By amending our mistakes, we get wisdom.
By defending our faults, we betray an unsound mind.
-The Sutra of Hui Neng
"Amend our mistakes" refers to repentance for violating the five precepts for laypeople. This requires developing a sense of shame.
"Wisdom" refers to the ability to choose wisely, based on amending past mistakes.
"Defending our faults" refers to how an unskillful person acts when his mistakes are highlighted.
"Unsound mind" refers to the ordinary Monkey Mind, committing mistakes that hide Buddha Nature. Recovering Buddha Nature, the mind encounters the brightness of the Bodhi Mind.
With repentance, we desire to amend our mistakes.
Afterwards, wisdom helps us to helps us to learn from our mistakes by reminding us about those amended mistakes.
When a person defends her faults, she shows signs of an unsound mind.
When a person admits to her fault, it is possible to amend her mistakes.
This is known as "getting wisdom."
Originally posted: Feb 11, 2006 2240H
Update posted: March 8, 2013 2057H
Showing posts with label shame. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shame. Show all posts
20130308
20110610
Self-Disclosure as Therapy
Writing about my life is therapeutic.
In my family of origin, I was deemed the problem child.
At the root of it was the shame my mother experienced when it was learned I was born with two birth defects. Much of this shame was due to her mother-in-law and my father, despite the fact that his brother was born with epilepsy and died of it.
In reaction to being shamed, my mother developed anxiety about it and passed that onto me. I recall being shamed by her, too. Also, my father used to shame me, too.
I remember one incident of being told by my father to straighten out my arms, and being made to feel as though it was abnormal not to have my right arm be straight.
In reporting this, by exposing this hurt to light, it will be impossible to feel ashamed for being born less than perfect.
For I know it to be true that no one thinks of himself as being perfect, for we are all human and prone to error.
Yet there is still room for spiritual healing to help me recover from the childhood years of neglect and abuse, and especially to remain forgiving towards my parents.
In my family of origin, I was deemed the problem child.
At the root of it was the shame my mother experienced when it was learned I was born with two birth defects. Much of this shame was due to her mother-in-law and my father, despite the fact that his brother was born with epilepsy and died of it.
In reaction to being shamed, my mother developed anxiety about it and passed that onto me. I recall being shamed by her, too. Also, my father used to shame me, too.
I remember one incident of being told by my father to straighten out my arms, and being made to feel as though it was abnormal not to have my right arm be straight.
In reporting this, by exposing this hurt to light, it will be impossible to feel ashamed for being born less than perfect.
For I know it to be true that no one thinks of himself as being perfect, for we are all human and prone to error.
Yet there is still room for spiritual healing to help me recover from the childhood years of neglect and abuse, and especially to remain forgiving towards my parents.
20050717
Universal Responsibility
Adopting an attitude of universal responsibility is essentially a personal matter. The real test of compassion is not what we say in abstract discussions but how we conduct ourselves in daily life.
-His Holiness the Dalai Lama, "Imagine All the People"
Just talking about harmlessness isn't enough.
When spiritual practice (meditation) does not lead to reciprical compassion from others, a person's conduct should still be to practise harmlessness.
To feel guilty for past wrongs is not enough - one must strive to learn from one's mistakes.
Even in the Dhammapada it is written to not cling to regrets and worries.
Dhammapada 67-68:
It's not good,
the doing of the deed
that, once it's done,
you regret,
whose result you reap crying,
your face in tears.
It's good,
the doing of the deed
that, once it's done,
you don't regret,
whose result you reap gratified,
happy at heart.
As well, the cure for regrets about wrongs done is simply letting go:
348:
Gone to the beyond of becoming,
you let go of in front,
let go of behind,
let go of between.
With a heart everywhere let-go,
you don't come again to birth
& aging.
Thus what the Dalai Lama says about the real test of compassion is ... how we conduct ourselves in daily life.
-His Holiness the Dalai Lama, "Imagine All the People"
Just talking about harmlessness isn't enough.
When spiritual practice (meditation) does not lead to reciprical compassion from others, a person's conduct should still be to practise harmlessness.
To feel guilty for past wrongs is not enough - one must strive to learn from one's mistakes.
Even in the Dhammapada it is written to not cling to regrets and worries.
Dhammapada 67-68:
It's not good,
the doing of the deed
that, once it's done,
you regret,
whose result you reap crying,
your face in tears.
It's good,
the doing of the deed
that, once it's done,
you don't regret,
whose result you reap gratified,
happy at heart.
As well, the cure for regrets about wrongs done is simply letting go:
348:
Gone to the beyond of becoming,
you let go of in front,
let go of behind,
let go of between.
With a heart everywhere let-go,
you don't come again to birth
& aging.
Thus what the Dalai Lama says about the real test of compassion is ... how we conduct ourselves in daily life.
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