In Eight Steps to Happiness Geshe-la says "'Self' and 'other' are relative terms, rather like 'this mountain' and 'that mountain ... 'This' and 'that' therefore depend upon our point of reference. This is also true of self and other. By climbing down the mountain of self, it is possible to ascend the mountain of other, and thereby cherish others as much as we presently cherish ourself."

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Bodhichitta / Bodhi-tea-ta

I've always loved the analogy of the tea and the teacup that helps us understand the 2-part wish of bodhichitta: We want to get enlightened (wish #1), but mainly so that we can be the most benefit of others (wish #2, our main wish). In the same way, we want to get a teacup so that we can have a cup of tea - the teacup is just a "means to an end" as Gen Samten said in his introduction to the US Festival this year. For some reason his point really made an impression on me when I heard it in April: Even though I've heard it before. I need to hear it again & again.

I remember hearing that listening to Dharma is like driving a stake in the ground: Usually we need to hit the stake again and again until that piece of wisdom is driven home - that is, unless the ground (your heart) is really soft or you're really strong (lots of merit).

For fun sometimes I like to pronounce bodhichitta as "bodhi-tea-ta" because it reminds me of the analogy, which tells me - again - that it's not ultimately about me and my happiness, even though that's (ugh) still my default mode.

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