The !0 States of Life: Bodhisattva
The state of Bodhisattva is when we achieve the Buddha state in our life. Many of us achieve this state when we become parents and care more about our child than ourselves. Others experience this state of life when we dedicate our career to helping others and feel an empathy that is pure towards others who might be ill. Nurses or teachers are sometimes professions that attract people who are selfless. They enjoy helping others and they put others needs first. This type of thing is in their DNA. It is natural for some to be in that state of Bodhisattva. Mothers are often times like the Buddha when they breast feed their child and their baby become more important than anything or anyone else, including themselves.
In Buddhism helping others is the best path to becoming like the Buddha. They believe that helping others is a big part of becoming your highest self and that it is the only path to assuring that you too will be lifted. There is not a fear about someone taking some ones job because he taught the other man the skills of his job or helped him or her to rise up the ladder (as we sometimes call it). The Buddhist practice is one that is concentrated on loving and helping others because when we do we are lifted to a higher level of joy. They don't hold back and they don't ponder this thought of competition.
I have been one to experience several abusive relationships. I attracted it to myself because I did not think I deserved more. I did not think that I was good enough to get anything else except people who were beautiful and who had major issues with anger, drugs and other things that manifested in violence and verbal abuse as well as some physical abuse. I was not in my own state of peace or Buddha-hood. I judged everything they did to me and personalized it as a purposeful act when in fact they could not help themselves. Each person, like me learned their behavior. I won't soon forget the share by one of the men I was with which was "I can easily turn from a stove to a refrigerator". He was not kidding. In fact from one moment to the next when he did not get his way or I pointed a flaw or hurt to his attention he would become as cold as ice. I of course would then follow feeling like I had not recourse or alternative but to retrieve to my own corner and often times become silent, holding every ounce of my pain inside. That was a huge mistake and eventually led to the C word in my life.
The state of becoming like the Buddha is one that we must work at every single day. There is no room in that state for hell, at least not for very long. There is no room for anger either. Neither mixes well with becoming the inner Buddha that we all are.
As you search for your own inner peace, your inner Buddha I would suggest that you ask yourself if you are willing to put others before you when needed and because it is the right thing to do. You must decide whether what you need is more essential than what your child needs or what your mother who is your elder needs. In deciding your journey or path to Buddha-hood (I think I made this word up) you must be willing to make others as important and equal as you.
The pain that I experienced from being name called and bullied is something that we can be lifted from. No matter what happens to you it is possible to be lifted and attain a Buddha like attitude of blessing the perceived enemy. Let the tears flow even instead of becoming angry. Lift the pain by helping someone else. Lift yourself up by loving your brother whether you think him to be your equal or not. Reach out to someone who is different from you. Rise up and reach outward. Open your arms and your heart.
Today I did some volunteer work. Part of the purpose of my work is organizing the clothing closet for the homeless clients and the other part is to casually go and sit with the clients and talk to them. Today I was given a person to help me to clear and organize the closet. The entire time I challenged myself to ask questions and to listen to him in hopes of it becoming a connection and something of value for him by not making it obvious and hoping to eliminate some fear or hesitance. Later he went and sat at a table with a female client who is also homeless. I went over to their table and joined in their conversation. The male seemed receptive and open to my joining them but the lady's body language was as if she was uncomfortable and mostly angry. She showed me in her body language that she wanted me to go away but I did not. I decided that whatever she was thinking or I thought she was thinking I would do what I felt was in service to her and to him and even to me. We all must know when to hold onto our purpose and intention, our Buddha energy. If we expect everyone to invite us in we are delusional. Being in our inner Buddha is only up to us and needs no recomendation.
In Buddhism helping others is the best path to becoming like the Buddha. They believe that helping others is a big part of becoming your highest self and that it is the only path to assuring that you too will be lifted. There is not a fear about someone taking some ones job because he taught the other man the skills of his job or helped him or her to rise up the ladder (as we sometimes call it). The Buddhist practice is one that is concentrated on loving and helping others because when we do we are lifted to a higher level of joy. They don't hold back and they don't ponder this thought of competition.
I have been one to experience several abusive relationships. I attracted it to myself because I did not think I deserved more. I did not think that I was good enough to get anything else except people who were beautiful and who had major issues with anger, drugs and other things that manifested in violence and verbal abuse as well as some physical abuse. I was not in my own state of peace or Buddha-hood. I judged everything they did to me and personalized it as a purposeful act when in fact they could not help themselves. Each person, like me learned their behavior. I won't soon forget the share by one of the men I was with which was "I can easily turn from a stove to a refrigerator". He was not kidding. In fact from one moment to the next when he did not get his way or I pointed a flaw or hurt to his attention he would become as cold as ice. I of course would then follow feeling like I had not recourse or alternative but to retrieve to my own corner and often times become silent, holding every ounce of my pain inside. That was a huge mistake and eventually led to the C word in my life.
The state of becoming like the Buddha is one that we must work at every single day. There is no room in that state for hell, at least not for very long. There is no room for anger either. Neither mixes well with becoming the inner Buddha that we all are.
As you search for your own inner peace, your inner Buddha I would suggest that you ask yourself if you are willing to put others before you when needed and because it is the right thing to do. You must decide whether what you need is more essential than what your child needs or what your mother who is your elder needs. In deciding your journey or path to Buddha-hood (I think I made this word up) you must be willing to make others as important and equal as you.
The pain that I experienced from being name called and bullied is something that we can be lifted from. No matter what happens to you it is possible to be lifted and attain a Buddha like attitude of blessing the perceived enemy. Let the tears flow even instead of becoming angry. Lift the pain by helping someone else. Lift yourself up by loving your brother whether you think him to be your equal or not. Reach out to someone who is different from you. Rise up and reach outward. Open your arms and your heart.
Today I did some volunteer work. Part of the purpose of my work is organizing the clothing closet for the homeless clients and the other part is to casually go and sit with the clients and talk to them. Today I was given a person to help me to clear and organize the closet. The entire time I challenged myself to ask questions and to listen to him in hopes of it becoming a connection and something of value for him by not making it obvious and hoping to eliminate some fear or hesitance. Later he went and sat at a table with a female client who is also homeless. I went over to their table and joined in their conversation. The male seemed receptive and open to my joining them but the lady's body language was as if she was uncomfortable and mostly angry. She showed me in her body language that she wanted me to go away but I did not. I decided that whatever she was thinking or I thought she was thinking I would do what I felt was in service to her and to him and even to me. We all must know when to hold onto our purpose and intention, our Buddha energy. If we expect everyone to invite us in we are delusional. Being in our inner Buddha is only up to us and needs no recomendation.
Comments
Post a Comment