My friend Joe Mauricio (not his real name) and I went out last night to an Irish pub--in Chelsea. Which meant--you got it--place was filled with tall lads in soccer jerseys sporting a lisp. And boyfriends. Then again, Joe and I were there--which says, what? Say what?
Anyway, jealous as I am to admit it--Joe (again, not his real name) is a class A funnyman. He's an actor, working comedian and one of my dearest friends. So, over the course of a Guinness (whiskey for Joe, he said he's "on a diet") we talked about what it means to be living, scrapping and keeping our heads above water in NYC.
As we compared notes, one thing became clear. Its kind of tough doing the "right action, compassionate thing" in a city where people are elbowing each other on the subway. Turns out Joe (okay, okay his real name) and I are right there, pushing and shoving with the best of 'em. But aren't we supposed to be versed enough in knowing our minds to not believe the hype and get sucked in?
Maybe. Maybe not. So what's my point? I don't have one, I'm hoping like the next subway if I hang around one will show up. My non-point is maybe this city is just too hectic and no matter how much mediation you do, its not enough to keep from barely not elbowing that guy who just dug his in to your rib cage.
Or, and this is the embarrassing admission section--maybe I'm just not working hard enough at my own practice and using the energy of the city as an excuse to foster my own pent up frustration. Bit of an urban-spiritual chicken or the egg deal, in a way.
As I see it, my choices are: a. Don't hang out with Joe. He's clearly the Devil. b. Don't ride the subway. Its clearly the preferred mode of transportation for...the Devil. c. Put my money where my Guinness is and don't elbow back. Cuz elbows are...damn, the Devil thing doesn't work with elbows.
So, since Joe's the only friend I have and I can't afford taxi's, looks like I'm going to have to put on my big-boy pants and actually walk the walk I keep yapping about at those fancy classes I teach on Buddhism. So there it is. I have to stop looking for reasons to throw elbows and start making room for people, in my mind and heart. Either way, looks like its going to be a long trip.
Would've been so much easier if Joe were the Devil. There's nothing like a warm excuse to curl up with and ignore everything around you.
Mar 31, 2006
Suffering: Apply. Wait. Reapply.
Mi amiga Roberta once said "Pain is mandatory, suffering is optional", which I'll use as a clever segue to how I got in to an email fight with someone. Why is it that email is completely inadequate at capturing mood, tone and emotion--until someone writes and tells you to go *&%^$#! yourself?
So what did I learn other than getting flamed in an email is pretty much like getting flamed in person? I learned that NY State law restricts the possession of semiautomatic assault weapons that hold up to 100 rounds. In retrospect, probably a good thing. I'd been the victim of a an email drive-by and there was little I could do but suck toxic tail-pipe fumes as they drove away.
Problem is, while you're choking down someone else's anger-laced carbon monoxide, you tend to keep replaying the events in your head. It becomes one giant loop reliving itself, the ultimate inner, "He said, she said". And the next thing you know, circumventing the state mandated six month waiting period for a handgun seems, well reasonable. And that's when you better wake up and smell the karma.
Because the more I replayed the events, the bigger more life-like and real the whole thing seemed. I was feeding my emotions big double-handfuls of self-justified anger-kibble and they were quickly growing up and out of control. They had become Rage-Zilla, foot-stomping to matchsticks whole villages of reason and patience.
And then an ancient Buddhist saying came to me, "Dude--shut up". And I realized that it was up to me. To shut up, to stop replaying events, to seal up the bag of anger-kibble, to tear up my registration form for an assault weapon and to just, stop. So I did. And lo and behold Rage-Zilla tucked his tail and vanished.
I realized it'd be wiser to spend the next six months being grateful for a lovely wife, family and life rather then put on one of those semi-knit trucker's hats made from beer cans, waiting for my Fed Ex delivery of a semi-auto handgun. I mean, someone has to stop the madness, why not me?
There's a great quote from one of those old Buddhist Yoda's, about what not to do with one's thoughts. It starts out "Do not imagine, think, deliberate, meditate, act but be at rest...". This doesn't mean "Go zombie" whenever trouble arises, but rather, "...at rest" means to let mind rest in its own ability to be present, intelligent. Don't crank anything up. For that matter, don't crank anything down.
Oh, the other thing I learned is that email is probably the media-crack of the millennium marketed by self serving corporate interests to undermine the necessity of human interaction and create an unhealthy dependency on technology.
Then again, maybe I just need to learn to not type whatever comes out of my brain.
So what did I learn other than getting flamed in an email is pretty much like getting flamed in person? I learned that NY State law restricts the possession of semiautomatic assault weapons that hold up to 100 rounds. In retrospect, probably a good thing. I'd been the victim of a an email drive-by and there was little I could do but suck toxic tail-pipe fumes as they drove away.
Problem is, while you're choking down someone else's anger-laced carbon monoxide, you tend to keep replaying the events in your head. It becomes one giant loop reliving itself, the ultimate inner, "He said, she said". And the next thing you know, circumventing the state mandated six month waiting period for a handgun seems, well reasonable. And that's when you better wake up and smell the karma.
Because the more I replayed the events, the bigger more life-like and real the whole thing seemed. I was feeding my emotions big double-handfuls of self-justified anger-kibble and they were quickly growing up and out of control. They had become Rage-Zilla, foot-stomping to matchsticks whole villages of reason and patience.
And then an ancient Buddhist saying came to me, "Dude--shut up". And I realized that it was up to me. To shut up, to stop replaying events, to seal up the bag of anger-kibble, to tear up my registration form for an assault weapon and to just, stop. So I did. And lo and behold Rage-Zilla tucked his tail and vanished.
I realized it'd be wiser to spend the next six months being grateful for a lovely wife, family and life rather then put on one of those semi-knit trucker's hats made from beer cans, waiting for my Fed Ex delivery of a semi-auto handgun. I mean, someone has to stop the madness, why not me?
There's a great quote from one of those old Buddhist Yoda's, about what not to do with one's thoughts. It starts out "Do not imagine, think, deliberate, meditate, act but be at rest...". This doesn't mean "Go zombie" whenever trouble arises, but rather, "...at rest" means to let mind rest in its own ability to be present, intelligent. Don't crank anything up. For that matter, don't crank anything down.
Oh, the other thing I learned is that email is probably the media-crack of the millennium marketed by self serving corporate interests to undermine the necessity of human interaction and create an unhealthy dependency on technology.
Then again, maybe I just need to learn to not type whatever comes out of my brain.
Karma: Not A City In Thailand....
Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म, from the root kri "to do") is an active verb. So you could approach karma from the p.o.v. of "What are/were my actions" as opposed to, "Why am I experiencing this or that effect?". According to Buddhism karma's a law, the enactment of a principle as opposed to any kind of moral governing.
The thinking goes, if we realize that the pain we sometimes experience is the effect of our own misguided actions, hopefully, eventually we'll stop creating those actions. In other words, if we can generate a little awareness in our lives, it might help us see that we're the ones whacking ourselves in the head with a hammer--its not the result of some unknown, mysterious force.
Speaking of blunt force trauma, time for another coffee...
The thinking goes, if we realize that the pain we sometimes experience is the effect of our own misguided actions, hopefully, eventually we'll stop creating those actions. In other words, if we can generate a little awareness in our lives, it might help us see that we're the ones whacking ourselves in the head with a hammer--its not the result of some unknown, mysterious force.
Speaking of blunt force trauma, time for another coffee...
Mar 30, 2006
Am I A Bad Person?
I lobbied for a new espresso machine at work. Nothing outrageous--its a Bodum. Simple design, ruthlessly efficient. Makes a great cup--first time every time.
So for the first week we all stood around, whipping up espresso drinks, discussing the perfect crema color and the joys of perfectly steamed milk. It was a beautiful thing. One happy family.
But that changed. People started drinking more. A lot more. Our salesperson Tim, who shall remain anonymous went from having (seriously) a single cup of deli-brew a day to three double-espresso drinks. That's six shots of espresso. A day.
I'm going to put one of those electronic dog-collars on him so when he tries to fire up the machine he gets a jolt of electricity to the face and neck area.
And people are snippy. Everyone's short-tempered, intolerant. They stand and foot tap while the machine cranks out the java-juice, shaking thier heads dismissively 'cuz its taking too long. And no one even cares about how much crema a single shot should produce--because no one makes a single serving anymore. If you're not cooking a double, don't even approach the machine. Needless to say we now order espresso grind in bulk.
People look over their shoulder a lot. Like someone's going to unexpectedly surprise them. I don't even know if people use the cool ultra-contemporary double-walled clear glass espresso glasses I bought--I think they're just sucking it straight from the spigot.
Now, when you go to make an espresso, if someone else is there its like those monkeys in 2001: A Space Odyssey--you get this stare like you're moving in on their kill. I've seen employees keep one another at bay with the cute little sugar spoons, jabbing at each other, going for the eyes.
What have I done? Me, I don't even go near the machine any more. I go to Guy&Gallard, plunk down $4.00 and pray when I get back to work people haven't gone Lord Of The Flies on each other. But you have to admit, Guy&Gallard does make a good brew. And they don't poke you with the sugar spoon while they steam your milk.
Warning: Objects In Mirror May Not Exist....
The Five Aggregates (Skandhas)
by Charles Patton
The five aggregates (skandhas) are the scheme the Buddha chose to describe the nature of the individual human existence. It is a common doctrine among virtually all schools of Buddhist thought, being basic to the Buddha's philosophical teachings.
The remarkable aspect of it is that it describes the human existance as a combination of physical and mental elements without recourse to the idea of a soul that is distinct from the mind, and -- most especially -- does not assert any governing agent that can be identified as a self within the individual.
That is to say, each of the five aggregates is an equal component of the individual, which amounts to a conventional self only when all are present and functioning.
Briefly, the five aggregates are: the material organism (ruupa); sensation (vedanaa); conception (sa~nj~naa); volition (sam.skaara); and consciousness (vij~nana). The diagram below sketches the basic relationship between the aggregates in a human being.
The first and last (material organism and consciousness) of the aggregates are perhaps best thought of as the "stuff", or basis, of the individual, while the other three (sensation, ideation, and volition) are the internal transactions that occur between them. Matter is organized into a physical organism and animated by consciousness.
These two combine to form the body-mind substrate of the personality. The other three aggregates are forms of activity that arises in the interactions between the body and mind.
Sensation involves the process of data collection by the senses.
The six sense organs in Buddhist thought include eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and brain. The brain is included as a 'sixth' sense organ because it senses sensations (such as memories) that arise internally and not directly from an external source (though they may have come originally from an external source).
Certain emotions, such as sorrow and happiness, may also be considered mental sensations in some situations. Also, the sensations that occur in the dream state are sensed by the brain. The sensory objects of these sense organs are rendered into data, which is transmitted to the brain. There it is rendered into a mental representation. This rendering is the first step of conception.
To give an example, the retina of the eye is struck by light and it sends a data transmission through the optic nerve to the brain. The brain takes this data and converts it into colors, shapes, and images. This process produces a constant visual field (visual consciousness), so long as the eyes, nerve, and brain are all functionally properly.
Conception is the process of deriving general concepts from the sensory fields and using them as templates in abstract thought and also as a means of recognition. To give an example, the concept of redness is drawn from the visual sensations of certain hues of color, representing a certain band of wavelengths of light, which we call 'red'.
One difference between the sensation of red and the concept of red is that the sensations of red are all slightly different and are merely the red hues that appear in the visual field. A ball may be red, or there may be red on a billboard. The concept of redness, however, is an idea lifted out of the images of our vision and generalized.
It does not represent a specific hue of color, but is a very general notion that encompasses a multitude of hues that fall within a certain range of color. In essense, the sensation of red is seen, while the notion of red is thought about. By drawing a concept of redness out of the plethora of hues that we see, we are able to single out hues and recognize them as 'red'.
On a basic level, conception is an essential function of the mind if we are to make sense of the world. Without it, we would not be able to recognize particular things or to generalize about our environment. We find certain red fruits on certain trees and generalize them, calling them apples on apple trees.
Later when we find another tree with the same fruits, we know that it is an apple tree. It is because of the concept of apples and apple trees that we able to recognize it again. This is why this aggregate is sometimes translated as preception rather than conception.
Volition is that function of the mind that might also be called the 'will'. It involves an agent of action, what we typically refer to as the psychological 'I'. Volition does not merely involve intent, but simply consists of actions that originate in the mind and have an agent that performs them. This aggregate includes a broad group of activities in the commentaries from earliest times. There is a traditional litany of fifty-two activities that were considered volitional. They include things like habits, reactions, and intentional acts.
Volition is very important in Buddhist thought because it is this that is the genesis of karma. In fact, karma is itself defined as a volitional act. Volitional acts all have results, which is sometimes called the fruits of karma. Of course, these results are not always ethical in nature. If I am thirsty and choose to pick up a glass of water and drink from it, the volitional act has the result of alleviating thirst and putting water in my body. But there is probably nothing ethical about it.
If instead I come accross someone in a desert who is suffering from extreme thirst and I give him water (or chose intentionally to withold my water from him), that would consitute a karma with an ethical quality. Karmic acts are generally divided into three categories in Buddhist writings, these being mental, verbal, and physical acts.
To illustrate, if I form hateful thoughts about someone I meet, that is a mental act. If I tell the person hateful things to express those hateful thoughts, that is a verbal act. If I strike that person with a stick or fist, that is a physical act. Each of these types of acts have different consequences and gravities. Mental acts tend to function to condition our attitudes and opinions.
Verbal acts tend to condition our relationships with others, and usually will also reinforce mental conditioning. Physical acts are often the most powerful, because they can go so far as taking or perserving life. They have results that condition our physical environment. Generally speaking, though, karmic acts tend to have their seeds in mental acts that, if nutured, blossom into verbal and physical acts.
To speak and behave compassionately, on a consistent basis at least, one needs to begin with compassionate mental acts.
This is the basic scheme of the five aggregates that make up the individual personality. While it broken up into five distinct components, when we take them all as a whole, we can see it as a complete system.
by Charles Patton
The five aggregates (skandhas) are the scheme the Buddha chose to describe the nature of the individual human existence. It is a common doctrine among virtually all schools of Buddhist thought, being basic to the Buddha's philosophical teachings.
The remarkable aspect of it is that it describes the human existance as a combination of physical and mental elements without recourse to the idea of a soul that is distinct from the mind, and -- most especially -- does not assert any governing agent that can be identified as a self within the individual.
That is to say, each of the five aggregates is an equal component of the individual, which amounts to a conventional self only when all are present and functioning.
Briefly, the five aggregates are: the material organism (ruupa); sensation (vedanaa); conception (sa~nj~naa); volition (sam.skaara); and consciousness (vij~nana). The diagram below sketches the basic relationship between the aggregates in a human being.
The first and last (material organism and consciousness) of the aggregates are perhaps best thought of as the "stuff", or basis, of the individual, while the other three (sensation, ideation, and volition) are the internal transactions that occur between them. Matter is organized into a physical organism and animated by consciousness.
These two combine to form the body-mind substrate of the personality. The other three aggregates are forms of activity that arises in the interactions between the body and mind.
Sensation involves the process of data collection by the senses.
The six sense organs in Buddhist thought include eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and brain. The brain is included as a 'sixth' sense organ because it senses sensations (such as memories) that arise internally and not directly from an external source (though they may have come originally from an external source).
Certain emotions, such as sorrow and happiness, may also be considered mental sensations in some situations. Also, the sensations that occur in the dream state are sensed by the brain. The sensory objects of these sense organs are rendered into data, which is transmitted to the brain. There it is rendered into a mental representation. This rendering is the first step of conception.
To give an example, the retina of the eye is struck by light and it sends a data transmission through the optic nerve to the brain. The brain takes this data and converts it into colors, shapes, and images. This process produces a constant visual field (visual consciousness), so long as the eyes, nerve, and brain are all functionally properly.
Conception is the process of deriving general concepts from the sensory fields and using them as templates in abstract thought and also as a means of recognition. To give an example, the concept of redness is drawn from the visual sensations of certain hues of color, representing a certain band of wavelengths of light, which we call 'red'.
One difference between the sensation of red and the concept of red is that the sensations of red are all slightly different and are merely the red hues that appear in the visual field. A ball may be red, or there may be red on a billboard. The concept of redness, however, is an idea lifted out of the images of our vision and generalized.
It does not represent a specific hue of color, but is a very general notion that encompasses a multitude of hues that fall within a certain range of color. In essense, the sensation of red is seen, while the notion of red is thought about. By drawing a concept of redness out of the plethora of hues that we see, we are able to single out hues and recognize them as 'red'.
On a basic level, conception is an essential function of the mind if we are to make sense of the world. Without it, we would not be able to recognize particular things or to generalize about our environment. We find certain red fruits on certain trees and generalize them, calling them apples on apple trees.
Later when we find another tree with the same fruits, we know that it is an apple tree. It is because of the concept of apples and apple trees that we able to recognize it again. This is why this aggregate is sometimes translated as preception rather than conception.
Volition is that function of the mind that might also be called the 'will'. It involves an agent of action, what we typically refer to as the psychological 'I'. Volition does not merely involve intent, but simply consists of actions that originate in the mind and have an agent that performs them. This aggregate includes a broad group of activities in the commentaries from earliest times. There is a traditional litany of fifty-two activities that were considered volitional. They include things like habits, reactions, and intentional acts.
Volition is very important in Buddhist thought because it is this that is the genesis of karma. In fact, karma is itself defined as a volitional act. Volitional acts all have results, which is sometimes called the fruits of karma. Of course, these results are not always ethical in nature. If I am thirsty and choose to pick up a glass of water and drink from it, the volitional act has the result of alleviating thirst and putting water in my body. But there is probably nothing ethical about it.
If instead I come accross someone in a desert who is suffering from extreme thirst and I give him water (or chose intentionally to withold my water from him), that would consitute a karma with an ethical quality. Karmic acts are generally divided into three categories in Buddhist writings, these being mental, verbal, and physical acts.
To illustrate, if I form hateful thoughts about someone I meet, that is a mental act. If I tell the person hateful things to express those hateful thoughts, that is a verbal act. If I strike that person with a stick or fist, that is a physical act. Each of these types of acts have different consequences and gravities. Mental acts tend to function to condition our attitudes and opinions.
Verbal acts tend to condition our relationships with others, and usually will also reinforce mental conditioning. Physical acts are often the most powerful, because they can go so far as taking or perserving life. They have results that condition our physical environment. Generally speaking, though, karmic acts tend to have their seeds in mental acts that, if nutured, blossom into verbal and physical acts.
To speak and behave compassionately, on a consistent basis at least, one needs to begin with compassionate mental acts.
This is the basic scheme of the five aggregates that make up the individual personality. While it broken up into five distinct components, when we take them all as a whole, we can see it as a complete system.
Up And Running...
Hey all--so my original plan was to meet with my friends+meditation students every month, hand out readings, have in depth discussions, probe the mysteries of dharmic deep space and have all of us integrate the complete meaning of the Truth in to our system this very lifetime.
Then I remembered I have a job. And a daughter to raise. So, here's the next best thing--a blog. Instructions are simple:
Lather.
Rinse.
Repeat.
Post responses like, "Dude, I have no idea what this article is talking about". Then I'll post back "Phew, neither do I".
See you here, or there.
Dana
Then I remembered I have a job. And a daughter to raise. So, here's the next best thing--a blog. Instructions are simple:
Lather.
Rinse.
Repeat.
Post responses like, "Dude, I have no idea what this article is talking about". Then I'll post back "Phew, neither do I".
See you here, or there.
Dana
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