Mara, Tawa and Nangwa

Preference can be a Mara that takes away our inner freedom. When we feel that we’re not getting what we want or that we’re in some kind of unfavorable situation, it can bring about suffering and hinder the opening of our hearts. There is a view and meditation practice that can help us free ourselves from the grip of this Mara.

Sojong Reminder from Anam Thubten 5/2020 Dear Dharma friends, When we gaze at a beautiful full moon or the golden light of the sun setting, our mind stops. Thoughts of past and future dissolve and whatever we were struggling with is put to rest. There is only the present moment in which we’re in perfect harmony with the universe. It’s as if the universe has generously offered us the grace to taste the sublime beauty of existence, unfiltered by the mind. Otherwise, our minds are almost always judging what is arising and we are reacting with either aversion or attachment. This is the source of our suffering, and it can only be uprooted if we look deeply inside. No amount of physical comfort or external “perfection” will ever completely ease such woes. There are basic conditions, such as food and shelter, that comfort us and help us to be strong and healthy. Our lives are showered with these benevolent things. At the same time, there are circumstances that also challenge us. Many of these circumstances don’t present any real danger in our lives, but nonetheless, they go against our desires. Whenever we’re in a state of distress, the truth is that most of time it’s not because our existence is threatened, but rather our desires are not being fulfilled. Our modern world is so good at feeding our desires and making them ever more powerful. It seems that people of the past lived much more simple lives. They had to develop resilience to face all kinds of hardships. Preference can be a Mara that takes away our inner freedom. When we feel that we’re not getting what we want or that we’re in some kind of unfavorable situation, it can bring about suffering and hinder the opening of our hearts. There is a view and meditation practice that can help us free ourselves from the grip of this Mara. Tawa, or view, is considered the most important among the means to awakening. In this context, view refers to an enlightened perspective that counters our typical and limited dualistic perspective on life. One aspect of this enlightened view is to see that whatever is unfolding in one’s life is Nangwa, or appearance. From this perspective, we do not let our mind judge things as favorable or unfavorable, but we see things as they are. We see what is arising as life happening on its own, just like the universe is doing everything without consulting with us. This may sound like living in a state of indifference, but rather it’s having the freedom and discernment to choose right action in this ever changing life. During this Sojong, let’s take time to review how we have been living and responding to the world from the inside. Let’s hold the commitment to carry an enlightened outlook as a sacred anchor from which we welcome everything. With palms joined, Anam Thubten