Part I: My Buddhist Beginnings
I am a volunteer resident living at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (CTTB). I teach ESL to the CTTB laymen and monks at Dharma Realm Buddhist University. I’d like to describe to you my practice, because it’s in a form that I especially enjoy. It’s a form of devotional practice, which can be called the Guanyin Dharma Door. It’s a practice where I devote much of my cultivation to Guanshiyin (Avalokiteshvara) Bodhisattva.
Guanyin Bodhisattva is a powerful being that is very involved in this world. He’s known for hearing the sounds of the world, which is the meaning of his name. I think of him as being like a mother sitting on a bench who is watching her four children (this can represent the four directions) playing at a playground. If any one of her children gets scared or hurt and calls out to her for help, she instantly rushes over to take care of her child and soothe him or her. It’s very easy for her to diligently watch over her four children playing at the playground. In the same way, although there are many living beings that can call out to Guanyin Bodhisattva for help, because of the tremendous power he has due to his vast vows and infinite compassion, it’s very easy for him to listen for his name and instantly appear to help suffering beings.
Before I explain the Dharma Door that I practice, I would like to explain some of my background in Buddhism and how I have come to cultivate this devotional form of cultivation. What immediately attracted me to Buddhism were several things. One of the many aspects of Buddha Dharma that I was attracted to was its rational viewpoint towards the world, which seemed to clearly describe the way the world works and the fundamental problem behind existence. That was the wisdom aspect of the Dharma that attracted me. I was also very attracted to the meditational aspect of the Dharma, because I was finally given an opportunity to actually take the initiative of spiritual progress and transformation into my own hands. Meditation is empowering, because with it you are no longer reliant on the grace of God or anyone else outside of yourself to improve the condition of your mind and spirit. You can take up the practice and immediately enjoy its benefits. The only thing that stops you from progressing is your own lack of cultivation.
So I started my journey on the Buddhist Path with a very left-brained, rational approach. The rational approach didn’t last for very long, however, once I dove into more profound concepts, such as the concepts of emptiness, non-duality, equality, and the dream-like nature of reality. In order to fathom the mystical implications of these concepts, I had to crack open my own rationality like a nut in order to expose the profundity lying deeper within the mind and spirit. However, there is still the need for rationality and the left-brain, which is required in discriminating between proper teachings v. improper teachings and delusion v. clarity. The left-brain grounds you, while the right-brain allows you to open your mind up to broader spiritual vistas. Thus, in my opinion, neither should be abandoned, because they both play important roles on the Path.
The other aspect of my initial attraction to Buddhism, meditation, has strongly stuck with me throughout the years. For me, it is the most direct approach to dealing with the scatteredness of the mind. In my opinion, a scattered mind is a field of afflictions, because it is like a fertile field that is conducive to the future growth of afflictions, which are like rampant weeds choking off the medicinal and wholesome plants, such as virtues, wisdom, and inner calm and equanimity. In my opinion, the meditative basis of my practice is similar to most Westerners, who are also attracted to the meditative aspect of Buddhism.
Thank you for sharing your insights.
dear brooks,
i have read and enjoyed your statement a number of times. it is most impressive in how clear and calm it is. one can almost feel the sense of meditation while reading it. i also personally feel the importance of your observations on distractions or “a scattered mind is a field of afflictions.’ you state that so well. unfortunately, i am far too often conscious of my scattered mind presenting me with a “field of afflictions” rather than the two or three healthy plants that might evolve if i were to focus more.
i also personally like your association with guanyin, primarily because s/he (?) is the bodhisattva of the central seacoast region of china where i usually go, including putuo shan where there is a statue about 50 feet high by the sea. s/he does radiate a healthy sense of being.
among my activities at the moment (i don’t want to call them distractions)is working with a muslim womens foundation… i invited the board to meet at my apartment and among those present was an imam who is a true scholar. such a gift to listen to such a learned, flexible and open mind for about four hours. i will try to hold off on the distractions but will note i’m thinking of going back to china for 2-3 weeks again this year.
and maybe i can even distract you long enough for another visit to new york when you come east:>)
thanks for sharing your experiences with all of us, uncle bill
Hi Valerie and Uncle Bill,
Thanks for leaving your comments.
Brooks
Hi Brooks,
I truly enjoyed reading your article because you write so eloquently and sincerely. Your words inspire me to continue my practice with diligence! Uncle Bill has gotten me interested in visiting Putuo Shan where the impressive Guan Yin statue he described is located. I’ve never been there and am now interested in seeing the statue for myself! It would be fun to get together again with you and Uncle Bill if you are on the East Coast!
Liz Wong
@Liz
Hi Liz, I highly recommend you visit Putuoshan if you ever get the chance. It was while at that island that my heart stirred for the first time for Guanyin Bodhisattva. I’m actually going to write more about that experience in a later post. Take care!