1. Who is Buddha?
Most of us have experienced major challenges in our life. In
addition to personal experiences, people of color have particular
cultural recollections of slavery, cultural genocide, internment,
massacre, lynching, imprisonment, and religious persecution.
Our humanity sometimes causes us to experience the hurt and
pain of bygone emotional trauma as though it happened a few
moments ago. In a flash, we can become livid with emotion recalling
difficult times as far back as early childhood. The experience
of people of color uniquely juxtaposes their practice of compassion
with feelings of anger and rage. Sometimes it is right upfront,
other times it is as subtle as a glance away from an angering
situation. I imagine this kind of cultural suffering is similar
to the feeling of Tibetans who now find themselves living in
China.
In
addition to our perceptions of suffering, some of us are experiencing
physical sickness resulting from old age or the beginning signs
of death. Still, others remain totally oblivious to the constant
pain in themselves as well as that which they mindlessly inflict
on others. The latter have no concept or concern for all the
animals they've eaten, insects killed while growing their vegetables,
trees destroyed to make today's throwaway
paper, air polluted
by their vehicle, children traumatized by their angry words,
spouses demoralized by their infidelity and violence, etc. As
human beings our experience of afflictions influences our lives
as well as those around us.
A
Buddhist, is a person who uniquely yearns to heal him/herself,
others, living creatures, and the environment. A Buddhist, recognizes
this healing is not a simple matter and pledges to accomplish
such a healing in a vast and all encompassing manner, no matter
how long it takes. In order to accomplish such tremendous goals
the magnitude of healing power and healer must be beyond all
influences that have caused suffering, like a doctor immune
to all imaginable diseases.
This
healer, in all his/her supreme immunity must, at the same time,
be recognizable to our ordinary human mind. A pristine human
form, immune to the fertile ground of our troubles, who looks
like us yet remains beyond all words, thoughts, and deeds. A
self-manifesting being unshaken by the experiences of birth
and death. A healer tangible enough to be seen yet whose peaceful
countenance radiates unseen healing lights into our body, speech,
and mind.
This
Being, known by incalculable designations and revered in as
many ways as human beings can perceive unconditional kindness
and compassion is known simply as, the Buddha. Fully
existent without contradiction. Indeed, a healer whose timeless
existence is none other than an inflection of our own peaceful
and compassionate nature returning to us as an echo returns
to its sender or an image in a mirror returns to its beholder.
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2.What does it mean to be a Buddhist?
We live in a mundane world of ordinary thinking swollen
with separateness. Some of us come to understand the need to
choose a spiritual path that can liberate our minds as well
as others. In our pursuit of finding happiness we also compassionately
recognize that other peoples paths may be uniquely different
from our own.
Different
beliefs are similar to different signs along converging
paths, like spokes of a wheel converge to the hub. Each
path has its respective signs yet the destination remains
the same. A sign on one path need not be similar to the
sign from another direction. Each traveler follows his/her
signs based on the path of their particular journey. By
focusing on his or her specific path each traveler can arrive
at the same destination. In the same way paths from different
directions can converge to the same destination, different
paths in Buddhism converge to Emptiness. |
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When
a person's heart resonates with unconditional compassionate
qualities expressed from the vast space like state of Emptiness,
ordinary concerns fall apart like a broken down car. A person
who seeks to attain such a state is a Buddhist.
A Buddhist,
is a person who seeks to radiate his or her indwelling humanity
abundantly in all directions without prejudice, like sunlight
shinning everywhere. A Buddhist, practices faith as a
mean of releasing kindness everywhere without concerns for worldly
boundaries, like rain falling across land and sea without concern.
A Buddhist, seeks to embody compassion in a way that
does not see the slightest difference between a spiritual person
and someone who has never attained the idea of Emptiness. A
Buddhist, cultivates indwelling faith and peace, which will
not be shaken, even in the personal experience of death. The
ineffable meaning that arises out of these experiences is the
quintessence of what it means to be a Buddhist.
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3.
What does it mean for Buddhist People of Color?
Through cultivation of our Buddhist understanding we come to
know the nature of all beings exists timelessly in a pure and
joyful state, like children playing on the beach of a deserted
island. When this pristine nature becomes temporarily obscured
by afflicted emotions we must find a way to return to our original
state of happiness. Our path then becomes the way we carefully
guide ourselves back to the nature of goodness embodied as a
Buddha. We return to our "Buddha nature".
While maintaining
our compassionate state, we must not be distracted by others
along the way. Our time to help them will come, but until then
we must carefully choose whom we can help as we deeply pray
for those beyond our current level to assist.
Persevering with faith strengthens our indwelling compassion
as we begin to let go of our strong feelings and thoughts. Blame
of others gently falls away, our anger fades, guilt melts, and
the iron ball we call our heart, softens. This process of 'letting
go' helps us to understand who is creating our personal and
spiritual obstacles. No one wakes up saying, "Ah! I want to
have a terrible day!" Yet, until we are steady on the path of
letting go, difficult times and unwanted circumstances continue
to happen. Ever so slowly we come to understand the one causing
our difficulties, is ourself. We create our experiences through
habit. Specifically, our habit of responding negatively brings
upon us the negative results we wish to avoid, like someone
who angrily spits into the wind.
Our Dharma
practice gives us the opportunity to identify and change our
negative habits. Our practice is the mean through which we dissipate
the root cause of our pain and suffering. Faith in Dharma gives
us the motivation, skill, and wisdom to heal ourselves. It helps
us to cultivate inexhaustible patience, tolerance, and compassion
especially for our enemies, those who have hurt us, murdered
our friends, families, and ancestors.
Through
faith, labels designating our country of birth, race, culture,
and social status, etc. finally can be reduced to road signs
from a past journey. Faith, ultimately casts aside attachment
to concepts like 'people of color'. Faith takes us to a place
where even the term 'Buddhist' has never been uttered. We find
we do not need to break the shackles of our hurt feelings. All
we must do is outgrow them, spiritually.
Our increased
concern for others, our patience, and tolerance transcend ordinary
thinking swollen with separateness and blame. Our undaunted
walk on the peaceful path increases connection to others and
becomes none other than the transformative process itself. Transformation
not only for ourselves but also for our friends, family, community,
and society as we realize that our personal faith has tremendous
effect on the nature of the world, effortlessly.
Difficulties
and challenges along the way are to be expected. As Buddhists
we speak of the transformative process in terms spanning lifetimes.
So we must begin. And once begun, we must persevere for as long
as it takes. Labels bestowed on us as well as labels we bestow
on ourselves and others are equally useless. What good is it
to believe we are free while our hearts remain enslaved by the
effects of what has been done to us, our families, and ancestors?
As Buddhists we have a tremendous spiritual tradition that allows
us to transcend not only ordinary concerns but to liberate our
humanity in a blazing array of truly boundless freedom.
If
you have questions, contact: Lama Rangdrol
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4.
How can I get deeper teachings?
There are many people who seek deeper teachings in Buddhism.
Perhaps now, Buddhism enjoys recent popular appeal causing the
iconography, tantra, and recognizable religious leaders to become
of great interest. But first we must consider the simple and
true value of having a good heart.
If a person
wants a black belt in the martial arts they can easily go to
a martial arts store and buy one. The person who does this has
quickly accomplished their goal. But, what would happen if that
person needed the skills of a black belt to save his or her life, or
the life of loved ones? Then the fact that this person has a
black belt is of no use.
They are sure to be beaten or even
killed. Perhaps, just cultivating a good heart and a little
common sense to stay out of harms way could have been more beneficial.
So perhaps
cultivating a good heart is very wise. And, unlike the unfortunate
person mentioned above, you may want to seek out a qualified
teacher..
Best
Wishes,
Lama Rangdrol
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