I am in a coffee shop preparing for the Surangama Sutra Study group meeting, when I come across the section on the 10 practices, also known as paramitas. I wanted to give myself a kind of review in how I relate to these terms.
The first practice is called the "Practice of Happiness" (p.333), but from the commentary by Master Hsuen Hua, this corresponds to the practice of giving (dana). I think this makes sense, in the way that what we always try to give is happiness. When I am in a great mood, I will naturally 'give' that state of mind to those around me; whatever is inside of me flows outward. But more than that, Buddha identifies this as the way Bodhisattvas "respond to the needs of all beings throughout the ten directions." (p.333). In other words, it's not about just giving happiness, but it is also knowing what kinds of happiness people need to have in the moment. For some people, the happiness involves talking with them to know what worries them, whereas for others, it might mean giving them their own space to be with their thoughts and sort things out. To give, one needs to know well the person to whom one gives.
In the commentary, Master Hsuen Hua notes, "You should enjoy giving. It's not that you decide to give only under duress; it's not that on the on hand you want to give, but on the other hand you don't want to." (p.334). I think this amounts to saying that giving grudgingly isn't a real form of giving, since it's not coming from the heart or from a whole-minded perspective. When I want to give but am not sure whether I really want to, I create a conflict between one thought and another, and the two thoughts 'fight' for my attention until one finally wins over the two. This kind of giving never feels good because the giver hasn't really surrendered to the present moment, wholeheartedly. The other trap that Master Hsuen Hua warns against is that of giving only in the expectation of an instrumental gain or reward. Unfortunately, this can happen if a person is only focused on the Buddhist notion of merit.
Giving doesn't necessarily need to be about a tangible item that someone else can use and enjoy. In fact, I believe that every moment is a practice of giving to what needs doing. If there is a homework assignment for me to do, the best way I can face it is to put my whole mind and energy into it, without dividing my attention on past and future events, or vexations. Once I commit to doing something, I let go of thinking about the personal gain I might incur.
Master Hsuen Hua also notes that there are three kinds of giving, according to the Buddha's teachings: "1) the giving of wealth, 2) the giving of Dharma, and 3) the giving of fearlessness" (p.334-335). This last one interests me especially, because it appears to mean providing others with encouragement to face their own fears. Perhaps being present with others helps in that way the most, rather than seeing giving as an excruciating ordeal. In Western cultures (in particular the church), I have heard the slogan "give until it hurts", to the point where giving that doesn't hurt does not seem to count. Without a stable mind, however, all gifts are given with vexations and a lot of expectation. In this way, the degree to which I suffer from giving might suggest that my mind and heart are not in the moment.
Surangama Sutra: A New Translation (2009). Ukia, CA: Buddhist Text Translation Society
No comments:
Post a Comment