Right Views of Reality

Reality is a continuous cycle of phenomena that rise and fall, transform and mutate. By parting the clouds of aversion and delight, the wisdom of un-obscured truth can be realized.

This is a sort of Buddhist-ish version of what the goal of life and meditation really is...gaining an understanding of reality and its inherent truth, free from mental impositions of likes/dislikes and other inclinations based on desires of the senses. I don't see this as a thing that happens all at once or even in a few years. It is a path that takes a lot of work and attention to the conception of self (including desires, inclinations and personality). This idea makes a bit more sense to me when combined with the Hindu idea of jivatman, or the individual soul, combined with the three gunas, or characterized attributes present in all physical entities of the phenomenal world, which influence the behavior and nature of all things through dynamic combinations. This more "personal" explanation registers closer to the heart of my practice than the "non-self" idea of Buddhism. But, both combine to show a full spectrum of positive and negative perspectives of what constitutes reality.

What's this actually mean? Is there a "right view" of reality? There are (probably/obviously/certainly) an infinite number of different paths to understanding what reality is...which balance nicely with the infinite descriptions of what constitutes truth to each individual being. It is odd, because from my years of being programmed through language and schooling, my early explorations of Eastern religions had me training myself to think that there is some static, monolithic version of truth*; that knowledge of reality would be some sort of concrete description, which in itself would show some sort of endpoint. Then I could just as easily turn on some sort of meditation GPS and cruise down the highway of mindfulness to freedom from "me and mine." *[Note: Potential side effect of theological authority imposed by four years of Catholic schooling, maybe?]

Enter the Jain idea of anekantavada, or "many-sidedness," which basically states that a single statement of absolute truth is not possible and, unless the speaker is a fully enlightened being, only a partial idea of truth is potentially posited. Total game changer. This made me realize that, not only was the naivete of my conception laughable, but that cultivating my own path and understanding of reality based on my current life (with both its attributes and limitations) is the only way for me. Imposing someone else's dharma, or duty and understanding in Hinduism, is an obstruction to your own path. Therefore, aspiring to wisdom and understanding taught by others without a foundation built on personal experience is a potentially baseless goal, to say the least.

Additionally, one of the more important things that I have become aware of is that there is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. My early search for truth about reality was focused more on amassing knowledge as to what other people had experienced. Knowing that behaviors could be changed and life could be lived free from greed, judgment and the egotistical perspective of an uncontrolled mind was really inspiring...but also kind of dry and "academic," for lack of a better word. While all of these concepts were good motivation for desired outcomes, they were missing the crucial elements of discernment and personal experiential action to transform them into wisdom. Basically, while cultivating my path, I was breathing physically, but neglecting to breathe life into acquired knowledge to transform it into understanding on a deeper personal level.

Practically, these revelations have affected my life really positively, especially after realizing that "I" have my own dharma affected by my individual soul and all baggage (gunas and karma) that comes along with it. First, I experienced less frustration with trying to fit-in with a single religion and feeling like I should be at a certain point in my practices or should be following the steps of someone else's progress. Granted, the knowledge of other paths is extremely helpful to cultivating mine, but I have come to know that not all knowledge in the way of meditation practices and resulting awareness always becomes experienced wisdom. Some things work and some things don't...collecting knowledge from many sources and teachers might be frightening or overwhelming to others, but for me it is the foundation for the next steps. I am not free from frustration by any means, but being familiar with its rising and falling has become easier without the addition of pressure to be, to do, or to know something that doesn't seem to work or make sense in my life.

Additionally, the concepts of multiple truths has started to foster more objective listening and experiencing on my part. This is really hard, but in knowing that each perspective of reality can be different, but still valid (yet incomplete), I now have awareness of when observations veer into judgments and criticisms. There is a time for discernment, but in everyday existence I have realized that my own likes/dislikes form a colored lens that tints and skews what I see, hear, taste, etc. In Jain practice, reliance on aversions over objectivity not only does a disservice to the experiencer by adding extra layers to reality, but it is a seed of violence that can eventually bloom in thought, speech or action. Similarly, such judgments are very real means of violence in Nonviolent Communication as criticism forms a roadblock for empathetic communication and connection. I am coming to the awareness that such filtering of reality seriously stunts the sharing and experiencing of other viewpoints by labeling things are good/bad or right/wrong before applying discernment or proper evaluation. Therefore, objective communication both internally and externally is a personal goal as a means to expand my wisdom of existence.

I don't really have any type of statement to sum it all up, which is kind of the beauty of cultivating a path and the point of this post (hopefully?). I only have wisdom of my experienced reality, which includes spiritual beliefs, lifestyle choices and, as previously noted, a commitment to compassionate action/ahimsa. As a non-enlightened aspirant, I am just learning to grow and expand with this dynamic, personal experience of the infinite total truth. Though sometimes I feel that progress is moving at a snail's pace, awareness that this is my dharma and unique duty was a first major step to understanding how to develop the right view of reality.

Compassionate Action in Everyday Life

Every living being deserves to be treated respectfully in a manner that promotes their rights of well-being and happiness.

Been meaning to make another post, but with an upcoming move next week things have been a little bit all over the place as of late (mentally and otherwise). My best times for (not) thinking are while I'm running and driving my car...both of which are not ideal times for writing. I usually think of the "best things ever" at those points and despite convincing myself that I will not forget, my mental flow carries on and things get lost in the waves of thought. In hindsight, most of the ideas aren't so great, but if a kernel of an idea stays afloat, then it "makes the cut"...so to speak.

Recently, I have been in the midst of like 10 books, like usual. Variety is good, but I think after I finish a few of them, I am going to impose some limitations (which I have obviously said to myself in the past). But, much like life, a lot of varied input is a good way to see similarities in the world. In rereading Life Force: The World of Jainism by Michael Tobias and reading (for the first time) Speaking of Śiva (free-verse sayings from the Virasaiva religious movement) and Aparokshanubhuti: Or Self-Realization of Sri Sankaracharya translated by Swami Vimuktananda (a classic Advaita treatise on non-duality of God), I began to perceive some universal truths.

Though all three of these are from different schools of Indian religious thought, a common thread is the (divine) connection to other beings beyond the divisions of bodies and other impositions of the material world: Jainism through the idea of one soul is all souls, Virasaivism through union of the soul with Śiva (the supreme God) and Advaita philosophy through each "individual" soul actually being Brahman (or the divine God). While these are not comparable paths, the motivation of interconnection of souls stuck with me as a valid way to experience the world in which we exist; where one's actions can drastically affect every relationship within their spiritual and physical ecosystems, especially given the ideas of karma and "reaping what is sown" in each of these three philosophies.

This practice is a clear remedy for the violence of separation against "the other" that I wrote about in the last post. In Jainism, violence against any living being is violence against self, both karmically and philosophically. I can see Advaita being a similar view, as it sees all beings as manifestations of one divinity. Extended to actions, the clear path is, therefore, nonviolence. On the base level, foundation of life on violence will perpetuate injury of self and others. Violence of speech, action or motivation will only lead to more violence and accent divisions between physical beings. On a karmic level, all souls will suffer from violence (both the "doer" and the victim). Compassionate action, rooted in nonviolence, stands as a means of not only helping oneself to realize the true connection between beings, but also fosters empathy and loving-kindness while strengthening spiritual and communal bonds and lessening suffering and violence in the world. 

Why am I bringing this up? In my own life, I see compassion as a very important practice. Over the past 6 years or so, my dog Laika has been suffering from several recurrences of a mast cell tumor on her back. She has undergone 3 surgeries, 17 radiation treatments and chemotherapy (for the past 8 months). Her quality of life is still good and she remains a happy and goofy lady, but each day her treatment requires lots of medication and various other things (like changing her t-shirt and applying herbs to the tumor area). Thankfully, I have pet insurance for Laika, so it hasn't been a huge financial nightmare, but it has been a lot of work. When I tell people everything that she (and I) have gone through, they sometimes ask why I would do this for a dog? At first, I was questioning the lengths to which I would go to for her healthcare as well, but when anyone (loved-one or otherwise) is suffering or has the potential to suffer...it is the choice of the caretaker to ensure that suffering is abated.

At first, I was just sad to see her battling cancer and wanted to do everything that I could to help from a sympathetic view. As I explored myself and my beliefs more deeply, I realized that compassionate action was/is the motivation for my choices to continue with her treatment. I am not trying to prolong her life for my own benefit, I am making conscious decisions to help her live a life of minimal suffering from her condition. I know that to some degree, all living beings experience pain and illness. This is a fact that we all want to ignore. However, given my views that all beings are united in divine (and mundane) existence, building empathy through compassion and love is a very real means of spiritual practice. At times, it has been hard to separate selfish motivations for wanting Laika to live a long life from truly acting to relieve her suffering...but as I have read and experienced more Jain, Hindu and Buddhist teachings, I have begun to see that these opportunities for selfless, compassionate action are a two-way street, in which multiple lives are positively affected and real empathy is experienced.

Putting a positive spin on illness is hard, especially when one is a caretaker/guardian that has to make decisions based on non-verbal observations, gut-feelings and doctors' recommendations for a loved-one. But discovering the path of compassionate action and service to others has been one of the most positive aspect of taking care of Laika. Sometimes I think that she is a guru of sorts, who is teaching me really important lessons about how to live a life in which my decisions are consciously based on the well-being of all. Certainly, this is no easy path, but as one soul is all souls, I feel that lessening the suffering of one is, in turn, lessening the suffering of all.

The next step, especially when applied in conjunction with the course on Nonviolent Communication, is to integrate the motivation for selfless, compassionate action into all aspects of my life. I know this will not be an easy process, but with opportunities constantly arising, I will have plenty of time to learn from successes and mistakes along the path.

in a different way
in a strange way
we are all the same
             - m.i.a. "it's hard to say you're wrong"

Ahimsa vs. Violence Pt.1

Ahimsa is the highest perfection.

Nonviolence is what our gift of human life is all about, according to Jain, Hindu and (some) Buddhist doctrine. Unfortunately, in most rituals of modern life, the essence of violence permeates most human activity.

Over the past few months, I cannot help but have my though patterns consumed by death and destruction in the daily news. In contrast to my own practices of veganism and supporting the rights of all beings to life free from suffering and oppression, these ruminations have given rise to all sorts of emotional responses and overthinking, but also to specific questions about the nature of humanity and the value of life. I'm sure these are standard philosophical questions that have been asked and not fully answered since the dawn of time or answered only from a single point of view and, therefore, not helpful to others.

Regardless, these unanswerable questions also led me to assess the more concrete aspects of the world around me and try to explore the myriad ways that violence creeps into everything. What I discovered was pretty much in full support of the "three poisons" expounded by the Buddha...greed, delusion and ignorance are the primary motivations for violence in all modes of human interaction. Speech, action and thought rooted in one of these "poisons" is going to result in an act of adharma (or unrighteousness) against another.

Surprisingly, one commonality of these observations became clear: the rejection of unity within the world and the creation of "the other" is usually the main justification for violence. Call it "ignorance" or whatever, but disunity and separation either spiritually or in the "real world" will lead to violence. In Shankara's teachings, all beings are manifestations of Brahman...or, as I break it down in my mind, divinity is one of the uniting forces among all things regardless of name or form. From a different perspective, all beings contain a basic goodness that is shared among them. So, thinking that everything is separate or "other" than oneself will begin ignorant practices that would falsely remove one from the repercussions of their actions.

In the world of flesh, blood, trees and water, establishing "otherness" as a means of creating a dynamic of superiority vs. inferiority, right vs. wrong, us vs. them, etc. vs. etc. is nothing more than laying the foundation for systemic violence based on separation of perpetrator and victim. In a world where identity is defined by race, species, gender, sexual preference, nationality, religious beliefs, or even things as arbitrary as sport team fandom, there are plenty of ways for "otherness" to be created. Sadly, according to my observations, violence is the result of the acceptance of these modes of belief. This does not have to be physical violence, but any type of oppression or submission along the lines of perceived "difference"...nations bombed, women tread unequally, animals tortured.

Is there a way to break this cycle? How can someone who believes strongly in nonviolence begin to cultivate a means of combating this mindset and fostering unity and communication in the world? Until today, I read a lot of books outlining means to cultivate ahimsa within and without, which has proven to be both enlightening and inspiring, but I was still wondering about specific means of communication. As luck would have it, the other day I happened upon a set of discs in the library collection about Nonviolent Communication (NVC) by the late Dr. Marshall Rosenberg. As of this afternoon, I have started the 9 lecture series and will report on my process. So far, I have already realized that I was overlooking a lot of the subtle connections between language (especially diction) and violence. I already feel more questions rising...

But dehumanizing the victim makes things simpler

it's like breathing with a respirator

it eases the conscience of even the most most conscious

and calculating violator

words can reduce a person to an object

something more easy to hate

an inanimate entity

completely disposable

no problem to obliterate

                 - The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy "Language of Violence"

Rebirth into Inter-Samsara

New year, continued path...renamed blog.

Cultivating the Path is both growing and advancing along a continuum toward the future. No matter how hard one tries, life will not stop. It is, therefore, imperative to cultivate a life of both love and compassion to ensure that each step of the current journey is beneficial to all.

I have been putting this off for too long...writing while I was staying in Thailand periodically over the past few years was one of the more rewarding aspects of my time there. It was a fulfilling way to detach myself from the flow of life and reflect on how I was affected by and was affecting the reality of the world and all those around me. It was such a great opportunity that has since gotten lost in the shuffle of the mundane and was labeled "unnecessary" but some aspect of my mind.

It is strange how the mind works. Life persists regardless of surroundings and new experiences occur regardless of the seeming repetition of the context. No moment is ever the "same" as much as we try to establish a static point of view. Mentally, this was a huge writing block, as I was constantly thinking that reflection on my normal habits and habitat was not important enough to do in a concrete way. Months and months later, I am taking the first steps.

I am not going to lay out a grand plan for the continuation of this blog, because planning for things reliant on the flow of life are hard to predict. However, I will continue to make entries in various languages, including English (mostly), Thai (second mostly) and Indonesian (if I can actually get my act together). As an aspirant to a spiritual path, the topics of my writings will incorporate (or tangentially relate to) aspects of religious exploration. I don't need to explain my specific set of beliefs, because, well, listing some types of -isms is unhelpful to both myself and others by creating an identity based on expectations rather than truths. (NOTE: Readers can also peruse my previous travel posts to get a feel for what is to come.) The big change is that posts will include music (spiritual or otherwise) that relates to the topics at hand.

I would like to end this re-dedication by thanking those beings who I deal with on a daily basis that have been the inspiration for self-reflection and challenging myself to rectify both inner and outer realities. Among those are Laika (my canine companion who has been fearlessly battling cancer for over 6 years), my parents (who support me endlessly despite our frequent disagreements) and Tom (for listening and providing fodder for reflection). Many thanks and praises to you all!

Given that this is the first post after a rebirth of sorts, I would like to pay homage to Ganesha to ensure that path will be cleared of obstacles and hindrances toward further knowing.