Slogan Twenty-three

Always abide by the three basic principles.

From the Lojong for the Layperson booklet:

• Commitment – Regardless of whether our lives are running smoothly, we can keep our pledge to use all opportunities to practice. We can reaffirm our determination to do something meaningful and beneficial with our lives.
• Unpretentiousness – We can refrain from an overly zealous attempt to prove our selflessness to the extent that it manifests as exhibitionism. Pushing our spirituality to the extremes is just another form of egoism.
• Impartiality – We tend to find some people easier to love and are apt to feel more kindly toward those who agree with our opinions. Tonglen allows us to cultivate patient impartiality and an open heart for difficult people.

Photo: Cherries, shelled pecans and a black and white woodpecker feather.

A Fabricated Fable:

            Ego decided to go car shopping and asked Dharma to come along for company. In the car lot, she found a sporty, red model and was ready to buy it on the spot. Dharma, reading the fine print on the “As Is” price sticker, pointed out that the steering wheel seemed to be missing. “Yes, but think of how fast I can go with this kind of horsepower,” Ego replied. Dharma read aloud from the itemized list, “Speaking of speed, it says the gas pedal has a tendency to stick, causing unwanted acceleration.” Ego, whose attention was fixed on the shiny, spinning rims, ignored Dharma and excitedly announced, “I am going to be the center of attention in this baby!” Dharma made one last attempt to dissuade Ego’s purchase by mentioning the list also stated the car pulled powerfully to the left due to an alignment problem. But Ego, already taking out her credit card, was too busy dreaming of her “new and improved” group of friends she was sure to gain.

Lessons from the Three Basic Principles:

1) Wanting fast or instant results will ultimately slow my progress down. Dedication to practice can help me steer clear of obstacles and on stay on the spiritual path.

2) Genuine spirituality doesn't rely on showy behavior or flashy accessories.

3) Compassionate practice means being evenhanded to all people, not just the ones I like.