Friday, July 15, 2016

Being Human: The Person

What is a human being? What is a person? How does he or she exist? We'll look at various aspects of the person. First, from a scientific perspective -- not the science we're used to, but a scientific perspective that accords with reality as it is. 


Outdated materialistic view of fertilization of the egg (ovum) by a sperm cell

What Is the Person? Science 
The person or a human being is made up of two main parts, a body and a mind. The body is matter, and consciousness, the mind, is non-matter.
Every person has two lineages, a physical lineage of the physical body -- our parents and all the forefathers and ancestors up until the lake in Africa where the first human being was born, and everything that preceded that lake, up to the amoeba, symbiosis with mitochondria, the formation of the first RNA segment in the primordial soup. 
The second lineage is the lineag of consciousness, of awareness. Our present consciousness, our present mind, our present awareness, is a continuation of the previous mind moment. The first mnd moment in this life (the mind moment that followed its previous mind moment met a fertilized egg (zygote), which is the beginning of the gross physical body. So not only do we have countless fathers in the physical lineage, but we also have countless mothers who raised and cared for us in our various bodies and our many and changing mind moments in our countless previous lives. That's how it is. 



Super-subtle mind (body-mind), 'spirit,' meets fertilized ovum (Image: Dirk Laureyssen)
A model that accords more closely with reality as it is: Meeting of the mind ('spirit' in the model, the most subtle or very subtle or super-subtle mind or body-mind) with the fertilized ovum (sperm + egg).
Dirk Laureyssen's website: http://www.mu6.com/life.html 
Dirk Laureyssen details the fertilization process in the video on karma. Recommended.


The Religious View of the Person Is Closer to Reality As It Is Than the Pseudo-Scientific Materialistic View

Now we can understand that the religious model of “mother, father and holy spirit” – with all the variations in the different religions and the many terms – is closer to reality as it is than the pseudo-scientific materialistic model of biology as it is taught today.



In the Old Testament we find:

Then the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the soul of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2: 7) According to the Old Testament, all human beings were created in the image of God; every person has a godly soul, a living spirit, is a living sentient being. The biblical view is more in agreement with reality as it is than the materialistic model. In other words, with regard to the understanding of what a person is, the religious view is more realistic, more scientific, than the materialistic view.


Contradiction Between the Religious (Jewish) View of the Nature of Existence and the Scientific View of Reality As It Is

From a scientific perspective, every being originates in a way that is similar to the above model:

being = body + mind. Animals are also sentient beings. They also have a mind and the basic nature of the animal's mind is no different from the mind of a human being. Animals have the exact same potential to realize the nature of their mind in some future lifetime.


As far as the mental ability to realize the nature of the mind in this lifetime, in this present body, there is an enormous difference between human beings and animals. There is a huge difference between the intellectual capacity or cognitive ability of animals and humans. The essential, true or basic nature of the mind, and the innate potential of each and every mind, are the same for humans and all other beings. While in the limited condition of the animal body, an animal does not have the possibility to improve or transform its mind


The enormous possibility we have in this lifetime to realize the full potential of the true or basic nature of our mind distinguishes humans from animals.



It is a mistake to deduce that because of the marked difference in our cognitive/intellectual capacity and the cognitive or intellectual capacity of animals, that there is also a difference in the basic nature of the mind. There is no realistic basis for such an assertion. An animal's mind can take rebirth as a human being and the mind of a human being can take rebirth as an animal. What kind of rebirth we have depends on what we think and do in this lifetime.


The Place of the Human Being in Judaism

At the literal level of interpretation, the Bible (Old Testament) relates the lineage, ancestry or history of the Twelve Tribes, the Children of Israel. After the Story of Creation, the Bible does not start with Abraham, but with Adam (Man). We are, first and foremost, human beings, children of Adam.

From there, the Bible moves on to Noah – we are a nation or a people as all people, we are all members of one human family, we are all brothers and sisters. Then we come to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the Twelve Sons (and two daughters)....


A Bible Lesson Based on the Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama usually introduces himself in the biblical sequence.

When he talks about himself, he opens with, “I am one of 7 billion human beings.” Therefore, the first priority he dedicates his life to is cultivating and promoting secular science based basic human values, values that every person needs in order to be happy in life.


Secondly, he says, “I am a Buddhist monk.” So the second most important thing in His Holiness' life is to develop interfatih understanding, between all the religions of the world and between the different Buddhist traditions.


At the third level of identity he says, “I am Tibetan.” So his third life priority is to devote his time and energy to a solution for the suffering of the Tibetan people. When the Tibetan problem is resolved, he will not need to dedicate himself to that issue any longer.


What About Us?

Kindness (courtesy, treating others with respect, self discipline) precedes the Torah.” At least six of the Ten Commandments deal with universal basic human values. “Love your neighbor as thyself, where neighbor is any and all people, is a great priniciple of the Torah”. “What is hateful unto you, do not do to your neighbor is the (essence) of the whole Torah” – the whole Torah in a nutshell (“on one foot”).


Do we view ourselves in the right order? In the order in which the Bible presents the issue of identity? Are we first and foremost human beings? Without being human first and foremost, we cannot be good Jews, good secular people, good Marxists, good capitalists, good right or left wingers or good whatever-we-happen-to-be. In other words, to be a good Jew means to be a good person. We can change the identity designation: To be a good x means to be a good person. (Fill in the blank.)

The broadest view, the view that encompasses “all beings,” “all our rebirths,” “all the three times” and helps us to “find the similarities” between all of us, is an excellent habit of mind. Every way of looking at things that decreases a strong view of “self and other”, of “me vs. you” is an excellent way of seeing that increases peace within ourselves and peace in the world.


May all beings be happy. Happiness for all.

More Aspects of the Person and the Mind (that I took out of the main text for easier reading)

The human being or the person can also be divided into three main parts. For the division into three, some say: person = body + mind + name (label) and some prefer: body + mind + speech.


We can expand the discussion to the 1. gross, 2. subtle and 3. most subtle or very subtle or super-subtle levels of body and mind. At the super-subtle level, body and mind are indivisible. Levels of Mind http://therealjannaweiss.blogspot.com/2012/04/buddhism-science-of-mind.html


For a more detailed understanding of the mind from a scientific perspective, you are invited to visit Prof. Paul Ekman's Atlas of Emotions. Negative, destructive, i.e., egotistical self-centered, emotions belong to the domain of “mind” and not to the physical body (matter). The mind governs, controls or leads the body. For example, destructive emotions, stress, can cause many diseases.

The original Hebrew post is titled "Jewish Identity Chapter 11: Adam" and has a P.S.: If the title “Jewish Identity” bothers you, you can change it yourself to “Human Identity” or “Secular Identity” or to any other identity that suits you. There's no point in getting upset over nothing.  


Jewish Identity Series - English translation follows Hebrew
Chapter 1: Altruism in Judaism
Chapter 2: Einstein and Universal Responsibility 
Chapter 3: I and Thou -- and We 
Chapter 4: Jewish Renewal
Chapter 5: Universal Ethics
Chapter 6: Reincarnation
Chapter 7: Compassion -- Hebrew only -- a translation of this page on Chabad.org  
Chapter 8: Rabbi "I'll Be Walking" and Mindfulness of Speech
Chapter 9: Meditation
Chapter 10: The Heart
Chapter 11: Adam -- Hebrew only -- this post

Friday, May 20, 2016

Secular Religion

Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay, Doctor of Jurisprudence from Harvard University, speaking on religion, religiosity, religionism and constructive secularism, said that there is nothing bad about religion; religion is all good. Calling for a “liberal interpretation of religion,” he quoted Gandhi, "Like the bee gathering honey from different flowers, the wise person accepts the essence of different scriptures, and sees only the good in all religion.‫"‬

In Toward a True Kinship of Faiths: How the World's Religions Can Come Together (pp. 150-151), His Holiness the Dalai Lama divides religion into three parts. According to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, all religions can be divided into these three parts
 
1. ethical teachings – moral ethics and developing virtuous qualities
2. doctrines or metaphysics
3. culturally dependent aspects, such as attitude to images
 
His Holiness also divides humanity into three: theistic believers who believe in God or gods, non-theistic believers and non-believers. 

I will argue that we all also need "religion," a secular science based path for spiritual development that we follow religiously, and once you understand what these three parts of religion are and how a secular religion is possible, you may agree with me.

1. Moral ethics. We all need ethics and positive qualities such as patience, generosity, a positive attitude towards others including the wish that every being have happiness (an altruistic attitude, universal love) and the wish that every being be free from suffering (universal compassion) in order to be good, positive and happy people. To be good or to be happy means to have a clear conscience, without feelings of guilt or shame or blame, and a relaxed mind in which no negative thoughts arise. It is not possible to develop inner peace without moral ethics, honesty, kindness, love, compassion, patience, generosity.

2. The doctrines of different religions are different. There are believers who believe in God and non-theists who rely on the Law of Cause and Effect, a natural law that pertains to all minds and to all interactions between minds in the universe. (The Law of Cause and Effect also governs interactions between mind and matter.) As a basis for secular doctrine we will rely on science, on Western (Einstein's) science and on Buddha's mind science, where both are based on empiricism and logic.

For example, we all agree that the earth goes around the sun, even though it doesn't look like that.

We can all agree that all compounded phenomena are impermanent. We can all agree that things exist based on causes and conditions and therefore do not come into being independently. Someone who believes in God will also agree that making a hard-boiled egg depends on causes and conditions: pot, egg, chicken, water, heat source, a certain amount of time, and on combining all these causes and conditions: putting the egg into the water into a pot on top of a heat source for a certain amount of time. 
 
Reincarnation has a scientific basis and is therefore included in our secular metaphysics.

The possibility of purifying our mind, of turning a traumatized neurotic and/or depressed mind into a calm mind with a sense of inner well-being has been scientifically proven, and also the entire field of science called neuroplasticity, enable us to accept the capacity of the mind to transform and lead to positive changes in brain function and anatomical structure.

The nature of compounded impermanent phenomena lacking independent inherent existence, is suffering. This understanding liberates from suffering.

3. What is secular culture? Which secular habits and customs are positive and are worthwhile keeping and which are best abandoned in order to achieve happiness? Customs are the recipe for daily life that help us apply moral values (1 above) and the realizations regarding the nature of existence (2 above), and to incorporate these into our lives and our mind.

Since the mind is what's important, clothing is not restricted. You can wear a blue sock next to an orange sock. It's okay to wear a uniform – secular religion is suitable for military people, policemen, prison wardens and guards, doctors, nurses – and politicians, social workers, judges, lawyers and psychologists. It's all right to smell bad and not bathe for weeks or months and it's just fine to bathe twice a day and to use perfume. It's okay for both men and women to use lipstick and nail polish.

Images are allowed: family photos, paintings on the walls in homes. Pictures of enlightened beings are aids to attaining enlightenment. Images of great mind scientists are especially recommended. (The Buddha, Padmasambhava and Je Tsongkhapa are three of the world's greatest mind scientists.)

As much sex as you want is all right, and the more the better – as long as it's by consenting adults – and it's okay to be celibate. Sexual fasting for periods reduces lust and lust is the source of great suffering, like drinking salt water, all the sages have said. It's okay to fill political roles and to be informed about current events, and it's okay and recommended to undertake a “news fast”(according to Dr. Andrew Weil) and to stop consuming commercial media (according to Prof. Michael Nagler, Metta Center for Non-Violence).

Meditation to develop single-pointed concentration is recommended. Without meditation it's not possible for significant changes to take place in the brain. Before one starts meditating, it's advisable to be a good person.


Neuroscientist Prof. Davidson points out four conditions for happiness, for a sense of inner well-being:

1. Resilience – the ability to forgive, to not bear grudges, to let go of grievances and move on, to let it go.
2. Positive attitude, positive thinking, an optimistic outlook
3. Paying attention, mindfulness, single-pointed concentration, concentrative ability
4. Generosity, kindness

Davidson's 1, 2, and 4 belong to Moral Ethics. All four of his findings belong to Doctrines. Number 3, meditation, mind training, paying attention, concentrative ability, belong to the practical or applied area, to Customs and Culture. In this way, secular religion becomes a way of life.

Let us not forget the importance of the teachers – we are grateful to the tradition of Eastern mind science beginning with the Buddha and the Hindu surroundings in which he was raised, educated and meditated. We acknowledge, the lineage of Indian and Tibetan teachers who preserved, practiced and transmitted the Buddha's knowledge, including the 14th Dalai Lama and Prof. Davidson, “the guru of science,” Mind and Life Institute and others.

We will also express gratitude to the contributions of all beings, especially the Western scientific tradition up until the development of the scientific tools that were sensitive enough for Prof. Davidson's Center for Healthy Minds (formerly: Center for Investigating Healthy Minds) and others to carry out their research.

My profound gratitude to Geshe Pema Dorjee, from whom I first heard the expression: “Secular Religion,” that is both absurd and wise.

Secular Religion –

Secular mind training based on Western science and the science the Buddha taught in order to cultivate a compassionate and altruistic mind and to realize the full human potential that is within each individual for a better and more pleasant world for all.

The three aspects of religion also need to be essential parts of a secular person's life so that he or she will be able to realize his or her full potential:

1. Moral values and cultivation of virtues such as generosity, patience, perseverance, enthusiasm and/or interest and/or curiosity regarding the practice, are parts of religions worldwide and are also essential for secular people.

2. Right views (correct perception) regarding the way reality exists are also part of Western science, not only religion. Striving towards an understanding of truth regarding the way consciousness exists, the way the self (the “I”) exists and the way reality exists are a human aspiration that is suitable for everyone, also a secular person.

3. Mind training to cultivate mental concentration has been proven to be one of the essential factors needed for positive changes to take place in the functioning of the mind. and in brain functioning and anatomy. Therefore, it makes sense for a secular person to be interested in engaging in this type of practice.

Respect and appreciation of the customs of the various religions can grow from the practice of secular religion. Secular religion will reduce the tension between religious and secular people, by developing mutual respect and appreciation, through study, practice and dialogue. The religions will flourish in a social environment of human dignity. Religious believers will respect ethical and moral secular people and secular people will develop appreciation, understanding and tolerance for engaging in religion, with all of its peculiar customs.

Dedicated to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, all the great lamas of Tibet, all the great spiritual masters of all time, and to the Tibetan people, whose extraordinary commitment to non-violence is a model for the world. May secular religion flourish for an ethical, compassionate and wise world for all!

 -----
Message from Pope Francis on Interfaith Dialogue:




Hebrew translation of Pope Francis' video is here

----
Secular Religion was translated from the original Hebrew post (with slight changes), published on The Marker Café Current Events Forum, March 12, 2016. (On my Hebrew blog.)

Sunday, September 13, 2015

United Nations High Level Forum on the Culture of Peace 2015

Serious – and funny. Hope you enjoy.



The United Nations High Level Forum on the Culture of Peace in cooperation with the Global Movement for the Culture of Peace (GMCoP) convened in New York on September 9, 2015, and I had the privilege to attend the event once again.


The day was packed with wonderful ideas, sincere intentions, and descriptions of actual Culture of Peace activities. There were also some very touching moments.


Inspiring moments and mental imprints of genuine hope for a better world came from the Middle East – a musical performance by two musicians, a Jewish-Israeli and a Palestinian, who call their duo "Fusion Unlimited."


To my delight, two themes we heard repeated over and over from many speakers throughout the day were:

  1. Violence and peace are products of the mind, the result of our mindset. The mind is the source and cause of violence. 

    The UN Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, its 'little blue book' for peace (citing the Constitution of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) states on page 1: “since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.”

  2. Emphasis on education and investment in education for tolerance, respect, peace and conflict resolution as the solution for violence we all yearn for. 
We also learned: 

  1. Non-violence is not passive or merely "the absence of violence" but active and requires effort. Non-violence is the most effective and quickest way to resolve conflicts. 
     
  2. Sustainable development depends on peace and peace depends on sustainable development. 
     
  3. Poverty is extreme violence.

  4. Peace cannot come from the top down, from a government or law. This expectation is totally unrealistic. Peace requires the involvement and investment of each and every person, and can only come from the bottom up, from many people who manifest peace in their minds and in their lives. 
     
  5. Everyone can contribute to peace, every teacher, student, worker, farmer, parent, every person whomsoever. 
     
  6. The media, including social media, has an important role in bringing peace. An entire hour-long panel was devoted to the importance of the role of the media in bringing peace. (The second of two panels in the afternoon session.)

  7. Neither G-6, G-8 nor G-20 – the United Nations is the only entity in the world that represents all of humanity. Therefore, it is important to find and strengthen ways to implement its decisions. 
     
  8. The full power of the internet needs to be harnessed for peace. 
     
  9. It is recommended that every person practice some form of spirituality. This recommendation came from Ambassador Chowdhury, the initiator of the forum, and from Prof. Michael Nagler, Metta Center for Non-Violence. Prof. Nagler recommended that we each do three things:

           a. Boycott the commercial media.

           b. Fill the hole left by a. with study and implementation of non-violence.

           c. It is recommended that everyone engage in some kind of spiritual practice.



Mr. Arun Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, was the keynote speaker of the event. Mr. Gandhi described in detail how, after a grueling interrogation, his grandfather sent him to look for the 2 inch pencil nub he had absentmindedly discarded with the matter-of-course expectation that he would get a new pencil. His grandfather sent him out with a flashlight in the middle of the night so that he would learn, internalize and realize that even the tiniest waste of resources is a double violence, towards humanity and towards the planet. It took him two hours to find the pencil nub. 
 


Arun Gandhi also related what it was like being raised in a non-violent home. Whenever he and his sister did anything wrong, instead of punishing them, his parents fasted. They fed the children, sat with them at the table, explained that they were not eating because they were fasting because they were not good enough parents. Afterwards, the children always tried harder to behave well since they did not want their parents to suffer. He explained that it is the exact opposite of a child who is punished and learns to be careful not to get caught again in the future. 
 


After presentations by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Ambassador Sam Kutesa, about 27 ambassadors of the General Assembly presented their statements. The shortest speech and most to the point was by the Ambassador of Grenada. From the ambassador's statement:


There is so much peace in the world. Whose peace do I promote? Universal peace needs a stronger global consensus, when authority and power means caring. May each of our peace of ours spread so that we find a common peace for all.”

(From my notes)


Now please laugh with me a little and appreciate the opportunity to share my joy...

Amazingly, unlike in 2013, the audience was allowed to speak. Diplomacy is not my strong suit, I admit... Although I only spoke for one minute, in my quest and search for world peace, I evidently ruffled a few people... 
 
The seat of the Holy See was vacant and it seemed like a good and relatively neutral place (between Croatia and the State of Palestine). Moreover, I like Pope Francis and just a day earlier had posted Pope Francis's statement about the refugees on the Israeli The MarkerCafé Current Events forum. I love Jesus too – from my point of view he is like the Buddha. So it seemed like a good spot to sit, meditate, wish and hope for world peace. During the morning session I sat in the unmarked seat against the wall just behind the Holy See. But since the General Assembly delegates were no longer speaking in the afternoon, I moved forward just a tad.


Dr. Janna Weiss -- but definitely not on behalf of The Holy See

When the floor was given to the general public, I spoke for one minute. As soon as I finished speaking, an irate Chinese man ran over to me and said, “You said 'Dalai Lama'.” Oh my goodness! I'm guessing the Chinese man must have demanded from the Holy See to know who was sitting in their seat and if I represented the Holy See or not. (It's pretty obvious that I do not.) Ambassador Chowdhury, the forum organizer and initiator, approached me and very graciously asked me to give my information to the security on behalf of the Holy See. The assigned security guard was Catholic and we both agreed that Pope Francis is a wonderful pope. He added that Pope Francis is likely headed for sainthood.

Let's hope that only good comes from it all. (Who knows? Maybe the Vatican will mediate between the Chinese government and the Tibetans?) Let's hope the whole tempest in a teapot (storm in a teacup for our British friends) becomes the needed spark for world peace, or at the very least, for a solution for the Tibetan people.

In the future, the UN may provide designated seating for civil society. (The invited spokesperson on behalf of civil society, Elisabeth Shuman, spoke from the seat of the Democratic Republic of South Korea. She pointed out that UN Declaration on a Culture of Peace Article 4: Education, is the square root of Article 16: Security. Dr. Panna Shah, a doctor from Long Island who founded the Shanti Fund, spoke from Samoa's spot. The Shanti Fund is an educational fund that organizes a weekend before Gandhi's birthday in 22 school districts in Long Island. Gandhi's birthday, October 22, was recognized by the United Nations as the International Day of Non-Violence.)

I offered to send an apology to the Holy See but was told it wasn't necessary. At least I'm glad the Chinese are now reading my blog... and probably also the UN security folks.. and the Vatican security folks... Welcome one and all! 

Many people, all more important, more interesting and more accomplished than myself, spoke at the distinguished and respectful event that was rich with content and meaning. But I thought you might like to know what I said, so here goes... 
 


Janna Weiss's one minute at the United Nations: 
 
"[My name is Dr. Janna Weiss. I am a human rights activist] ...and a social media blogger. I've come before and I was so happy this year to hear so much emphasis on mindset and the mind and thank you for bringing Mr. Arun Gandhi here, and for the emphasis on, really, that violence is an inner process and developing peace is an inner process, and the strong emphasis on education. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been working to develop programs for early childhood education, for childhood education. There's a heart and mind website http://heartmindonline.org/ and I hope that we can hear him [His Holiness the Dalai Lama] next year and have a lot of implementation of a lot of what we heard. So, thank you very much."
The United Nation's 'little blue book' for a culture of peace

Ambassador Chowdhury ended the panel by stressing the contribution of individuals to peace while holding up the 'little blue book,' the UnitedNations Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, which is available for each and every one of us to read and apply. He also reiterated the importance of the contribution of women for world peace. 

May we all have genuine happiness, peace and well-being in our hearts and throughout the world. 


---
Translated from Hebrew with minor changes; published on The Marker Café Current Events Forum as: What's Happening in New York? and on my Hebrew blog: A Wish for World Peace. The post was featured on The Marker Café home page. 

Janna is not affiliated in any way with The Holy See, other than having great admiration and respect for Pope Francis, along with millions of other fellow human beings.
---
UN site search: High Level Forum on the Culture of Peace - video - includes past years
United Nations High Level Forum on the Culture of Peace - program, documents
Getting to the Root of Violence: Integrative Public Health Model to Heal Violence

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

How To Make Your Mind More Peaceful, Reduce Suffering and Increase Inner Calm ~ Geshe Lama Ahbay Rinpoche


Meditation

Geshe Lama Ahbay Tulku Rinpoche
(Jigme Thupten Tender)

Tuesday, August 4, 2015
From notes taken during the teaching.

Rinpoche first explained that the 2 hour session would include an introduction to meditation, half hour meditation, Q & A, Green Tara blessing. The following is Rinpoche's introduction to meditation, selected Q & A and dedication.

I am very glad you are all interested in the dharma. Therefore, we meet here. What is dharma? Dharma means change. All human beings have three things: a human being's body, a human being's mind and a human being's speech. The mind is the boss. The body and speech are like servants. What do we change? We need to change the negative body to a positive body, to change the negative mind to a positive mind and to change negative speech into positive speech. The only method [for this] is meditation. In the world, there are different religions. All religions practice meditation. Today, I am very happy to share meditation. I hope we enjoy a few hours together in this beautiful Tibet House. I will try as much as I can that when you go back home you will bring something unique from me. Do not waste time. Time is very important. I know you are very interested to come here.

Negative body changes to a positive body by meditation. Negative mind changes to a positive mind by meditation. Negative speech changes to positive speech by meditation. Therefore, meditation is so important. Every Tuesday evening Tibet House has meditation. Today we will [learn and practice] meditation.

First, I will tell you five things:
  1. The benefits of meditation
  2. How we sit with our body when we meditate
  3. When to meditate? What is the best time? Morning, afternoon or evening?
  4. How long we meditate
  5. Concentration – How to improve our concentration
I will explain how to understand, study and practice meditation.

1. Benefits of Meditation
If we understand the benefits of meditation, then it is easy [for practice] to follow. Therefore, it is very important to understand the benefits. There are so many benefits. I will tell three of them:

  1. All human beings like us need peace and we do not need suffering. We need peace and we do not need suffering. Peace and suffering are not from the sky or the earth. Peace and suffering come from their own causes. We need peace. How do we get peace? We get peace from the causes of peace. We need to realize what is peace and what are the causes of peace and how to improve these things through meditation. What are the causes of suffering and how do we reduce the causes of suffering through meditation? We can reduce the causes of suffering and improve the causes of peace through meditation. Then, we will get more peace in our mind. Animals cannot do that. Our minds will become more peaceful and happy. When we practice we can create more causes of peace and reduce the negative causes.
  2. When we age, our eyes, ears, smell, taste, etc. All six consciousnesses become weaker and weaker. When we meditate, the mind consciousness gets sharper and sharper and our memory improves, through meditation.
  3. Normally, when we are tired, you come home from work to the house... When we meditate, human beings have three things, I said already, body, mind and speech. The mind will be more relaxed and more powerful.
Americans are interested in physical exercises. Today we [will learn to train] the mind.

2. Meditation Posture
When we meditate in Tibetan Buddhism, how do we do the posture? There are seven steps. Best [Rinpoche pointed to a cushion on the floor]. If you are not comfortable [on a cushion on the floor], a chair is also okay. (Rinpoche demonstrates each of these as he says them.)
  1. Feet – (cross-legged, lotus or half lotus position)
  2. Hands – Four inches below the navel (Right back of hand resting in left palm, thumbs touching and forming a triangle above them; People whose left hand is the dominant hand may put the back of the left hand in the right palm.)
  3. Spine straight
  4. Shoulders – (gently rolled back and relaxed)
  5. Head – (slightly forward; not stiff upward and back, not drooping down)
  6. Eyes – Not so open. If opened, can see different things and the mind goes there (distracted, follows the visual objects). If the eyes are too closed, sleep comes easily. Open slightly and see the tip of the nose.
  7. Tongue tip touches the palate
How we position the body is very important.


3. Best Time to Meditate
Morning is important. Why? Two reasons. 1. The mind is fresher. We slept well and the mind is fresh. In the afternoon and evening it is also good to meditate but the mind is a little tired. When we practice concentration earlier it is more beneficial. 2. Setting our motivation – In the morning it is easier to focus on a positive mind. It is easier to control our negative emotions. It is easier to remember – if I do this I make more suffering, if I do this I become more peaceful. Therefore, morning is best. It is easy to understand.

Rinpoche asked each and every person present how long we have been meditating (duration of session and/or how many months or years).

4. Duration of Meditation Session
Everybody is very interested and has been meditating for a long time (many years). Long time (duration) is not important when we start -- the quality is important. If we meditate too long we get tired and bored. That is not good. Short good quality [is good]. When we go back home from the meditation room, practice is so important. A quiet place is best for meditation. Quiet makes it easier to concentrate; it is easier to concentrate on one point (single-pointedly).

~ ~ ~

The Importance of Meditation for Transforming Our Minds
Yesterday we understood that people are suffering from the negative emotions. What are the negative emotions? Anger, ego, jealousy. Those negative emotions give us more suffering and destroy our inner peace. Therefore, those negative minds change to a more tolerant person. [A person] who has more anger changes to a more tolerant person from meditation. [A person] who has more ego changes to a more humble person through meditation. [A person] who has more jealousy changes to a more compassionate person through meditation. [A person] who has more hatred changes to a more loving person through meditation. [A person] who has more impatience changes to a more patient person through meditation. Those negative emotions make more suffering and destroy our inner peace. Those are our enemies.

In the United States, people think enemies are outside. They are not outside. They are inside. [When we] change the negative emotions to positive emotions, then [we are] very peaceful and have a very happy life. One family – 10 people. Then ten families – 100 people. Then ten times ten families – 1000 people. Then [we create] a happy society. People [mistakenly] believe that happiness is only from material things. People have more material things, whatever they need, but they are not happy. People think a beautiful house, a beautiful car, a beautiful garden will make them happy. They only look outside. How can I improve? How can I practice? We do not practice, we do not improve, so [we have] more suffering.

It is important to understand that I am my own protector and I am my own enemy. We [need to] judge ourselves. In meditation, we talk about the mind. We have three [kinds of] minds: positive, negative and neutral. In 24 hours, if we cause our minds to be positive, negative or neutral depends on us. We try [to cultivate] a mind that is always positive. When we practice, it is a little difficult. When we wake up and it's hot and we come home it's easy to... Our mind goes to the negative easily. When the mind goes to the positive, we have good consequences. Therefore, meditation is so important.

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5. Concentration
When we meditate, concentration is so important. Bodhisattvas1 have many practices. The main practice is the Six Perfections: 1. Generosity, 2. Ethics, 3. Tolerance, 4. Effort, 5. Concentration, 6. Wisdom. Therefore, when we meditate, concentration is so important. (The Six Perfections are the causes for enlightenment, for peace.) Mental concentration is so important. Many people are not good at concentration. How to develop good concentration?

We meditated in silence for about thirty minutes.
Q & A and Green Tara Blessing followed.

Selected Q & A

Q: How to practice?

Rinpoche: [It is different for] each person. [If one has] more anger, practice tolerance. [If one has] more ego, practice humility. [If one has] more jealousy, practice compassion; more attachment, practice impermanence. Different person, different method.

Q: (Someone described a difficult work situation, which had aroused both deep concern and anger.)

Rinpoche: Think: Today I have a great opportunity to practice tolerance. Because your boss is angry with you, think: I can practice tolerance with my boss. You cannot practice tolerance with the Buddha, the Dharma and these sorts of things. You must understand: Today I have a very great opportunity to practice tolerance with my boss. Today, I have a great opportunity to practice tolerance with my colleagues and to love and have compassion for them.

Q: (The same person describes a real threat in the work place.)

Rinpoche: Check the reality, if [there is] fear or no fear. (i.e., if there is a basis for the fear or not.) If [there is] no fear, then why are you afraid? Practice compassion. Fear brings anger more easily. You must improve your compassion. You have a great opportunity to practice compasssion. Then your fear will gradually reduce.

In reply to another question:

Rinpoche: First we love ourselves. Then we can easily help others. So, first we need to love ourselves.
 
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Rinpoche explained and bestowed the Green Tara Blessing.

Dedication
Now we dedicate. Motivation and dedication are so important. We dedicate the good karma from our body, mind and speech to the enlightenment of all sentient beings. From today, every day, our good karma will grow and grow and grow until we reach enlightenment. All the good karma from our body, speech and mind becomes good karma for all sentient beings.

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1. A bodhisattva is a person who is cultivating the causes for peace for the benefit of all beings. 
From Wikipedia: “A bodhisattva is anyone who, motivated by great compassion, has generated bodhicitta, which is a spontaneous wish to attain buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.” Bodhicitta is the mind of enlightenment, the pure altruistic wish or intention to attain enlightenment, buddhahood, for the benefit of all.