li becomes more successful. This really brings about worry in your neighbor's mind. I think that this is the wise way to inflict harm upon your neighbor. I do not mean this as a joke. I have a certaln amount Of experience here. ln spite Of some very unfortunate C1rcumstances, I usually remain calm, with a settled peace of mind. I think this is very useful. You must not consider tolerance and patience tO be signs Of weakness. I consider them signs Of strength. When Ⅵ℃ are faced 、 an enemy, a person or group 0f people wishing us harm, 、 can view this as an opportunity [ 0 develop patience and tolerance. ・み need these qualities; they are useful [ 0 us. And the only occasion we have to develop them is when we are challenged by an enemy. SO, 01 れ thiS POint OfVie 、 v, our enemy iS our guru, our teacher. lrrespectlve Of their motivation, Ⅱ our point Of Vie 、 enemles are very beneficial' a blessing. 2 1

A N O P E N H E A RT We can abandon this illusion of an essential quality only by cultivating its direct antidote, 、 Mhich is the wisdom that realizes the nonexistence Of that quality. Again, 、 ve cultivate this profound 、 MiSdom, as 、 cultivate humility in order tO uproot our pride.We must first become familiar with the lmproper way 、 perceive ourselves and Other phenomena; 、 can then cultivate a correct perception Of phenomena. lnitially, this perception will be intellectual, as in the kinds Of understanding one achieves through study or listening tO teachings. TO deepen this perception requires the more sus- tained meditation practices described in Chapter 1 1 ,"Calm Abiding," Chapter 12 , "The Nine Stages of Calm Abiding Meditation," and Chapter 13 , "Wisdom. " Only then is the perception able tO truly affect our vie 、 Of ourselves and other things. By directly realizing our lack of an inherent nature, we uproot the very basis ofthe self-grasping thatlies at the core of all our suffering. Developing 、 iS a process Of bringing our minds into accordance with the way things really are. Through this process 、 gradually remove the incorrect perceptions of reality we have had since beginningless time. This is not easy. Merely understanding what is meant by the inherent or lntrinsic exrstence Of things demands much study and 8 6

A N O P E N H E A RT it is part of yours. If this is so, then just as we do, all others have the right to be happy and overcome suffering, simply because they share this fundamental nature. lt iS on the basis of this equality that we develop equanimity toward all. ln our meditation we must work at cultivating the attitude that "just as I myself have the desire to be happy and overcome suffering, so do others, and just as I have the natural right to 同 6 Ⅱ this aspiration, so do 砠 others. " We should repeat this thought as 、 ve meditate and as 、 go about our lives, until it SinkS deep intO our a 、 vareness. There iS last consideration. human beings, our well-being very much depends upon that ofothers, and our very survival iS a result Of contributions made by many, many beings. Our birth is dependent upon our parents. ・ then need their care and affection for a number of years. our livelihood, our d 、 Melling, our sustenance, even our SLlCCeSS and fame, are the result Of contributions made by innumerable fellow human beings. Whether directly or indirectly, countless Others are involved in our survival not tO mentlon our happiness. If we extend this line of reasoning beyond the confines Of a single lifetime, ℃ can imagine that throughout our in fact, since time without beginning preV10LlS lives 114

CA LM A B ー D ー N G That is the first step. Then you take this emptiness as your Object Of concentration. This is a very difficult and challenging forr ofmeditation. lt is said that a practitioner Of the highest caliber must first cultivate an understanding Of emptiness and then, on the basis Of this understanding, use emptiness itselfas the Object Of meditation. However, it is helpfulto have some quality of calm abiding to use as a tOOl in coming tO understand emptiness on a deeper level. 1 3 7

AN O P E N H E A RT each leading to another moment of knowing. The stream of such moments Of conscrousness goes from hour t0 hour, 仔 om day [ 0 day, om year to year, and even, according to the Buddhist view, from lifetime to lifetime. Though our bOdy cannot accompany us once our li force is exhausted, the moments Of consclousness contlnue, through death and eventually into the next 1 飛 , whatever form it may take. Each one Of us possesses such a stream Of conscrousness. 、 it iS both beginningless and endless. Nothing can stop it. ln this sense lt IS unlike emotlons SLICh as anger or attachment, which can be made to cease by applying antidotes. Further- more, the essential nature Of the mind iS said tO be pure; its pollutants are removable, making the continuatlon of this purified mind eternal. Such a mind, free of pollution, is a Buddha's truth body. lfwe contemplate the state of 応Ⅱ enlightenment in this way, our appreciation of the Buddha's magnitude grows, as does our faith. As we recognize the qualities of a Buddha, our aspiration tO attain this state 1ntensifies.We come tO appreciate the value and necessity Of being able [ 0 emanate different forms in order [ 0 assist infinite beings. This gives us the strength and determrnation to achieve the enlight- ened mind. 1 6 8