Mind Training 101
By thinking of all sentient beings
as more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel
for accomplishing the highest aim,
I will always hold them dear.
Whenever I'm in the company of others,
i will regard myself as the lowest among all,
and from the depth of my heart
cherish others as supreme.
In my every action i will watch my mind,
and the moment destructive emotions arise,
i will confront them strongly and avert them,
since they will hurt both me and others.
Whenever i see ill-natured people
or those overwhelmed by heavy misdeeds or suffering,
i will cherish them as something rare,
as though i'd found a priceless treasure.
When someone, out of envy,
does me wrong by attacking or belittling me,
i will take defeat upon myself
and give the victory to others
Even when someone i have helped,
or in whom i have placed great hopes
mistreats me very unjustly,
i will view that person as a true spiritual teacher
In brief, directly or indirectly,,
i will offer help and happiness to all my mothers,
and secretly take upon myself
All their hurt and suffering.
I will learn to keep all these practices
untainted by thoughts of the eight worldly concerns.*
May i recognize all things as like illusions,
and, without attachment, gain freedom from bondage.
-- Langri Tangpa, (11th century) Eight verses of Training the Mind.
For twenty minutes, i am at peace, and love all beings.
For twenty-three hours and forty minutes i live in a pile of shit.
If i must live in a "dream," must it be a nightmare?
why cannot my illusions be rosy ones?
Most of my friends, and people i admire,
are mostly positive, most of the time.
They say they live in a beautiful world.
I don;t doubt,that, but i don't live there.
i live in my world.
This world is topsy turvy; good is defined as evil, evil good.
Inequality is ignored, and perpetrated.
Injustice is ignored, and perpetuated.
Misery, if it is not mine, is ignored, and blossoms.
And a rich man's fruit is a poor man's poison.
But this is an illusion, everything is impermanent and will soon be gone.
Good and evil will be gone,
equality and inequality will be gone
justice and injustice will be gone
pleasure and misery will be gone
wealth and poverty will be gone
Why do i not know this?
I know what i know because of my cluttered mind,
my corrupted mind, my clouded mind.
My mind is not a useful tool, but a bad master.
To make it subservient, it must be trained.
I shall begin to train my mind thusly:
by thinking of all sentient beings....as precious
.* delight and disappointment about (1 and 2) money, (3 and 4) approval, (5 and 6) status, and (7&8) pleasure and pain.
as more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel
for accomplishing the highest aim,
I will always hold them dear.
Whenever I'm in the company of others,
i will regard myself as the lowest among all,
and from the depth of my heart
cherish others as supreme.
In my every action i will watch my mind,
and the moment destructive emotions arise,
i will confront them strongly and avert them,
since they will hurt both me and others.
Whenever i see ill-natured people
or those overwhelmed by heavy misdeeds or suffering,
i will cherish them as something rare,
as though i'd found a priceless treasure.
When someone, out of envy,
does me wrong by attacking or belittling me,
i will take defeat upon myself
and give the victory to others
Even when someone i have helped,
or in whom i have placed great hopes
mistreats me very unjustly,
i will view that person as a true spiritual teacher
In brief, directly or indirectly,,
i will offer help and happiness to all my mothers,
and secretly take upon myself
All their hurt and suffering.
I will learn to keep all these practices
untainted by thoughts of the eight worldly concerns.*
May i recognize all things as like illusions,
and, without attachment, gain freedom from bondage.
-- Langri Tangpa, (11th century) Eight verses of Training the Mind.
For twenty minutes, i am at peace, and love all beings.
For twenty-three hours and forty minutes i live in a pile of shit.
If i must live in a "dream," must it be a nightmare?
why cannot my illusions be rosy ones?
Most of my friends, and people i admire,
are mostly positive, most of the time.
They say they live in a beautiful world.
I don;t doubt,that, but i don't live there.
i live in my world.
This world is topsy turvy; good is defined as evil, evil good.
Inequality is ignored, and perpetrated.
Injustice is ignored, and perpetuated.
Misery, if it is not mine, is ignored, and blossoms.
And a rich man's fruit is a poor man's poison.
But this is an illusion, everything is impermanent and will soon be gone.
Good and evil will be gone,
equality and inequality will be gone
justice and injustice will be gone
pleasure and misery will be gone
wealth and poverty will be gone
Why do i not know this?
I know what i know because of my cluttered mind,
my corrupted mind, my clouded mind.
My mind is not a useful tool, but a bad master.
To make it subservient, it must be trained.
I shall begin to train my mind thusly:
by thinking of all sentient beings....as precious
.* delight and disappointment about (1 and 2) money, (3 and 4) approval, (5 and 6) status, and (7&8) pleasure and pain.