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Tag Archives: Compassion
The Cult of Compassion
Bodhicitta is a misused and abused term in our dark age. It has become stripped-down to a mere puddle of mediocrity in the hands of those “do-gooders” who paint the world according to their own misguided assessment and faulty utilization of the term–in effect, it has become hijacked by the “cult of compassion.” Compassion itself used to be aligned with agape—or burning with love for the divine. When employed as such it was a direct channel for divine agencies themselves to intervene in human affairs and apply that com-(with the divines’ own) passionate embrace that alone can assure lasting healing and positive aftermaths. Today it has become a whore and tool of Mara, a fiery cult that masks its true intentions of not providing comfort and reassurance, but rather the employment of hidden agendas of keeping one in bondage and subservient to the evil will of politically-correct overlords who never have the good-will of individuals at heart, but rather their mass-incarceration into a dark-collective, much like the mechanized Borgs of Star-Trek the Next Generation fame.
Posted in Bodhicitta, Contemporary Musings, Spirituality
Tagged Agape, bodhicitta, Compassion, love, The Borg
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In Darkness and Secure
We have been covering the preparation for Infused Contemplation, the preparation of the Mindground as it were. An evacuation of the sensate faculties was in order before proper Union with the Unborn Mind could be conferred. If the mortal (and spiritual) appetites are not mortified, then the adept is still held-bound and preoccupied with habit-energy and thus not free to receive the Supernal Self-Realization and communication of the Unborn Spirit. Hence the mortification of habit-energy leaves the adept in a form of darkness and void with respect to them. The spirit is no longer fixated upon, and thus secured, from being further affected by them. The way is thus open for the first rudiments of Infused Contemplation to unfold. The active night of the senses thus ended, the way is now set for the active night of the spirit.
The Bodhisattva’s Vow
Three: The Bodhisattva’s Vow
The Buddha said to Subhuti, “All the bodhisattva-mahasattvas, who undertake the practice of deep-samadhis, should cherish one thought only: “When I attain Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi, I will liberate all sentient beings in every realm of the universe, whether they be egg-born, womb born, moisture born, or miraculously born; those with form, those without form, those with perception, those without perception, and those with neither perception nor non-perception. So long as any form of being is conceived, I must allow it to pass into the eternal peace of nirvana, into that realm of nirvana that leaves nothing behind, and to attain final awakening.”
Posted in The Diamond Sutra, Zen
Tagged Bodhisattva's Vow, Compassion, Diamond Sutra, nirvana
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True Compassion
Bodhisattvahood, Part 2
Karunā, or compassion, has been a foremost attribute for anyone aspiring to Bodhisattvahood. Avalokiteśvara is usually the bodhisattva associated with this karunā, and in Tibetan circles the Dali Lama is considered to be a form of reincarnation of this karunā aspect. In effect, this has become the modern dominate-take when even bringing to mind the whole notion of just what constitutes a bodhisattva. In early Mahayana, though, there was a balance between this karunā aspect and holy wisdom (prajnā )—as exhibited through Mañjuśrī. The Vimalakirti Sutra is a true refinement of this balanced equation and was composed at the supreme apex of the Mahayana—the perfect blend of this essential balanced quotient. When aspiring to Bodhisattvahood one needs to have a certain predisposition with bodhi-gnosis, of being fundamentally attuned with the gnosis of the Tathagatas—wherein the very “thought of Bodhi” (bodhi-citta) is comparable to a pearl and the sweet-tasting elixir that cures all defilements. This very bodhi-thought instills a deep awareness behind the significance of one’s present-reincarnation—an opportunity that may not come again in a billion years; like that ol’ blind turtle (See bodhi-post, The Narrow Gate) rearing its head in the ocean’s turbulent waves and trying to pass that weary head through a tiny bobbling yoke—such is the very present-precipitous chance that one would take rebirth again as a human. Therein lies the True Compassion in the spirit of a Bodhisattva—even the worms and bedbugs have a place in their karunā; there’s a story about Avalokiteśvara taking the shape of a bee and comforting those very worms and bedbugs in their foul abodes. The dharani behind Om mani padme Hum is the bodhi-jnana bearing infinite compassion within the Lotus. In this degenerate age, with unimaginable defilements rearing its ugly head at every turn, what better resolve is there but to embrace the Nobility of Bodhisattvahood? The following “Bodhi-Pearl” offers a gentle glance into this noble aspiration.
The Beatitudes
11.Lesson of the Destructible and the Indestructible
Meanwhile, back at the main assembly, a strange golden-like hue descends and encompasses everything. Ananda is awestruck and inquires from the Blessed One what this could mean. The Buddha says that this auspicious sign is a portent that Vimalakriti, Mañjuśrī and the great multitude of Bodhi-beings from Sarvagandhasugandhā will be arriving soon. Sure enough, Vimalakriti—in a miraculous fashion like the Buddha before him (with his Big-Toe) reduces the vast company of Bodhi-beings with their vast thrones into the palm of his hand and, in an instant, transports them from Sarvagandhasugandhā to the present assembly. Like Aladdin rubbing his magic lamp, those Bodhi-beings appear and begin to emit their divine spiritual-fragrance. Ananda inquires, what is that strange smell? The Buddha says that is that mystical-spice emanating from the pores of the Bodhi-beings; then, Śāriputra, like a little kid says, “Yes, see…it’s emanating from our pores, too!” Ananda then aska Vimalakriti “how long will this –perfume smell last?” Vimalakriti says, “Not until it’s thoroughly digested.” This is highly symbolic of the spiritual path that a Bodhisattva is called to follow—the ten-fold path of Bodhisattvahood—it will all finally be digested when the Bodhisattva conceives anuttara samyak sambodhi…hence perfected in Inseparable-Bodhi. The Blessed One then expounds that there are an infinitesimal number of Dharma-doors that open into many diversified Buddha-fields—all propounding the Buddhadharma; in this fashion, the Buddhadharma can be expounded upon for a trillion eons and still not exhaust the teachings of the Tathagatas. Feeling deeply humbled with this realization, Ananda considers himself from this day-forth truly unwise! The Buddha says that this is a cop-out! “Sure, Ananda, you’re the foremost of the disciples—your powers of observation and memorization are second-to-none, yet in all your splendid and erudite disciplehood, the least “Bodhisattva” is greater than you.” “Why? Ananda, these marvels displayed in a single morning by the Licchavi Vimalakirti could not be performed by the disciples and solitary sages who have attained miraculous powers, were they to devote all their powers of incarnation and transformation during one hundred thousand millions of aeons.”
Posted in The Vimalakirti Sutra, Zen
Tagged Beatitudes, Compassion, indestructible, Vimalakirti Sutra
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The Right Stuff
5. The Consolation of the Invalid
Then, the Buddha said to the crown prince, Manjusri, “Manjusri, go to the Licchavi Vimalakirti to inquire about his illness.” Manjusri replied, “Lord, it is difficult to attend upon the Licchavi Vimalakirti. He is gifted with marvelous eloquence concerning the law of the profound. He is extremely skilled in full expressions and in the reconciliation of dichotomies. His eloquence is inexorable, and no one can resist his imperturbable intellect. He accomplishes all the activities of the bodhisattvas. He penetrates all the secret mysteries of the bodhisattvas and the Buddhas. He is skilled in civilizing all the abodes of devils. He plays with the great superknowledges. He is consummate in wisdom and liberative technique. He has attained the supreme excellence of the indivisible, nondual sphere of the ultimate realm. He is skilled in teaching the Dharma with its infinite modalities within the uniform ultimate. He is skilled in granting means of attainment in accordance with the spiritual faculties of all living beings. He has thoroughly integrated his realization with skill in liberative technique. He has attained decisiveness with regard to all questions. Thus, although he cannot be withstood by someone of my feeble defenses, still, sustained by the grace of the Buddha, I will go to him and will converse with him as well as I can.” Thereupon, in that assembly, the bodhisattvas, the great disciples, the Sakras, the Brahmas, the Lokapalas, and the gods and goddesses, all had this thought: “Surely the conversations of the young prince Manjusri and that good man will result in a profound teaching of the Dharma.” Thus, eight thousand bodhisattvas, five hundred disciples, a great number of Sakras, Brahmas, Lokapalas, and many hundreds of thousands of gods and goddesses, all followed the crown prince Manjusri to listen to the Dharma. And the crown prince Manjusri, surrounded and followed by these bodhisattvas, disciples, Sakras, Brahmas, Lokapalas, gods, and goddesses, entered the great city of Vaisali.
Meanwhile, the Licchavi Vimalakirti thought to himself, “Manjusri, the crown prince, is coming here with numerous attendants. Now, may this house be transformed into emptiness!” Then, magically his house became empty. Even the doorkeeper disappeared. And, except for the invalid’s couch upon which Vimalakirti himself was lying, no bed or couch or seat could be seen anywhere.
Then, the Licchavi Vimalakirti saw the crown prince Manjusri and addressed him thus: “Manjusri! Welcome, Manjusri! You are very welcome! There you are, without any coming. You appear, without any seeing. You are heard, without any hearing.” Manjusri declared, “Householder, it is as you say. Who comes, finally comes not. Who goes, finally goes not. Why? Who comes is not known to come. Who goes is not known to go. Who appears is finally not to be seen. “Good sir, is your condition tolerable? Is it livable? Are your physical elements not disturbed? Is your sickness diminishing? Is it not increasing? The Buddha asks about you – if you have slight trouble, slight discomfort, slight sickness, if your distress is light, if you are cared for, strong, at ease, without self-reproach, and if you are living in touch with the supreme happiness. “Householder, whence came this sickness of yours? How long will it continue? How does it stand? How can it be alleviated?” Vimalakirti replied, “Manjusri, my sickness comes from ignorance and the thirst for existence and it will last as long as do the sicknesses of all living beings. Were all living beings to be free from sickness, I also would not be sick. Why? Manjusri, for the bodhisattva, the world consists only of living beings, and sickness is inherent in living in the world. Were all living beings free of sickness, the bodhisattva also would be free of sickness. For example, Manjusri, when the only son of a merchant is sick, both his parents become sick on account of the sickness of their son. And the parents will suffer as long as that only son does not recover from his sickness. Just so, Manjusri, the bodhisattva loves all living beings as if each were his only child. He becomes sick when they are sick and is cured when they are cured. You ask me, Manjusri, whence comes my sickness; the sicknesses of the bodhisattvas arise from great compassion.”
Posted in The Vimalakirti Sutra, Zen
Tagged Compassion, Deathless Suchness, Emptiness, Manjusri, Vimalakirti Sutra, Void
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The Long and Winding Road
As the Lanka winds-down, we are left with some very constructive impressions. Red Pine masterfully translates the great malady that affects all sentient beings—the diurnal wheel of samsara and its accompanying dependent origination: