Sailing
the Seas of Samsara
Hi
all!
I
hope you're all doing fine and practicing well during this time of
global hardship. Coronavirus has taken us all by surprise but really
there is nothing new in it as a samsaric occurrence. It is good time
to contemplate transitoriness of life and to re-kindle our motivation
for mahayana buddhist practice. Hardships like this can be great
catalysators for dharma practice because when samsara becomes
concrete, veils of illusion drop like drops of water from ducks
feathers. The good in hardship like this is that our lazyness,
distractedness and nonsensical excuses disappear like mist in the
sun. So, please do make use of the opportunity and think about these
occurrences in the light of dharma. Without dharma, we'd all be
drowning. With dharma we can keep our noses above the water and learn
to swim.
When
we feel and take into our hearts the confusion and disorientation of
people and all beings (really palpable these days!), we become
bodhisattvas and things start going click in our mind. Layer after
layer, click, click, click, calcified views of our self and existence
burst open. That's the bhumis opening and perfecting, indications of
correct practice, the ultimate medicine in action. So, please
remember that the vow, literally, the *vow* of a mahayana bodhisattva
is to personally "I vow to liberate, all sentient beings".
Without deeply feeling this motivation, one will not attain the
mahayana path to buddhahood and is not likely to have indications of
correct practice either. When the course of a boat is right, it is
easy to go ahead and sail the seas but if the course is wrong,
sailing becomes difficult and you just keep hitting the reef.
Bodhisattvas, even though they take a serious and compelling vow,
travel with light feet. Bodhisattvas learn to sing and dance on the
fields of fire and turmoil.
This
world of human beings and animals, by definition, is a samsaric
realm. There is never a time when all beings on this planet do not
have a need for support. However, during times like this this need is
even greater. People are drowning in this ocean of suffering, scared
and confused, and yet so many do not have the ripeness and fortunate
karma to meet with dharma in one form or the other. But again, our
own contemplation, developing of compassion - bodhicitta - and
dedicating merits of our practice for all beings is what increases
readiness for others. The more we feel the vow of a bodhisattva, the
more it gets personal and emotionally binding, the more our practice
helps others. Without emotional energy of love, care and devotion our
practice becomes reduced to lifeless words and forms. This loving
emotion keeps us nourished along the way.
Finally,
our gurus, Guru Rinpoche and Yeshe Tsogyal, are fully enlightened and
magnificient beings. They are beyond samsara. They have fulfilled
their bodhisattva vows and became buddhas. They have done it like we
are doing now. They have open invitation for everyone. "Here,
grab my hand, I'll pull you to the shore. Just grab it!". When
we turn to them for help, we find a safe place in all of samsara. We
find a refuge, a safe place where we can come to understand what the
heck is going on here. Day and night, we can grab their hand: Namo
Guru Rinpoche, Namo Yeshe Tsogyal Ye, Namo Guru Rinpoche, Namo Yeshe
Tsogyal Ye, Namo Guru Rinpoche, Namo Yeshe Tsogyal Ye. Spin that
mantra with love, for the sake of all sentient beings, and especially
for the sake of those around us who are now in deep trouble. Take
refuge and share it. Keep taking refuge and keep sharing it!
May
all beings be free!
-Kim
Katami
Pemako
Buddhist teacher,
