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The Profound Perfection of Liberality
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The Nature of Generosity and The Generosity of Nature by Sean Houlahan
At first glance, there doesn't seem to be much to talk about when it comes to the concept of generosity. After all, everybody knows what generosity is, right? Once I spent some time with it, though, I began to get a glimpse of how truly profound a concept it is. In "Gems of Dharma, Jewels of Freedom," Gampopa talks about the gradual progression in the development of the paramis (perfections of virtue), quoting the mahayana-sutralankara: "What comes later arises from a ground prepared by what comes before" (p. 164). This simple statement opens the concept of generosity to vast new dimensions. Very fertile soil is said to be generous. Thus, generosity is related to generation. Both of these words are derived from a widespread Indo-European root meaning "engender." The creation of the universe is an act of generosity, and generosity is the very nature of the universe. The phrase "the gift of life" has become cliche, but that is exactly what this universe -- and this life -- is: a gift. The ultimate question in metaphysics is, "Why is there something instead of nothing?" Although there may be no answer to this, simply contemplating it gives rise to the possibility that there doesn't need to be anything, that the fact of the universe is an act of generosity. This act is not limited to the first, primordial moment. Generosity is intrinsic to every moment. The universe is created by the interaction of its constituent parts. Every quark, electron, atom, molecule, cell, organ, and living being is in constant communication with its surroundings. This transmission of energy/ information is the recreation of the primordial gift, and is fundamentally necessary for there to be a universe. Generosity generates the universe. (Of course, all this giving is balanced by taking - we are constantly supporting and being supported by the other.) This is what Robert Aitken calls "natural charity": "It is with the Dana Paramita that the Buddha's teaching of universal harmony is put into practice. Mutual interdependence becomes mutual intersupport. It is practice that is not only Buddhist but perennial as well. The Earth itself flourishes by what Emerson calls the endless circulation of the divine charity: 'The wind sows the seed, the sun evaporates the sea, the wind blows the vapor to the field... the rain feeds the plant, the plant feeds the animal.' The very stars hold themselves on course through a mutual interchange of energy"Generosity is simply what the universe does, how it behaves. Perhaps this is what generates the joy of giving -- it arises spontaneously when I harmonize myself with the way the universe works by entering into natural charity. And if this is to be a truly natural charity, it must arise spontaneously. This is obvious if we contrast it with "unnatural charity": giving that is forced, is seen as a duty, does not provide any joy. Although this natural charity arises spontaneously, it will be supported by an understanding of karma, compassion, and emptiness. A recognition of the reality of karma should lead me to more wholesome activity, even if only for my own benefit. Compassion for other beings should generate the desire to help alleviate their suffering. And Gampopa states that the power of primordial wisdom elevates (or increases) generosity (Gems, p. 176). This "primordial wisdom" is the understanding of the nature of emptiness, recognizing the giver, the gift, and the receiver to be like a conjuration -- it is all a magical, mysterious display of interdependent arising. But, how can I practice something that, ideally, should arise spontaneously? One approach to take is to watch my not-giving: "Though we can't make ourselves into totally giving persons just by thinking, we can notice when we don't totally give. We hide our self-centred motivations from ourselves; practice helps us to realize just how self-centred we are. The truth is that at any moment, we are as we are. We need to experience this, to know our thoughts and bodily feelings, and then slowly our experience can turn itself over. We don't have to do it. It just turns itself over. We can't make ourselves be a certain way. To imagine otherwise is one of the biggest traps in practice. But we can notice our intolerance and unkindness, our laziness and the other games we play. As we notice how we really are, things slowly begin to turn - as they are with many of my students. It is wonderful to see. When the turnover happens, the kindness or giving-ness spreads. That's what practice is about. Instead of a new ideal - 'I don't want to visit him this afternoon, but I should be giving' - we act, and experience what goes on with us. So please: give, give, give - and practice, practice, practice. It is the Way."This emphasis on my intolerance and unkindness can be depressing, because at this stage of the path I want to be different, but I'm learning what I really am. It is important to remember that this is a process: "[The Buddha's] work from the beginningless past through the endless future is to liberate himself and others. It is our work as well. Nobody, least of all the Buddha, can say, 'I have accomplished it'... Any residue of self- centred conduct, speech, or thought is wiped away. Any residue of that wiping away is then wiped away and so on endlessly - each day more liberated, each day more joyous. There are milestones on the path, as the Buddha found under the Bodhi tree, but they are no more than milestones, and are not any kind of ultimate consummation. Perfection is a process"This process is a dialogue between my heart and the other, because generosity is really openheartedness: "[The] notion of surrendering is very important. The greatest gift we can make is to open and expose ourselves" (Chogyam Trungpa, "The Heart of the Buddha," p. 67). When I am able to open myself to the other, I not only give to them but also to myself. Every moment of openness loosens me up so that I may be more open in the future. Openheartedness leads to giving, which leads to greater open-heartedness. This is the giving and taking, the mutual intersupport, that is at the heart of the universe: "The gift itself is food - often in fact, always by analogy. Its virtue is absorbed, renewed, and passed on to nurture all beings." (Aitken, "Practice," p.6).
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