On Devotion

  When I guided the meditation tonight, I mentioned about the concept of the bodhi seat, and how reminding ourselves of our aspiration to bodhicitta is one of the most powerful motivations to practice. When I think deeply about this, I realize that devotion is a very important aspect of anything we do. It makes sense that before we set out to do something, we should put our hearts into it by devoting ourselves to a principle, or to practice itself. This is so rarely mentioned when we describe the preliminary elements of meditation, but I think devotion can serve to focus the mind and provide more motivation to stay on our method rather than letting the mind stray to all kinds of preoccupations.

   In Buddhism, what can we devote ourselves to? I find that reciting Buddha's name is one form of devotion, since Amitabha represents the power of vows to protect all sentient beings and liberate them from suffering. Having the focus on the Buddha is one way to concentrate our minds, calm wandering thoughts, and develop a sense of seriousness in practice. Meditation is not just a hobby or a way to relax; it can invoke many deeper elements of the heart, such as the aspiration to become more wise and detached about life, while still cultivating a sense of compassion and heart. When we recite, it's a good idea to really have faith in our connection with the Buddha, as the Buddha is our own mind. Even when our mind is full of garbage and there's no clarity in sight, that very mind is the Buddha mind. When we reflect on how we are never at all far away from Buddha's peaceful nature (and it's our birthright in fact), then we can settle into a sense of joy and gratitude. Even if the Buddha as a form is only an expedient means, devoting ourselves to the Buddha as a form, historical figure and image, is one way of more emotionally connecting to the Buddha. We are essentially using our human senses to connect with the Buddha by contemplating all his marvelous features and auspicious signs, which point to a mind that is beyond phenomena.

  Another reason for devotion is that it offers a sense of protection from both temptations of the world and more adverse situations. If we don't have something pure to which to point our minds to, other things of the world will compete for our attention, such as wealth, fame, power, or even ideologies that are based on polarized notions of success and failure, right and wrong, etc. By having a pure image that we can relate to, we can remind ourselves not to succumb to the world's temptations, and try to keep our mind as straightforward as possible, while maintaining a sense of open awareness.

    Finally, devotion does not have to be limited to a temple or other religious institution. We can devote ourselves to our work, by reminding ourselves to work with pure and settled minds rather than giving into scattered thoughts or interruptions. This does not mean we have to suppress thoughts; instead, it means that we gently and quietly bring our minds back to a serenity that is embodied in an object of devotion, such as a Buddha figure, a portrait of a revered figure, etc. This also makes our working lives more meaningful and filled with purpose. It's not the work itself that matters so much as the mindset and attitude that we put into it, which is to always point to the Buddha mind.

    When I talk about devotion here, I am not talking about worshipping a god or someone higher. Rather, I am describing a sense of purity and clarity that can protect us from more unwholesome emotions such as anger.  When we entrust ourselves with images of devotion, we give rise to a sense of gratitude that we have teachers to reveal the buddhadharma to us, and feel the benefits of the practice and philosophies of Buddhism.