Not a Hobby

What approach is needed for practicing the Dharma? Firstly, we should not see the Dharma as merely a hobby, a pastime, or a matter of simply accumulating a certain number of repetitions of something. Instead, what we really need to think is, ‘I’m not going to waste this life, I’m going to use it to accomplish something of value and meaning.’ And with this way of thinking as the foundation, do our very best to listen, study and practice the Dharma.

Certainly we shouldn’t be thinking to practice the Dharma in order to be happy and well. In fact, we practice the Dharma specifically to counteract this way of thinking. Everybody in the world is working with the thought, ‘May I be happy….may I be well.’ If we as Dharma people work with the same aim, then although the work and activities that we are engaged in may look different, essentially what we are doing is the same as normal worldly people.

We have to be without these thoughts because they are in direct conflict with the way of Dharma. Being based in craving and clinging, these thoughts are afflictions. And the very purpose of Dharma is to remedy the afflictions, not to further them. A Dharma practitioner works to reduce their negative mind states, but this idea of ‘me’ is based in clinging, and ‘my well-being’ is craving, and if we are obsessed with these, then that’s the very opposite of Dharma, isn’t it. The very purpose of Dharma is to realise “no-self”, but if we are constantly thinking; ‘May I be well….may I be happy….’, then that’s not going to happen, is it.

If you consider Mind Training (lojong), then it’s founded in thinking; ‘I’m going to give up cherishing myself, I’m going to cherish others.’ And so naturally we are no longer concerned with our happiness; instead we even take on the suffering of others. Our practice becomes that of giving our own happiness to others, and taking on their suffering in return, which is totally different to the normal worldly approach that is completely centred on ‘me’ and ‘my happiness’. Our attitude becomes, ‘Who cares if I’m happy! If others are okay, then I’m okay.’ Like that, we reduce clinging and attachment to ourselves, and our afflictions diminish. This is the way it is taught, isn’t it?

Advice given to western students by Drupon Khen Rinpoche in Thrangu Sekhar Retreat Centre in the first teaching after three months abroad. 30 November 2016