Doing Dharma Work with Undharmic Approach
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
Dear Sherry,
Everyone has different approaches and methods to do dharma work. If someone is detrimental in their approach then you must think, HOW CAN I HELP THAT PERSON. If you are in dharma work, YOU have to have a dharma attitude towards those who do not or in between. You must think what can I do, or what example can I show to slowly influence this person and other persons to transform their method as they are in the right place…
Analogy. If we are in a small hospital and there are a few good doctors, one doctor is tempermental and difficult but still save many lives, would it be better to slowly transform this doctor’s mind or kick him out?
Another anology. Dharma, dharma institutions, dharma ppl cater to all types of personalities just like a hospital. When we go to the hospital, why is everyone not healed. Why is there still sick ppl? Why did some die? Because it is a hospital. Similarily, when ppl come to dharma, they are ‘sick’, so in a dharma organization you have many levels of healing and some take more time to heal. But the important thing is to stop asking WHY ARE THERE DIFFICULT PEOPLE IN THE DHARMA? You have to ask, HOW CAN I HELP THEM..IF I CANNOT HELP THEM, WHY AM I LACKING TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM?? They are in need of help and hence that is why they are in the dharma. In dharma do not look for walking, breathing, talking, living Buddhas!! Instead you will find egotistical, difficult, disturbed, unhappy, termpermental characters and THAT IS WHY THEY ARE IN THE DHARMA. At least these ppl looked for help.
Now it’ time for us to be patient and kind and SEE HOW WE CAN TURN IT AROUND AND TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY UPON OURSELVES TO TRANSFORM THESE PEOPLE WITH OUR LOVE, PATIENCE AND GENEROSITY. We need to stop asking why these ppl are like this although they are in the dharma, but how we can help? What examples can I set? How I have a chance to practice REAL DHARMA WITH THESE PPL WHO IN MY EYES ARE NOT PRACTICING DHARMA JUST TO ACCOMPLISH THE ENDS…what a golden opportunity for me to perfect my attitude and methods to help them and others.
Seeing their ‘wrong’ methods as a golden teaching to not do it in the same manner…seeing their wrong methods as a teaching and opportunity for you to further do dharma work by transforming yourself further. After all, the real intent of dharma work is to transform yourself so your work is dharma. I do understand there are very difficult ppl out there who find it hard to change because of overwhelming negative karma ripening and also decades of habituation, but that should serve as an inspiration for us to do more dharma while we can. Make our minds even stronger and even more determined seeing the results of negative karma fruitioning and it would be difficult to change and we would be stuck….. So we must transform now. Seeing difficult ppl should motivate us to do dharma work and dharma transformation even stronger. Like when we see someone crossing the road and a car is coming, it should motivate us to move faster, shout louder to get them out of car’s way they didn’t see coming..
For those ppl who are doing dharma work with the undharmic methods, we forgive them as they would be even worse off if they didn’t do any dharma. Ultimately take it as a great teaching making sympathy arise within you and forgiving them. When it is necessary to be firm to them and say please don’t treat me this way, then we have to tell them.
Tsem Rinpoche
Dear rinpoche,
yes, doing dharma work is fantastic. however, what’s your opinion on this – if for example, someone in all his/her determination to do dharma work and benefit kechara, oppresses, mistreats or was unkind to other people to attain the “dharma results”. what do you think of this “robin hood” approach?
If you have previously written about such a topic, do point me to the article so that i can read about your thoughts.
Thank you for your time.
From Sherry
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In Buddhism, Dharma refers to the teachings of the Buddha and the true nature of reality. It also encompasses principles like the Eightfold Path, which guides individuals towards enlightenment and liberation from suffering. A Dharma attitude involves fulfilling one’s responsibilities and duties towards oneself, others, and the environment. Dharma work helps us to focus on benefiting others instead of ourselves. Each one of us has different ideas, approaches and methods to do dharma work. As long as its benefits others and
taking responsibility for our own actions transforming others with love and generosity. It is important to embrace our imperfections as embracing puts us on a better path of acceptance and self-discovery.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this.
Thank You Rinpoche for this précised teachings. Take responsibility of what we are doing in our life. Everyone of us go through difficult situations in life. But always think and behave in a more positive and optimistic way . Taking responsibility for our attitude, change our attitude, and the way we look at things that will change our life. Nobody’s perfect, we learned from mistakes , everybody’s got regrets. We say wrong things and we do wrong things and fall. We have to accept failure ,we learn from there and grow. Doing Dharma work and take whatever responsibility to improve ourselves. Doing Dharma work is to transform our minds , we are trapped in samsara through one life after another until we find awakening through enlightenment. We all have different strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to embrace our imperfections and work on improving ourselves, helping and benefit others.
No one is perfect. Whether we are working in secular job or dharma center, we are “sick”. We should respect those who choose to do dharma work because in some way they are “letting go” of their secular job which can give them greater income as well as fame and power. They are seeking ways to cure themselves knowing or unknowingly.
Therefore, when we find someone is difficult, remind ourselves that they behave in such manners are due to their karma. When we see others’ flaws, we should check on ourselves too because we may not be any better. Treat every person and any situations as conditions for us to practice what we have learnt. Our transformation can be inspirations to many.
This article reminds me about Atisha Dipamkara Shrijnana who love to have difficult students. With this, he can practice to be patience and there is a famous quote mentioned ‘Nobody’s perfect” because we are born in one of the six realms. Hence, is part and parcel of life for us to practice until we achieve Enlightenment.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing.
It is true that we are all ‘sick’ at different level whether we realise or not. No matter what, since we are engaging in dharma practise we must transform our mind to understand the differences of people. It is only by right understanding and view that we are able to help ourselves and others in dharma practise.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. This article reminds me of the Dharma work that I am doing. The purpose of doing Dharma work is to transform our minds and eventually help and benefit others from it. It may be difficult in the beginning but later on it will become a habituation for us. Be kind and doing good will gain us more good karma and merits. It is time for us to think what we want for our lives.
With folded palms,
Vivian
Thank you Rinpoche for teaching.
I remembered Rinpoche said that Kechara is like a hospital, we are sick and that’s why we are here. So, do not expect all are perfect!
If seeing people who is difficult, I will keep pushing myself to be a better person and transform better to influence them. I am also grateful that I have the chance to do Dharma work and I should do more and create the cause to be with Rinpoche to serve Rinpoche life after life and spread Dharma to others.
May the merits generated from my effort in my work, will create the cause for Rinpoche to live long and always turn the wheel of Dharma.
Thank you Rinpoche.
This is a good post that teaches us that a change in attitude changes the way we look at things and it is how we look at everything that results in an emotion that we ultimately have live with and work out of. If we perceive something from our normal filter of expectations and what we perceive fails our expectations we become upset and not much good can come out of that. The example of a dharma centre as a hospital is a brilliant one. How we look at the imperfections can either drive us and others away from Dharma, or present opportunities for us to practice kindness and understanding. The former leaves us feeling bitter and jaded, and the latter gives us hope and purpose. Ultimately we own the result of our own thoughts.
In any given situation, we can look for reasons to fail our own transformation or we can look for reasons to progress it. But our dharma practice does not have to necessarily centre on what others are doing and how they are behaving. It is just as handy for us to check if our actions are inspirations for people to seek the Dharma or a put off.
Dear Rinpoche, this teaching is very clear and straight-forward.
Seeing others ‘fault’ as a good teaching and reminder for me not to do the same. And I should transform myself further to help those who need help. Stop asking why, because asking why is easier than thinking of HOW to solve the problem. I might have the answer for the ‘why’ but the answer couldn’t help to resolve the problem if I don’t think of how and put it in action.
Why I do Dharma? to transform. Why Dharma is to transform ourselves? Because I want my Dharma work to benefit others so I must transform myself to become a better and stronger person.
“After all, the real intent of dharma work is to transform yourself so your work is dharma.”
I want my work is Dharma, I don’t wish to regret when I’m dying.
To develop patience is already difficult for many. But to take it to the level of patient acceptance to benefit others require very advance cultivation and training of one’s mind. However the effort no matter how difficult, is more than worth it as the result is a beautiful mind which can subdue anger , arguably the most destructive force in this universe.
I agree with what SM said here in last para. For most of us,I believe we can find answers to all our needs in Rinpoche’s teachings since he set foot in Malaysia almost two decades ago.
Sometimes we think that we must have private tuition from Masters.It is kind of selfish to think like that.
Actually all of Rinpoche’s teachings are private tuition. Although it may be directed at someone else it is just as applicable to us.The problems it address may not be ours at this point in time, but the same can happen to us later when the conditions are ripe.
I collect Rinpoche’s teachings from his blog, Youtube, smses ,and put it in various folders in my pc so that I can refer and reflect upon them regularly. I always can find answers to problem/questions which pop up in my daily life from this treasure trove of advice and teachings.It is my most dependable source in helping me to check my understanding of Dharma.
I truly believe this is a very effective way for modern day people to receive teachings at the click of a botton. How kind of Rinpoche to understand our needs and to teach via modern methods of communication.
When doing dharma work, a lot of our negative emotions, reactions, and etc will come out. We should rejoice and move on. Experience it and MOVE ON.
We are a mental institution, all of us have our problems, attachments, emotions and etc. Working in Dharma does not mean that we are perfect or we are healed. Rinpoche told me many years ago that by healing others, we ourselves will be healed. And I believe that as I see more of Rinpoche students transforming. From selfish monsters to selfless angel. They key is INTERNALISING the teachings, act on it and then results will be automatic.
What I’ve learned also is not to complain and just do. This teaching below by Rinpoche was recorded in the old Tsem Ladrang. When I hear this, it makes me realised that we do not need to wait for Rinpoche to teach us directly cause he already taught us, It does not matter whether you are new or old, we just need to go to YOU TUBE and Rinpoche’s blog. The answers to happiness are in there.
Watch this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkDDugHTKWw
Thank you Rinpoche for this reminder. The comment by Sherry shows how important it is for us who do Dharma work to represent the Dharma and our Guru correctly. People who do Dharma work have a great responsibility to carry ourselves well so that people who encounter us will be motivated to practice Dharma and use it as a guiding light in their lives. How we carry ourselves is a reflection of how successful our Dharma practice is. Like it or not, we are advertisement for Dharma, good or bad, depending on us.
Thank you, Rinpoche, for this teaching again. When doing dharma work one faces people of different personalities and behaviour. The most challenging part is how to react when one is in this situation. However, there is a saying “everything that annoys us about others can help us to understand ourselves”. So the best way is to understand and transform oneself instead of being judgmental of others.
Thank you Rinpoche!! I have been wondering about the same for a long time and this elucidated and helped me put things in perspective. The hospital analogy is perfect and to come across this while being hospitalized myself since the last 3 weeks provides a much deeper meaning!!
With folded hands,
MY
Thank you ,Rinpoche, for this timely reminder that one shouldn’t be always ‘judgmental’ of others; that one has to remember and remind oneself that one is imperfect, nay, full of flaws(maybe not the ones we see in the people whom we criticize, but still equally great flaws as theirs); that one is in Dharma to benefit all beings, not a selected few.
One has to patiently and systematically work on one’s mind that is habituated with all the wrong perceptions and assumptions, including the above.
One keeps not seeing that dharma practice and mind transformation
lie in the way we react to people around us especially so-called difficult people.
Buddhas didn’t appear in Samsara to teach other Buddhas how to be better but to help ordinary, trapped, deluded and confused beings like us. Teachers didn’t open dharma centres to help other teachers. In a dharma centres, do not expect perfect members, but expect all types of characters and be encouraged they are there even seeking change. ~Tsem Rinpoche
Dear Rinpoche,
How to transform a family member with different blood and he/she is hurting and ignoring us at the same time? After many times/years trial, eventually we will be tiring to give up,demotivated sometimes and lose focus in our life. Feeling sence of failure and dragging down. Is this called my inability or it’s time to let go?
Another case in corporate world. There’s some people misused their power, using negative words to demoralise the employee and creating unhealthy politics. In this case, how to make them a better one? The poor employee leaving and accept the karma or record the misbehaved to fight for justice? Is recording the truth considering giving lesson,saving the rest? or creating enemy and more karma?
Thank you and please forgive me (my negative thoughts).
Thank you Rinpoche for this teaching which will be a useful reference for my dharma work. With the analogies, I understand much better now what it takes to do Dharma work well. Being a very impatient person, I need heaps of patience to deal with people, respecting them as individuals who have their own needs and wants, and who will do things differently from me. This teaching has reminded me to take time to understand people and to take the responsibility onto myself to change my attitude and the way I look at things.
What an apt and special reminder. Rinpoche has taught this before but it is always appropriate, always relevant and always helpful to revisit these teachings, especially for people who are impatient like me, who think, “Well, if there’s a thorn in the flower, get rid of the thorn” instead of working on making the flower grow bigger.
It is special to have read this on Kuan Yin day too – what better way to realise Kuan Yin’s compassionate ways than to start with the people we work with so many hours a day.
Resolution: stop being such a b&*^$!!!!
Thank you Rinpoche for the teaching. Initially I have my perceptions of how someone in Dharma should be behave and I stand on higher moral grounds judging them. What gives me the right? I am not perfect…
dear rinpoche,
thank you for this quick, insightful, eloquent and enlightening response. as with most human beings, i am also at fault for focusing too much on a person’s flaws and not being able to find the necessary strength or courage to want to reach out, be it out of apathy, fear and/or ignorance.
that would be my internal battle and one which i hope to address. once again, thank you.
regards,
sherry