{"id":1956,"date":"2019-02-19T13:45:35","date_gmt":"2019-02-19T13:45:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zatma.org\/?p=1956"},"modified":"2019-02-19T13:45:35","modified_gmt":"2019-02-19T13:45:35","slug":"lesson-3-part-b-the-realization-of-suffering-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zatma.org\/?p=1956","title":{"rendered":"Lesson 3 – Part B\u00a0 The Realization of Suffering is the Beginning of Wisdom"},"content":{"rendered":"

LESSONS<\/h3>\n

Lesson 3 – Part B<\/h3>\n

The Realization of Suffering is the Beginning of Wisdom<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\"\"\u00a0<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\u00a0 <\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

\u201c…you can\u2019t ever use a gift unless there is an atmosphere of confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sr. W. Beckett<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Teaching of Adharma and Dharma<\/strong><\/p>\n

Two leaders, about to lead legions of men into war, a war where every man will be killed, are visited by a Divine messenger. The messenger goes to the first leader – to see if he can teach this leader the Way. When approached, the first leader tells the Divine messenger, ‘I know what is right from wrong, I don\u2019t need to be taught what is right and wrong. I know what my problem is – I don\u2019t want to do what is right.\u00a0 I know what I am doing is wrong, but I can\u2019t stop myself. I cannot control myself. I don\u2019t want to.’<\/p>\n

This leader, let’s call him the\u00a0Miscreant <\/em>suffers from wanting<\/em> whatever he wants. <\/em>In other terms, he is a man, a human being, living at the instinct, material level of existence. There is little to no restraint.<\/p>\n

Then, the Divine messenger goes to the other leader, let’s call this leader the Courageous.\u00a0 At first, the Courageous says the same thing as the Miscreant. He knows right from wrong, but there is a big difference between the Courageous and the Miscreant. The Miscreant, cries that he can\u2019t help himself – the passions rule and he is unable to stop himself. AND he chooses not to stop them. He wants to continue on as he is. But\u2026the Courageous confesses his situation – ‘this is what I do,’ followed by a question, \u2018how can I stop?\u2019 \u00a0and then a plea. \u2018Help me to change.’ Underlying the Courageous choice is humility \u2013 that virtue of a warrior horse; the meek, disciplined being who is willing to be trained in order to face the battles of the world.<\/p>\n

The Miscreant confesses ‘this is who I am,’ but he identifies with the passions – frozen and stuck in this concocted identify he chooses the world of passions. He hides. Does not want to stop. Does not ask for help. Unable to ask a question or make a plea for help he stays entangled in the temporal things; satisfied in his concocted self.<\/p>\n

The Courageous chooses to ask for help from the messenger of God – the Miscreant does not. The Courageous wants to STOP the passions from running the show \u2013 he prizes something more than the worldly passions- seeks help.<\/p>\n

Most of us face such a spiritual crisis \u2013 we hear the Dharma and face a choice between the Divine message or the worldly one. The world is powerful and pulls on the mind all the time, even if we do not know it. Moment by moment we choose between the Divine message and the world. And for many of us, we feel caught up in the flow of not being able to stop ourselves from doing what is wrong. We see the world as all there is \u2013 material, concrete and a place to go after the things of the world. But \u2013 there are those of us who are more like the Courageous \u2013 we see where we are and recognize we are stuck and need assistance. Spiritual help.<\/p>\n

The power of choice is given to all of us.\u00a0 We are making a choice in every moment.\u00a0We, too, have the power to choose NOT to give way to the passions of the mind and body – pleasure, fame, gain, praise, notoriety and so forth. But we, like the Courageous, need to recognize where we are, confess our resistance and seek help. To ask what must we do?<\/em> To ask in all sincerity \u2013 what must we do?<\/em><\/p>\n

Imagine confidence (faith) in this truth as a spiritual gift – an atmosphere where we confidently stand upon it as a spiritual principle worth trusting. We choose to stand and remain standing in confidence on the gift that everything is a moment of choice between ignorance and awakening. We practice to meet with gratitude, moment by moment another chance to practice the Divine message. And when we wander off – we make it difficult for ourselves and others, but we can stop, turn around and choose to return to the path.<\/p>\n

It requires hearing, listening and knowing the teachings. Once we know the teachings, we are able to choose to renounce self-interest, to choose to let go of the obstacles in the Way and to meet what comes as a gift to do the work of a spiritual adept.<\/p>\n

All of us face this challenge – of being taken captive by the passions – from anger and greed, to stinginess and vanity and the many iterations the passions take. Without confidence (faith) we cannot use the gifts of the moment, without confidence and awareness we risk getting entangled in the world.<\/p>\n

The Cloud of Unknowing <\/em>makes it clear and simple. How will you follow the Divine message offered? The answer is choice – choose to get free of the ignorance of the concocted self – and…<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDo not get entangled in things that are temporal and created. Let created things be.<\/p>\n

Fix your mind and feelings on things above.\u201d (The Divine messenger)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

How do you do that?<\/p>\n

Study the self – the self that is an entangler extraordinaire<\/em> – the one that wants what it wants when it wants it – the self that is undisciplined, reckless and unable to control the desire of the passions (sense doors). The one that believes that the grass is greener <\/em>in the temporal world is a troublemaker who pulls us, time and again, into the worldly affairs as the place of salvation, when in reality it may be pleasurable, but it is the way of the Miscreant.<\/p>\n

Remember, in order to do the work, we realize suffering as the beginning of wisdom, we pay attention to what comes into our life, meet it with attention and awareness and respond to it with the power of choice. The choice between following the entangler\u2019s message of self-interest (what\u2019s in it for me) and the Divine messenger (don\u2019t get entangled in the temporal things).<\/p>\n

Most of us need help to do this – teachings and practice – it\u2019s a choice to seek help – a choice of confidence in the teachings (which are many) a choice to practice with everything that comes into our life as a Divine message. We are given this choice over and over until we take out last breath.<\/p>\n

May all beings realize the emptiness of the three wheels, giver, receiver and gift.<\/p>\n

\"Humming<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Author: FaShi Lao Yue<\/p>\n

Image credits: Fly, 2019<\/p>\n

ZATMA is not a blog. If for some reason you need elucidation on the teaching,<\/p>\n

please contact editor at:\u00a0yao.xiang.editor@gmail.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The basics of practice are protections – protecting ourselves from doing harm to ourselves and protections for others by not doing harm to them. Many of us see ourselves as OLD HANDS at this business of spiritual work – but in reality all that has happened is we have gotten comfortable and secure in the world of material stuff – maybe even smug? We forget what choices we follow – in this essay, we are asked to re-examine our choices – and our sincerity. It, hopefully, challenges us to return to the Dharma with awareness and our full attention.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":1257,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-essays-by-yao-xiang-shakya"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/phd6fo-vy","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/zatma.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Liz-Marilyn-Ordained-image.png","post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zatma.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1956","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zatma.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zatma.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zatma.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zatma.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1956"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/zatma.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1956\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2047,"href":"https:\/\/zatma.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1956\/revisions\/2047"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zatma.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1257"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zatma.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1956"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zatma.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1956"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zatma.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1956"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}