Sadness, Love, Openness by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche

Author:Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shambhala
Published: 2018-07-02T16:00:00+00:00

Openness

SELFLESSNESS

I would like to stress once again how crucial it is to have the right motivation in the context of Dharma practice. Whether we are listening, reading, practicing, translating, or simply helping out, whatever we do in relation to the Dharma should always be done with the sincere wish to help and protect others. Don’t hope for respect and admiration. Don’t think of accumulating merit. In short, don’t expect a reward. It might sound strange, but the less we care about recognition from others, the more recognized we will be, and our rewards will be that much greater.

THE NATURE OF MIND

Among people interested in Buddhism these days, there is an increasing desire to receive instructions that point out the nature of the mind. People may have read about such an introduction in books or on the internet. In any case, there’s a lot of talk about “pointing out” or “introduction,” but often people don’t really know what that means. When people visit me in my monastery in Nepal, they sometimes ask, “Please introduce me to the nature of my mind! My plane leaves tomorrow morning, so I’m in a bit of a hurry!” It almost sounds as if they think the nature of mind is a special thing, a bit like a tourist attraction, which they have to see before they’re off to the airport. On other occasions, people talk to me as if I were a gardener and the nature of mind were a rare flower that they want to see and smell.

The Buddha’s teachings are one continuous introduction to the way things really are. So far, we have been introduced to impermanence and suffering: Nothing is reliable. Nothing lasts. Everything is fragile. Everything changes. The reason we spend so much time talking about impermanence and suffering is that our approach to life needs to change. This change happens naturally when we feel that we have encountered the truth. And it is true that there is nothing to rely on. The truth is that everything changes from moment to moment—fame, wealth, power, and privilege, as well as our health and friendships. The tides turn. The winds of fortune shift. Everything changes, always. Whenever we take a moment to pause, we realize that we already know this fact of life. That’s a sign that the introduction to impermanence has hit home. Now we know. That is a powerful and crucial recognition.

So, let’s not spend our lives fantasizing about a magic moment when our teacher introduces us to the nature of mind and we live happily ever after. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying that the introduction to the nature of mind isn’t important. It most certainly is important. In fact, it’s crucial! But because it’s so important, we should ask ourselves if we have truly understood the significance of impermanence and suffering. Do we actually get this profound message, and do we take its implications to heart? If not, then we’re not going to benefit from teachings on the nature of mind, because we’re simply not ready.

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