Patience and the Three Pure Precepts Go Hand in Hand
This is an edited transcript of a talk given at Shasta Abbey in June 2023.
I would like to start with a story about an animal that I grew up with in the Midwest, the buffalo. Actually what I knew was what’s called ‘The bison of the Great Plains’, which is sometimes called a buffalo, but is in fact a distant relative. This is a Jataka Tale story, of one of the lives of the Buddha. In the Jataka, the central character, whether it’s an animal, a human, a divine or semi-divine being, is a Bodhisattva or a Buddha-to-be. Although in some of the stories He is only a passive onlooker, in most of the Tales, He practices one or more of the ten virtues which must be perfected in order to become a Buddha. So today we’re going to talk about Mahisa Jataka number 278, the buffalo and the effort of patience.
Once, when the Buddha was a Bodhisattva, He took birth as a powerful buffalo in a remote forest. In appearance, he was as forbidding as a rolling cloud of thunder. Though in the form of a brute animal, this great Bodhisattva maintained a quality of virtue for so long that it would not leave him. He was very patient. Some influence of karma must explain his form of a buffalo, even though his very nature was a boundless compassion. For a series of existences cannot exist without karma. Freedom from karma could not lead to an animal rebirth. So even with the Bodhisattva’s mind full of Dharma, some small residue of karma caused Him now and then to take the form of an animal.
So it was that a proud and wicked monkey liked to torment this Bodhisattva, knowing that he had nothing to fear because anger had no power over this Great One. Creatures like the malicious monkey delight in bullying the meek, for they know they will not strike back. However, against the powerful they become servile and humble. Sometimes when the Great One was asleep, the monkey would suddenly leap on his neck. He would swing from the buffalo’s horns and ride on his back. He even poked him with a stick. The vile monkey would stand in the way when he was hungry and trying to graze. The Bodhisattva bore all this without anger or agitation, as if the monkey was doing him a favour. This was because the virtuous see such harmful acts towards themselves as an opportunity to practice patience.
One day a Yaksha (or a nature spirit) saw the buffalo being ridden by this rascally monkey. The Yaksha was scandalised by the indignities that the monkey rained down on the Great One. The Yaksha addressed the Bodhisattva and said: “With your great strength, why do you allow this miserable monkey to humiliate you? Has he purchased you as a slave, or won you in a wager? Or do you fear him for some reason? You can easily rout him with your mighty horns”, the Yaksha continued, “one kick from your powerful hoof and you would send him skyward. Why do you hesitate to rid yourself of this tormentor? When has a villain like this ever been reformed by gentle behaviour? A raging disease is not cured with a mild treatment”.
The Bodhisattva replied in soft words: “I know this monkey is devious and rude. This is the very reason I am patient with him. To act with my great strength against one I could easily squash is hardly forbearance, and no patience is needed in dealing with those who are kind and who are gentle. Only those strong in virtue can tolerate the mistreatment of those who are slaves to their bad behaviour. It is better to be patient with their insults than surrender one’s virtue. The opportunity to practice true patience is not easy to find. Should I not thank this monkey for providing the chance to clear my shortcomings even while he adds to his own?”
“But in this way, you’ll never be free from this persecution”, the Yaksha cried. “Villains will never respect virtue. How can you subdue them without putting your patience aside?”
“Peace and comfort gained by harming others can never lead to true happiness”, the Bodhisattva answered. “My patience towards this monkey may bring him to his senses. If not, others, with less tolerance, will surely bring him to heel. Thus, he will be forced to mend his ways, and I too will be free from his mischief.
“Well said, well said”, exclaimed the Yaksha. “It’s obvious you have assumed this animal form for a noble purpose”. With that, the Yaksha removed the monkey from the buffalo’s neck and, after giving the Great One a protective charm, the Yaksha vanished.1
Patience only exists if there’s an opportunity to show it. That is why the virtuous regard even those who trouble them as useful to their practice. So, I am very inspired and want to learn from the effort of patience that this buffalo exhibited. Peace and comfort gained by harming others can never lead to happiness. Be grateful for the opportunity to practice the effort of patience. And for those of you who might not know, this is what a buffalo looks like.
So, the Buddha said to do no evil, to do no harm, do not create suffering for self and others. The Buddha said to do good, to cultivate loving kindness. The Buddha said to save all beings and to purify your mind. These are the profound Three Pure Precepts.
The first Noble Truth begins with suffering that arises from the inevitability of change and loss. It is helpful for us and others to be present with suffering, to understand its causes and the nature of existence. This provides opportunities to practice which requires patience and equanimity in the face of being disturbed. It means to be willing to be with the suffering produced by your own cultural conditioning and karma. If we perceive how much the Earth and all the things that live in, on and around her are used primarily for human use, food, shelter, recreation, or spiritual development, we can easily see how others can suffer under the thumb of human ignorance and dominance. We all can manifest the path of non-harming and not creating suffering. Easy to say, seemingly complicated in action, speech and mind. In our understanding how deeply all things are conditioned by suffering, we aim not to create suffering and to reduce suffering whenever possible. To cause minimal harm, we must be diligent in our practice, mindfulness and compassion. We need to be flexible and adapt to the conditions and to bring stillness into acceptance, to just let things be, just let them go.
The guideline of ‘do not kill’ or ‘do not harm’ is one barometer for making choices of how to act. Our reference point of the Three Pure Precepts, along with the Bodhisattva Vows, help all who are suffering or who are in pain. This steady intention provides a grounding point for the long-distance runner, which is exactly what this practice is. We are in it for the long haul. We all need to advocate a policy of kindness, no matter how troubling the situation, take each opportunity to apply the effort of patience.
I read an article published by CNN about a mountain range in Southwest China where thousands of rhododendrons live together by changing the timing of their blooming; this enhances their ability to thrive so closely to one another. There are approximately 270 different species of rhododendron in this rich hotspot of diversity in the glacial, snow-capped peaks and coniferous forests and Alpine meadows. According to the scientific paper, there are 34 species of rhododendron that have evolved and adapted to bloom at different parts of the season, explaining their ability to thrive so close to one another. I think rhododendrons have a kind of wisdom: a knowing that there is a basic need for plants to mate with others of their own. They continue to adapt to the consequences of cross pollination. This is truly brilliant. I think that these plants have got something going there.
This is just one example, and there are myriads of others. One that I recently was introduced to was a three-part documentary made in 2016 that follows the adaptations of the Yellowstone Park due to climate change and the responses that come forth within those who abide in the Park. It’s well worth watching. And for me, it was sobering and fascinating to see the flexible acceptance which leads to changing behaviours both seen as compassionate, intuitional – and I’m sure there’s something instinctual. And they were very diligent about their behaviour. It was just amazing to see in the film.
You might have gotten the indication that I kind of like science by now. In the July 2023 Scientific American magazine, Lars Chittka wrote an article regarding bees, and he says in this article that researchers have shown that bees and some other insects are capable of intelligent behaviour that no one thought possible before. Bees, for example, can count, grasp concepts of sameness and difference, learn complex tasks by observing others and know their own body dimensions – a capacity associated with consciousness in humans. They appear to experience both pleasure and pain. I believe the Buddha was well aware of these long-reaching implications that have been brought forth in this article.
For me, the purpose of my life is to find the meaning of existence outside of existence itself. In other words, to simply look within, look inside myself, to discover the meaning. And when I do so, the solution is not so obscure. It basically consists of a knowledge of something I already am, like the rhododendrons, like the wolves, the bison, the beavers and the owls at Yellowstone Park.
We aim for boundless love and kindness, compassion, selflessness and abstain from judgement, criticism and despair when things go a little different than we had planned. So, keep an open, bright heart and be still. And having an open heart sounds lovely and it encompasses all, so be ready and still if you ask for an open heart. You may be surprised – I have been surprised – by what appears. The true nature of all things lies far beyond discussion of being same or different, transcends talk of being separate or being united. Because it is beyond past, present and future, beyond continuous and discontinuous, beyond physical form, sensation, thought, actions and consciousness.
So how do we respond and adapt to each perfect and complete moment? For me, the starting point is to establish wholesome states of body, mind and speech that are grounded in the Precepts, purified moral discipline and Right View. The observation of the Precepts leads to harmony on many levels: socially, psychologically, karmically and contemplatively. We need to do the best we can, given the options we have at the moment. It’s not about perfection, since that’s impossible 100% in every moment. So, we do our best in an imperfect situation, and this is actually perfection. It seems to me more and more that it’s about engaging non-conceptually with the current direct experience to touch the Truth. This undivided, all-inclusive, perpetual moment of the Eternal is everything. All of us. It’s Buddha Nature. It’s our job to realise it.
Our very existence causes suffering to other beings. We are all each other’s conditions. In the same breath, there are times when these are spectacular, bright and peaceful moments in harmony. Each of us brings our own set of attachments and delusions, our view and karmic tendencies, to every moment. We are human, after all, and most would agree we mess things up or make mistakes from time to time – I know it’s true for me – and this is not necessarily a problem. A practical implication is that nothing needs to be different from how it is right now for us to be OK. No problem. This understanding can yield a deep relaxation in which ups and downs unfold. Upon closer inspection, in practice, life is not exactly what words may appear to point to, not what I think. But, nonetheless, that’s where I find myself.
The Buddha was a human being who gave teachings, and I’d imagine He gave teachings to Himself, speaking of His own human situation, and gave teachings to us who are in the same predicament that He was in. And I am wondering, did the Buddha see that being a human being is basically the problem and come up with a solution of going beyond being human? The teachings encourage us to liberate ourselves; the Buddha and our teachers can only point the way. Each of us must do the work, do the Buddhist practice. The practice does not seem to be about a personal human need, but rather a way that goes beyond this without solving any of our so-called human problems. They may not get solved. They may or may not be still there. And with time, these perceived problems just may not even appear anymore. They may not be problems. Anything that is experienced is inherently absolutely perfect and comprehensive and applies to all experience. So, be gentle. I encourage you to be gentle, with patience and trust, knowing that with time and practice the Noble Eightfold Path will have its effect. To follow the Noble Eightfold Path is a matter of practice, and to apply it correctly is to understand it. And to understand it, the value of consistent training with a teacher is beyond measure. It seems to me that practicing patience and the Three Pure Precepts go hand-in-hand.
Impermanence is a constant reminder of our contrived being, and a poignant beacon that life simply keeps on going. Impermanence illuminates loss and newness in this very present moment. It’s my understanding that the doctrine of Rebirth holds that any human could be born as an animal, and any animal could be reborn as a human. The Buddha expounded that sentient beings currently living in the animal realm have been our mothers, brothers, sisters, fathers, children and friends in past rebirths. So, I find this a mind-boggling space where we’re all interconnected to all things, always. Everybody shares the Buddha Mind. There is no higher. There is no lower. There is no equal. Everything has Buddha Nature and yet not everyone can hear the Truth. What is needed is a profound change of heart and behaviour to really hear. You may study the Teachings and then not make the effort necessary to manifest in your actions what you have learned. From my experience, when we break the Precepts, our response needs to be that we are profoundly disturbed by the Truth. The danger comes when we are callous, uncaring or believe we are doing fine.
Many of you have heard this story, but I’m going to tell it again today. When I first came to the Abbey in the early 90s, it was for the sole purpose of finding a good home for the vegetables from my garden that graced the backyard. While living in LA for six years, my lifestyle did not promote gardening, but my first year while living in Mount Shasta, the garden produced so many vegetables that I couldn’t responsibly care for them all. And I’m quite certain at that time the Cosmic Buddha sent me a flyer from the Abbey because I found there that I had found a home for those precious vegetables. The Abbey accepted food donations as they do today, so, as that summer progressed, I continued to bring vegetables to the Abbey, meditating and getting to know the monks and opening up to the Buddhist Teachings. I was introduced to the Three Pure Precepts, the Ten Precepts, the 48 Lesser Precepts, as well as the guidelines for coming to the Abbey. It was here, at this very spot of the Three Pure Precepts, that I stumbled. At heart, I was already a vegetarian and had yet to figure out how to get enough protein without eating meat. The question that came to me immediately was: If I became a Buddhist, would I be required to believe that a cow, a pig or chicken raised for human consumption were more valuable than a carrot, asparagus or peas raised for human consumption? I kept asking and meditating, and the answer I remember accepting at that time was Buddhists eat vegetables to do the least amount of harm possible. And I am deeply grateful that I kept going, exploring and meditating to find out what this meant for myself. And, oh yes, it’s not whether a carrot is superior, equal or inferior to a chicken or a cow. It was my viewpoint I needed to shift. I needed to just change my perspective ever so slightly to looking at the first Pure Precept, to ‘do the least harm possible’.
The Buddha said to abstain from all evil, to do our very best in every situation, regardless of how imperfectly we perceived it. Take a step back and take a fresh look at the solutions available to all of us. “Sentient” or “non-sentient” – they are just words. That is not the deciding factor. Skin colour, eye colour, language, politics, spiritual or sexual orientation. They are not the deciding factor. From my perspective, the challenge for all of us is: how to learn to get along on this planet of billions of animals, 20 quadrillion ants (and, for the record, that’s 20,000 million millions), and numerous other beings, all things with the resources we have while creating the least harm possible.
Last year I had the honour of meeting a professor who is a scientist and eco-biologist at an introductory retreat here at the Abbey. We talked about a number of things, but kept returning, in our own individual ways, to the changes that are presenting themselves to all of us, to all things. So, how do we truly adapt and accept and see things as they truly are? In about three minutes, he taught me, in the language of science, the answer to the matter of the carrot and the cows that I spoke of earlier. It’s called ‘trophic conversion efficiency’ for matter and energy in an ecosystem which is roughly 2% between trophic levels. If I’m understanding this correctly, the simple and straightforward example I was given is this. The first trophic level are plants ‒ sun, air, water, soil. And let’s say, for this example, we have 10,000 pounds of plants. The second trophic level is cows and other vegetable-eating animals. For this example, you have to produce 200 pounds of cow. It will take 10,000 pounds of plants. The third trophic level is humans and other meat-eating animals. To produce four pounds of human it takes 200 pounds of cow. So, you can approximately feed 50 times more humans on a plant-based diet compared to an animal diet. This quickly clarified for me that I am able to create less suffering, using our precious resources and energy more wisely, by being respectful and making wise choices of what I eat.
Today we are talking about continuing to adapt to conditions, re-learning how to be flexible with a joyful heart, creating as little harm as possible. A soft and gentle mind with a kaleidoscopic perspective is in the top drawer of my toolbox. It’s really handy and I like to remember to use it whenever I can. To be respectful of all things, our gratitude knows no bounds. To trust that we have everything we need right now, including support and encouragement, is to discover it for ourselves. Due to the uninterrupted true nature of all things, nothing lacks the potential for Buddhahood. This for me is very reassuring. Regardless of what happens, the Dharmakaya will keep on endlessly and it may not be how we see, hear, or think about it. I am grateful to the Buddha for all the Teachings given so generously to us and, as the Diamond Sutra says, the Dharma is like a raft. When we have crossed the stream, we move on. We do not carry the raft with us anymore. We use the Buddhist Teachings to become wise and compassionate, not to use them to trap ourselves in a conceptual imitation of wisdom. And please remember this stream must be crossed again and again, and the Dharma is available and will be available again and again for our use.
So, I am grateful for this dear buffalo’s beautiful, enduring example. It seems the effort of patience, in part, is the enduring effort of letting go. Through meditation, we can find the Truth for ourselves, bring the mind of meditation into every aspect, let go of clinging, which causes suffering, and let compassion and wisdom within our hearts enrich our lives. Thank you.
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