Reflection on the First Mindfulness Training
Reflect on the Mindfulness Trainings beginning with the first. Reflect on actions of body, speech and mind, as well as how you (I) relate to the teaching. Focus on cultivating greater mindfulness in regards to the ethical foundation of practice.
Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life.
Words that jump out at me are "cultivating" and "learning ways". I feel as though I am sensitive to the concept of killing in a political or social context. Making conscious choices not to eat meat, to reduce consumption, to buy consciously. I believe that killing is deeply ingrained in our culture with roots of oppression and violence behind where our 'stuff' comes from, what businesses we support, where our tax dollars go, etc. I can also see the futility of guilt and the danger of complacency, which is why I appreciate the the choice of words: cultivating compassion and learning ways to protect life. All that said, my instinct was to apply the first training to the personal... How do I relate to my loved ones?
Reverence For Life (revised/updated version of the training)
Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating the insight of interbeing and compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, or in my way of life. Seeing that harmful actions arise from anger, fear, greed, and intolerance, which in turn come from dualistic and discriminative thinking, I will cultivate openness, non-discrimination, and non-attachment to views in order to transform violence, fanaticism, and dogmatism in myself and in the world.
Found myself shutting down conversation with gf. Reacting instead of responding. Hint of anger and attachment behind words. First training asks us to cultivate openness, non-discrimination, and non-attachment to our opinions. Even before reading the revised training, I thought back to the first training and could see that a more skillful way of communicating was possible. I was acting out of habit - let's call them relationship grooves - ways I have seen communication in relationship and have communicated in relationship in the past. Re-reading and applying the first training, I appreciate the idea of learning ways to cultivate openness and non-attachment in order to transform violence in its many forms (big and small).
4 comments:
"...not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking..."
Pause to ponder an act of killing in my thinking... Hmmm.
There is death and killing all around us. It is the natural order of life, Tigers kill, wolves kill, birds kill worms and insects. When we eat a salad we have killed lettuce and maybe radishes. How do you equate your view with reality? It's a Zen problem that I have myself as well.
Ah, I'm glad you picked up on this. In Buddhist teachings, actions are seen as being of body, speech and mind. In the west, we tend to emphasize the body (yet again!) and think only of "physical" actions. But words have effect in the world and are therefore seen as action. In fact, the body being local, I can physically only affect the person(s) who are right here near me. BUT, my words can influence people I've never even met (write a book and you find that out quick enough!).
However, all speech and volitonal bodily action is preceeded by thought. A really good sniper can kill only as many people as he has bullets in his magazine. But an ideology can lead to the killing of millions in genocide (like the holocaust).
Also, have you ever noticed that that internal critical voice can 'kill' your spirit or motivation to do something?
It is, indeed, a lot to ponder!!!
And I thank you wholeheartedly for pondering along with me....
Zenleo,
You're right! That's why the Mindfulness Training does not tell us what or how to act. It is called "Reverence For Life." Life (your life, my life) subsists on life. There IS no way to avoid taking life. You boil water to make tea and you kill countless beings.
Knowing this reality, what choices do we make? AND knowing this reality, perhaps greater reverence, through feelings of appreciation and gratitude arises.
Also, the humbling realization of this reality keeps one from the arrogance many vegetarians/vegans sometimes fall into.
As to your examples: the animals you mention have no choice in their food selection. As humans, whether you choose to eat a cow or a carrot, the point is to do so mindfully, with full awareness of the life you consume.
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