INSIGHTAotearoa
A newsletter for New Zealand's insight meditation practitioners and communities
98 Riverside Road, Gisborne, 4010 Aotearoa New Zealand
deborah @ insightaotearoa.org | ISSN 1177-5076
DECEMBER 2009
IN THIS NEWSLETTER YOU'LL FIND...
1. Living skillfully – knowing the two kinds of desire
2. The spectrum of desire
3. Slow take off but the journey’s a long one
4. POEM: At far hills
5. POEM: On a meditation retreat by the Waikato River
6. POEM: Changchun Temple
7. Questions ... questions ...
8. Sangha news
9. The last word: Desire and Embodied Awareness
INSIGHTAotearoa wishes you happy holidays filled with peace and ease and a new year filled with blessings.
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1. LIVING SKILLFULLY - KNOWING THE TWO TYPES OF DESIRE
-- by Phillip Moffitt
People often mistakenly believe Buddhism is nihilistic or anti-life because they have the misconception that the Buddha taught that desire is bad. Certainly, the Buddha instructed that the arising of desire is a critical link in the chain of mental events that leads to suffering, but he also made clear that desire itself is not the problem. It is our attachment to obtaining and keeping our desires that creates our suffering.
In order to live more skillfully and create less suffering for yourself and others, I suggest that you explore the role of desire in your daily life. Whenever a feeling of desire arises in you, first identify whether the desire is wholesome or unwholesome. Then, if it is a wholesome desire, observe if you are attached to achieving it and if it is leading you to cause suffering because grasping and craving have taken over your mind.
We all know what unwholesome desires are and the harmful actions they lead us to – lusting after material goods, or sex, or escapist activities such as taking recreational drugs; wishing someone ill will out of jealousy; hurting someone you love out of your own desire to be loved unconditionally; obsessing about altering your physical appearance to conform to our cultural definition of what's beautiful – the list is endless. Responding skillfully to unwholesome desires is relatively simple: All that's needed is mindfulness to know when they have arisen and an ongoing commitment to live according to your values, which gives you the strength to not yield to such desires. The more you practice mindfulness of desire, you will begin to clearly see how suffering comes from pursuing unwholesome desires, and they gradually lose much of their appeal. The struggle to resist then becomes less strenuous. Your mind is no longer enchanted by what used to allure you, and you are no longer easily deluded by the surface experience of people and events.
Wholesome desires are those energetic feelings that arise from non-grasping love, compassion, and empathy toward others. However, even wholesome desire can lead to unskillful acts and to all manner of suffering if it becomes an obsession, or if you start to believe the end justifies the means as a way to excuse what you know to be wrong. Thus, a wholesome desire becomes an unwholesome one if it brings about restlessness and worry because of craving, or brings ill will to those who you perceive to be thwarting the desire, or if it leads to a confused state of mind. For example, who doesn't want their children to be healthy and happy? But when parents become attached to that desire, they can act in harmful ways. They may become overly protective which can cause their children to become too dependent on them, or they may become over-controlling and create alienation and rebellion in their children. Or they may forsake the well being of other children to benefit their own.
In my experience there are three skillful means you can practice that will prevent your wholesome desire from deteriorating into craving. The first is to commit to ethical behaviour and to renounce being controlled by your desires. The second is to cultivate wisdom through mindfulness and insight such that when desire arises you can discriminate between those thoughts, words, and actions that are skillful and those that lead to suffering. The third is to surrender to the truth that you cannot control what happens to you or those whom you care about. Some of your desires will be fulfilled and some will not, despite your best efforts. There is no way of knowing if what seems to be a wholesome desire will bring good or bad fortune or if the desire once fulfilled will be even temporarily satisfying.
A painful example of “not knowing” the outcome of wholesome desire is the story of one woman who desperately wanted to become a mother, so much so that she drove her husband to distraction with her obsession and put her body through numerous uncomfortable medical procedures before finally becoming pregnant. Once her child was born, she was dismayed to discover that while she loved her child she did not enjoy the activities of mothering. She found herself wishing for her child to be more grown up and in the meantime felt like she was just enduring motherhood. This is the mystery of manifest life; the only response is not to cling even to what seems wholesome.
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2. THE SPECTRUM OF DESIRE
-- by Gil Fronsdal
Desire is so inherent to the human condition that life without it is almost inconceivable. It is probably more accurate to call us “human desirelings” than “human beings.” Anyone wishing to live a wise life needs to explore deeply the nature of his or her own desire.
A number of myths about desire circulate among Buddhists. A common one is that desire is bad, and a spiritually mature person has no desires. Another is that the Buddha taught that desire is the cause of suffering and therefore all desire, even the desire to practice for liberation, is a problem. But life without desire is not necessarily a good thing: for example, one symptom of depression is having no desires. The Buddha did not teach that desire was the cause of suffering. In fact, he encouraged his followers to arouse ardent desire for liberation.
A starting point for understanding desire is to differentiate between unhealthy and healthy desire. Unhealthy desire undermines psychological health, producing what Buddhism often calls “suffering” for short. Healthy desire can contribute to psychological well-being, happiness, and peace. If we place healthy and unhealthy desire on a spectrum, at one end we have the motivations that lead to some of the worst and most horrific things people do. But at the other end, desire expresses some of the most beautiful and noble aspects of human life.
One way to distinguish the two ends of this spectrum is to differentiate between craving and aspiration. When the Buddha pointed to the cause of suffering, he used the word tanhà or thirst. It represents desire which is in some way compulsive, driven, and therefore not easy to let go of. This kind of desire is often accompanied by clinging, contraction, tension, or pressure.
Craving has its costs. People have destroyed their lives by acting on their addictions. When craving has the upper hand, it is all too easy to make poor choices. Freedom, that is, free will and the ability to choose wisely, is easily compromised. Craving takes a toll on our bodies when it expresses itself as physical tension. And it can take an even bigger toll on our minds: constant wanting can exhaust the mind. Left unchecked, craving can lead to an alienation from our self. Unfulfilled, craving can all too easily turn into frustration and anger.
One of the surprising discoveries that we make in mindfulness meditation is how pervasively and constantly the mind is under the sway of craving. This thirst is the primary reason the mind chases after its own thoughts.
An important function of meditation is to calm down the incessant churning of desire so that we can discover at the other end of the spectrum our deeper wellsprings of motivation. When surface concerns and chatter quiet down, among the beautiful things we can find are our aspirations. The etymology of “aspiration” (like “spiritual”) is rooted in the Latin word for “breath” (spirare). This points to the close relationship between breath and aspiration. Craving tends to contract the breathing; aspiration surfaces most easily when our breathing is relaxed and open. In the same way that natural breathing can’t be an act of will, so too the motivations and sense of purpose that come with aspiration can’t be willfully generated. Staying aware of our breathing can keep us close to what inspires us.
The sensitivity and awareness that come from mindfulness practice support the discovery of our healthy desires and aspirations. Mindfulness not only helps us get in touch with our aspirations, but it helps prevent aspiration from becoming craving. Even though what we might want is healthy and appropriate, if we are not careful, this desire can manifest as craving. Noticing the physical and mental tension, pressure, and uneasiness that come with craving makes it easier to distinguish aspiration from craving.
One way aspiration becomes craving is through expectation. At its best, aspiration has an openness to possibility without a need for anything to happen. This doesn’t mean that we don’t act on our aspirations, but that we don’t cling to their success. There is something satisfying and wonderful in a healthy aspiration that is not dependent on outcome.
If we want to base our lives on aspiration rather than craving, we have to give ourselves time to discover our deepest wishes. Aspiration often arises from a non-discursive part of the heart and mind. Craving and clinging are often tied to the discursive world of planning, thinking, and fantasy, while aspiration is associated with inner stillness and relaxation. Sometimes it is only during long contemplative periods that people discover what they most want to base their life on.
It is also important to respect both ourselves and our aspirations. It is easy to dismiss both our aspirations and the search for them. Believing that we are not good enough, capable, or deserving can leave us feeling unfulfilled and regretful. In the world of aspiration, it is far better to try and fail than to never try.
Buddhism recognizes many beautiful aspirations, including wishes of goodwill and kindness for others, and the desire for happiness and other wholesome qualities of mind for ourselves. Central to Buddhist practice are the aspirations for liberation and for the alleviation of the sufferings of others. However, Buddhism does not require us to desire either of these; when the heart is open and relaxed, these wishes often bubble up. Both aspirations can flow through us without egotism or craving. They can seem so natural that they appear impersonal. Just as water flows downhill, so the unimpeded heart flows to freedom and service. The healthy desire for freedom and compassion can flow like a mighty river that finds its rest in reaching the vast ocean.
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Unnecessary possessions are unnecessary burdens. If you have them, you have to take care of them! There is great freedom in simplicity of living. It is those who have enough but not too much who are happiest.
-- Peace Pilgrim
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3. SLOW TAKE-OFF BUT THE JOURNEY'S A LONG ONE
-- by Ramsey Margolis, trustee, Aotearoa Buddhist Education Trust
Launched in September this year, Aotearoa Buddhist Education Trust has received donations from a small number of people in the first three months, but the extent of the generosity has been both truly heart warming and surprising. We are aware that will take time for the wider dharma community to become aware of the fact that ABET exists, to see value in the work of the trust, and decide to support it. What has been given, though, has taken the trustees by surprise. Here’s how things stand with each of the four appeals:
Gregory Kramer (coming to teach in March and April 2010): $80.00
Martine & Stephen Batchelor (coming to teach in November 2010: $50.00
Eric Kolvig (coming to teach in April 2011): $50.00
General fund: $1,959.44
There are two further donations on their way through givealittle which are visible on the website but not included in the above.
When discussing the idea of a charity that would pay the travel costs of insight meditation teachers coming from overseas, what we learnt from people was that they wanted a way to help bring a specific teacher to this country. This is why there are separate bank accounts for each teacher.
The wonderful surprise we’ve had is that there are those who are keen to to see the buddhadharma develop in New Zealand, who are prepared to give substantial amounts to do so, and they realise that ABET is an avenue for this. We certainly weren’t expecting to get large donations into the general fund right away.
Tricycle community
Those of you familiar with the excellent US buddhist magazine Tricycle may not be aware that they have started an online community at http://community.tricycle.com. The publishers’ intention being to create an online sangha, the main attraction is the large number of groups and discussions. It also contains audio and video dharma resources, blogs, photos and even live chat.
When you join this community you’ll see there is a group associated with ABET – Aotearoa Buddhist Education Project. Please join this group and help us talk up the work of the trust. It can be found at http://community.tricycle.com/group/aotearoabuddhisteducationproject
The practice of generosity is very much more developed among US buddhist communities so it would be no surprise to find a small number of overseas practitioners welcoming a way of helping to make the practices and principles of insight meditation more easily available to folk in other countries.
Your help with this would be of great value.
Payroll giving
From 7 January 2010, a new government initiative encourages charitable donation directly from your salary, in such a way that you receive an immediate tax credit. How much you give, and how often you do it is up to you.
Assuming you are paid monthly and wish to give $100 each month to ABET, doing so, you would receive an immediate tax credit of $33.33. This means your wages would be just $67.77 lower than previously. Your employer would then remit $100 to ABET in your name.
Previously, an individual could only claim back one third of qualifying donations up to a maximum of $630. The amount you can now claim back has gone up to the level of your taxable income.
When you tell your employer you’d like to make a donation from your pay to Aotearoa Buddhist Education Trust, give them the ABET’s bank account number your donation should go to (to be found on our website) and should point out that they can find us on the IRD’s list of approved donee organisations.
Finally
We thank all those who have given, whatever your intention and whatever you’ve given, and we encourage anyone who is considering developing your practice of generosity to take a look at http://abet.net.nz. You are invited to get in touch in you have any questions.
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What is required is a clearing or emptying of the mind and heart so that we can listen in a deep new way. The willingness to empty ourselves and then seek our true nature is an expression of great and courageous love.
-- Jack Kornfield
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4. POEM: At far hills
-- by Tony Reardon
i’ve tidied my little house and emptied the piss bucket
the weather has closed in and now the clouds are blowing right passed my door
occasional rain drums down the water pipe
as I return to sit once more the hillside opposite appears and disappears again
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5. POEM: On a meditation retreat by the Waikato River
-- by Tony Reardon
the constant mocking honking of the ducks
heard among the steady dripping aftermath of recent heavy rain
makes clear the utter foolishness of sitting and walking
with anything in mind
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6. POEM: Changchun Temple
--by Parrill Stribling
at Changchun Temple I waved joss sticks at Shakyamuni
--a stick for friendship
--a wish for mercy
--a thanks for love
Then put them with others in the smoking iron pot.
Effervescent scents slipped effortlessly
perfuming the gilded roof beams above.
Yeah!!! Let the universe inhale!
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7. QUESTIONS ... QUESTIONS ...
Do you have a question about your practice or about buddhism in general? Send it in, and we will put it before a teacher. If it can be answered easily, it will be in a future INSIGHTAotearoa. Send your question to deborah @ insightaotearoa.org or by post to Newsletter, 98 Riverside Road, Gisborne 4010.
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8. SANGHA NEWS
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This newsletter comes to you without a subscription price because our readers offer dana to support it. A traditional Buddhist generosity practice, dana received will be used to develop the newsletter, and the community that practices insight meditation. Regular automatic payments are very welcome. You can also post cash or cheques to 98 Riverside Road, Gisborne 4010, making cheques payable to INSIGHTAotearoa. Here is the bank account information:
Account name: INSIGHTAotearoa
Bank: ASB Bank
Branch: Lambton Quay
Account number: 12-3140-0285603-00
From outside New Zealand, the SWIFT code is ASBBNZ 2A.
Mindfulness in Plain English can be downloaded from http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.htm
Aotearoa Buddhist Education Trust is a charitable trust which raises funds to bring insight meditation teachers to New Zealand. To find out more visit www.abet.net.nz
Insight meditation in Aotearoa on the web
http://www.insightmeditation.org.nz – information on New Zealand's insight meditation practitioners and communities
http://www.insightaotearoa.org – the website for this newsletter
http://www.southern.insightmeditation.org.nz – Christchurch sangha Southern Insight's website
Gratitude
It is with deep gratitude that INSIGHTAotearoa offers dana this month to Te Moata. Thank you for the gift of your loving care of this beautiful retreat centre. We are blessed.
INSIGHTAotearoa goes out on the first of the month listing insight meditation events during the month to follow throughout the country as well as containing article of interest, encouraging and assisting the formation and growth of communities of meditation practitioners around the country. If you'd like to write for INSIGHTAotearoa or there’s an insight meditation event you'd like included, contact Deborah: deborah @ insightaotearoa.org | 06 863 0020 | 021 238 5347.
This issue is going out by email to 380 people and to 18 by post.
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9. THE LAST WORD: DESIRE AND EMBODIED AWARENESS
In teaching the middle way, the Buddha guided us to relate to desire without getting possessed by it. He was talking about every level of desire – for food and sex, for love and freedom. He was talking about all degrees of wanting, from small preferences to the most compelling cravings. We are mindful of desire when we experience it with embodied awareness, recognising the sensations, the thoughts of wanting as arising and passing phenomena. While this is not easy, as we cultivate the clear seeing and compassion of radical acceptance, we discover we can open fully to this natural force and remain free in its midst.
-- Tara Brach, from her book Radical Acceptance
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Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you would like to remove yourself from the INSIGHTAotearoa mailing list you can unsubscribe via the website: http://www.insightaotearoa.org. If you've received this from a friend and would like to be on the email mailing list, subscribe via the website: http://www.insightaotearoa.org. Write to Newsletter, 98 Riverside Road, Gisborne 4010 if you would like to receive this by post.
With Metta, Deborah White, Kanya Stewart, and Peter Fernando