runyoucanletgo

TheBuddha'sBasicTherapyJuly28,2010Whenwecometothepractice,weoftenwanttogostraighttothetop:thefournobletruths,thethreecharacteristics,emptiness.
It'slikebuildingahousewithoutafoundation,orsettingupapolewithouthavinganythingtosupportit.
Thefoundationisimportant;thesupportsareimportant.
Justbecausesomethingiselementarydoesn'tmeanthatit'sbeneathus.
Itdealswithelements,itdealswithbasicprinciplesthathavetobeestablishedbeforeyoucanbuildontopofit.
Thisiswhy,inmostcases,whentheBuddhataughtthefournobletruthshedidn'tstartoutwiththefournobletruths.
Hestartedoutwithwhat'scalledagraduateddiscourse,buildingonreallybasicthingslikegenerosityandvirtue.
Andeventhesebuildonafoundation,whichiswhat'scalledmundanerightview.
Thewayit'sexpressedintheCanonisratherstrange:Itstartsoutbysaying,"Thereiswhatisgiven,whatisoffered,whatissacrificed;thereismotherandfather;therearespontaneouslyrebornbeings;thereisthisworldandthenextworld;andtherearethosewhoknowthesethingsforsure,fromdirectknowledge—it'snotjustatheory.
"Maybeit'sbecausethesesentencessoundsostrangethatpeopleskipoverthisteaching.
Butthen,aswe'veseensooftenintheWest,thepeoplewhotrytoskipoverthingslikethisendupfindingthatthepracticecansometimesactuallyaggravateswhatevermentalproblemstheyhave.
Alotofneuroticpeoplecometothepractice—andWesterncultureisprettyneurotictobeginwith—andsometimesinsightpracticeormindfulnesspracticecanaggravatesomeofthoseproblems.
Thisiswhysometeacherssay,"Well,you'vegottodopsychotherapytoworkalongwiththemeditation,todealwiththeproblems.
"ButtheBuddha'salreadygivenusawayofdealingwiththoseproblems,withmundanerightview.
It,too,istherapeutic.
WhentheBuddha'stalkingaboutgenerosity,he'ssayinggenerosityisreal:Peoplegivebecausetheyhavethechoicetogive.
Thismeansitcomesoutofthegoodnessoftheirhearts.
Andgenerositybearsfruit.
Inotherwords,thegoodnessofyourheartdoesbearfruit.
Perhapsoneofthereasonswe'resomessedupintheWestisbecauseourcultureisdesignedsothatgoodnessofheartdoesn'treallycountformuch.
Oursocietyisdesignedtotakeadvantageofgood-heartedpeople.
They'renottheoneswhorisetothetop.
Andbecausewebelievethatrisingtothetopiswhatmatters,goodnessofheartdoesn'tseemtocountformuch.
AndtheBuddhawantstoreestablishthatitdoes.
EveninIndia,ofcourse,societywasnotnecessarilydesignedsothatthegoodpeoplewouldrisetothetop.
RememberwhentheBuddhawouldtalkaboutkings,hewouldoftenputtheminthesamephrasewiththieves:"kingsandthieves.
"Andsoitwasn'tthecasethatsocietywasmoralbackthenandsomehowchangednow.
Thereare,andhavebeen,alotofimmoralelementsinhumansociety,allovertheworld.
ButtheBuddha'saskingyoutolookatthegoodresultsthatcomefromgenerosity:notonlytheimpactonthepersonwhoreceivesthegift,butalsothegoodthingsthathappeninyourownheartwhenyou'regenerous.
He'ssaying,"Valuethat.
"Valuethefreedomofchoicethatyouhave;valuethegoodresultsthatcomefromgenerosity.
Theseareimportant.
Theymatterinthelongrun.
Infact,youoftenhearthatThaiajaanssaythatthewholepracticeisonethingclearthrough:Youstartwithgenerosityandyouendwithlettinggo.
Andthere'salotoflettinggoinbetween,butit'slettinggothathappensinconjunctionwithdevelopinggoodqualitiesofmind,andthenappreciatingthosegoodqualitiesofmind.
Anditturnsoutthatlearningtoappreciatethesethingsisapartofthetherapyofmundanerightview.
"Thereismotherandfather":Thisisanotherbigissue.
Alotofushaveveryconflictedrelationswithourparents.
Andit'snotthatthiswasn'talsothecaseintheBuddha'stime.
Weallhaveaconflictedrelationshipswithourparents.
We'realldisappointedinourparentsonewayoranother.
Becauseafterall,parentsarehumanbeings.
Theyhavetheirimperfections.
Asthesayinggoes,it'sawiseparentwhoknowshischild—butchildrenknowtheirparentsprettythoroughly,muchmorethoroughlythantheparentswouldlike.
ButwhentheBuddhabringsuptheissueofmotherandfather,he'sbringingitupasanissueofgratitude.
Gratitudeisanotherofthosegood-heartedqualitiesthat'snourishingforthepersonwhocandevelopit.
Sometimeswefeelthatourparentsdon'tdeserveourgratitude.
Ifwe'regrateful,wemayfeelwe'regivingthemsomethingtheydon'tdeserve.
Butthat'snotthecaseatall.
Aswedevelopgratitude,wedevelopsomethingthatworkstoouradvantage:asenseofappreciation.
Ifnothingelse,theygaveusthisbody.
Ourmotherswentthroughpregnancy,withallthedifficultiesconnectedwiththat.
There'sthechanttheygiveinThailandbeforeayoungmanordainsasamonk.
Nowadaystheygiveitlessandless,butintheolddaysitwasastandardpartofthe22ordinationceremonythat,beforetheceremonybegan,you'dsitandlistentoachantthatwouldgoonforabouttwoorthreehours,aboutallthetroubleyourparentswentthroughtoraiseyou.
Perhapsninety-percentofthechantisaboutyourmother'spregnancy:alltheillnessesandotherproblemsshehad,carryingthisloadaroundinherbody.
Andifyoucan'tbegratefulforthat,whatareyougoingtobegratefulforSoyouhavetolookatyourparentsandalltheirimperfections,andrealizethatyouowethemahugedebtregardless.
Andagain,indevelopinganattitudeofgratitude,it'snotjustaquestionofwhethertheydeserve.
Youbenefitfromit.
It'stherapeuticforthemindtorealizethat—regardlessoftheirfailings,regardlessofwhateverabuseyoumayhavesuffered,whateverdisappointmentsyoumayhaveexperienced—gratitudeishealthyforthemind,becauseithelpsyoutoappreciateallthegoodthings,alltheeffortsthatpeoplewentthroughtohelpyou.
Andhowyouaredependentontheirhelp.
Andthat'llmakeyouabetterandhappierperson.
Becauseagain,oneoftheproblemsinmodernsocietyisthatpeoplemakehugefortunesandsay,"Ididthisallonmyown.
Idon'toweanythingtoanybody.
"Theysaythiswithacertainpride,butalsoacertainbitterness.
Andwhattheysayissimplynottrue.
Ifyoureallylookaround,yourealizethatnobodydoesanythingontheirown.
We'realldependentonourparents,teachers,allthevariousthingsthatsocietyprovides,thatthegovernmenthasprovided,thatgenerouspeoplehaveprovidedinonewayoranother.
Andit'sgoodtokeepthatinmind.
Becausewhenyourealizethegoodnessthatyouaredependenton,itmakesyoumuchmoreinclinedtodogoodyourself.
AwhilebackIwasreadinganarticleinamagazineaboutgratitude,andtheauthorwasfocusingonthegout-weedinhergarden—which,apparently,isareallytenaciousweed,veryhardtoeradicate.
Shesaidshewaslearninghowtodevelopgratitudetothegout-weedbecauseittaughthergoodlessonsaboutpersistenceandacceptance.
That'smissingthepoint:Thegout-weedhasnointentiontodoanythinggoodforyouortoteachyouanylessons.
Youmayappreciatethelessonsyou'vemanagedtolearnfromthegout-weed,butgratitudeisforactionsthatlivingbeingshavetakenthetroubletodoinordertodogood,notfortenaciousweeds.
InPāli,theyhavetwowordsforgratitude—katauandkatavedin—whichtakentogethermeanofasenseofgratitudeforwhatyouowetootherpeoplefortheactionsthey'vedone,andthedesiretodosomethinginreturn,eitherdirectlyto33themorfortheworldatlarge.
Notice,thefocushereisonaction,becausethat'swhatcanbereallyspecial,thethingsthatpeopledowhentheygooutoftheirwaytodosomethinggood.
Havingappreciationforthat,havinggratitudeforthat,makesiteasierforyoutogooutofyourway.
Thegout-weeddoesn'thaveanyintentionatall;itjustgrows.
Youmayappreciatethelessonsyoulearnfromit,butthegratitudeshouldbereservedfortheactionsoflivingbeings.
Becauseyourrelationshipwithgout-weedisnotnearlyasconflictedas,say,yourrelationshipwithyourparents—orotherpeopletowhomyouhavedebts.
Andit'simportanttosortthoseissuesoutbeforeyoucanreallymakeanyprogressinthepractice.
Notnecessarilygoingbackandhashingthingsoutwiththepeople,buthashingoutyourattitude.
Becauseyouwillfind,asyoupractice,thatyouhavedevelopedsomeprettyunskillfulattitudesfromyourparents.
TheBuddhahadtoteachpeopletodropalotoftheattitudestheyhadlearnedfromtheirparentsinhistime.
Andyoucanletgoofthoseattitudeswithasenseofease,withasenseofpeace,onlyifyou'reatpeacewiththepeoplefromwhomyoulearnedthem.
Realizingthattheywerewell-meaninghelpssothatyou'renotthrowingthoseattitudesawayoutofangeroraversion;you'resimplytryingtosiftthroughtherelationshiptoseewhat'sworthofkeepingandwhat'sworththrowingaway.
Andifitcanbedoneinanattitudeofgratitude,it'saloteasiertodothisskillfully.
Asforthisworldandthenext,andthespontaneouslyrebornbeings—i.
e.
,beingsborninheavenandhellwithoutanyparents—that'sbasicallytheprincipleofkarmaandrebirth.
This,too,isatherapeuticteaching.
Becausewhateverdifficultiescomeup,youcansay,"Well,Imust'vedonesomethinginthepast.
"Andit'snottoblameyourselfforit,butjusttohaveabetterattitudeofequanimityforthehardshipsthatinevitablycomeupinlife.
Atthesametime,youcanrealizethathereyouare,ahumanbeing.
Thefactthatyou'reahumanbeingdependedonyourgoodactionsinthepast.
Soyoudon'twanttosimplyuseupallthegoodthat'scomefromtheeffortyou'veputininthepast.
Youwanttotakeyourprofitsandreinvestthem,ratherthanjusteatingthemup.
Andtorealizethatlifegoeson—evenafterdeath—helpsyoutoputcurrentdifficultiesintoperspective.
WesometimesthinkofrebirthasateachingofSelf—incapitalletters—butintheBuddha'steachingit'sactuallyassociatedwiththeteachingonnot-self:There'ssomuchinthislifetimeyou'regoingtohavetoletgo,abandon,leavebehind.
Thequestionis,whatcanyoutake44withyouAndallthosepeopleandallthecorporationswho'vesteppedonotherpeopleinordertogetahead:Thatpositiontheygained,they'renotgoingtobeabletotakewiththem.
Allthey'retakingisthekarmafromsteppingonpeople'sheads—whichisnotagoodthingtotakewithyou.
Soagain,thishelpsgiveyouanattitudeofequanimity,asortofdisenchantmentwithmanyofthevaluesoftheworld.
Andit'salsotherapyforthemind.
Asyousticktowhat'sright,theresometimesmaybedisadvantagesnow,butthey'renotgoingtobedisadvantagesalways.
TheBuddhasaidthesignofwisdomiswhenyoulookforlong-termhappiness.
Andsometimeslong-termhappinessrequireslettinggoofshort-termhappiness.
Sotheteachingsonkarmaandrebirthhelpgiveyoualongview.
TheBuddhanevertriedtoprovethatthesethingsweretrue,buthesaidthatthey'reareallygoodworkinghypothesis.
Andtheyaretherapeutic.
Ifyoulearnhowtousehisteachingswell,they'realltherapeutic.
Therearealotofunskillfulwaysofusingtheteaching,buttheBuddhaneverencouragedthem.
Forexample,there'sthe"blamingthevictim"attitudetowardkamma,saying,"Well,peoplearesufferingrightnow,andthefactthatthey'resufferingmeanstheydeservedit.
"That'snotthecase;theBuddhanevertalksaboutanybodydeservinganything.
It'sjustthatthere'sactionandthenthereareresults.
Theactualpleasureorpain,happinessorsuffering,thatwefeelrightnowdepends,toalargeextent,onourpresentkarma:howwedealwiththerawmaterialsfromthepast.
Whenyouthinkinthoseterms,itgivesarealfocustothemeditation:thatwe'reheretolearnaboutpresentkarma,tosee,"Whatarewedoingrightnowthat'scontributingunnecessarysuffering,unnecessarystress"That,too,isatherapeuticteaching.
Itputsyoumoreincharge.
Itmeansthatregardlessofthesituationoutside,youcanalwayslookinsideandsolvetheproblemfromtheinside,makingsurethat,attheveryleast,you'renotaddinganythingextra.
Anditturnsoutthatit'stheextrastuff,theextracravingandclingingthatweadd:That'swhatreallyweighstheminddown.
Theminddoesn'thavetobeweigheddown,nomatterhowbadthingsgetoutside.
Soalltheseteachings—eventhoughtheymaysoundstrangeinthePāli,orinthewaythey'rephrasedintheCanon—reallyaretherapy.
Theygetthemindintherightposition,ahealthyposition,sothatitcanhandlethefournobletruths,thethreeperceptions,andalltheother,moreadvancedteachings.
Sodon'toverlookthefoundation.
Thefoundationisimportant;withoutit,youcan'tbuildahouse.
Ifyoutrybuildingthehousewithoutthefoundation,55then,whenanearthquakecomes,it'lljustslidedownthehill.
Andremember:There'sreallynothingmissingintheBuddha'steachings.
It'sjustthatwetendtooverlookcertainteachingsbecausewedon'trealizehowusefulandvaluabletheyare.
Butwhenyoutakethepathasawhole,youfindthateverything'sthere.
It'sjustamatterofputtingittotheproperuse.
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