What is Dharma?

What is Dharma?

Sensap Serkong Rinpoche II, Mad Linten

(Part 3)

Our assertiveness doesn't mean we have to isolate ourselves from ourselves, friends or society. Indeed, when we surrender to the Three Jewels, we begin to see how we can contribute not only to ourselves but also to those around us and to the world at large.

If we surrender to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, we will never feel confused anywhere, ever. We are not always wandering in search of spirituality, however we have the need for some material comfort and possessions, and when we cannot depend on them, we imagine that they will keep us happy forever. Our commitment to Buddhist principles actually frees us from stress and allows us to spend more time on what matters: feeling emotionally happy and healthy within ourselves.

This is why surrender is a process that is still alive today. We should always be doing something for it. Our belief is that this is not the same as praying that the Buddha is also some kind of god. Nor is it that our Buddhist friends are capable of acting for us. So the highest level of surrender is the Buddhist teachings of dharma. Even if we have firm faith in the Buddha and have many wise and compassionate Buddhist friends, we cannot reap the benefits of surrender if we do not follow the teachings of the Dharma. Our lives are more meaningful if we follow the key advice not to harm others, to control our mind in order to engage in fruitful activities.

However, before officially starting to travel the path of Buddhism there are certain special rituals that must come from the mind of true responsibility. If we start working within ourselves, it means that we have actually surrendered.

What is Buddhist practice?

The goal of Buddhism is to work to overcome our own shortcomings and realize our positive potential. Disabilities include ambiguities, imbalances of perception, which confuse us about life. Driven by disturbing emotions such as anger, greed and inexperience, we end up acting on impulse. Our positive skills are communicating clearly, understanding reality, being assertive with others, and improving ourselves.

Let's remember that the starting point of Buddhist practice is to still our mind and be mindful, which means always being aware of how we think when we act, when we talk to others and when we are alone. We do not observe our activities for the sake of doing something and leave it alone. Only if we are attentive can we discriminate the difference between creation and destruction. It is not selfish: we are genuinely caring and open to others.

Searching for causes of problems through introspection and self-awareness. External factors and people sometimes create the environment in which problems arise – but the Buddhist approach is to try and identify the deeper causes, which require us to examine our own minds. Our mental habits, as well as positive and negative emotions, influence the way we experience life.

Feeling stressed, depressed, anxious, lonely and insecure doesn't just come from our work, it also comes from our state of mind and emotions. The best way to handle life's endless challenges is to calm our mind, balance our emotions, and stay clear-headed.

When we become mindful of the feelings, attitudes, and behaviors that cause frustration and suffering, we can make remedies for them.

Through a clear understanding of reality and grounding in the activities of the mind, feelings can be purified – 14th Dalai Lama

We all care about the cleanliness of our body, but keeping our mind in harmony is very important. In order to improve the purity of feelings, these three things must be present in the wholeness of our mind: we must remember the antidote for our troubled mood, we must not forget to use it when needed, and we must not forget to keep it in the same condition.

To remember this antidote, we must:

Learn what they are.

Think about it until you have a proper understanding, how to implement it and believe that the method will work.

Practice practicing through meditation to become familiar.

We need to be like doctors ourselves: learn to recognize our disorder, understand the causes, what the remedy is, how to implement it, practice before implementation.

Chronic illness is the result of our lifestyle changes. Most people do not delve deeply into nutrition and exercise, but instead try dieting and daily exercise first. Yes, they need an instructor before they start, but once they experience the benefits, it can become their motivation to move forward.

Similar efforts are required to attain purity of feelings. Once we get a taste of well-being through the practice of mindfulness, it becomes easier to develop motivation and interest in learning more about Buddhist practices, which can lead to a higher standard of living and helping others.

Buddha was an average man like us who faced struggles in life. Like us, he wanted to improve the standard of living and those around him. Through his self-examination, he realized what was happening around him. We will realize that we too have the ability and power to be at peace, contented, and in control of our emotions.

This is what the Dalai Lama likes to call “purity of feelings” – across religious and cultural boundaries, and what we hold dearest to our hearts: a problem-free, happy and peaceful life.