Buddhist
Philosophy
Introduction
"Or
Don't Believe Every Abstraction That Southeast Asian/Tibetan Doctorates
Write About"
Philosophy
and The Mind
In pursuing the highest levels
of martial art through meditation, one is constantly confronted with the
mind's inability to relax. When the mind is beyond the control of the
practitioner and refuses to be quiet, it is impossible to concentrate
fully on meditation practice.
All too often in meditation
practice, we find ourselves struggling to redirect the mind from its wanderings
abroad back to its focus on breathing and concentration points. It is
at this time we must recognize that the mind is either distracted or in
a state of discord.
The mind, given the opportunity
for reflection in the quiet of our meditation practice, naturally gravitates
towards solving the most basic problems of our lives. It is as if the
mind's wandering is telling us, "You aren't ready for meditation...give
me a chance to relax by putting your life into some kind of order."
How many times have the visual
pictures of the problem areas of our lives forcefully invaded and redirected
our concentration away from the breathing patterns and the energetic flow
of standing meditation practice? Likewise, how many times has an angry
or rattled disposition prevented a meditative and, hence, relaxed rendition
of martial arts practiced in class?
When sitting meditation, the
ultimate practice of Martial Art and Yoga training, is attempted, this
problem will only be compounded. It has been said in the Yogic traditions
that controlling the body is easy; controlling the mind is like controlling
a heard of stampeding elephants.
We practice martial arts with
the ultimate goal of training the body and the mind together. Through
a well thought out philosophy and meditation practice, the mind reaches
its highest level and strengthens the body's purpose.
However, if the philosophy
that guides our daily lives is lacking and the problematic areas of our
life interfere with our meditation experience, we are effectively limiting
ourselves to a very low level of accomplishment in the ultimate practice
of our art.
Why wait for meditation practice
to let the mind struggle in this way? It is possible to consciously clarify
these issues, take steps to rectify them, and enjoy a quiet mind during
meditation and martial practice, if you have a functional philosophy at
your disposal.
It is really not that difficult
to be confident that our lives are in order and that we are successfully
relating to our fellow humans. A coherent, well organized philosophy can
provide aspiring martial artists with the criteria necessary to analyze
their current state of affairs and identify the problematic aspects of
their lives.
After a thorough critical
evaluation has been made, the attitude of self-cultivation and discipline
that has been developed in one's martial practice should be vehicle enough
to make the necessary corrections. Then, the mind can enjoy true "quiet."
With this thought, please
consider the following. The first step to true wisdom is to listen to
new concepts with an open, yet discriminating mind.
Believe nothing.
No matter where you read it,
Or who said it,
Even if I have said it,
Unless it agrees with your own reason
And your own common sense.
-Buddha
Levels of
Human Existence
- "Animals"- Animalistic
Humans, 5-6% of the population
- "People"- Undeveloped
Humans, 92-93% of the population
- "Humans"- Developing
Humans, 2-3% of the population
- "High Ones"-
Evolved Humans, less than .1% of the population
Each of the four levels of
mind in the human hierarchy have distinguishing characteristics that separate
it from the other three. Understanding these differences allows the student
of this philosophy to elevate his/her behavior upwards to the higher levels
of mind.
The defining thought for each
level is highlighted in red.
"Animalistic
Humans":
Behave like unrepentant, recidivist
criminals, whether serving time in prison, serving on the board of large
corporations, or serving in government positions.
- Consume
without regard for others.
- Abandon their family and
friends to suit their own interests.
- Cannot control their sexual
desires.
"Undeveloped
Humans":
Cycle through a never-ending
mind loop that brings only suffering.
- Are incapable
of true "listening" and, thus, are shut off from understanding
themselves, as well as higher concepts.
- Cloud their mind with concepts
that reflect some sort of idealistic situation, i.e. material wealth,
paternal love, etc.
- Attach themselves to those
concepts through desire.
- Become angered when the
mind reflects on the past, inasmuch as their desires have not been actualized.
- Become worried when the
mind reflects on the future, inasmuch as their desires may never be
actualized.
- Become depressed, brokenhearted,
and pain-stricken, which impedes their ability to listen.
"Developing
Humans":
Open the "Nature Channel"
to learn. Opening the "Nature Channel" means that you must:
- Listen
to new ideas (To "listen" is not only
to hear what is being said, but to be completely open to new ideas,
ideas that may contradict everything you believe in).
- Think about those ideas.
- Question the idea's validity.
- Record any new knowledge
gained through this process.
Follow the "Five Principles
for Quieting the Mind":
- Love
one's Mother & Father so that you can love yourself and other human
beings.
- Replace anger and violence
of any kind with a higher understanding.
- Do not steal or accept
anything that is not freely given.
- Don't lie, give excuses,
or engage in harmful speech.
- Don't engage in compulsive
behaviors, such as alcohol or drug abuse, gambling or sexual addiction.
"Evolved
Humans":
Follow the "Four Principles
to Build Power."
- Donate
time, money, and wisdom.
- Forgive others.
- Are not jealous of others.
- Walk the "Middle Path".
Walking the "Middle Path"
means to:
- Seek out meaningful employment.
- Engage in higher learning.
- Train the body and mind.
- Cultivate successful relationships.
While most Western Buddhists
have been exposed to "The Four Noble Truths" and "The Eight-Fold
Path", many have no idea how to put these lofty ideals into concrete
practice. It is my hope that this further insight into Buddhism will help
the reader to understand where he/she stands with the Buddhist framework
and to make the changes necessary to continue their transformation.
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