Subject: Preamble to tonights talk
Date: Sunday, September 13, 1998 2:58 PM
JC
Here are comments that I may read tonight re my talk.
Also I have included the basic topic/question (s).
Preamble
I will not ever again come in here and try to present as a topic of
discussion any of the great spiritual teachings.
k
#####
K., are you sure you wish to make such a promise? If later, you bring up the principle of some teaching in order to illustrate some point, will you
not then have to "eat your words"? What is your purpose for making
such a grand pronouncement? Could this pronouncement be coming from a desire to avoid being attacked? In my opinion it is better not to make any promises,
especially if they are motivated by fear.
jc
#####
In my estimation we all have too much fear and judgment to have a
discussion of such a teaching that is objective and fruitful to any
measurable degree.
#####
Is not this evaluation of the "Other", a judgment that may
"poison the well" of Good Will that is so necessary? Who has the "Fear" and
who is displaying "Judgment"?
You fear being attacked, so you judge them as being filled with fear and judgment. Be careful, K., for you could be projecting upon the "other" those very traits which you despise in yourself.
Are you reacting to the "Devil" or are you responding to the beloved which lies behind the mask?
So if "WE" all have too much fear and judgment, HOW are WE going to get past it?
If we recognize that there is an ignoble way (K15) that has lead to suffering (2nd Noble Truth), and have developed some degree of understanding as to what this way is, then assuming that we also recognize that well being is possible (3rd Noble Truth), we should work to understand how well being is arrived at (4th Noble Truth) and APPLY our growing knowledge of the Noble (8-fold) path.
So how should one approach the task of sharing and leading off a group discussion given the knowledge of the Noble Path:
Right View
Right Thinking
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Diligence
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration
In other words, don't talk "about" the Noble Path (or some valuable objective spiritual teaching), but APPLY IT IN YOUR DEALINGS WITH OTHERS AS YOU ENGAGE IN LIFE. This is the way to get past our "fear" and "judgment" and really help others. It's called leading by example. You cannot teach something which contradicts "who you are", because others will detect the mind-mouth disharmony and evaluate you as not caring the necessary stature to be talking about such things. We must "Walk our Talk" or else we must rightly be revealed as impostors.
jc
#####
Tonight Coming in and to the best of my knowledge I am not trying to
change anyone towards selfish aims.
####
The best way to convey this message is by letting your actions speak for themselves. Saying
that you have noble altruistic goals before you show them through your actions is kind of like
the "hard-sell" salesman
telling the customer "Relax. Trust me. I'm not going to try and make you buy my
product towards selfish aims. Would I do you wrong?".
Whenever someone tells me to trust them, the message I get is "Don't trust them". This is because the words must follow the actions, and not the other way around. First one must show them. Then when you say the words, everyone will see the harmony between your words and actions, and accept it.
In other words, if you wish to stop the "hard-sell" approach, then stop it. Let your "consistent actions over time" make the point first. In that way you plant good seeds and water them into their full maturity instead of trying shortcuts. In the meantime, we must reap the results of previously sown seeds, but remember though we must reap them, we don't have to eat them! Use discrimination to separate the wheat from the chaff.
jc
#####
My basic goal aim is perhaps to increase our awareness regarding these
matters. Thereby allowing for increased awareness and understanding of
ourselves/reality. This "agenda" I do carry for if I did not
what would be my purpose to attend such a discussion under the pretense of
examining the great questions?
####
I would suggest letting your actions speak instead.
Tell them nothing, but let your changed actions convey your message more powerfully than any words could. As you reap the results of these Right Actions, your ability to help others will increase with time.
jc
####