Reflections: Just a Thought

"The ability of one's own nature to contain the ten thousand dharmas is what is meant by 'great.' The myriad dharmas are all within the nature of all people." - Platform Sutra

We all seem to have some vision of ourselves and who we’d like to be. For me right now its the perfect little compassionate Bodhisattva. But the perfect compassionate Bodhisattva is likely to be made of stone regardless of size. I may be a much more diverse and interesting person than that, or may be different people at different moments depending on circumstances.

Its the difference between the ideal and the Truth, and the effort that I put into maintaining those expectations and delusions that causes any psychological suffering I experience. If we realize Truth, get rid of delusions and expectations, that process isn't actually painful, it is a kind of realization of sorts, though it may cause suffering for those around us.

The challenge after that step of realization is not to close down and latch up, but to remain open to all possibilities. It is so easy to want to slide back into defined roles, instead of staying flexible and free. Sitting and a good Sangha help.

It just struck me as I was thinking about these things that this pretty well describes where my head is at right now – working with that urge to slide back into a comfortable defined space.

Thanks for being around.