Seven Treasures Of The Noble

"The seven treasures of the Noble ones are faith, discipline, contemplation, generosity, integrity, conscience, and wisdom. Buddha invited each of us as well as all of society to cultivate these qualities as the basis of well-being. This is why we are often told in the Buddhist liturgies that every human being will be able to attain these wholesome characteristics."

Sojong Reminder for the month of March / 2018 from Anam Thubten

Dear Dharma Friends,

The seven treasures of the Noble ones are faith, discipline, contemplation, generosity, integrity, conscience, and wisdom. Buddha invited each of us as well as all of society to cultivate these qualities as the basis of well-being. This is why we are often told in the Buddhist liturgies that every human being will be able to attain these wholesome characteristics. Not only are we walking a noble path by having them, we will also be truly happy inside regardless of what is occurring in our exterior life. Nagarjuna said that we should regard our worldly wealth and attainments as meaningless in comparison to the inner wealth of the noble ones. They are not just qualities that belong to a few exceptional individuals, but are universal values that everyone can develop if they are truly sincere. The following is a simple definition of six of the qualities, and a longer one concerning integrity. Faith is trusting our inner journey and our own Buddha nature, our inherent goodness. Discipline is keeping our state of mind and actions in the matrix of the dharma, Generosity is the act of giving love and material things to others who will benefit. Conscience is the awareness that keeps us from causing harm. Wisdom is the insight about the nature of reality that springs from deep reflection. Among these six qualities, integrity is very important. Without integrity we would lead a shallow life. Integrity is our courageous willingness to live according to our highest ideals. There are times in our life when we feel that we might not be able to live up to our principles because of our fear of losing something, such as the approval of others or our attachment to things that give our ego comfort or a false sense of glory. There are many human beings who inspire us by their willingness to stand up for their principles with great courage. Many are not necessarily saints or spiritual celebrities, but ordinary people who live among us every day. There are many different levels of integrity and principles and many varied circumstances in which we find them tested. We must establish these principles from the deepest place within our heart using the wisdom of discernment. In the end, we might be the only ones who truly know whether or not we are maintaining our own integrity. Hrih is the Sanskrit word for integrity and has the connotation of calling on oneself to be a witness of one’s own mind and motives in order to make sure that they’re in alignment with one’s spiritual values. Just like the tale in the Jataka where a Bodhisattva robber’s noble intentions were tested by a benevolent spirit, there are moments when life tests our integrity. Imagine a situation that gives us a great deal of benefits if we allow ourselves to be part of it. However, we might find that this situation is full of problems and is no longer serving the best interest of everyone. The question is should we allow ourselves to serve it or take a step back away from it? Each time we choose to live with integrity that has wisdom, we become bigger inside and feel more unconditional happiness. During this month’s Sojong, let’s hold the intention to cultivate these qualities of inner wealth and live them to the best of our ability. Let’s allow ourselves to appreciate and see this wealth in each of us. With palms joined, Anam Thubten