Lojong Practice Journal: Always maintain only a joyful mind
The 59 slogans through a social justice lens
‘Always maintain only a joyful mind’ is a slogan I found easier to contemplate when I looked at a few other translations. In Traleg Kyabgon’s book, The Practice of Lojong, this slogan is translated as ‘Always have the support of a joyful mind’, which definitely has a different feeling to the translation overseen by Chögyam Trungpa, and is closer to my own sense of what this slogan is instructing.
‘Always maintain only a joyful mind’ sounds like we are being told we should always try to be happy, in all situations. This is an absurd notion, and counter to the four noble truths, which instruct us to acknowledge that suffering is a part of life, and a part of life only made worse by trying to ignore it.
‘Always have the support of a joyful mind’, however, aims our attention towards what we are trying to cultivate. It’s not that we need to always be happy, but that a mind oriented towards joy is going to be more supportive than one oriented towards misery, despondency, or pessimism.
While I definitely think this translation is an improvement to the first, it’s the Padmakara’s translation that I like best: ‘Always be sustained by cheerfulness’.
Regardless of the translation, this slogan is about understanding that the most effective attitude to cultivate, regardless of our circumstances or emotions, is one that uplifts us. It’s not about being happy all the time or finding the silver lining to every single difficulty. It’s about seeing how every situation, no matter how difficult or uncomfortable or painful, is an opportunity to wake up. If everything we experience is an opportunity on the path of enlightenment, we can always, even when we are in the midst of grief or rage or fear, find a way to practice. Rather than swinging between optimism and pessimism, we can see the potential in being alive and our ability to contemplate, learn, and grow as a way to cultivate wisdom and compassion.
I don’t always look at the difficult things in my life as opportunities. I also don’t believe that ‘everything happens for a reason’ so much as we decide what meaning to give the experiences we have. We get to choose the point of our own lives, which means we get to decide what to do with the circumstances of that life.
I’ve chosen the point of my life to be love. Love seems to be a pretty great purpose for living. And when I pause to consider the more challenging or painful parts of my life, I see how living through adversity helps me to show up better for others. I have more compassion for others for having stayed present with myself in some incredibly difficult times. I can’t go so far as to say I now look forward to difficulties, but I no longer see them as something to resist or dread; I see them for the opportunity they have for me to connect even deeper with my own humanity, and therefore the humanity of others — and that is something I can always be joyful about.
Originally published on Medium.
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I like the phrasing "Always be sustained by cheerfulness" *. I am a naturally cheerful person, even though I sometimes feel very sad and pessimistic, but my cheerfulness usually wins at the end of the day. It is so interesting that the Buddhist teachers of old knew things we only now rediscover: that it is good for your mental and physical health to smile and to laugh. There are now studies that prove this: blood pressure, immune system and much more benefit from a smile. Sure, a war won't stop being horrific just because you smile, but neither will a frown change the situation. Being able to laugh lightens the burden.
Most of us don't live in a war zone, most of us just have to contend with noisy neighbors or grumpy coworkers or with bad weather or the fact that one has run out of milk. These things are peanuts. One might as well laugh at them and stop taking everything so seriously. I think the slogan is great advice.
* I tried to find the Padmakara translation, but I got lost in lots of Shambala titles. What is the book called? I'd really like to get it.