Here we go, here we go ...
lobster
Crusty Veteran
From another thread (Buddhist Quotes)
Confess your hidden faults.
Approach what you find repulsive.
Help those you think you cannot help.
Anything you are attached to, let it go.
Go to the places that scare you.
~ Padampa Sangye
(These five teachings are often attributed to Machig Labdron, but it was her teacher, Padampa Sangye, who gave them to her)
Ah ha!
Seems like a plan (hardcore)
I'll start:
- Faults: Too numerous to mention. Maybe one example. Strong desire to compost politicians, q-anon, influencers and unsocial media manipulators ...
Repulse Approach: Too numerous to mention. Have been approaching the Dank Side of the Farce for years. Sith previous Fault.
“The fear of loss is a path to the dark side. Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them do not. Miss them do not. Attachment leads to jealousy.
https://www.cbr.com/star-wars-yoda-turn-dark-side-became-most-powerful-sith-lord/
The shadow of greed that is. Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.” —Bodhi Yoda - Revenge of the SithHelp: Ah hah! Get others to help me help others (especially me). Masterful plan.
- Attachments: Nearly dropped my Ipad. Gonna stop being attached to non attachment. Oops! Think that should be under faults ...
- Scare placement: You mean reading the news? Lord Buddha have mercy ...
Anyone else care to have a go?
Comments
I’ll give it the old college try, @lobster...
Faults: I’m plagued with a low-energy state for the last few years
Approach: i have difficulty with conspiracy theorists, I’ll try approaching them
Help: I feel that people in general are beyond help
Attached: I’m attached to the internet, but nowadays that is hard to let go
Scare: I had a sort-of nightmare about clowns last night...
But on reflection I think it is more a kind of life teaching, something that is meant to be followed for a longer period like a week or a month or a year.
Faults: Where to begin? Start at A, and Z will definitely follow not too far behind...
Repulse Approach: Anything that might involve slime. Animals and people alike.
Help: The above, in need of comfort, relief or support...
Attached: Things I cannot have, things I do not want...
Scare: Everything potentially life-threatening. I'm not ready yet....
Faults: Expecting others to behave as expected (by my standards). Being kind and expecting kindness back. And.... unleashing harsh "logical" rhetoric to undermine the other who has dared to complain. Hence entering the terrible game of "I'm right / You're Wrong" ... where we all lose..
Repulse Approach: Dust, self-laziness and disorder.
Help: I didn't understand this point so well. Help?
Attached: I’m attached to my painful knee and how badly I would like to return to the zafu -however, meditating on a chair is pretty cool too
- to my desire to correct views I deem as wrongful, to quieten criticisms regarding myself.
Scare: Being unemployed permanently, not passing my Psychology exams, not being able to sit crossed leg again....
Ahhhhhhh.... that was better than one biiig sitting by the John!
Thank you @lobster for the cache clean up.
Interesting exercise. I'll give it a go as it can't be bad for practice, right?
Faults: I am aware of a couple and there must be more but right now, I need to work on my patience and how it triggers anxiety in me.
Repulse Approach: Um, yeah, so I'm a Personal Support Worker at a retirement home. I had to get over a couple of complexes in regards to stuff that comes out of our bodies. No matter how bad it is, we aren't supposed to gag or whatever, Haha.
Helping when it seems hopeless: I tried this with my oldest friend a few years back and I ended up slipping in a piece of his liver (at least I think it was his liver) and having to explain to his Mom that he was gone. I tried it again when another loved one needed a kidney due to PKD. I said I would go through the tests even though I was sure I wasn't fit enough. Turned out I was wrong and I was fit enough if I quit tobacco. So I did. Then she passed away before we got the chance. I got to quit smoking though. Its hell when these things don't work out but much of the reward is in the actual helping. Just being there.
Attachments: I vow to transform or discard that which no longer serves my greater good and the good of others but not to be averse to that which does serve even if it seems hard.
Going to the places that scare me: I'm going to take that as mental places and not parks in the city at midnight or a hate group meeting.
It brings to mind not getting complacent in my suffering out of a fear of change. That and mountains have to be mountains again as rivers once more have to be rivers. Feel enlightened? Good! Now chop the wood, carry the water and don't forget your evening sit
Thanks for sharing everyone
Buddhism is an advanced simplicity for everyday, everywhere teachings.
I particularly found the fearful section insightful. Like @Kerome I recently had a situation where I was being chased by a ravenous fox. Luckily the Bodhi fear nightmare demon woke me up just as I was leapt on ...
In a way this seems to be about overcoming ones own impulses. First you find the thing that is your fault, what repulses you, whom you cannot help, what you are attached to, what scares you. So there is some insight required too.
Confess your hidden faults. finding what is hidden, and confessing faults, not easy
Approach what you find repulsive. overcoming the forces which repulse you
Help those you think you cannot help. overcoming despair, helping those who are beyond help
Anything you are attached to, let it go. overcoming attachment, finding what you attach to
Go to the places that scare you. overcoming fear, finding what scares and confronting