In the Buddhist tradition, we refer to greed, hatred and delusion as the three unwholesome roots or the three poisons. The term "poisons" is an apt metaphor, because these three states of mind literally poison our path.
The three poisons all have their root in ignorance and fear. Ignorant of our true nature as the awakened heart of compassion and wisdom, and fearful that we will not get "our fair share", we find these poisonous states of mind arising within us, and expressing themselves through toxic behaviours, such as unskillful thoughts and actions, divisive, intolerant or hateful speech, lies or violence. And of course, all of these behaviours ultimately result in lifetimes of suffering and unhappiness, disease and bondage to the samsaric existence.
The Buddha Sakyamuni taught that the three poisons alone were the root cause of unwholesome karma, trapping us in samsara, and bringing about the entire spectrum of human suffering.
Lately, I’ve seen a disturbing number of posts on Facebook, in blogs and most especially, on Twitter, in which certain individuals are investing much time and energy into attacking, disparaging and breeding contempt for a few well-known and respected spiritual teachers. Their apparent aversion or disdain for these particular teachers is not something that they maturely and rationally explain to those who ask, but instead is clearly wrought out of anger, fear and a frightening desire to destroy these other persons. What’s more, this hatred seems to spiral even further out of control with a desire to bring harm to these spiritual teachers’ students.
Having frequently been at the receiving end of such vitriolic attacks myself, I recognise the initial impulse to want to respond to the attackers with the truth. And as I’ve seen from many of my own students, their natural impulse to want to defend their teacher, often results in a certain level of uneasiness, hostility and anxiety as well.
What we must realise, however, is that there is only one remedy for this phenomenon. When someone is attacking us, we cannot attempt to block them, or use force to strike back. We must realise that whenever someone attacks the spiritual teacher of another person or group, they are disgracing their own spiritual teacher. The attacker or attackers are delusional, irrational and suffering the effects of their own poison.
What they perceive as an enemy exists only in their own minds, and is indeed a reflection of something repulsive within themselves, which they are projecting upon someone else.
And we’ve all been guilty of doing that at one time or another, so we must allow our awareness to give rise to compassion and wisdom. We must remember that these attackers suffer from an intense inner conflict that is manifesting itself in their experience, and by virtue of their delusional minds, being projected upon those who threaten the very foundations of their delusions.
Countless aeons have been influenced by the greed, hatred and delusion expressed by humanity, and we must assume the responsibility to put an end to that cycle. There is no value in arguing that our teacher is valid or authorised, qualified or recognised. Such concepts are ultimately meaningless anyway. When we do that, we are responding to the poisons of another with an ego-derived defense, which means we are perceiving them as the enemy as well. The result will be suffering… not resolution.
“If the world hates you,” Rabbi Jesus the Nazarene Dharma Master taught, “know that it has hated me before you. For you are not of this world.” The great master understood that those who live the renunciate’s path would always be at odds with the pettiness, the hatred, the jealousies and the anger of the phenomenal world. But he also knew that such phenomena were powerless over him and those who lived from a place of sacred detachment and groundlessness or Love.
You see, the work of purification and transformation will not occur so long as we perceive anyone as our enemies. Period. Our ego-minds expect retaliation, and we want to see that person "pay" for the "damage" they’ve done to our gurus’ name, reputation or honour. Yet we are mistaken. No real damage can ever be done to the name, reputation or honour of a just, compassionate and honest teacher. Surely, there can be temporary inconveniences: lost revenue or donations, a decline in popularity, even suspicion by the media or public. But these are nothing more that opportunities for our previous karma to ripen, so that we can move beyond these limiting experiences, and truly begin the work of transforming and purifying this level of existence for all sentient beings.
Nelson Mandela notes that becoming angry or hostile toward an attacker is like taking poison, and hoping our adversary dies from it. It’s pointless… insane… delusional… and harmful.
In the past week, I’ve been made aware of individuals who continue to "whisper" cowardly, claiming that my Root Guru’s lineage is "unqualified" or less worthy of recognition (whatever that’s worth) according to this sect or that. Some of my students have wanted to lash-out and contact the high lamas who may have been contacted by these hatemongers and "set the record straight". But for what purpose?
I suppose that if I were hoping to make a "career" out of being a lama, then I would be concerned about the effect such lies would have on my "business". But this isn’t a business… it’s simply my way of life. Whether someone else believes or agrees or not doesn’t change the simple fact that I have lived according to the monastic vows I took a little over thirty years ago. So this one says I am not worthy to wear the robes of a monk… that one says I ought to wear the robes all the time and not show up in jeans and t-shirts for Dharma classes. Both are merely expressing their opinions about what matters to them, based on their own limited perceptions. And frankly, I am disinterested in their opinions, because opinions are not generally useful or helpful.
I believe that one of the things we can do, as Buddhist practitioners, and particularly those of us who are charged with the responsibility of being teachers of the Dharma, is to carefully reevaluate our practice, and the method by which we give instruction to those entrusted to our care.
I believe, as I mentioned in a recent blog, that it is a mistake to focus on teaching meditation practice to a student who has not first mastered the foundational precepts of correct view, correct speech, correct action, correct livelihood and correct understanding. Far too often, we in the West jump straight into the practice of meditation, which works in situations in which a student lives in a traditional monastery and has all of their other needs provided for. But it is a faulty and flawed approach in our postmodern world, especially in the West.
I would like to encourage all of those who are practitioners, especially those who network, share and fellowship through various social media, like Twitter, Facebook, Multiply and blogs, to join us in affirming the need to create a safe environment in which people of all spiritual traditions, including people of various, divergent and perhaps seemingly incompatible sects of our own Buddhist tradition, are not only valued and included, but in which we are constantly mindful of the challenge to examine the ways in which we ourselves may have intentionally or unintentionally marginalised, disrespected, hurt or even incited violence toward other traditions.
We must affirm with our entire hearts and wisdom the words of the Charter for Compassion, which calls for us all "…to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain IS ILLEGITIMATE…"
And we must remember that to respond to vitriolic attacks on our teachers, our traditions or lineages, or our beliefs is to give our power to those who are delusional, wounded, and mentally-ill. No good will ever come of such reactions.
Instead we should support one another, and encourage one another in such difficult and challenging times to remember that we are Love. Pure and simple. And that Love needs no defense, because it is, as the Buddha points out in the Dhammapada, "the Eternal Principle".
Namasté
dharmacharya gurudas sunyatananda
The Contemplative Order of Compassion
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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 Jewel of the Sages of the Land of Snows,
Humbly at Your Lotus Feet I ask your blessing.”
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Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Dharmacharya 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 ©2008, His Eminence Dharmacharya 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.
