Refuge Talk Three : Other-Power Refuge

[Susthama]

[Dharmavidya]

Additional notes on Other Power Refuge

This corresponds to the man finding the jewel in his cloak. Here again the impetus comes from outside the person. One has to encounter Buddha or a good teacher who is able to point it out before one discovers the riches that one has been carrying. At this point, however, there is a spiritual danger. The danger would be that the man finding the jewel might think that this must have been his property all along. This signifies that the person who arrives at this point after a period of self-power striving is in danger of thinking that this awakening is the product or result of his own striving. However, there parable makes clear that the jewel was given to him by his friend on the earlier occasion. If he thinks that the jewel is the result of his own work he is liable to become proud instead of grateful and to either display the jewel without using it in and productive way or to squander it on self-indulgence. This is the danger of the pratyakabuddha path. There s spiritual awakening but to no benefit. Whereas when the man realises both that he has the jewel and that it is a free gift from his friend he is filled with gratitude and he realises that all his former striving was actually not necessary. He therefore claims no credit for himself. He has the sense of humility, in fact, because he realises that he has received this grace even though his own conduct had been foolish.

[Nina Wara Villanueva Rance]

Thank you vey much for this output. By hearing, reading and head scratching for a few moments...I'm now thinking about Gratitude replacing that sense of one's 'own striving' that may come after an inner realization, or what one percieves it to be an inward experience. it's so easy to confuse the path one took to get there in the first place.
Being open to the idea of Buddha, from a personal history perspective, has come after connecting many 'bits' or pieces that before existed in isolation but, nevertheless where the product of interactions, others experience and creativity... perhaps even many obstacles that were fortunatley encountered.
Pleasant dreams,
Namo Amida Bu

[Dharmavidya]

Thank you, Nina. Yes, we each have our personal path and then something else happens. After that the path is not really 'ours' any more. Warm wishes - Namo Amida Bu - D.

[Katrien Sercu]

It's so beautiful to see your hands moving, Dharmavidya: with clenched fists for self-power and with open hands for other-power...
This third talk makes me happy, grateful and silent. The words: there is no way back..one becomes an instrument of the Buddha's way, a part of the big story...on a more unconscious way, by the grace that one receives. When one forget it a moment- an hour, a day, even a week-..it still is there, like the sun behind the clouds and in the storm. So one (and I) goes with this way, even when I doubt sometimes or when I'm afraid or too proud or not good enough/imperfect, too much thinking, without trust in people.... I don't have to be afraid that I will lose connection with life, people, Amida.. when I'm too foolish, in anxious moments. I may trust that we all are embedded in this wholesomeness. Yes, this gives gratitude and joy! The image of the seed, the stem and now the flower is so inspiring. Without sun, rain, earth, air... there was no flower, even when the seed was sleeping in the earth. A flower cannot be spiritual in danger, because she cannot think that she grows from her own power; we can think this and...sometimes I think this. She just receive and accept and grows,without questions.
To be an instrument of the Buddha's way, for the benefit of all...thank You, Amida-Buddha. Namo Amida Bu

[Kuvalaya]

"A flower cannot be spiritual in danger, because she cannot think that she grows from her own power... She just receive and accept and grows,without questions."

That's beautiful Katrien, thank you!

[Kuvalaya]

"The point of irreversibility" - I like that. It is as though with self-power refuge, you can still decide "nah, not for me, " put it down and walk away, maybe even in a sense of defeat. Maybe you feel that you couldn't quite hack it, whatever it was that you were trying to achieve, best just to let it go. However, once other-power refuge takes hold, in whatever way it does, slowly of suddenly, it's completely out of your hands. You can't go back, you can't renounce. I don't think this is a bad thing, I feel like there's an open-heartedness, a sense of relief and surrender and real sense "it's going to be ok". And from this surrender you keep practicing but you now don't feel the need to be in control, to drive your spiritual journey and development. Simply being available, open and trying to be as useful as possible is what is necessary.

I suppose that this is my personal and current interpretation of what you were speaking about. I'm curious to hear other people's. =)

Thank you for these 4 talks, I have really enjoyed them.

[Katrien Sercu]

Thanks for your words Rachel: you see and feel other accents and this complete more my current interpretation. It's nice to see you again here! And I'm wondering for reactions of other friends of Amida. Warm greetings.