The Dharma of Compassion

"It is my contention that all of life is sacramental… that every experience, indeed every breath is a "means of grace" through which we can directly experience the Indwelling Truth and Universal Mind. Every experience in nature, in human interaction, and in the stillness of the Great Silence has the potential to become manifestations of the Indwelling Grace that is our True Nature expressing Itself. This alone is why I am not compelled to seek membership in institutional religions, and why I am perfectly comfortable as a non-theistic contemplative."

- Khenpo Gurudas Sunyatananda
    at the dedication of Our Lady of Wisdom – Sarvodaya Ashram
    in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania (15 August 2010)

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Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Khenpo Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2010, Khenpo Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

“Some day,” wrote Pierre Tielhard de Chardin, “after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness… the energies of love. Then, for the second time in the history of the world, we will have discovered fire.”

What happens, when you carry a lit candle into a darkened room? The light dissipates the darkness effortlessly. This demonstrates for us that darkness is nothing more than the absence of light.

Similarly, when we begin to recognise that whatever is not love must necessarily be fear, we can begin to understand fear as the absence of love. Jesus, the embodiment of Divine Love, understood this. His consciousness of Love was able to penetrate the darkest fears of those around Him, bringing healing to those who would accept it. People were drawn to that deeply penetrating love, because it resonated with the truth about who they were. And wherever the truth that God is Love was recognised, peace and healing dwelled within.

That awareness… that Sacred Mindfulness of Love is the source of light that dispels even the darkest of night. “Let your light shine before others,” Jesus is said to have admonished His disciples. (cf Matthew 5:16) He goes on to explain that we let that light shine by all that we say and do.

We stand on the brink, I believe, of a time when the vision of Tielhard de Chardin is about to come true. Simply resigning ourselves to some arcane and superstitious doctrines, primitive dogma, limiting and exclusionary creeds of institutional religions is no longer enough. We feel it. We want something more. We long for the light.

We’re standing at the brink of dawn. We’re about to rediscover fire!

Namasté

khenpo gurudas sunyatananda

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“Chenrezig, Treasure of Objectless Compassion;
Manjushri, Lord of Stainless Wisdom;
Vajrapani, Destroyer of all adversarial forces;
O Je Tsong Khapa – Losang Drakpa —
Crown Prince of the Sages of the Land of Snows,
Humbly at Your Lotus Feet I ask your blessing.”

_____________________________________________

Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Khenpo Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2010, Khenpo Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

At times when you find your thoughts self-absorbed, and when the "drama" of your perceived challenges seems difficult to avoid, you can practice tonglen — the spiritual exercise of breathing in the suffering of others, and breathing out only Love — because you acknowledge that only love is your True Nature. Dodinsky wrote, "My hand is empty… I can’t offer you anything, but let me have your pain. It doesn’t belong to you."

Namasté

khenpo gurudas sunyatananda

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“Chenrezig, Treasure of Objectless Compassion;
Manjushri, Lord of Stainless Wisdom;
Vajrapani, Destroyer of all adversarial forces;
O Je Tsong Khapa – Losang Drakpa —
Crown Prince of the Sages of the Land of Snows,
Humbly at Your Lotus Feet I ask your blessing.”

_____________________________________________

Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Khenpo Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2010, Khenpo Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

It’s natural. When there is something good in your life, you want to share it. If something brings you an amazing peace, calm and clarity, it’s only natural to want others — especially those we care about — to have that same thing.

In the Christian mythos, we find a passage in which Rabbi Jesus gives the instruction, “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a person of peace is there, your peace will rest upon them; if not, it will return to you.”

The message here is one in which we learn that our first mission is to come from a place of peace and love. If those with whom you wish to share the source of that peace are unwilling or unready to learn what you have to share, there should be no controversy, no hostility, no frustration. Simply acknowledge that they are not ready, and your peace returns to you.

When we release the ego-driven need for others to always agree with us, we can learn the freedom that comes from simply “being” in the truth. And our truth may not resonate with someone else. So it’s seldom a good idea to try to “force the issue” with them.

Instead, we can send out love and peace to each person we meet, and commit our lives to honesty, openness and non-violence. Then, when others encounter us, our lives themselves will be more compelling than anything we could ever say.

Namasté

khenpo gurudas sunyatananda

_____________________________________________

“Chenrezig, Treasure of Objectless Compassion;
Manjushri, Lord of Stainless Wisdom;
Vajrapani, Destroyer of all adversarial forces;
O Je Tsong Khapa – Losang Drakpa —
Crown Prince of the Sages of the Land of Snows,
Humbly at Your Lotus Feet I ask your blessing.”

_____________________________________________

Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Khenpo Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2010, Khenpo Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

Our practice of compassion is based on the recognition that every sentient being has the right to be free from suffering.

Some have said that true compassion is unbiased, and as such is even generated toward one’s enemies. Taking that a step further, compassion illuminates our perception of the enemy in such a way as to expose that no such thing as an enemy exists.

Transcending all dogma, doctrine, religious and political ideals, compassion bridges the mistaken perception of "otherness", and fosters a safe environment for all fellow-beings, so that the causes of suffering can be addressed and eliminated. And when we engage in the cultivation of genuine compassion, our lives are organically transformed by the practice.

We begin to find ourselves in the midst of amazing people, of whom we can only stand in awe, realising that we are loved and in return become love.

The names, assignations, doctrines and dogma that are used to attempt to quantify, explain and understand compassion are insignificant really. Some are more helpful than others, and some are based on unhealthy perceptions, to be sure. But none of this ultimately matters, as we each traverse the mountain — some taking the gradual path, others engaging the more challenging trails, and still others blazing new paths altogether.

Eventually, we will sit in the Silent Bliss of Enlightenment at the summit, and we will then know that where there appeared to be many on the journey, in the end, there was and is but One.

Namasté

khenpo gurudas sunyatananda

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Copyright ©2010, Khenpo Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

"There is a principle which is pure, placed in the human mind, which in different places and ages has had different names.It is deep and inward, confined to no forms of religion nor excluded from any, where the heart stands in perfect sincerity. In whomsoever this takes root and grows, of whatsoever nation, they become brothers (and sisters) in the best sense of the expression."

– John Woolman (Religious Society of Friends)

The video below is compelling and a worthwhile reminder for all of us to break the illusion of limitation… in our spiritual journey… in business… in relationships, and in all that we endeavor. Namaste, my friends!

Copyright ©2008, Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda. All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.

Tolstoy observed, "There is no greatness where there is not simplicity." There can be nothing worth more than the present moment. Mindfulness is not some distant goal we hope to attain, but the means by which we arrive at that goal.

Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.  – Buddha Sakyamuni

“Form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form, form is itself emptiness, emptiness itself form; sensations, perceptions, formations and consciousness are also like this.”— Heart Sutra

Copyright ©2008, His Eminence Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda. All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.