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A Dharma for the masses - a philosophy and practice
mindatrisk
Veteran
I’ve thought about what kind of practice could be devised that would help to effectively, efficiently and quickly proliferate and cultivate loving kindness in the masses. I have tried to make the ideas, the philosophy and the practice accessible, understandable, and relevant to everyday living. However, what I’m offering is just some starting points, nothing gospel, nothing set in stone, and all open to debate, criticism, change and improvement. Have fun!
The Philosophy
Idea One - Attraction, not promotion.
We will not promote or evangelise this practice, but instead depend upon the strength of our example to attract attention and interest. If someone notices that we are unusually kind, patient etc. and takes an interest in how we are so, then and only then will we share our practice, our ideas, our beliefs. This will serve to motivate our own development and expression of loving kindness, whilst ensuring that we do not isolate anyone nor create a false impression of our practice. Simply put, we walk before we talk.
Idea Two - Take our light to where it is dark.
To make the strongest impression and attract the most attention to our practice we must place ourselves where our loving kindness is most needed and will be most valued and recognised. Remember, we are setting an example to promote loving kindness, not ourselves, so seeking attention is not about the ego, but about allowing people to see the potential and benefit of loving kindness.
We should seek to place ourselves where our practice will most stand out and make an impression and benefit those around us. Ideal circumstances would be anywhere where conflict arises and behavioural issues are prevalent. This could be working with drug addicts, children with behavioural issues, paedophiles etc. Our ability to express tolerance, empathy, forgiveness etc. in these situations are what will attract people to our practice.
Idea Three - Practice, practice, practice… home life
Our example within conflict situations must be near impeccable. To be inconsistent will undermine our practice and make us unattractive. Before we place ourselves in such situations we must commit to dedicated practice. We can do this by reconsidering our lives as one great extended opportunity for the practice and development of loving attributes. If we become stuck in a queue then this becomes nothing but an opportunity to practice patience. If we hear about someone sexually abusing a child then this becomes nothing but an opportunity to practice empathy. If someone is personally attacking us then this becomes nothing but an opportunity to practice tolerance. And so on.
The key field of practice is our home lives with our family. For most of us it is with our own families that our practice can slip… we must not be ‘street angels, home devils’. If we can master our practice in our home life then we will be much better prepared and much more confident to express our practice in the conflict situations that we are aiming to place ourselves within. We must recognise that, as difficult as a situation may be, the opportunity to practice and develop our loving kindness is more valuable to ourselves than the difficult situation is detrimental.
With a little practice and with increased confidence in our ability to be an example of loving kindness in conflict situations we will soon anticipate, welcome and embrace conflict situations to demonstrate loving kindness within, in the knowledge that successful expression of loving kindness in these moments is what will most attract people to living their lives with loving kindness.
The Practice
To achieve the above I’ve taken what I consider to be the five key attributes that would need to be practiced and developed. They are:
1. Tolerance
2. Patience
3. Forgiveness
4. Empathy
5. Compassion
Tolerance
We practice tolerance so that we do not react negatively (with anger) within the conflict situations and cause harm. To practice tolerance we simply reflect on the consequences that may arise from a negative reaction. First, we do not know how many people will be harmed by our reaction. We may upset one person, but they may then go and upset their family members, who may then go and upset various people in their lives, and so on. If we reflect on this we will see that the consequences of our anger may never end, but simply continue to branch out and harming more and more people far removed from us.
Secondly, we do not know how someone will be harmed. We may think that our anger is minor and insignificant, but we do not know that our reaction could be the final straw for that individual, or for someone further down the line on the consequence tree. We may upset someone with our anger who may then go and shout at their depressed child at home who then commits suicide. Regardless of whether this is likely or not, we should make sure that the possibility is reduced. If we knew all of the consequences that arose from our negative reactions then we would never feel justified in reacting that way. Holding this in mind is what will motivate our practice of tolerance.
Patience
We practice patience so that our tolerance endures within a conflict situation. To practice patience we need to reflect on what information we may not be aware of that, if we were aware of, would change our perception and our response to the situation. For example, at work a colleague walks by and ignores our warm greeting. We may become upset and angry at our colleague and consider them to be ignorant. Later on we find out that our colleague had just found out that their child had been taken to hospital and was rushing out of the building. Patience allows us the time and space to gather more information and respond more appropriately and wisely to the situation.
Forgiveness
Although we may have expressed tolerance and patience in a situation, this does not mean that feelings of anger have not arisen but have simply been controlled. Therefore, we practice forgiveness to remove these feelings and ensure that they are not allowed to distil and develop into a stronger feeling later that may not be controlled and may end up being expressed to the detriment of others.
To practice forgiveness we need to change our perspective of the situation we are in. We must see that to practice tolerance and patience requires situations that challenge our tolerance and patience, and if we understand that the development of tolerance and patience are more valuable to us than the conflict situation is detrimental, then, in fact, the conflict situation is a positive experience for us not negative, and therefore there is nothing to forgive. As this perspective develops and our practice intensifies then we begin to realise that no negative situation need exist for us, because each negative situation provides an invaluable opportunity to practice.
Empathy
The above three practices are about not harming others in a conflict situation. With empathy and compassion we are now seeking to help those in the conflict situation, especially those who have attacked us. This is where our practice can make the greatest impression and where people can begin to see the wonderful merits of loving kindness. To empathise with others we do not need to understand their exact situation or behaviour, we simply need to recognise that all misbehaviour arises from suffering, and that if we ourselves had experienced their suffering then we too would most likely behave as they are. As such, instead of seeing misbehaviour (in whatever form it is being expressed) we now see only suffering, and we will wish to help this individual just as much as we would if we saw someone lying in the road with a broken leg and in great agony. From this appreciation of suffering our compassion will arise.
Compassion
Compassion is our desire to relieve the suffering of others. In a conflict situation, where we may be being attacked, all we see is suffering and all we desire to do is to relieve that suffering and help them to find peace and happiness. Why? Because fist of all, as we have already identified, the conflict situation is a positive one for us, so why would we want anything but happiness and wellbeing for someone who has gifted us with such a precious opportunity for practice?
Secondly, out of such compassionate responses arise great relationships and friendships. How would we feel about someone who treat us with such tolerance, patience, forgiveness, empathy and compassion when we were behaving at our worst? Would we respect that person? Would we treasure that person? Would we wish to do good for them? Would we help them if they were in trouble? Would we provide beneficial opportunities to help them follow their dreams? Of course we would.
And so we can see that from our compassion and desire for the happiness of others manifests great potential for our own happiness too… we will have people around us who care deeply about us, who seek to help and assist us, who support and encourage us, who open doors of opportunity for us, and who, when we are at our worst, provide the same tender compassion and forgiveness that we have shown them. This possibility should be more than enough to motivate compassionate action even as we are being attacked.
The Philosophy
Idea One - Attraction, not promotion.
We will not promote or evangelise this practice, but instead depend upon the strength of our example to attract attention and interest. If someone notices that we are unusually kind, patient etc. and takes an interest in how we are so, then and only then will we share our practice, our ideas, our beliefs. This will serve to motivate our own development and expression of loving kindness, whilst ensuring that we do not isolate anyone nor create a false impression of our practice. Simply put, we walk before we talk.
Idea Two - Take our light to where it is dark.
To make the strongest impression and attract the most attention to our practice we must place ourselves where our loving kindness is most needed and will be most valued and recognised. Remember, we are setting an example to promote loving kindness, not ourselves, so seeking attention is not about the ego, but about allowing people to see the potential and benefit of loving kindness.
We should seek to place ourselves where our practice will most stand out and make an impression and benefit those around us. Ideal circumstances would be anywhere where conflict arises and behavioural issues are prevalent. This could be working with drug addicts, children with behavioural issues, paedophiles etc. Our ability to express tolerance, empathy, forgiveness etc. in these situations are what will attract people to our practice.
Idea Three - Practice, practice, practice… home life
Our example within conflict situations must be near impeccable. To be inconsistent will undermine our practice and make us unattractive. Before we place ourselves in such situations we must commit to dedicated practice. We can do this by reconsidering our lives as one great extended opportunity for the practice and development of loving attributes. If we become stuck in a queue then this becomes nothing but an opportunity to practice patience. If we hear about someone sexually abusing a child then this becomes nothing but an opportunity to practice empathy. If someone is personally attacking us then this becomes nothing but an opportunity to practice tolerance. And so on.
The key field of practice is our home lives with our family. For most of us it is with our own families that our practice can slip… we must not be ‘street angels, home devils’. If we can master our practice in our home life then we will be much better prepared and much more confident to express our practice in the conflict situations that we are aiming to place ourselves within. We must recognise that, as difficult as a situation may be, the opportunity to practice and develop our loving kindness is more valuable to ourselves than the difficult situation is detrimental.
With a little practice and with increased confidence in our ability to be an example of loving kindness in conflict situations we will soon anticipate, welcome and embrace conflict situations to demonstrate loving kindness within, in the knowledge that successful expression of loving kindness in these moments is what will most attract people to living their lives with loving kindness.
The Practice
To achieve the above I’ve taken what I consider to be the five key attributes that would need to be practiced and developed. They are:
1. Tolerance
2. Patience
3. Forgiveness
4. Empathy
5. Compassion
Tolerance
We practice tolerance so that we do not react negatively (with anger) within the conflict situations and cause harm. To practice tolerance we simply reflect on the consequences that may arise from a negative reaction. First, we do not know how many people will be harmed by our reaction. We may upset one person, but they may then go and upset their family members, who may then go and upset various people in their lives, and so on. If we reflect on this we will see that the consequences of our anger may never end, but simply continue to branch out and harming more and more people far removed from us.
Secondly, we do not know how someone will be harmed. We may think that our anger is minor and insignificant, but we do not know that our reaction could be the final straw for that individual, or for someone further down the line on the consequence tree. We may upset someone with our anger who may then go and shout at their depressed child at home who then commits suicide. Regardless of whether this is likely or not, we should make sure that the possibility is reduced. If we knew all of the consequences that arose from our negative reactions then we would never feel justified in reacting that way. Holding this in mind is what will motivate our practice of tolerance.
Patience
We practice patience so that our tolerance endures within a conflict situation. To practice patience we need to reflect on what information we may not be aware of that, if we were aware of, would change our perception and our response to the situation. For example, at work a colleague walks by and ignores our warm greeting. We may become upset and angry at our colleague and consider them to be ignorant. Later on we find out that our colleague had just found out that their child had been taken to hospital and was rushing out of the building. Patience allows us the time and space to gather more information and respond more appropriately and wisely to the situation.
Forgiveness
Although we may have expressed tolerance and patience in a situation, this does not mean that feelings of anger have not arisen but have simply been controlled. Therefore, we practice forgiveness to remove these feelings and ensure that they are not allowed to distil and develop into a stronger feeling later that may not be controlled and may end up being expressed to the detriment of others.
To practice forgiveness we need to change our perspective of the situation we are in. We must see that to practice tolerance and patience requires situations that challenge our tolerance and patience, and if we understand that the development of tolerance and patience are more valuable to us than the conflict situation is detrimental, then, in fact, the conflict situation is a positive experience for us not negative, and therefore there is nothing to forgive. As this perspective develops and our practice intensifies then we begin to realise that no negative situation need exist for us, because each negative situation provides an invaluable opportunity to practice.
Empathy
The above three practices are about not harming others in a conflict situation. With empathy and compassion we are now seeking to help those in the conflict situation, especially those who have attacked us. This is where our practice can make the greatest impression and where people can begin to see the wonderful merits of loving kindness. To empathise with others we do not need to understand their exact situation or behaviour, we simply need to recognise that all misbehaviour arises from suffering, and that if we ourselves had experienced their suffering then we too would most likely behave as they are. As such, instead of seeing misbehaviour (in whatever form it is being expressed) we now see only suffering, and we will wish to help this individual just as much as we would if we saw someone lying in the road with a broken leg and in great agony. From this appreciation of suffering our compassion will arise.
Compassion
Compassion is our desire to relieve the suffering of others. In a conflict situation, where we may be being attacked, all we see is suffering and all we desire to do is to relieve that suffering and help them to find peace and happiness. Why? Because fist of all, as we have already identified, the conflict situation is a positive one for us, so why would we want anything but happiness and wellbeing for someone who has gifted us with such a precious opportunity for practice?
Secondly, out of such compassionate responses arise great relationships and friendships. How would we feel about someone who treat us with such tolerance, patience, forgiveness, empathy and compassion when we were behaving at our worst? Would we respect that person? Would we treasure that person? Would we wish to do good for them? Would we help them if they were in trouble? Would we provide beneficial opportunities to help them follow their dreams? Of course we would.
And so we can see that from our compassion and desire for the happiness of others manifests great potential for our own happiness too… we will have people around us who care deeply about us, who seek to help and assist us, who support and encourage us, who open doors of opportunity for us, and who, when we are at our worst, provide the same tender compassion and forgiveness that we have shown them. This possibility should be more than enough to motivate compassionate action even as we are being attacked.
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Comments
It's this term "the masses". I was like, who addresses people as "the masses" and what does it really mean? I found the phrase on the free dictionary, which explained its meaning as "the great body of the people, as contrasted with the higher classes; the populace." As contrasted with the higher classes... So, who has addressed people as "the masses" throughout history? Most notably, Hitler, Goebbels and, of course, Karl Marx. Which is quite funny in a way given Hitler's aversion to communism and Marxism. In more modern times, it's a phrase that pretty much belongs to socialists and anarchists, people with very extreme political ideals.
Of good people who used the term, I found that Martin Luther King used it one time in reference to societal classes and within the context of what he was doing made sense.
So hard wired within this notion of "the masses" is always this idea of superiority and the idea of victim/perpetrator. The upper classes repressing the lower classes, the lower classes being better than the upper classes, that kind of thing, is always there when that term is used. Someone always has the "upper hand".
And it's extraordinarily off putting, and given its origin, worrying.
The Buddha taught that we are not less than, not more than and not equal to other people. This idea of "the masses", because of its very meaning, is contrary to that teaching.
Plus, I usually find that if Hitler was doing it, it's probably wrong
The content is describing the way Buddhists should behave. I have no problem with it.
This type of behavior is what would naturally result from a Buddhist practice. The instructions for right livelihood are already there.
For those of us engaged in wrong lively hood all the same principals apply.
This is how we teach our children to act.
Do unto others, turn the other cheek, that kind of thing.
Nothing revolutionary so far.
But yeah, that's the kind of thing that phrase is generally associated with, it's very divisive. It's actually mostly used by working class people out of envy of the middle class.
How about just "people"? That would be my suggestion
It's a little sticky, because different cultures have different approaches to "behaving in public," and you don't want to, you know, rid the world of all it's colorful flair
But in general an extra dose of humility would prevent wars.
Realizing this possibility, and having humility, strips away any sense of preachiness, any missionary sense of "I am better than you, but you can be better, too." I feel like it's more helpful to convey the thought, "We can all be happier - it's really possible."
What I wanted to do was find a practice that could be focused on and that would enhance and motivate personal growth towards greater loving kindness whilst making the most impression on those around us, hence the suggestion that those willing to practice should position themselves purposefully where conflict is likely to arise. I actually don't think this is a very Buddhist thing to do. As I said earlier, most Buddhists that I know are more 'come to' as opposed to Christians who are more 'go to'. What I am suggesting is that it is not with words that we evangelise but with our example.
Anyway, i've shared a few thoughts, and the idea was that people could offer their own and / or develop and dissect what i've started with. Either way, i'm just curious to see what we could come up with to meet the initial criteria I set. So, please, even if you have ideas then share them.
No, I don't know first step and if it's changed over the past two or three years I won't know it in its current incarnation. Where abouts is it?
54.57433,-1.22658
"Since the schoolwide implementation of Quiet Time in 2008, suspensions have been cut in half, from 13 suspensions per 100 students in 2006-07 to six suspensions per 100 students in 2010-11. Truancy rates have dropped by 61 percent. In 2010-11, only 7 percent of students had unexcused absences or were tardy for three or more days, compared with 18 percent in 2006-07. According to data from the San Francisco Unified School District, VVMS currently boasts among the highest number of middle schools students who say they like their school and would recommend it to others."
http://www.edutopia.org/stw-student-stress-meditation-schools-research
What I am writing here and seeking is a response to that. I want to know how we can stop the cycle of addiction, and to me the only way we can do that is to end the suffering and deprivation that leads to it, and that means spreading a message of love and kindness and encouraging love and kindness. I think you'll appreciate that most Middlesbrough folk aren't going to become practicing Buddhists anytime soon, but condensing the ideas and making them fit into their own lives could be a possibility.
I'm setting up a website and discussion forum for the Teesside recovery community as we speak, where I hope to promote some of these ideas and practices. I think because of the spiritual nature of a lot of people in recovery through AA / NA etc. that they will welcome and assimilate the ideas easier than other people would, but obviously they will take these ideas into their own lives and, hopefully, express them around others who might take notice. To me, it's about sewing seeds. Middlesbrough is not going to become a utopia anytime soon, but I can play my part in making it a little better now, and when you work around addicts day in and day out, and you see their suffering and misery at times, and you love them as real friends, then you can get an urgency to just do something, to think of new ways of helping more people, to be creative, because there are sooooo many issues to be tackled. But yeah, I want to see more prevention, I want to see Middlesbrough in recovery, not just addicts, so we can put a full stop on this whole tragic waste of life and happiness.
This is the website so far, still plenty of work to do...
http://www.teessiderecoveryonline.com/
The reason AA has such a high recovery rate is its absolute focus on humility. "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable, that we were beyond human aid."
Each subsequent step deepens the humility necessary to realize that 1. You're an addict and your addiction is beyond your control 2. You can't do it alone 3. Only a spiritual experience has the power to save you.
Without humility AA simply wouldn't work. Humility is the very core and foundation of all spiritual work, and recovery is spiritual work if I ever saw it.
Humility is the absolute prerequisite. We don't get it right first time, we probably don't get it right a million times over, but we must have enough humility to pray for the willingness to be more humble. To pray for humility is an act of humility in itself.
It's the core, foundation and cornerstone of recovery and spiritual growth.
You can do things that look selfless but that are actually very self serving and only bolster the ego and its delusion of perfection further.
It's a fine line, but it exists and it's a pitfall many of us encounter.
Even "loving-kindness" will evoke thoughts of Christianity, I think; in fact, love in general will (if used outside the romantic concept). I suppose that's a good sign, really, for Christianity
Sometimes it takes something extraordinary to pull us out of it, and that's why we allow addicts to hit rock bottom.
Or has all the koan talk finally spurred me into some bizarre dual mind - adding a "head on top of my head?"
[Edit: now they seem to be different threads, so it must have been me!]
All the best
It's sad to see, and it's really, really common, but I think it's just one aspect of the nature of addiction, and a little peek into human/ego nature itself.
If i'm going to wait until I am perfect and my motives are purified to help those around me then i'm probably best dying now and incarnating near a cave up a mountain. People CAN make a difference to the world, and to me, it doesn't matter what it takes to bring goodness so long as it is done with goodness. Most people in Middlesbrough are not going to practice Buddhism, to wish otherwise or to seek to preserve Buddhist traditions out of some kind of 'respect' is ridiculous when there are real lives with real suffering. If I can find a way to share Buddhist ideas to those around me that are acceptable to them then i'll do it, because that is compassion in action.
And don't forget, I'm from where you're from. I grew up in it, lived most of my life in it and was once one of the very people you're looking to help now. I know and understand that feeling of urgency in wanting to help, I've been there, I get it. The same place, the same people, the same problems.
We're all on your side here, I assure you
I guess a question I would have is "What would be Buddhist about your approach?" Not that it has to be Buddhist, but you've framed it as being rooted in Buddhism. The specific question would be, "How would your method differ from a Christian's?"
For me this is an important topic, because while both Christianity and Buddhism can teach loving-kindness, talk about it, encourage it, the foundation--and therefore the likelihood of permanent success, in my opinion--can be different. It's the whole blind faith versus reasoned faith thing.
Now, you don't have to make your program specifically Buddhist, I'm not saying that. But since you've said that's kind of what you're about, I would expect something specifically Buddhist about your approach, since I'm assuming that you, like I, place greater hope in a Buddhist approach versus a Christian approach. I'm not talking religion here, I'm talking underlying philosophy once the religious aspects are stripped away.
The way I see it, the Christian starts with, "You should be loving and kind because God is a God of love, and He wants you to be." When you strip away the religious part, it becomes simply, "You should be loving and kind."
The Buddhist may start with, "Practicing loving-kindness will make you happier, and the Buddha taught that you can prove it." Strip away the (what others might see as) religion, and you get, "Practicing loving-kindness will make you happier, and you can prove it."
The Buddhist approach, by incorporating reason--and compelling ones--into the argument, seems to me to have the better chance of longevity, in contrast with the approach that says "you should...just because."
How am I going to help people? I personally like to place myself in situations where love is most needed. Two years ago I began volunteering with addicts, and now, after some rest time, I would like to work with sex offenders or teens with behavioural problems, although i'm looking to become a foster parent so that would cover that. Anyway, I like to go with love to where others might not. Most people don't want to go and work with sex offenders, but I think the whole point of love is that you take it where it is needed, like a light in the dark. And by taking your love where others refuse to love or even deny that certain people deserve to be loved means that it gets noticed. But this is not an ego thing! Jesus did not get nailed to the cross with the thought 'oooh this is a great chance to create a legacy for myself and be remembered for all time', he got nailed to the cross to show an example of glorious love. God's love changed my life, and my life is dedicated to sharing that love with all, if that is interpreted as ego or pride then so be it... Mannn, I have become so defensive here! Anyway, my philosophy is that if you take love to the hardest places to love then it will get the most attention and you are most likely to influence others to love too. It's that simple.
:P
I also see I didn't recognize some of the reasoning you'd already supplied--my bad!
MAR: Hey Buddha, mate, how's things?
Bud: I'm good, i'm good, y'know, enlightenment, perfect, ever-new bliss etc. etc. It's nice... How are you?
MAR: Hmmm, i'm okay... Y'know, where I live, there is so much suffering, and it's getting worse with all these economic cuts, and I really want to do what I can to help ease some of their suffering, and, well, I think your teachings could help so much...
Bud: So, what is the problem?
MAR: Well, whenever I mention 'Buddhism' people turn away, and when I explain karma to them they look confused, and worst of all, when I suggest they meditate they just laugh at me and tell me to go hug a tree. It's a shame, because I think they'd really benefit from your teachings.
Bud: Okay, have you thought about maybe not mentioning 'Buddhism' or trying to explain karma or encouraging people to meditate? I mean, if they don't want to know then why bother to push it? Why not find teachings that they can understand and then explain them in a language that they understand and can relate to?
MAR: Because those things are what make up Buddhism, if I didn't promote them then I wouldn't truly be promoting Buddhism, would I? I don't want to disrespect your teachings, and who am I to pick and choose which teachings and practices should be shared?
Bud: But you wish to relieve their suffering, right?
MAR: Well, yeah.
Bud: Then do whatever it takes to relieve suffering, and stop being such a precious little bitch.
I didn't read anyone hold your aspirations up for a critique, that they would not hold their own up to. Allowing that the ego manifests where ever it can, is just an unavoidable meditative observation.
Holding your aspirations up to Buddhist reasoning is of little help if the fundamental Buddhist basic's like the 4 noble truths are not acceptable to you.
BUT...
You'd like to relieve suffering.
You'd like to do this without the unpopular taints of Jesus or Buddha?
Isn't this just what Humanists do? Krishnamurti?
Why aren't their developments workable for you?
And, I have loved the criticism and welcomed it! But it has frustrated me a little when people have taken liberties with what i've said, and when people start questioning my motives, because I am no different to the millions of other people on this planet wanting to help others, but it seemed that my reasons for doing so had some big question mark over them, and i'm not sure why. I just don't think it is possible or fair to make character assessments based on some words on a screen. But like I said, I don't mind, people are free to do as they please, and it's for me to look at my own responses and actions, not concern myself too much with how others wish to behave. I'm just an ideas person, and I argue the ideas, not the person. I think that anyone who is on a Buddhist website should be given the broad benefit of the doubt that mostly their motives are well intentioned. I may have some confusion in those motives, but who doesn't? I really don't understand a lot of what has been posted in these threads from people or why they'd post it.
I always think it's interesting, with any new project, to as what "Day 1" would look like, or even "Hour 1." That gets it out of the theory stage, and more towards application, where things get clearer, I think.
We Buddhists aren't much different from anyone else--fearful, hopeful, suspicious, encouraging--this is only a small test group which you can observe responding to your idea. Everyone brings their own experience to it, which is really valuable info for someone starting a project. For every user on this forum, I imagine, there will be that type of personality in your first classes (classes is an assumption--I don't know what you're thinking of as far as the mechanism for getting this information rolling). Chances are, especially if you are working in populations which have had a hard go of it, you could even meet with outright hostility--but that's just fear. I have no doubt that many of the concepts you're proposing will be embraced by many, too.
If a new idea isn't greeted with tons of questioning and analysis, it's probably not a very new idea--so I'd take that as a good sign!
I know this is a bit of a generalisation, but I do think it would be very helpful to society if more Buddhists engaged with social causes where their loving kindness would be so beneficial. Christians are fantastic at making real efforts in communities, and so are Muslims, but Buddhists - to me - are too insular, and should be making much more of an effort to engage with those in need. In doing so, I think they'd find their practice coming on massively.
if we do not know what is bad in us how can we get rid of it?
think about:
jelouse which stem from hate
telling lies which stem from greed
talking nonsense which stem from delusion
You've hit the nail on the head.
You know all those prissy little quotations:
'Walk the talk', 'do or do not, there is no try', 'actions speak louder than words'... they all hinge on less talk more action.
If you want to pass on any form of message and influence to others - don't 'say' anything.
'Do' what you do, and let how you live, interact with others and engage with life, be the testimony you need it to be.
You can talk to people until they're blue in the face, unless they 'see' it in action, and can witness for themselves that what you do - works - all it is, to them, is preaching.
and sometimes, hearing stuff is not what they need.
What they need is living proof.
you want people to get your message?
OK.
You first - but you have to keep it up, and practice it 100%, 100% of the time, for it to be convincing.....
Let's look at your list:
Idea One - Attraction, not promotion.
Be a haven of calm in a stormy sea. wherever you are, whatever you're doing, speak softly, with compassion and tolerance.
Idea Two - Take our light to where it is dark.
Smile. a lot.
and with your eyes.
Idea Three - Practice, practice, practice…
Do, do, do.
But don't confuse being Buddhist with being a doormat.
Being compassionate and practising loving-kindness, doesn't mean bending over backwards to please everyone.
1. Tolerance
2. Patience
3. Forgiveness
4. Empathy
5. Compassion
You forgot Acceptance....
and the first person you should always, unconditionally direct these practices towards - is yourself.
I'm in a bit of downtime at the moment, spending a lot of time in meditation and reflection, because there are internal obstacles - like self-doubt, self worth etc. that are creating a false ceiling for me, because whenever I push forwards to spread more love and compassion and try to make more of a difference, I get freaked out and insecure and pull out and hide. And so acceptance is vital, and something that this year I have worked really hard on, to the point of purposefully participating in certain activities that aren't good for me but just so I could practice accepting myself no matter what.
You speak a lot of sense, and I feel the kindness and love in your words, so thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously
give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.