How do we integrate Dharma into life
-
I am wondering about this.We born, grow old, fall sick and eventually died.Life is tender and fragile. We maybe here now but in the next moment, we may not be. What is the purpose of amassing wealth, the 5 Cs if we cannot bring the wealth over after we died? Shouldn't we be spending energy and time on cultivating the mind, do good and spend quality time with our loved ones/friends/strangers-who-can-be-friends?On the other hand, It is so expensive to fall sick in singapore because of how expensive the hospital bills can be. Therefore some of us may work so hard for our future retirement, payment to our health insurances coverage and preparing the inevitable things - our loved ones or ourselves will fall sick and died. In the process, we place priority on world matters more than spiritual matters. We may lose touch with ourselves and neglect the spiritual aspects.How does a buddhist integrate Dharma into their job and life?Sometime, a people's job is so stressful that they do not have time and energy to practise. How does a buddhist cultivate in their daily life?To give up the job and find a less stressful job?
-
erm... no... don't quit your job too easily. There is no such thing as a less stressful job. It depends on how you handle stress.
Well... try to do meditation... breath in the air.... when you are irritated by the mundane stuff... walk around. Look at the green plants outside your office window if you have (lol) Don't sit and let your thoughts go wild. Exercise and eat healthily.
Talk to your friends and family about your problems in your work. It can be a good outlet to release stress. In my case, i still trying to be as mindful as possible.. although i can't completely be unaffected, i try to minimize it. I have never been angry at people for a long long time... frustration yes hahaha. (peace) Be patient... Soon you will be a happier person.
if the job is really making you miserable... try finding a job that suits your personality... good luck!
-
oh yes... lastly...
remind yourself that you are "visitor" in samsara... don't take things too seriously
hope you like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9s-1ClOD6U
-
Session Start: Friday, 9 November, 2007
(9:26 PM) AEN:
btw L said some jobs require alot of effort or grasping to be done well. when he try to completely let go or degrasp, things may not be done that well.. so his job performance
may be affected
(9:26 PM) AEN:
tats also y he wanna change job
(10:00 PM) Thusness:
he should spent more quality hours in meditation...
(10:01 PM) Thusness:
its okie to grasp and do well for his job even though the sense of self arise
(10:01 PM) AEN:
oic how come
(10:01 PM) AEN:
y shld he spend more hours in mediation and y sense of self arise is ok?
(10:02 PM) Thusness:
because that is a form of practice
(10:02 PM) AEN:
what is a form of practice?
(10:03 PM) Thusness:
his job.
(10:03 PM) Thusness:
however if it takes up even the quality hours for practice, then he must consider changing job.
(10:03 PM) AEN:
u mean if no time to meditate, change job?
(10:04 PM) Thusness:
yes.
(10:04 PM) AEN:
icic..
(10:05 PM) Thusness:
even when one experiences non-duality, when situation where conditions are strong for dualism to take place, non-dualists face problem too.
(10:06 PM) Thusness:
and the situation really present itself as a good opportunity for practice.
(10:06 PM) AEN:
oic..
(10:06 PM) Thusness:
there is be a lot of grasping and spending quality hours in meditation is important
(10:07 PM) Thusness:
the grasping will create the strong contrast when one sits especially for non-dualists becauses the pathless is already seen.
(10:07 PM) AEN:
oic..
(10:07 PM) AEN:
y pathless is seen then create strong contrast?
(10:08 PM) Thusness:
but if the job nature is too unreasonable, then he should change for a better job but not so much for spirituality.
(10:09 PM) Thusness:
when the pathless is seen, he already know the 'how' of directly experiencing our buddha nature
(10:09 PM) Thusness:
just that when condition becomes harsh, the sense of self arises and throws one out of non-dual and force us to think dualistically to react
(10:10 PM) Thusness:
but that is rather the result of a lack of strength in practice
(10:10 PM) AEN:
oic..
(10:11 PM) Thusness:
but until a certain stage, he should look for a job that allows him to have more time to experience the deeper clarity and luminosity aspect
(10:11 PM) Thusness:
espeically once the emptiness nature is clearly seen
(10:11 PM) AEN:
icic..
(10:12 PM) Thusness:
one should feel the most of each moment of sensation
(10:12 PM) Thusness:
as if each moment is the crux of experience
(10:12 PM) AEN:
oic.. -
nowadays working hours are long... hard to find one leh...
-
As suggested by your nom de plume; Metta with Mindfulness! Bring the equanmity of your practice into daily life, develop an attitude of ordinary mind, a lighthanded constant vigilance! It is all well to want a lighter livelihood, but we are so attached to the needs and wants of ourselves and our loves ones that we may quickly realise that the lack of money is the real root of evil when we transition to a slower pace! Ha! Ha!
-
Acknowledge life is unsatifactory and embrace it wholeheartedly. Master life as you would a warrior, swift and direct without indulging in all those internalizing, negative habits and emotions! We get burnt out due to mental overdrive! Sense the ebb and flow in different aspects of your life and you find the leisureliness and the ease of flow! Perhaps a retreat is in order, to develop and maintain deeper equanmity and optimism to continue over in daily life. Without seeing life as drudgery,engage and celebrate life and you will find an increase bountiful energy!
-
Hi Metta Gene Reeves wrote in, The Stories of Lotus Sutra, “While Medicine Buddha is the Buddha of the East, just as Amida Buddha is the Buddha of the West, Shakyamuni Buddha is the Buddha of this world in which suffering both has to be endured and can be. He is special to us because he suffers himself in order to understand the suffering of others, be compassionate toward them, and offer wise and compassionate help, like a wise and good physician. He is the Medicine Buddha of this world who offers us the Dharma as the good medicine. He is a loving father who long to lead us to enter the Buddha way.� No doubt the first noble truth of suffering does pinpoint us to the truth of Dukkha. However, it does also call us to have a balance view of life via the middle path. Buddha did not ask us to escape the world but to live in the world so that our body may become the embodiment of his teaching. Whatever tough time one is going thru in life, do hang on. There will be days when one is down and lonely. However, know that Shakyamuni had also gone thru that path of life, hang on it will change. Shakyamuni will always be there for us but we need to be the wise child to partake the medicine which is Dharma to detoxify our negativity. I shall end with Dalai Lama kind reminder, “If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it's not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.�
-
Originally posted by Metta with Mindfulness:How does a buddhist integrate Dharma into their job and life?Sometime, a people's job is so stressful that they do not have time and energy to practise. How does a buddhist cultivate in their daily life?
for me,
�缘而�攀缘 Everything just let it flow, no need to opposite it.
修行人应当��而安
if u cannot beat life, flow with it. :)
i like the say:-
"Acknowledge life is unsatifactory and embrace it wholeheartedly."
/\
-
"All conditioned phenomena
Are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows
And like dew as well as lightning flashes
Thus should they be contemplated." - Diamond Sutra金刚ç»�：”一切有为法，如梦幻泡影，如露亦如电，应作如是观。"You may be busy with your work now but it is not permanent. One day, when conditions have ripen, you will get a job which is less stressful. éš�缘.My dharma lesson Shifu said whatever happening around us are just like television programmes. We try to be the audience and try not to be too affected by the storylines. -
i read "Runaway brides in Singapore: Janice’s story" in yahoo news.
flat nowaday also very expensive hor. i think those who buy housing to earn big money and make the housing expensive will have a sort of karma to it. when u make others stressful, you will be stressful too. then again when people cannot get marry, they also cannot get marry. hmm...dunno is it a bad or good thing...hmm :)
/\
-
It is possible to integrate Dharma teachings into one's daily life. Every aspect, in fact.
For example, when there are things you can't do for a particular customer, you explain as patiently and as sincerely as possible. When he or she lashes out at you, you remind yourself to be mindful of any negative feelings that might arise in you, and you continue to listen as patiently as possible to the customer's complaint.
Buddhist practice basically revolves around the core teaching of 'Do all that is good, do no evil, and purify your mind'.
So anything that is helpful to achieving the above behaviour or outcome, can be considered as practising or integrating the Dharma into one's life.
In terms of work stress, maybe you can identify what are those causes of stress and what are the possible ways to reduce or even eliminate those causes.
If you feel that after trying out many ways and you still find yourself unable to cope, or from your personal experience, you can tell that this job will not bring you the kind of satisfaction you are looking for in the long run, especially in terms of practising the values taught in Buddhist teachings, then perhaps it is time to consider looking out for another job.
I wish you all the best.