Zen: Outside the Margins: Rock, Scissors, Paper

Friday, July 07, 2006

Rock, Scissors, Paper

With palms together,

Good Morning All,

One of the most profound teachings of the Buddha was about overcoming hate. Hatred is one of the three poisons and it is easily spread. Today, we spread hate through our words and deeds, our unkindness, our inability to be present and attentive, our willingness to put whole groups of people into categories barely giving their humanity a nod. We spread hate through our eager willingness to retaliate, as if revenge will pacify our raging hearts. The worst part is that we do this instantly and on a worldwide basis.

The Buddha said that hate only begets hate. Being angry and hateful creates anger and hatefulness in others. And so on. Love begets love. Being loving creates lovingness in others. And I believe this is true, but I also believe this is a very slow and very painful process. There are no quick fixes for hate.

This very slowness of the process is a serious problem in a worldwide community of instant connectivity. Within seconds, pictures of bombings, rocket attacks, police brutality, ethnic and religious violence, wife beating, and so on are sent around the world. We have immediate reactions to these images, we make conclusions about the perpetrate rs we suffer with the victims and, as victims ourselves, want to not hurt, so we attack back.

Yet, we should rather love back. We should listen to the deeper meanings, the pain and suffering of those hateful people who attack us and vilify us, so that we can understand them and their point of view. We see that they and we are essentially the same We are all beings just trying to survive in a world. When we set aside our hate we see the needs of our own children and families. When we set aside our hate, we offer love a gate to enter our hearts.

This is very scary because to open our selves to love means to experience vulnerability. Those who have experienced trauma of the heart and body know this is such a challenge. Yet, we know that hate just creates more hate and closed doors wither away our hearts and minds.

To effectively deal with this we must recognize our own impermanence. Regardless of what we do, open or closed, we are not forever. So, in the time we have, how do we really want to live?

Be well.