Explore/Chapter 2 - Confession of Negativity: Difference between revisions
From Bodhicitta
< Explore
(Created page with "{{ThemePage |sub-theme=Chapter Two - Confession of Negativity Overview |main-text= {{Jumbo |full-width=yes |image= |text= }} }}") |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
|text= | |text= | ||
}} | }} | ||
Inspired by the qualities of this jewel-like bodhicitta and the amazing practices of the bodhisattva, our interest is now raised to enter into this Mahayana path. | |||
Although we may be enthusiastic to get going on the path, at the beginning obstacles may lie in our way. Dungkar Rinpoche mentions that when beginning our engagement in any spiritual activity, our progress will be best facilitated with two important practices - accumulating merit and purifying the negative actions that we have performed. | |||
Chapter two of the Way of the Bodhisattva is basically divided into these two sections, although chapter three is also concerned with practices related to merit. | |||
In the Bodhicaryavatara the practice of accumulating merit is explained through the classical seven-limb prayer [LINK to terms]. | |||
This is a form of Supreme Worship (Skt. annutara puja) which is a series of religious activities which include branches such as rejoicing in the merit of others and dedication of our own merit. It provides us with a complete form of daily religious practice. | |||
Chapters two and three basically cover the branches of practice of this seven-limb prayer, with this second chapter containing the first three branches of the practice - prostration or paying homage, making offerings, and the confession of negativity. | |||
The first section of the chapter deals with making offerings of the physical actions of our body, the verbal actions of our speech, and and the mental actions of our mind. We make these offerings to the Three Jewels - the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha [LINK to terms]. | |||
To the Buddhas, those thus gone, | |||
And to the sacred Dharma, spotless and supremely rare, | |||
And to the Buddha’s offspring, oceans of good qualities, | |||
That I might gain this precious attitude, I make a perfect offering. (2.1) | |||
We go on to offer everything in the universe. This is not limited to the things we actually own, but we also offer up even things which do not have any owner, such as the beauty of the natural world: | |||
Every mountain wrought of precious jewels, | |||
All sweet and lonely forest groves, | |||
The trees of paradise adorned with blossom, | |||
Trees with branches bowed with perfect fruit; (2.3) | |||
We also offer a host of wonderful offerings which are mentally created: | |||
A bathing chamber excellently fragrant, | |||
With even floors of crystal, radiant and clear, | |||
And graceful pillars shimmering with gems, | |||
All hung about with gleaming canopies of pearls— (2.10) | |||
The verses of homage and prostration come after the verses of offering: | |||
To Buddhas of the past, the present, and all future time, | |||
And to the Dharma and Sublime Assembly, | |||
With bodies many as the grains of dust | |||
Upon the earth, I will prostrate and bow. (2.24) | |||
Bringing to mind the qualities of those Three Jewels, Shantideva physically and mentally prostrates to those Three Jewels. He imagines himself to have innumerable bodies, as innumerable as there are atoms in the universe, and respectfully recites the words of homage. | |||
Refuge | |||
The chapter then goes on to discuss the Buddhist method of refuge. We take refuge in the Three Jewels [LINK to terms]. | |||
Refuge is the key orientation for Buddhists which is essential in considering ourselves to be Buddhist. We place our trust in the Three Jewels and commit to relying on them whatever is happening in our lives. It is not just a request seeking help when times are hard, but an understanding of the qualities of the Three Jewels, and particularly the Dharma Jewel, which is said to be the real refuge. | |||
Until the essence of enlightenment is reached, | |||
I go for refuge to the Buddhas. | |||
Also I take refuge in the Dharma | |||
And in all the host of Bodhisattvas. (1.26) | |||
Refuge is a shared practice across all the Buddhist traditions. Because Shantideva is introducing us to the conduct of the bodhisattvas then here the refuge is specifically Mahayana refuge. We go for refuge for the purpose of attaining the unsurpassed fully-enlightened state for the welfare of all sentient beings. We carry this refuge with us until we reach the ultimate state of buddhahood, where we will then be able to spontaneously and most effectively work for their benefit | |||
Khenpo Kunpal [LINK to text] reminds us of the general way in which we take refuge: | |||
In accordance with the formula “The Buddha is the teacher unsurpassed; the sacred Dharma is the guardian unsurpassed, the Sangha is the leader unsurpassed,” the actual protector or refuge for beginners is in fact the Dharma. The Buddha said, “I have taught you the methods that lead to liberation. Practice with diligence; your liberation depends on you.” | |||
The Buddha is telling us that for beginners the main refuge is the teachings and realizations. But he also makes sure to point out that although he has revealed the way, walking the path must be done by ourselves. Thus, taking refuge is not giving up responsibility to another higher power who will pull us along the path, but is a process of relying on someone with deep experience and knowledge, and then integrating their advice and teachings into our own lives. | |||
As the famous lines from Sutra [NEED to identify] say: | |||
The Sage does not wash sins away with water, | |||
Nor wipe away the pain of beings with his hands. | |||
His realization he does not transfer to others, | |||
He frees by showing them the peace of ultimate reality. | |||
There are two main causes of refuge. One is the fear of the suffering which is an inevitable consequence of the negative actions we have done. The other cause is to understand that the Three Jewels have the power to protect us from those sufferings. | |||
Confesssion of our negative actions | |||
The next branch of the seven-limb prayer is confession or literally ‘laying aside’ or ‘laying or putting down’ of all negative actions of body, speech, and mind that we have peformed in the past. | |||
Deceived and overmastered by my ignorance, | |||
I have taken pleasure in such sin, | |||
And seeing now the blame of it, | |||
O great protectors, I confess it earnestly! (2.29) | |||
Confession does not mean just simply absolving ourselves of the bad actions we have done. It involves a full understanding of why what we did was negative, and the heartfelt promise to not engage in these actions in the future. We put them aside but at the same time continue to improve by trying to prevent them from occurring again. Confession is also not done in the way of wallowing in self absorption past actions. It is a practical acceptance that we did wrong, but this is turned into a positive process which has an element of encouraging us to improve in the future. | |||
We confess these negativities to the Buddhas, the bodhisattvas, and our gurus. But this is not asking a saviour to wash away those sins with the wave of the hand. This process involves a clear awareness of what we have done and heartfelt regret at the harm that those actions may cause. | |||
But we may feel lazy to carry out this process of confession everyday. We feel that since we will be around for a long time there is nothing wrong with leaving negativities unconfessed. Shantideva chides us and reminds us that death can be just around the corner: | |||
We cannot trust the wanton Lord of Death. | |||
The task complete or still to do, he will not wait. | |||
In health or sickness, therefore, none of us can trust | |||
Our fleeting, momentary lives. (2.33) | |||
He reminds us that our lives are fleeting, and that we do not want to go on to the next life with a whole mass of negative actions left unconfessed. We must be careful and attentive to make sure that whenever we commit transgressions, we must repair them and work to never repeat them | |||
Relating confession to the first cause of refuge, which is developing fear of rebirth in the samsaric world, we must understand the whole reach of sufferings that may befall us if we do not purify the karmic actions we have accumulated. Of particular concern is to fall into the abyss of the lower realms, from where it will be extremely difficult to extricate ourselves. | |||
And we must pass away, forsaking all. | |||
But I, devoid of understanding, | |||
Have, for sake of friend and foe alike, | |||
Provoked and brought about so many wrongs. (2.34) | |||
We understand that we have engaged in many unconstructive things, mostly for the sake of goals which are ultimately meaningless. Death may come to us at any time and we will have to go on alone, carrying with us only the karmic imprints from the life we have lived. | |||
All that I possess and use | |||
Is like the fleeting vision of a dream. | |||
It fades into the realms of memory, | |||
And fading, will be seen no more. (2.36) | |||
There are constant reminders throughout the text of how everything will eventually pass. All that we own and everyone that we love will eventually become just memories, remaining nothing more than a fleeting dream. Although the situations in which we created the karmic actions have receded into the past, the imprints of those actions remain behind with us. Carried in our continuum the results can easily mature if the right causes and conditions coalesce | |||
He also encourages us to imagine the situation when death comes to us. As we lie on our death bed no one can help us, however many caring friends and family are there at our bedside. | |||
There I’ll be, prostrate upon my bed, | |||
And all around, my family and friends. | |||
But I alone shall be the one to feel | |||
The cutting of the thread of life. (2.40) | |||
The thread that ties us to this birth is almost worn through and the messengers from the Lord of Death approach us. Who can help us? | |||
What can be done? | |||
And when the heralds of the Deadly King have gripped me, | |||
What help to me will be my friends and kin? | |||
For then life’s virtue is my one defense, | |||
And this, alas, is what I shrugged away. (2.41) | |||
Shantideva replies that at this moment, as our life force fades there is only one real protection. Only the Dharma can really help us at that moment, and in particular it is only the merit that derives from the positive karmic actions we have done throughout our life that can be of aid in this stricken moment. There should be a strong sense of regret that we had opportunities to act in more positive ways, and yet we never took them. The regret of missing such an opportunity to engage in virtue, and instead act in negative ways, can also be taken as a kind of confession. | |||
In this condition we look for a source of guidance and protection - a true place of refuge: | |||
Who can give me safe protection | |||
From this horror, from this frightful dread? | |||
And then I’ll search the four directions, | |||
Seeking help, with panic-stricken eyes. (2.45) | |||
But in those four directions no protection shall I find. | |||
And I shall sink into despairing woe. | |||
No refuge will there be for me; | |||
At such a time, what shall I do? (2.46) | |||
We are so close to death and the possibility of falling into the lower realms suddenly becomes real. But if I have not made effort to seek out and correctly rely on a valid source of refuge, and made no attempt to recognize our past negative actions and confess them, then there will be no chance to do that as we lie here dying. In desperation we search for some kind of safe place but there is none to be found. Gyaltsab Je’s conclusion here is that we must put all of these practices into place now while we have the leisure and time. Leaving them to our last moments will be disastrous. | |||
Understanding that we will be unable to find any source of help if we leave it until the time of death when terror overwhelms us, we look around right now for a source of support. Therefore, right now we must immediately resolve to rely for that strength on the Buddhas, the supreme guardian of beings, who is able to protect us from all sorrow. | |||
Thus, from this day forward I take refuge | |||
In the Buddhas, guardians of beings, | |||
Who labor to protect all wanderers, | |||
Those mighty ones who scatter every fear. (2.47) | |||
The primary thrust of this chapter has been the confession of negativity, and the Three Jewels can act as a support for that confession. But they are also able to act as support for the process of purification. Understanding who the valid objects of refuge are and reflecting on all the negativity one has done and confessing it to those objects of refuge, we then set a course for ourselves moving forward: | |||
How instead can I make sure | |||
To rid myself of evil, only cause of sorrow? | |||
This should be my one concern, | |||
My only thought both night and day. (2.62) | |||
We swear to ourselves that our one course of action must be to break all of our negative habitual patterns and actions. Khenpo Kunpal insists we ask ourselves: | |||
So we should ask ourselves, how can we make sure to rid ourselves of evil, which alone is the cause of sorrow? This should be our only concern, as the text says—our sole and constant thought. This should be our daytime obsession and something that keeps us awake at night! It is thus that we should strive to confess our evil actions. | |||
In his commentary Khenpo Kunpal also makes a very important point regarding our negative actions. As well as leading us to future suffering in the lower realms it also prevents our virtuous actions right now, such as trying to study, contemplate, and meditate on the teachings, from being effective. | |||
To conclude the chapter Shantideva mentions another of the key features of confession - the promise never to engage again in the actions which we have confessed: | |||
I pray you, guides and guardians of the world, | |||
To take me as I am, a sinful man. | |||
And all these actions, evil as they are, | |||
I promise I will never do again. (2.65) | |||
This is a central part of the practice. We do not expect to say some simple words of how sorry we feel, and then simply be absolved from any further consequence. Confession in the buddhist tradition is an active process of really taking on board the bad things we have done, admitting honestly to them, and confessing them to the Buddhas and our teachers, and then through confession marking a line in the sand, promising that we will not transgress these boundaries again. | |||
}} | }} | ||
