January Dialogue
Body people/Mind people
As the Roman ancient saying goes: anima sana in corpore sano, which translates as “a healthy mind in a healthy body”, invites us to find the most balanced synergy between the two.
According to the different approaches in Buddhist vast array of teachings, the body is considered very differently.
Sometimes the body is considered to be merely a tool, whose excesses need to be controlled.
In some other sources the body is seen as the expression of Awakening on the physical plan. It should be then considered as a temple, and taken care of consequently.
Sometimes form is meditated upon as emptiness.
What is a healthy relationship between the body and the mind?
February Dialogue
Three of the Eleven Positive Mental Events
Pliancy
The Tibetan word for ‘pliancy’ or ‘flexibility’, shin jang, means that you have some sense of how to ride your own mind. At first, you learn how to tame your mind. Having tamed your mind, you learn how to make friends with it. And having made friends with it, you learn how to make use of it.
Shin jang is a very important term. It is often referred to as the fruition, or the complete accomplishment of shamatha, your mind is soothed, your body is completely relaxed.
But here, shin jang as an antidote is what you could call ‘early’ shin jang. Here, you are simply learning to make friends with yourself.
You have some sense of relaxation and some sense of trust in yourself. You have become less paranoid about your own mind. You realize that your mind is workable and that there is an end to suffering from your mind, of your mind, with your mind, and by your mind.
Dignity, Self-respect, Sense of shame or personal integrity
Tib. ངོ་ཚ་ཤེས་པ་ནི་བདག་གམ་ཆོས་རྒྱུ་མཚན་དུ་བྱས་ཏེ་ཁ་ན་མ་ཐོ་བ་ལ་འཛེམ་པ་ཉེས་སྤྱོད་སྡོམ་པའི་རྟེན་བྱེད་པའི་ལས་ཅན་ནོ།
Dignity is the attitude of refraining from unwholesome actions (or misdeeds) on account of one’s own [conscience] and [trust in] the Dharma. Its function is to support one in refraining from negative actions.
Propriety, Sense of decency
Tib. ཁྲེལ་ཡོད་པ་ནི་གཞན་ནམ་འཇིག་རྟེན་རྒྱུ་མཚན་དུ་བྱས་ཏེ་ཁ་ན་མ་ཐོ་བ་ལ་འཛེམ་པའི་ལས་ཅན་ནོ།
Propriety has the function of causing one to refrain from misdeeds, either because of being reproached by other [noble] people or by the world.
It is the attitude of refraining from unwholesome actions out of concern for others.
March dialogue
“I struggle with differentiating anger and indignation”
When colliding with challenging times and humans we might relapse into our usual coping mechanisms, such as denial, withdrawing, anger, and accusation. Alternatively, we could fall into the other end of the spectrum, through some sort of bypassing: “the universe has a greater project, it’s all going to be fine in the end, etc.”
Are they answers that help us to grow on our project of Bodhi?
What guidelines in the Buddhist literature help us through these challenging times?
Are they practical, or only nice ideas?
Let’s explore together a piece of advice that was offered by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche in the 80s.
I would like you to help this world.
Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche
“I would like you to help this world. And the world is somewhat falling apart positively at this point. And the chaos that takes place in the world is not that negative or bad, but the world is falling apart, positively. And the world does need some kind of help. And it has to be individual help. And I would like to encourage any one of you to go out and try to help people. Namely, number one, to reduce speed. Number two, reduce aggression. Number three, try encourage people that they could fall in love with something or other. That, love is very much needed in this world, this point. They could fall in love with one or two people, but they have to fall in love with the rest of the world. That’s very important. Thank you so much, Ladies and Gentlemen. I love you all. Thank you. I adore you all”
See the video by clicking here
April Dialogue
The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra “The Gold Sūtra”
Homage to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
Thus did I hear at one time.
The Blessed One was dwelling in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park.
At that time Venerable Ānanda asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how should the mind of awakening be viewed?”
The Blessed One replied, “Venerable Ānanda, the mind of awakening should be viewed as being in nature like gold. Just as gold is pure by nature, so the mind of awakening is pure by nature. Just as a smith shapes gold into a multiplicity of forms, yet the nature of the gold does not change, although the mind of awakening may appear to have a variety of unique attributes, ultimately these never waver from the mind of awakening. Therefore, its nature does not change.”
Then the Blessed One proclaimed the following verse:
“The mind of awakening is pure.
Strive for the benefit of self and other.
Meditate on the insubstantial essence.
Be intent on what causes the birth of wisdom.”
The Blessed One spoke thus, and Venerable Ānanda, the entire retinue, and the world together with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.
This completes the noble Great Vehicle sūtra “The Gold Sūtra.”
Glossary:
Blessed One
བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས།
bhagavat
In Buddhist literature, this is an epithet applied to buddhas, most often to Śākyamuni. The Sanskrit term generally means “possessing fortune,” but in specifically Buddhist contexts it implies that a buddha is in possession of six auspicious qualities (bhaga) associated with complete awakening. The Tibetan term—where bcom is said to refer to “subduing” the four māras, ldan to “possessing” the great qualities of buddhahood, and ’das to “going beyond” saṃsāra and nirvāṇa—possibly reflects the commentarial tradition where the Sanskrit bhagavat is interpreted, in addition, as “one who destroys the four māras.” This is achieved either by reading bhagavat as bhagnavat (“one who broke”), or by tracing the word bhaga to the root √bhañj (“to break”).
Teachings on Sūtra | Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche on Pure Gold
May Dialogue
The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “Wisdom at the Hour of Death”
June Dialogue
Fear and Fearlessness in Buddhism
Seek a Spiritual Ground
By Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche
The Buddhist view is that fear is ubiquitous. We all have an underlying sense of not being settled, of not being secure. We have an existential feeling of uncertainty and instability, and that makes us very anxious. Unfortunately, we usually apply the wrong antidote to this ever-present sense of anxiousness.
To allay or mollify that fear, we try to find refuge in accumulating wealth, or trying to make a big name for ourselves, or doing aerobics, or getting a new nose, or whatever. Yet doing these things over and over again does not settle us. In fact, it does the opposite. It exacerbates the very problem we are trying to address. Buddhism does not teach us to completely give up all relationship with material things. That’s not the point. The point is the attitude we take toward what we do and what we have. When we do things to try to make ourselves secure, to establish our own sense of identity, we are barking up the wrong tree. We enflame our negative emotions.
The very act of dealing with fear is attaining fearlessness.
When these emotions become inflamed, our fears grow. They compound. They go haywire. As the Buddha himself said, we get completely bogged down by fears of not getting what we want to have, being separated from what we have, and getting what we do not want. Unless we have some kind of spiritual focus, we do not feel any real sense of groundedness, and so our efforts are not fruitful in the long run. We disperse our psychic and spiritual energies right, left, and center, leaving ourselves exhausted and frustrated. We think we’ve missed out on this or that, or that everybody is an obstacle to our effort to improve ourselves. We want to have a certain kind of life, but everything is frustrating that.
When we feel like that, all kinds of fears arise—fear of death, of old age, of our reality crumbling, of ending up being nothing or nobody. On the other hand, if we are secure in ourselves from having found some kind of spiritual focus, and we learn how to gather our psychic and spiritual energies into ourselves, we can discover a kind of inner richness. If we acknowledge the deep sense of emptiness we feel at the very bottom of our being, which cannot be filled by any kind of love that we might get from other people or any amount of money, we see that it can be filled only by the richness of our own spiritual cultivation. If we do that, we will experience a sense of groundedness that allows us to reduce and manage the fears we experience and, eventually, to overcome them.
The very act of dealing with fear is attaining fearlessness. We don’t do two things—first overcoming fear and then starting on the project of developing fearlessness. All the fears are not going to just magically disappear. We will need to develop stability and insight. Stability in itself is not sufficient. Feeling a bit more calm and relaxed is not sufficient to overcome the deep sense of anxiety and anxiousness at the core of our being. To overcome it we need insight, which, according to Buddhism, involves profound reflection on our lives. That includes looking deeply at our fear. Looking deeply shows us its nature and teaches us how to work with it.
As we look deeply, we can see that there is not an object of fear separate from the subject who is afraid. Think about it. How fearful one is in relation to an object varies from individual to individual, and even with the same individual it varies from one time to another. So how one experiences fear in relation to a particular object of fear this year will be different from last year, or this week from last week, or this afternoon from this morning.
If we acknowledge the deep sense of emptiness we feel at the very bottom of our being, which cannot be filled by any kind of love that we might get from other people or any amount of money, we see that it can be filled only by the richness of our own spiritual cultivation.
With the stability of shamatha and the insight of vipashyana, we really begin to see the interrelationship between the fear response and the object of fear. From the Buddhist point of view, that’s very significant. We understand that we do not have two independent things coming together: one who fears and what is feared. We then begin to develop some appreciation for what is called interdependent arising—subject and object arising together—which gives us a feeling of empowerment, of real choice, a lot of room to move around in, and a real inkling of the Buddha’s wisdom.
Is fear a samskaras?
In Buddhism, samskaras (Pali: sankharas) are complex and have multiple meanings, but they are often understood as conditioned phenomena, mental formations, or dispositions that arise from past actions and experiences and influence our present and future experiences.
Fear is not explicitly listed as a specific samskaras in every context, but it relates to the concept and its implications.
Fear can be considered a mental formation or disposition: Fear is a form of mental conditioning that shapes a psychological profile. It arises from past experiences and influences reactions and actions, fitting the description of a samskaras.
Fear is rooted in ego and samsara: Buddhist teachings emphasize that fear is at the root of ego and the cycle of suffering (samsara). Samskaras, particularly those arising from ignorance and craving, are the forces that perpetuate the cycle of suffering, and fear plays a significant role.
Fear drives negative samskaras and hinders growth: Fear can contribute to the formation and reinforcement of negative samskaras, such as those related to clinging and aversion. These negative samskaras can hinder personal and spiritual development.
Overcoming fear involves working with samskaras: Practices like mindfulness and meditation help create awareness of ingrained habits and patterns, including those related to fear. Awareness and understanding can help transform negative samskaras and cultivate positive ones, leading to reduced fear and increased courage.
Fear may not be a specific samskaras listed among the mental factors (cetasika) within the aggregate of mental formations, but it is a significant factor influenced by and influencing samskaras. It is a key emotion that arises from a conditioned existence and can either perpetuate suffering or, when recognized and worked with, contribute to the path to liberation.
Is fear a Klesha?
Yes, fear is considered a klesha in Buddhism.
Kleshas (or kilesas in Pali) are mental states that cloud the mind and manifest in unwholesome actions. They are considered the root causes of suffering and hinder spiritual progress.
While not always listed as one of the main “three poisons” (greed, hatred, delusion) or “five poisons” (ignorance, attachment, aversion, pride, jealousy), fear is recognized as a powerful mental affliction that contributes significantly to suffering.
Here’s why fear is seen as a klesha:
It obscures the mind: Fear can cloud our judgment and prevent us from seeing reality clearly.
It leads to unwholesome actions: Fear can drive us to act in ways that are harmful to ourselves and others.
It is rooted in ignorance and attachment: Fear often arises from clinging to illusions and not understanding the impermanent nature of things.
It disrupts inner peace: Fear creates anxiety and unrest within the mind, hindering spiritual development.
In summary, while fear might not be one of the explicitly listed “root” kleshas in all Buddhist traditions, it is understood as an important manifestation of these underlying afflictions and a significant obstacle on the path to liberation.
September Dialogue
Trust and Surrender
Confidence:
“It’s so simple that it’s hard to comprehend.
Yet, it’s so close that we can’t see it.”
Although it’s the initial step on the path to awakening, cultivating a trusting confidence in our Buddha Nature is challenging.
We’re so engrossed in our attempts to find security and satisfaction in what appears to be an objective world that we fail to recognize the illusory nature of the experience we have.
As Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche aptly puts it:
“phenomena are the confused perception of a deluded mind.”
We must first acknowledge the illusory nature of the world we perceive, which is merely the confused perception of a mind that projects its fear and expectations through the senses into an infinite creation of what appears to be objective reality. Only then can we delve into the truth underlying the fantasies we’re struggling with. The so-called absolute reality will be unveiled as we analyze the unborn nature of mind and abide in its experience.
To achieve this, we must hustle our habitual patterns.
Are we ready for this leap of faith?
October Dialogue
Wear your heart on your sleeve.
The strength of vulnerability
Lojong Relative Bodhicitta: Embrace defeat and offer victory.
Let’s be open and honest about our feelings.
Vulnerability is the key to connection, authenticity, and resilience.
The strength in vulnerability
Many people think vulnerability is a weakness, but it’s actually a powerful part of being human. It takes courage to be vulnerable, because it means you’re putting yourself out there and risking judgment, rejection, or hurt. But when you choose to be vulnerable, you build deeper connections with others and live a more authentic life.
Here are some ways to practice the strength of vulnerability:
Be open about your feelings: When you’re open about your feelings, you build trust and intimacy with others. This honest communication allows for genuine relationships to flourish, as people feel safe to show up as their true selves.
Embrace vulnerability: Living with a guarded heart requires constant effort to maintain a persona. Wearing your heart on your sleeve liberates you from this pretense, allowing you to embrace your true self and live in alignment with your values.
Process your emotions: Allowing yourself to feel deeply, including the pain of failure or disappointment, helps you process experiences and develop inner strength. It teaches you that you can navigate life’s challenges with grace and bounce back from setbacks.
Practice empathy: By being vulnerable yourself, you create space for others to do the same. This reciprocity of openness fosters empathy and a deeper sense of shared humanity, reminding us that we are not alone in our experiences.
Vulnerability is a journey, and it starts with small, intentional steps. Begin by being emotionally open with people you trust in a safe space. Share your feelings about a minor challenge or a new dream you have. Remember, being vulnerable doesn’t mean oversharing with everyone. It’s important to be selective about who you share with and set boundaries to protect your emotional well-being.
Practice self-awareness by paying attention to your emotions and triggers. This self-awareness will help you navigate emotional interactions more effectively and understand when to share and when to hold back.
Challenge your beliefs about emotions being a sign of weakness. Recognize that acknowledging your fears and imperfections is a sign of immense courage.
Embrace imperfection. Forgoing the need to appear perfect allows you to be truly seen by others. Perfectionism is like a 20-ton shield that we lug around, thinking it will protect us, but in reality, it’s what’s really preventing us from being seen.
November Dialogue
Abhaya Dana. More Than Words. Five Buddhist Practices to Truly Comfort Someone in Pain.
We’ve all been there. A friend is grieving, a family member is anxious, or a loved one is facing a terrifying diagnosis. We want to help, to say the right thing, but the words feel hollow and our actions clumsy. In these moments of profound suffering, our desire to console can leave us feeling helpless, awkward, and inadequate. What can you possibly do when someone’s world is falling apart? This feeling of inadequacy stems from a common misunderstanding of what real support is. We often think our job is to fix the problem or say something that will magically make the pain disappear. But Buddhist wisdom offers a different, more profound framework for showing up for others. It’s a practice called Abhayadāna—the “giving of protection from fear.”
This isn’t about having the perfect script or a grand solution. It’s about cultivating a certain kind of presence that offers safety, peace, and solace in a world of uncertainty.
Here are five powerful principles from this tradition that can transform how you support the people you care about.