unlockthedoortolearning

“Whatever a hater may do to a hater, or an enemy to an enemy, a wrongly-directed mind will do us greater mischief (The Dhammapada, page9).”[1]  This is how I see the second precept “to practice good.”  If I set my intention each morning to direct my thinking toward the good it will make it a much easier and more pleasant path to follow that day.  If I make it a point to set a goal to do what is in the best interest of all concerned in each one of my encounters today—undoubtedly—I will have a much more fulfilling and pleasant day.

However, the world does give us many opportunities to test our metal to be able to do good in each and every encounter, with each and every thought, and with each and every action.  Sometimes we may even be confused about what the “good way” would be in a situation.    Rushworth Kidder in his book How Good People Make Tough Choices (1995) talks about situations where we are trying to figure out what to do where we may have two right/good choices.  He calls that “right vs right.” They are much harder to handle than the kind where we are faced with the “right vs wrong” situation, such as when we are given the wrong change at the store. It is easy to know the “right” think to do is to give the extra change back.  This situation easily gives us the opportunity to “practice good.”

But then when we face the “right vs right” challenge it can be much more difficult and frustrating since both ways are really right.  As in the family budget, “It is right to take the family on a much-needed vacation—and right to save that money for your children’s education (page 5).”[2]  Either way helps us to practice the second part of the Three Pure Precepts “to practice good.” So we are in a pickle, as they say!

Kidder goes on to say, “If we can call right-versus-right choices ‘ethical dilemmas’ we can reserve the phrase ‘moral temptations’ for the right-versus-wrong ones (page 5).”  That brings us around to the Dhammapada again where a wrongly-directed mind will do us greater mischief.  In the Platform Sutra the Zen Teaching of Hui-neng (2006) translated by Red Pine it says, “Good friends, as for ‘I vow to save all beings, no matter how numberless,’ it isn’t Hui-neng who does the saving.  Good friends, every being you can think of saves themselves with their own nature in their own bodies. (page 17).”[3]  Wow, that’s a challenge isn’t it!

Red Pine goes on to write,

The wrong views and afflictions, the ignorance and delusions in their own material bodies already possess the nature of original enlightenment.  It is just this nature of original enlightenment that saves them with right views.  Once they realize the prajna wisdom of right view, they dispel their ignorance and delusion, and each being saves themselves.  The false are saved with truth.  The deluded are saved with awareness.  The ignorant are saved with wisdom. The bad are saved with goodness.  And the afflicted are saved with enlightenment.  Those who are saved like this are truly saved (page 17).[4]

This is such a beautiful idea that each of us can work with as we practice precept #2 doing good.  Knowing that we have this innate wisdom within us that truly knows the right way is relieving us of many burdens and fears that we may not make the right choice.  So begin by getting in touch with “your own nature” as Hui-neng says.  And that nature is filled with the prajna wisdom and right views to help you handle any situations that may occur in your life.

Let’s take time each day to sit and while we are sitting or meditating or praying to focus on our true nature that of love, peace, joy and compassion.  Let us bring those emotions out in every situation with everyone we encounter throughout the day regardless of how they have approached us.  Let us see that within them is also the ability to tap into the prajna wisdom of right view and to act for the best interest of all concerned.  The “bad are saved with goodness” even if they do not know it in any moment the light may appear and they will recognize their true self.

If “a wrongly-directed mind will do us greater mischief” imagine what a rightly directed mind can do!

Things to focus on this week:

1.       1.   I will begin each day with the intention of finding good in everyone I meet.

2.      2.   When I feel a negative emotion I will remind myself that innate goodness and my nature of original enlightenment is within me right at this very moment.

3.       3.  Next, I will always look for the answer that is the best for all concerned.

4.      4.   Lastly, I will keep a journal of the opportunities that have been presented to me so I can keep track of my progress and my opportunities for growth.