Buddhist Notion of Lazy

Jeffrey

This is just a little blurb from Trungpa's book Training the Mind. It is about the lojong training which has to do with tonglen and is a traditional teaching to combat self cherishing and other qualities.

"The fourth point of mind traiing is connected with the paramita of exertion. Exertion basically means being free from laziness. When we use the word lazy, we are talking about a general lack of mindfulness and a lack of joy in discipline. When your mind is mixed with dharma, when you have already becme a dharmic person, then the connection has already been made. Therefore, you have no problem dealing with laziness. But if you have not made that connection, there might be some problems."

I thought the bolded was interesting. A different empasis than 'lacking motivation' which is what I think of when I talk about being lazy. Mindfulness itself could be an antidote to lazy.

Barra

I have no problem with laziness. It suits me fine.

zsc

I'm usually my most lazy when I'm selfishly living for myself as a separate being and most productive when I'm living for the benefit of others (and therefore for the benefit of myself as not separate from others).

I find the "lacking motivation" definition unhelpful because "motivation" itself is really abstract for me, and often based on being "motivated" to be the most economically useful person you can be. Measuring my worth by my economic contribution just made me feel worse.

Tosh

zsc said:

I'm usually my most lazy when I'm selfishly living for myself as a separate being and most productive when I'm living for the benefit of others (and therefore for the benefit of myself as not separate from others).

I find a lot of motivation actually comes from the intention of helping others. My spiritual practise is the 12 Steps (which fits lovely with Buddhism) and the emphasis of the 12 Steps is 'working with others'; helping other alcoholics on a one-to-one basis.

I find that in trying to be a good example of an A.A. that it motivates me to practice; you know, to meditate, to be kind to my family; to try and walk the talk.

I'm a naturally lazy person (though people who know me disagree); but I feel lazy. If working towards enlightenment was purely of benefit to me, I would be too lazy to do that. I find there's not a lot of motivation in doing anything that only benefits myself; I just put it off till tomorrow.

zsc

Tosh said:

zsc said:

I'm usually my most lazy when I'm selfishly living for myself as a separate being and most productive when I'm living for the benefit of others (and therefore for the benefit of myself as not separate from others).

I'm a naturally lazy person (though people who know me disagree); but I feel lazy. If working towards enlightenment was purely of benefit to me, I would be too lazy to do that. I find there's not a lot of motivation in doing anything that only benefits myself; I just put it off till tomorrow.

@Tosh This is pretty much me. Trying to improve myself only for my own benefit failed every time.

Nirvana

Jeffrey said:

A little blurb from Trungpa's book Training the Mind:

"The fourth point of mind training is connected with the paramita of exertion. Exertion basically means being free from laziness. When we use the word lazy, we are talking about a general lack of mindfulness and a lack of joy in discipline. When your mind is mixed with dharma, when you have already become a dharmic person, then the connection has already been made. Therefore, you have no problem dealing with laziness. But if you have not made that connection, there might be some problems."

I thought the bolded was interesting. A different empasis than 'lacking motivation' which is what I think of when I talk about being lazy. Mindfulness itself could be an antidote to lazy.

Excellent, Jeffrey, and thanks. That's a Zen definition of laziness, if you will, as opposed to the much more sterile dictionary definition: "Not eager or willing to work or exert oneself."

Trungpa speaks of the "connection" a dharmic person has with his environs. And that putting-forth of oneself rightly into these environs he sums up with mindfulness and joy in discipline.

I must make a point to read more of this inspiring stuff.

lobster

Hypocrisy is the greatest refuge of the dharmically lax. It is why we have to read in context and between the lines.
That takes a great deal of discipline and commitment. It is one of the reasons I study the author as well as the results and the message.

For example we all have flaws, effect and influences. It may be a guru who advocates 'not relying on gurus'
http://defense-of-reason.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/my-criticism-of-jiddu-krishnamurti.html

It may be cultural, karmic, psychological influences that we pretend are not part of our processing. Can we in a sense, in some part, be confident enough to go beyond our superficiality? I suggest we have to. We can not let the drink, the craziness, the anger, the sentimentality, the illness, the glib, talk . . . we have to know that hypocritical voice in ourselves and others. See it, hear its powerful need to arise . . . and observe it, even if overwhelmed by it. Equally we must find truth in all our surroundings.

This to me is the Great Work/practice/path/way. Find the good, the useful, the supportive exemplar, the friend, the practice. Increase in the narrowing of the 'wide path' until we are not just on the road but the dust beneath other pilgrims . . .

Bodhi originally has no tree.
The bright mirror also has no stand.
Fundamentally there is not a single thing.
Where could dust arise?

Shenxiu was highly educated and studied the Buddhist scriptures assiduously. He re-interpreted the scriptures as metaphors of “skilful means” (Sanskrit: upāya; fangbian 方便) for “contemplation of the mind," (kan xin 看心) advocating the attainment of Buddhahood in all daily activities, here and now. Every act was seen as religious practice. For example, he saw simple activities, like taking a bath, as a religious act. He taught that soap used to clean away dirt “is actually the ability of discrimination by which one can ferret out the sources of evil within oneself.” Cleaning the mouth with toothpicks is “nothing less than the Truth by which one puts an end to false speech.” Overt religious activities such as burning of incense were seen as “the unconditioned Dharma, which ‘perfumes’ the tainted and evil karma of ignorance and cause it to disappear.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuquan_Shenxiu

Nirvana

"Hypocrisy is the greatest refuge of the dharmically lax."

What a careless, callous way to start one's spiel on this. So dismissive and superior-sounding to me: Sorry I had to stop reading right there, dear Lobster.

karasti

I really enjoy how Trungpa Rinpoche explains things. I'm reading his 3 volume set of the treasury of the ocean of dharma. They aren't books he wrote, but are books that took years to compile from his seminaries. Excellent stuff. It matches pretty well with what my teacher teaches, so it helps me understand better. Some of my teacher's teachings are linear, and because I didn't become a student of his until a couple years ago, I missed some of the earlier teachings that some of the ones we are doing now are somewhat based on.

Some of my busiest life days are some of my laziest dharmic days, so I found that interesting to observe.