Dharma Glimpses with Judy Lief

[This episode originally aired on October 4, 2022] The topic of meditation reminds me of the old saying, “all roads lead to Rome” • in the Buddhist tradition, all teachings seem to lead to meditation • sometimes we think of meditation as just stillness, but as one of the six paramitas, meditation is considered to be one of the skillful actions of a bodhisattva, essential for cultivating wisdom and compassion • meditation helps us to settle and to open; it helps us to hold our mind steady and not simply react impulsively when we are challenged by other people and the pressures of life • with meditation, you can hold steady and then respond appropriately—and then you can let go and move on • in meditation practice, we begin to see through some of our preconceptions, and we witness how easily we solidify our experiences • meditation draws us out of ourselves and turns us towards others; in doing so, the inspiration to work for the benefit of others arises.

[This episode originally aired on October 11, 2022] The sixth and final paramita is the prajna paramita • the sanskrit term “prajna” means supreme knowledge: the best of knowing, the best of cognitive mind • even though the Buddhist tradition is widely known for non-conceptual practices such as sitting meditation, there is also a great reverence and respect for learning and for knowledge at all levels • prajna is not just about knowing this or that; it is seeing without bias • prajna is fresh and on the spot; it is sharp, and it is direct • prajna is a way of seeing without any capturing or storing; it is the first thought, the first insight • it is what our perceptions can be when we're not trying to hold onto them or put them in our bag of experiences • prajna is often represented by a razor-sharp two-sided sword—one that cuts through duality altogether • by cutting through dualistic thinking, a much fresher and clearer way of knowing is liberated.

[This episode originally aired on October 18, 2022] In continuing our exploration of the prajna paramita, I'd like to focus on the inseparable trio of prajna (knowledge or wisdom), shunyata (emptiness), and compassion (karuna) • according to Trungpa Rinpoche, the freshness of prajna insight and the warmth of compassion are always connected • this challenges some common assumptions: that intelligence or sharpness of mind is harsh and aggressive; that compassion and love are fuzzy, soft, and weak; and that both compassion and sharpness of mind are solid and fixed • in the famous teaching called “The Heart Sutra,” the three main characters embody this inseparable trio • there is the Buddha, who is sitting in meditation; there is Avalokiteshvara, who is the embodiment of compassion; and there is Shariputra, who is the student asking questions • to embody and practice the prajna paramita, we need to empty ourselves of our preconceptions, and we also need to let go of our sense of attainment in having done so.

[This episode originally aired on January 17, 2023] A large part of our reality involves talking, or working with our speech; it is one of the main ways we connect with our world • but our speech can also get us into a lot of trouble, including using it as a way of escaping from reality • Trungpa Rinpoche said that paying attention to speech is a way of paying attention to reality • but often we use speech just in the opposite way — as a way to avoid dealing with what is actually going on, covering it over with as many words as we can so we can just get through it and not experience it • the Dharma is transmitted through spoken words, so speech is very much honored; but it's also recognized that we fall prey to patterns of harmful speech • the four traditional categories of harmful speech are: lying; intrigue; destructive, critical, or harmful speech; and gossip • in every moment of ordinary conversation, the way we use our speech can bring us closer to — or farther away from — our connection with reality.

The practice of stopping and reflecting has to do with paying attention to the beginnings and endings of things • when you first wake up, taking just a minute or two to regroup yourself: what are your plans for the day? what are your aspirations? • a sense of pointing yourself in a direction where your life and your spiritual practice meet • then, at the end of the day, instead of just collapsing, taking a moment to stop and reflect: what happened today? how much was I able to stay true so that my life was enriched by my practice, and my practice was enriched by my life? • having some sense of intelligence about how we spend our time, what we make our priorities • valuing and respecting each day, each challenge, and taking them as our guru • life is our teacher; if we attune ourselves, if we open our ears and our eyes, we can receive those teachings.