On Mutual Appreciation
Q. (inaudible)... [I]n the midst of meditating and finding something true for
myself, Ive come into a lot of resistance from people I love ...
A. I think practitioners, especially buddhist practitioners, must remember that
to talk about something, it has to be given a certain name. [For example] what
began with Shakyamuni Buddha was then taught in a certain way, emphasizing certain
qualities and so forth, and so we talk about "being buddhist" or "Buddhism."
Other than that necessity, it is not really important to call oneself "buddhist"as
long as the practices are being done and were really able to work with
them.
It is not important to try so hard to convince people that what youre
doing is better or different or whatever. Every good thing can be explained
without [making] it religious or philosophical, if it is able to be practiced
completely and sincerely. Its really not necessary to call it "Buddhism"
or say "Buddha said" or "Buddhistically speaking." (Laughter.)
So, if you really feel that youre a practitioner, a meditator, [you can]
work skillfully in this way and keep your practices to yourselfwithout
any intention of changing or transforming another person where its not
necessary.
Explaining these things in a very simple way might be much more effective and
helpful to others. We always feel it would be good if all our family members
appreciated the same things that we do. Thats a nice thing, if it happens.
If it doesnt happen, its far more important for a buddhist to accommodate
[others] and not to use buddhist terminology where its not necessaryand
not to actually expect another person to change [while] you remain the same.
Thats not important at all. Being skillful so that the things that are
[mutually] appreciated can be talked about, without making them formal or a
kind of system, is OK.
On Positive and Negative Karma
Q. [Are you talking] about getting beyond karma, in a way? Because Ive
read about purifying negative karma and getting good karma, but then you end
up in the god realm. (inaudible...) So I guess Im just a little confused
about what it means to "get beyond karma"if, in fact, thats
what youre saying.
A. Essentially, yes. And going beyond karma includes good karma too, because
everything is an illusion. This form we give to Buddhism is also an illusion.
But some things are necessary as tools; and some tools, or causes, are [closer]
to absolute truth and realization. Positive karma, for example, is much easier
to work with than negative karma, [which] creates more distance between us and
[the] cutting through [of] illusion. Thats the greater obstacle. Negative
karmasuch as killing or other negative actionscreates a very big
obstacle, or barrier, in our path of understanding and even to the possibility
of a human life. Whereas positive karmawhich is also difficult, neverthelesscreates
more of a balance of something good. With more goodness and whiteness, more
openness and spaciousness, its much easier for something good and less
distracting to happen.
As long as were dependent on existing in a relative world, then creating
something good, something spacious in the foundation is more sensible than creating
something negative. Thats why accumulating positive karma and abandoning
negative karma is an important part of practice. Ultimately, [however], when
we talk about letting go of grasping, were talking about grasping to any
kind of illusionboth positive as well as negative karma.
I think we can stop here. Thank you all very, very much. I would especially
like to thank all the people who have worked hard in the New York Shambhala
Center for a long, long time, as well as all the senior practitioners whove
stayed together to really make it possible for people to have a good place of
practice. Deep appreciation. Thank you very much.