The traditional phrasing of this slogan begins with "When the world is filled with evil," followed by "transform all mishaps into the path of bodhi." Intolerance and hate seem to be surging upward again in the world; even on a community level, injustices abound. When we see or hear of inequity or mistreatment, most of us are instinctively filled with righteous indignation. We feel energized to stop or change the situation, yet our emotional reactions might be more hurtful than helpful. Our perceptions are influenced by personal assumptions, limited knowledge, and self-interest. Instead of seeing the situation and possible solutions with clarity and openness, we are restricted to the tight confines delegated by the ego. Meditation can help us be aware of the narrowness of our presumptions and opinions. We can look with curiosity at our feelings and see what lies beneath them. We can emerge from the constriction of our personal viewpoint and rest in the spaciousness of the luminous mind, drawing wisdom and compassion from it.
Effective action starts with self-knowing, self-understanding of where we're caught. You don't want to start helping people out of your up-tightness, out of your strong sense of you're going to get revenge, because it escalates the aggression. And even though you might have short-term successes, basically someone has been so provoked by your aggression that the retaliation comes back. ~ Pema Chodron
For more information about the eleventh slogan, go here.
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