All Dharma Share a Single Purpose
Sojong Reminder from Anam Thubten
Dear Dharma friends,
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Buddhist practices can be very complex. There are so many of them that sometimes it can be difficult to conclude what is at the very heart of all of them. At times, we may find ourselves touching just the surface of the teachings rather than truly understanding the depth of the message. This is an age-old challenge that many wise teachers of the past have discussed. We can experience bliss, peace, and even a sense of redemption while still missing the whole point of the practice. This can be a very slippery situation on the path.
What is the main purpose of all of the Buddhist practices? This is an extremely important question that all Dharma practitioners should ask themselves now and then. It’s not so much about consulting with a spiritual mentor to find an answer, but it is a question we can ask ourselves. Perhaps most of us already know the answer, but we should continue to contemplate the question continuously on our path. This will help us to stay focused and not wander off course. It may sound contradictory, but spirituality is a realm filled with numerous illusions and delusions that can easily trap us.
The perfect answer is pretty much everywhere. You can open a text, such as The Seven Points of Mind Training by Geshe Chekawa. He synthesizes this whole answer in one single sentence, “All Dharmas share a single purpose.” Commentators often interpret this very rich line by stating that it means to tame our ego. So this tells us that all the practice that we’re doing in the Buddhist tradition is really about taming our ego, and everything else is secondary to it.
Ego is not just the sense of being separate from everything else but a very powerful mental and psychological phenomenon. It revolves around a sense of “I” and “me.” It’s also the vortex of all kinds of human neurosis, like greed, self-importance, shame, jealousy, unhealthy desire, passive-aggressive behavior, ulterior motives – the list goes on. The most humorous thing is that this neuroticism can appear in the form of spirituality if we’re not mindful. For example, someone can be very disciplined with spiritual practice, sit for hours every day, but can still be lacking in such introspection, and all of their neurosis comes out when they get off of the meditation cushion.
We should never let our guard down with ego. Every now and then, we should look inside and see our own ego in the most non-judgmental way. When we look inside, we may also see some unwholesome aspects of ourselves. Whenever such insight occurs, remember to not judge ourselves as we’re not alone. This is what all human beings are experiencing. Then the practice is to remember to not be ruled by our own ego and the powerful habits of the mind. So “taming the ego” is kind of archaic language, but it really means to not let ourselves be ruled by our ego.
During this sojong, I invite everyone to contemplate this very rich phrase from The Seven Points of Mind Training, “All Dharmas share a single purpose.” Then hold the commitment to apply this wisdom in everyday life.
With palms joined,
Anam Thubten
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