Analyze This! - Part 2 of Life Sentence

Rather obvious isn't it? The story goes that the photog was at the San Quentin concert, and asked Johnny if he had a message for the Warden. This picture is the answer.

So what does that have to do with analyzing ourselves? Well, it doesn't take a degree is my point. Sometimes it's as simple as the picture, though maybe not so aggressive.

Remember that in part 1 I brought up the notion of giving ourselves to a life sentence of doing this analyzing. Now let's look at what some of that exercise of analyzing might look like.

It all starts during meditation. We learn to see the clouds of thoughts that enter the sky of our mind. Then what? Well, like clouds we let them come and go. But we become aware of them. Or, we learn to be aware of them. Let's consider some words from Patrul Rinpoche's Verses On the 5 Poisons Self Liberated, and some words from the Le'u Dun Ma prayer of Padmasambhava.

So what if you're like me? What if you return to focusing on your breathing after a thought has taken you across the universe several times, or, if like following links on web sites, you wonder just how in the hell did I get here?! That's called fabricating by some. Or there may be something you want, and you start contriving how to get it. Ah, back to the breath.... There's also inviting and chasing after thoughts. These are all activities described in the Le'u Dun Ma. The portion I want to emphasize says this: "Whatever thoughts and emotions of the five poisons arise, don't invite them, don't chase after them, don't let mind fabricate or contrive: simply allowing them to settle in the face of their own arising is the very liberation into the Dharmakaya." The idea here is to learn to gently, gently, bring your focus back to your breath. Yes, you are aware of these things. So let's add a little bit here. Patrul Rinpoche gives some particular advice for each poison.

For anger, Rinpoche tells us to not chase after the object we are angry at. Instead, look at the angry mind. All these poisons are self arising, and therefore self liberated. Beside that, they have a Buddha wisdom expression. Anger is clarity emptiness by nature, which is mirror like wisdom. So okay, on the cushion that's one thing. But later in the day, you snap. Then what? Stop right there. Take one breath and focus on it, and look at the anger, and realize it's mirror like wisdom. Yes, it's a learning moment. Here Rinpoche says recite the six syllable mantra: Om Mani Padme Hung. Just about anything you read about anger will tell you that it destroys a lot of virtue that isn't dedicated. Which is why we learn to tame our minds with an army of loving kindness and compassion.

So let me run down the poisons and their Buddha expressions:

   Anger - Don't chase after - clarity emptiness = mirror-like wisdom
   Pride - Don't cling to - original emptiness = wisdom of equality
   Desire - Don't became attached - bliss emptiness = discriminating wisdom
   Jealousy - Don't obsess - intellect emptiness = all-accomplishing wisdom
   Stupidity - Don't be mistaken about - awareness emptiness - dhamadhatu wisdom

So when these crop up, look at them, recite the mantra, and recall the instructions and beneficial aspect. That's what is meant by analyzing your delusion. As you do it more and more, you'll discover more subtle levels, and as you can see, these are practices that don't require much training, other than what practice you give yourself.

So imagine that you are Johnny Cash, and your delusion is the warden. Analyze this!