The heart of Buddha’s teachings is unconditional love and compassion. In this inspired explanation of the popular Buddhist poem Training the Mind in Seven Points, Geshe Kelsang reveals powerful and far-reaching methods for us to develop these altruistic states.
Ancient meditative techniques that have been tried and tested for centuries are brought alive and made relevant to our everyday experiences.
Also included is a practical and uplifting explanation of how we can transform our day-to-day living – including even the most demanding and difficult conditions – into opportunities for personal and spiritual development. By pointing the way to an unchanging freedom and happiness, this immensely readable book challenges us to grow, and will have a remarkable impact on our life.
'It could be read with profit by anyone whose religion demands the exercise of compassion.' — FAITH AND FREEDOM
'An inspiring book.' — BUDDHIST STUDIES REVIEW
Excerpt from this book:
Contemplating the benefits of cherishing others
Meditate on the great kindness of all.
The precious human body that we now possess was gained through the kindness of other living beings. Likewise, the pleasures we enjoy as humans are provided by the kindness of others; our education, understanding, skills, experience, and so forth were achieved through the kindness of others; the opportunity to listen to, contemplate, and meditate on Dharma is provided through the kindness of others; and liberation and enlightenment are attained through the kindness of others. If we meditate in this way, we will become deeply convinced of the kindness of all other beings towards us.
Since the principal causes of gaining a human rebirth are the practices of moral discipline, giving, and patience, we must have practised these in the past. Who were the objects of these practices? Other living beings. Without them, we would not have been able to create the causes of a human rebirth. It is through their kindness that we have attained this precious human life, which is more meaningful than a whole universe full of jewels.
Our day-to-day needs are provided through the kindness of others. We brought nothing with us from our former lives, yet as soon as we were born we were given a home, food, clothes, and everything we needed, all provided by the kindness of others. Everything we now enjoy has been provided through the generosity of other beings, past or present. We are able to make use of many things with very little effort on our own part. If we consider facilities such as roads, houses, cars, trains, aeroplanes, ships, restaurants, hotels, libraries, museums, and shops, it will become clear that many people worked very hard and underwent great difficulties to provide these things. We may think that it is not due to the kindness of others that we can use these things but because we pay to do so; but where does our money come from? It does not fall from the sky or grow on trees; it is provided by others. We may still feel that money is not just given to us but earned by our hard work, but our work is provided by others. Someone has to employ us or do business with us. Being provided with work or business is like being provided with money.
If we check carefully, it becomes clearer how others help us through their kindness. By checking in this way, we should come to the conclusion, ‘I must cherish other living beings because they are so kind.’ With this determination, we should try to generate a mind that holds all beings equally dear, and then sustain this loving mind in single-pointed meditation.
If we think clearly, we will also understand that all our present and future happiness depend upon our cherishing others. How is this? In past lives we avoided harming, killing, or stealing from those whom we cared for; and we were generous and patient with them because we loved them. As a result of these positive actions, we have now attained this precious human life. Sometimes in the past we also helped and protected others because we cared for them and, as a result, we now receive help and enjoy pleasant conditions.
If we practise cherishing others sincerely in this life, we will resolve our many problems of anger, jealousy, and so forth, and our mind will always be calm and peaceful. Cherishing others brings them happiness and prevents conflicts and disputes. If we cherish others, we will avoid harming them with negative actions. Instead, we will practise positive actions of love, patience, and giving, and thereby create the cause to experience happiness and good fortune in the future. Furthermore, if we make cherishing others our main practice, we will gradually develop great compassion and bodhichitta. Eventually we will attain the ultimate happiness of great enlightenment.
By contemplating in this way, we will arrive at the following decision: ‘I must always cherish other beings because this precious mind of love will bring happiness to myself and others.’ Then we hold this thought and meditate on it single-pointedly for as long as possible. During the meditation break, we should try to keep this attitude in mind all the time, whatever we are doing.
It is very important to request all the holy beings to grant us their blessings so that we may gain experience of the precious mind that cherishes all living beings. We can do this by reciting the following prayer from Offering to the Spiritual Guide:
The precious human body that we now possess was gained through the kindness of other living beings. Likewise, the pleasures we enjoy as humans are provided by the kindness of others; our education, understanding, skills, experience, and so forth were achieved through the kindness of others; the opportunity to listen to, contemplate, and meditate on Dharma is provided through the kindness of others; and liberation and enlightenment are attained through the kindness of others. If we meditate in this way, we will become deeply convinced of the kindness of all other beings towards us.
Since the principal causes of gaining a human rebirth are the practices of moral discipline, giving, and patience, we must have practised these in the past. Who were the objects of these practices? Other living beings. Without them, we would not have been able to create the causes of a human rebirth. It is through their kindness that we have attained this precious human life, which is more meaningful than a whole universe full of jewels.
Our day-to-day needs are provided through the kindness of others. We brought nothing with us from our former lives, yet as soon as we were born we were given a home, food, clothes, and everything we needed, all provided by the kindness of others. Everything we now enjoy has been provided through the generosity of other beings, past or present. We are able to make use of many things with very little effort on our own part. If we consider facilities such as roads, houses, cars, trains, aeroplanes, ships, restaurants, hotels, libraries, museums, and shops, it will become clear that many people worked very hard and underwent great difficulties to provide these things. We may think that it is not due to the kindness of others that we can use these things but because we pay to do so; but where does our money come from? It does not fall from the sky or grow on trees; it is provided by others. We may still feel that money is not just given to us but earned by our hard work, but our work is provided by others. Someone has to employ us or do business with us. Being provided with work or business is like being provided with money.
If we check carefully, it becomes clearer how others help us through their kindness. By checking in this way, we should come to the conclusion, ‘I must cherish other living beings because they are so kind.’ With this determination, we should try to generate a mind that holds all beings equally dear, and then sustain this loving mind in single-pointed meditation.
If we think clearly, we will also understand that all our present and future happiness depend upon our cherishing others. How is this? In past lives we avoided harming, killing, or stealing from those whom we cared for; and we were generous and patient with them because we loved them. As a result of these positive actions, we have now attained this precious human life. Sometimes in the past we also helped and protected others because we cared for them and, as a result, we now receive help and enjoy pleasant conditions.
If we practise cherishing others sincerely in this life, we will resolve our many problems of anger, jealousy, and so forth, and our mind will always be calm and peaceful. Cherishing others brings them happiness and prevents conflicts and disputes. If we cherish others, we will avoid harming them with negative actions. Instead, we will practise positive actions of love, patience, and giving, and thereby create the cause to experience happiness and good fortune in the future. Furthermore, if we make cherishing others our main practice, we will gradually develop great compassion and bodhichitta. Eventually we will attain the ultimate happiness of great enlightenment.
By contemplating in this way, we will arrive at the following decision: ‘I must always cherish other beings because this precious mind of love will bring happiness to myself and others.’ Then we hold this thought and meditate on it single-pointedly for as long as possible. During the meditation break, we should try to keep this attitude in mind all the time, whatever we are doing.
It is very important to request all the holy beings to grant us their blessings so that we may gain experience of the precious mind that cherishes all living beings. We can do this by reciting the following prayer from Offering to the Spiritual Guide:
Seeing that the mind that cherishes mother beings and would secure their happiness
Is the gateway that leads to infinite good qualities,
I seek your blessings to cherish these beings more than my life,
Even if they rise up against me as my enemies.