Contending with Others vs "Vows"

   During the evening meditation session, I played Master Sheng Yen's video which highlights the notion of contention: competing for scarce resources to achieve certain benefits or results. Master Sheng Yen contrasts contention with 'making a vow', which is a kind of purified striving to benefit all beings in a situation rather than only forward one's own interests. Vows also have the added advantage of broadening the number of possible actions available in a given situation. By not competing for specific roles, I learn not to take a particular role as an enduring indicator of my own value, and there is more flexibility to define what my value is going to be in a given situation.
    The best way I can understand the concept of 'vow' vs contention is that vowing doesn't depend on an idealized role. It happens, rather, in the unfolding present moment. If there is a particular task I am not fully cognizant of at work, for example, I can make a vow to better improve myself in this area so that I can benefit others. Vows aren't initiated by particular, predefined roles for which people compete. In reality,  anyone can be open to learning new things, and the vow is a kind of choice to try to do wholesome and meaningful actions for others. It's also a decision to keep learning, rather than being stuck with a predefined or predetermined sense of what one's capacities are. Of course, people do have limitations on what they have been trained to do. Everyone needs to have a good feeling for that for which they are capable. But thinking in terms of vows can help re-orient me away from trying to act according to a 'perfect self' or 'ideal' role, and explore my real capacities in this present moment.
    I feel that it will take a lot of effort to shift my thinking away from a 'contention' orientation and toward a more vow-based approach toward work and life. The biggest anxiety one can face is letting go of the fear of not having a distinct identity that can be owned or 'developed' over time. If I accept the impermanence of the roles I am currently accepting, I have the humility needed to learn new roles and even let go of pre-existing ones to embrace bigger challenges. It's hard to say where the faith to let go comes from. Part of what helps is to recognize that one's inclinations don't start and end in a certain role. Even if I am doing poorly in one role (for whatever reason), this doesn't disqualify me from excelling in others.  So I don't write myself off as a total failure if I am unable to fulfill all of what I idealize to be 'who I am supposed to be.' That softening of the heart can also give me the flexibility to interact with others without so much fear. I am no longer thinking of others as potential competitors for scare resources, but might even regard others as complimentary or supportive of my unique  skills or calling.



Master Sheng-Yen, "Contention": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE4oGqBhRhw