Remember Four Things, Oh son or daughter of noble family...

I've been asked by a few people to talk about 'The Four Reminders", which are in the Tibetan (/Bhutanese/Nepalese/etc.) tradition the very bedrock of the Buddhist path. Everything else is built upon these. as my teacher VKR has said many times, "Any obstacles that can't be overcome, it's simply because one has not contemplated the Four Reminders enough."

For you non-buddhists, this will give you a good overview of the core of what we practice.

So, here they are.  At the top of each, I will include the traditional passage from the Karma Kagyu and the Drigung Kagyu describing each of the four.  I will also include how -I- contemplate them daily, in hopes that some of you might be able to adapt it to your own practice lives.

(I am right now doing all of these from memory - I'll go back later on to make sure all the quoted parts are correct).

__________________________________________________________

First, setting the motivation by reciting - slowly- the "Metta Sutra":

May all beings be happy! Weak or strong, without exception, small or great, seen or unseen, nearby or far away, alive or still to be born - May all beings be entirely happy! 

May nobody despise anyone anywhere, may no one wish harm to any single creature out of anger or hatred!

May we cherish all creatures as a mother would her only child! May our loving thoughts fill the entire world, above, below, and all around, without limit!

May we have a boundless goodwill to the whole world, unrestricted, without hatred or hostility!

---I've heard from many teachers that setting this motivation at the start is very, very important.  

Then, I do 21 breaths, evenly in and out, as described in the classic Jamgon Kongtrol text on LoJong (Mind Training), The Great Path of Awakening.   My ADD-adled brain needs this in order to be able to focus on the 4 Reminders.  

First:

This is a precious human birth, hard to gain and extremely easy to lose. 

Now that I have it, I must not waste it, but instead do something meaningful.

Keyma! This kind of leisure and endowment is supremely difficult to obtain!  

Having obtained this body, which is very easily lost, do not waste it meaninglessly, 

but rather use it to attain the joyous result of ultimate liberation.

---

"a good way to contemplate how fortunate we are is to consider how sentient beings suffer. Traditional Indian Buddhism used six mythical creatures to symbolize this: 

The denizens of hell, drowning in pain,
The poor, starving "preta" spirits
The oblivious animals
The clever, desirous humans
The "asura" demigods, always jealous of the gods
The blissful gods, proud before they fall."

(Source: Ken Rawie)

To go through this, think in this way:

"It is indeed a very rare and precious birth that allows me to practice the dharma to attain liberation in this way.  There are SO many other possibilities that would not allow this, such as:

    (Counting out with my fingers)

-The Hell Realms: 

hot - including Avichi, cold, and surrounding.

-The Human Hell Realms:

 watching loved ones suffer and die and being totally helpless to stop it, with one's body going - for example, by ALS, or being ravaged by cancer- and being helpless to stop the process, with one's mind going - for example, by Alzheimers' - and being utterly helpless to stop the process, 

being raped and/or otherwise violated, being led to your own execution, or being so full of hate and anger that you can't think of the repercussions of your actions and are willing to destroy yourself, for example, a suicide bomber.

-The Preta Realms:

walking around with a tiny mouth and huge belly that can never be close to food.

-The Human Preta Realms:

being without food, water, clean water, medicine surgery or other health care, with drug and alcohol addictions or sexual obsessions, without shelter, employment, companionship or sanity.

-The Animal Realms:

Think about how animals run around, with no real ability to think out their actions. Yes, our dogs and cats seem to have good lives, but what of the TRILLIONS of other animals in the outside world?  Do roaches have free will? Does a giant squid EVER have any idea beyond "eat - swim - kill - don't get killed"? Most animals have very, very hard lives. And, the predators create the karma of killing without even realizing it. 

-The Human Animal Realms:

Think of all the humans who's entire lives are spent simply foraging for food and surviving from day to day.  At LEAST 1/2 of the planet lives like this!  They have no opportunity to realize that there may a happiness beyond a crust of bread (that soon disappears, and then hunger returns...etc.)

The Ashura ("jealous god") Realms:

The classical descriptions are that they are beings that live in incredible luxury compared to every realm below, but it is still not enough.  They know that the Devas live even better, and are determined to 'get theirs now' through force.  But, like the Coyote after the Road-runner, they always get out-smarted, out-gunned, out-everything by the Devas.  Their lives are fantastic, but it's not enough. 

The Human Ashura Realms:

Think of all the men and women doing everything possible to get up the corporate ladder, or the "Hill Climbers" in the House and Senate buildings.  Their minds are so set on getting the next 'piece of cheese', they will do just about Anything to climb higher and get more.  At the same time, though, there is no appreciation for what they have now, or that this lifestyle may have flaws.  These are the kind of people who think "what's my next partner/hook-up going to be like?" in the middle of sex with their current interest, or think "in THAT boardroom they have even better coffee!" while mindlessly sipping their Starbucks (or Seattle's Best or whatever).  It is a realm of suffering.

The Deva ("god") Realms:

These are beings said to live blissfully for 1000's or even millions of our years.  This experience seems to line up with the folk-belief-via-Christianity view of Heaven. There are lots of pleasant experiences, wonderful food, great music, never aging, getting whatever they desire just be thinking about it, real streets of gold-type stuff.  However, they are said to be blissfully unaware of their real condition. After a million years here in the Elysian Fields, they are said to start wilting, and realize that they will have to leave soon.  All the other Devas start avoiding one when they start their quick decline.  There is tremendous anguish at the end when they realize they are about to die.  BUT, the other Devas quickly forget, and the thought doesn't even occur to them that "this will happen to me too."  

The Human Deva Realms:

Think of all the now "whatever happened to?" stars, who used to be on top, but then had to experience the slow horrible slide into anonymity and losing the perks of stardom, such as Joe Piscopo, Chris ODonnell, all the 80's hair metal bands, etc.

Now, compared to all the beings in the six realms, think:

I was born in a central place. A Buddha has come. He has taught. His teaching still exists. People still sponsor and practice these teachings.  There is still genuine compassion and wisdom in the hearts of the teachers. 

I have the inclination, faculties (functioning sense organs, relatively sane mind), and opportunity to study, contemplate, and practice these teachings. 

This is rarer than one star in the infinite sky, or a snow flake in an ice age. This chance will NOT come again.  Don't you DARE waste This Precious Life."

Second:

The whole world and it's inhabitants are impermanent. 

In particular, the life of beings is like a bubble. 

Death is real; it comes without warning.  This very body will soon be a corpse. 

At that time, my Dharma practice will be my only help; I must practice now with exertion.

The nature of all phenomena is impermanence;

death is a certainty for all who are born.

Death can come any time, like a drop of morning dew on a blade of grass.

Quick! NOW it is time to make effort for the essence of Dharma.

"I will die. I WILL die. There is no reason to believe this could not be the day i die. (Think about all the ways you could die today - accidentally choking, tripping and falling down the stairs, getting in a car accident, getting hit by a freak meteorite, lighting strike, or blue ice, etc.) But, there is no reason to believe this could not be the day I finally understand these teachings.  And, it is said that the moment of death is one of the best opportunities to "get it". So, It is a good day to die.

I must always remember the reality that (counting on fingers):

- I will die.

- My wife (or spouse, partner, etc.) will die. Our animals will die. Any children we have will die.

(-if you have children, you would count them off and say ""   " will die")

-My mom and dad will die. My spouses parents will die. (or, if they have already passed, count off "my "   " has already died")

- My siblings will die. (If you have a sibling that has had a severe illness, count off  ""    " has already almost died once.")

- My friends will die. (again, if any friends have died, remember that as above)

- My family will die. (ditto)

- My sangha(s) will die.  (For VKR folks, remember Lucinda died, and remember what Rinpoche said about that)

- My root guru "    " will die.

- My other root teacher "   "will die (if you have more than one).

- This very special friend will die/this special friend has died/this teacher has died (all you Trungpa Rinpoche students would fill his name in)/etc.

Everybody who has ever been born has died. (Even if the warmed-up Mithrasism that became the Christian "greatest story ever told" IS a real historical event,  Rabboni Yeshua bar Yoseph Nazarene - better known as the badly-translated 'Jesus Christ' - DID die, at least for a while)

Death is real. It comes without warning. Because of this, it makes much more sense to be ready for it than ignore the inevitability."

Third:

When death comes, I will be helpless. 

Because I create karma, I must abandon evil deads and always perform virtuous actions. 

Everyday, I will examine myself.

The fruit of one's positive karma is happiness; suffering is the fruit of negative karma. 

Karmic cause and effect is inevitable for all phenomena.

From now on, practice the Dharma by distinguishing between what should be practiced - and what should be given up.

"There are actions that always lead to suffering, and actions that always lead to a fruition of happiness.  Because of this, I must cut the Ten Unvirtuous Actions of:

- Killing - physically or mentally

- Taking what is not offered (more than just stealing)

- Sexual misconduct and obsession

- Lying, especially for one's own selfish benefit

- Speech that causes disharmony and conflict 

- Harsh speech (yelling "Motherfu2ker!" when someone cuts you off in traffic counts, even if no one else hears)

- Meaningless talk - gossip, idle talk, 'talking a lot but not saying anything'

- Craving and jealousy for what someone else has

- Wishing to harm another being

- Having wrong views on cause and effect (not believing that every action has a reaction)

I must cultivate the Ten Virtuous Actions of:

- Protecting life wherever possible (saving earthworms, etc.)

- Generosity

- Only performing sexual acts that won't cause suffering * (I know some traditional texts say here "no oral sex", but - if YOU lived in a culture that only bathed 1-2 times a year, would YOU welcome putting your mouth on a body part that hadn't been cleaned in 6 months? I don't think so! :))

- Speaking the truth - it's much easier than having to keep up lies, anyway

- Uniting speech, words the heal divisions

- Gentle speech - it's pretty much what most people expect of Buddhists, anyway! :) 

- Speaking only what is necessary, without going into idle useless conversation 

- Rejoicing at other's good fortune

- Wishing positive occurrences for others

- Having correct views of cause and effect (through study and contemplation)"

Fourth:

The homes, friends, wealth and comforts of samsara are the torments of the three sufferings, just like a feast before the executioner leads you to your death.  

I must cut desire and attachment and attain enlightenment through exertion.

In the three lower realms, and even in the three higher ones, 

there is not an Instant of Absolute happiness.

I will avoid the root cause of my samsaric existence

and practice the excellent path of peace to enlightenment.

"All this stuff of samsara is honey on a razor blade. EVERY bit of happiness in samsara also comes with suffering attached.  The people that are the greatest joys in our lives are also the source of our greatest sorrows when they leave your life, through emotional/physical distance or ultimately through death.

All the "good things" of samsara end, and then suffering begins.

Relationships end.

Orgasms end. (since that's considered by many to be the peak of existence)

The most intense sexual experiences end.

ALL experiences end.

Meals end. Books end. Vacations end. Movies end. Conversations end. 

EVERYTHING ends.  Because of this, it makes the most sense to get ready for the inevitability and, as Dr. Suess said, "Don't be sad that it's over. Be glad that is happened.""

...So, by the end of this, what have we learned? That this life you have - even with all the troubles, physical and mental defects, and problems - is about a zillion times better than pretty much EVERY other being in the universe. (The WHOLE universe - as Khenchen Rinpoche said, "even UFO aliens just want happiness and freedom from suffering too" :))  Be glad for that.

However, this amazingly precious life can be gone -like that (snap fingers).  There's a grinning reaper in your future - maybe 20 years, maybe 20 seconds, but he's there.  Grim Reaper, Yama  - the Lord of Death, however you want to anthropomorphize, it's still The End. There really is no time to lose.

In the time you have left, you commit innumerable actions with body, speech and mind.  Instead of getting freaked out or getting a Catholic-style "sin! sin! sin!" guilt trip about this, instead, use is as an opportunity to actually SEE what you really do.  This very moment, you can change your behaviors and change what happens next. It's just that easy - and that difficult.

Just in case you still figured, "Screw this! I have this wonderful life, but death may come at any time. I wanna get mine NOW!", well, sorry to be the rain parade, dude, but "getting yours" will just lead to more sorrow and unhappiness.  "Whatever you wish to keep, you'd better grab it fast" (so sang Mr. Zimmerman in 'it's all over now, baby blue")  - but anything you grab will be like sand through your fingers. You can't hold or solidify that experience. Period.  Sorry, that's the rules of the universe, your mileage may vary.  Everyone, everything you try to hold onto will change and/or go away.

From contemplating all this repeatedly, what should arise is an intense urge to sit down and practice.  It will also undo some of the "stickiness" or "big deal" quality of things of this world.

AFTER all this, then we get to fun stuff - the blissfulness of shamatha resting in emptiness, the pleasantness of yidam practice, the "what -have- I been holding onto all these years! It's silly! :)' release quality of vipashina (analytical insight).  But, without this basis, most people won't stick it out to get to those points.

So, this is the Four Reminders.  After going through these slowly, it is recommended that one do Guru Yoga (as described in a previous post).  

IAGW, this will help some of you deepen your practice.

Let me know of you have any questions.

-Jurme Thaye Randrol

How the Black Swan Came to the Lake...

I've been asked by several newer students to explain my lineage. My path is not exactly the usual "person-curious-about-meditation-comes-into-the-shambhala-center-and-follows-the-curiculum".  Ok, it's not even CLOSE to 'normal'.

If I had to describe my stream, it would be Drikung Kagyu-Mindrolling/Nyingma-Shambhala-Karma Kagyu.

You were warned it would be a mouthful! :)

To give the short version:

Soto Zen practitioner - 1995-1997 (sporadically)

Shambhala practitioner- 1997-present

Dharma Art practitioner - 1998-present  

Mindrolling lineage practitioner - 1999-present

Drikung Kagyu practitioner - 2000-present

...and Karma Kagyu mixed in with all the other lineages.

Ok, the long version:

1989-91

After reading a lot of the Beat's writings (Kerouac, Ginsburg, Burroughs, Watts - the usual suspects :)) in high school, I had an interest in Buddhism.  At that point, it was just reading and thinking "that makes sense". No sitting yet.

1993-95

Skip ahead a bit. Re-reading Kerouacs' "the Dharma Bums".  Got some interest in Zen.  Took class in college last semester on Zen Buddhism. Decent class, VERY good books, but not a part of me yet.

1996

Occasionally sitting, but not in a guided, focused way. Combined methods, which watered down effectiveness. Sat from time to time with a local Zen group at someone's house north of baltimore. OK, but not really incorprating into 'the core of my being' yet.  

At the time, was somewhat leading and writting songs for half-assed unfocused rock band.  Writing methods included at least a third of a bottle of rum. Pretty much using the Jim Morrison "I'm a songwriter, so I have a right to be a drunken asshole" idea which quite often doesn't lead anywhere good. (Exhibit A: Jim himself. ) Trying to live like 90's-critic's pick Mark Eitzel of American Music Club, but not exactly at his poetic level yet, no matter how blurry things were the next morning after a writing session.

1997

Hit long-overdue point of "This is your world. It isn't working." Had rug pulled out emotionally -   My concept of me had been been built on someone else instead, who was no longer available to fill that role. (See my earlier "my beef with Ohio" post). What's that line from the Jayhawk's song "Blue"*? "Always thought I was someone, turned out I was wrong."    Realized that not eating for three weeks and not sleeping without the benefit of rum and/or pharmaceuticals in the aftermath was not healthy.  Thought advice of 'just never talk with each other again' sucked, and was tired of dodging and chickening out of challenges, as I had always done before.  Decided to try opposite approach instead of crawling back under my stone.  Knew that dharma was most workable solution, and also realized I couldn't do that on my own, either.  Sought out more 'permanent' spiritual home.

Tried to go sit with another Zen group, found they had closed, but was refered to Baltimore Shambhala Meditation Center (BSMC) at 11 Mount Royal Avenue. Went, got meditation instruction, started sitting regularly there.  After facing down a whole #@$#-load of longing, regrets, fantasies, and rage and labeled it "thinking", found I was able to function a bit better.  

1998

Still sitting regularly at BSMC. By auspicious coincidence, ran into Dave Cip, a master of hindi-style slide guitar and member of BSMC, at a Richard Thompson concert at Artscape.  He told me about the Dharma Art program happening the next weekend at BSMC.  I was intrigued and said I would be there.  I then proceeded to get shit-faced before meeting one of my musical heroes (who, as a serious practicing Sufi, is a teetotaler). 

The next weekend, did program. it spoke to me in a way NOTHING had before. Ladies and gents, here's where I bit the hook. :)  At one point, did an object arrangement that incorporated a picture of Khandro Rinpoche.  THAT stopped my mind. A little taste of what was to come.

1999

Sitting more regularly.  Did more Dharma Art programs.  Doing one of these that fell on Vesak Day, we did an offering to a Buddha at the Maryland Institute College of Art.  At that point, I asked the co-director (who was also my MI) "Ok, I've been shadowboxing with the dharma long enough.  What do I need to do to get into the Khandro Rinpoche retreat and take refuge?"

Started studying for the Fall Retreat 'Gateway' program. (About this time, I had busted my right hand, so the band I had been in was allowed to just die off.  This was a good thing, since the Khandro RInpoche study group night was the same night as band practice had been.)

Met many people who remain good friends to the present day. Went to the Annual Retreat for five-day program. Felt like the top of my head was lobbed off, and all thought processes temporarily re-wired. This was a good thing.  I am still amazed at just how not-quite-sane I was back then, whenever I reread the transcripts of that teaching and come to my bizzare lines of questioning.

Came back, and decided to move out of parent's basement. (Strangely enough, the amount I had been spending on a practice space was enough for a security deposit in the DC area). Answered ad for a group house in Takoma Park.  Found a more senior student from Khandro Rinpoche's sangha was already living there! (what are the chances?) Also, Jimmy Pittard, a senior student of another lineage, the Drikung Kagyu, was living there.  THAT is what we call "auspicious coincidence."

Sitting regularly, spliting time evenly between Baltimore and DC Shambhala.  Spending evenings hitting bars and dance clubs with Baltimore Khandro Rinpoche friends. Those were good times.  

Woke up Thanksgiving morning passed out on friends' floor in Baltimore with no idea how I got there.  Last blackout of this lifetime.  

Spent New Years Eve with Baltimore Shambhala Sangha. Woke up next morning (after an hour's sleep) in BSMC shrine room with several other sangha members strewn around, to be there for first sitting of the year. Found out I snored. :)   Jann Jackson announced that the 17th Karmapa had just escaped from Tibet to India.

2000

One evening in February, came back in from running around Georgetown with some B-more VKR folks to find someone sleeping on the couch of the house on Tulip Avenue. I apologized for waking them, and asked for their name. In this great gravelly drawl, "Konchog Dorje." Me:"that sounds like a dharma name." Him: "Well, I-am- a monk."   

First meeting with Bikshu Konchog Dorje from Atlanta, a former attorney-turned-monastic in the Drikung Kagyu, and one of the coolest people you will ever meet.  Any preconceptions I may have had about monastics being these totally pure Ziggy Stardust-like glitering beings  were totally destroyed by Dorje. :)  In his earlier life, his week could beat your year.  He lived in our house for a while when he was undergoing an experimental treatment for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma at NIH (which was a success).  For those who know of that disease, yes, Dorje is HIV positive.  Amazingly, he has (as of this writing) been living for over 20 years with full-blown AIDS. Impossible, you say? I've noticed that people who practice dharma correctly can often manifest amazing states of health and grow old very gracefully. (Witness all the hot mamas among the senior students over 50 in the Lotus Garden sangha :)).

A couple months later, I went up to the Tibetan Meditation Center in Frederick, MD, which is the North American seat of the Drikung Kagyu.  I was introduced by Jimmy and Dorje to then-Khenpo (now Khenchen) Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche, who taught on the 12 nidanas.  I thought he was a very good teacher, quite funny, and very different from Khandro Rinpoche.  

In May, I went to my fifth college reunion.  Apparently the differences in behavior were setting in already.  Someone said "ok, what's happening here, when Duder (my old college nickname - no, I don't use it any more - and neither should you :)) is the most sober person in the room?" :)  It was great to see folks again, but I wanted to be able to read this great mind-training text i'd borrowed from one of my housemates called "The Wheel of Sharp Weapons" when I went to bed.  To keep my mental faculties sharp enough,  I had 1 1/2 beers the whole night, and a bunch of water, so I felt nothing except the wonderful taste of Guiniess and the need to go to the bathroom often. :)   

I went up to TMC Frederick again for a weekend in June, which was within a day of my meeting my now-wife, Meli.  For some reason, Khen Rinpoche's teaching this time wacked me upside the head as Khandro Rinpoche had done the previous fall.  I don't know why, but for the next several weeks I experienced everything in a much more direct way than ever before, like some kind of blinders had fallen off.  It wore off eventually, but I had some direct experience of some kind of samadhi. 

In Frederick, in addition to the Very Venerable Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche, my teachers have since included H.E. Garchen Rinpoche, Drupon Trinlay Norbu Rinpoche, and Khenpo Tsultrim Tendzin Rinpoche. 

Khenpo Tsultrim did my wedding along with my Ani Jamyang/Kimi Monroe and a very, very interesting Lutheran pastor named Chad Kline. 

So, this is how I came to the Dharma and stayed.  I've noticed that in the first year after taking refuge, about 50% of people think "this is all too hard and too much work" and dissappear from the dharma.  Spiritual burnout from taking on too much too soon is a real possibility.

However, in that time period, I had Jimmy and, for several stretches of time, Dorje living in my house, who were right there to answer all those questions and doubts newer students have.  So, I've gotten only deeper and deeper in ever since, and I have no intention of leaving. 

So, this is where I am now.  I'll just play the game existance til the end...of the beginning...of the beginning...of the beginning...

Next time, kids, a history of all the lineages I am part of. How they have all intertwined with each other through the centuries is pretty interesting stuff.

-JTR

* This is the "one damn song that can make me break down and cry", as David Bowie once put it.