Lojong Practice Journal: Take on the three principal causes
The 59 slogans through a social justice lens
The three principal causes are three things of chief importance to us as practitioners: a teacher or guide, our dedication to practice, and the means to do so — such as financial stability and formal practice space.
Whether we come across Dharma in a book or by listening to a podcast, it has a root and a lineage and therefore a connection to a teacher. So, the first principal cause is to have a teacher or guide.
Bear in mind that a teacher is not someone who bestows knowledge but someone who can engage us in our own curiosity. Teaching is not about reciting facts or information and getting the student to memorise things. To teach is to encourage the student in a path of learning. A teacher acts as a guide as well as a reflection of the potential the student has for awakening.
The reason this role is so important is that the path is not an easy one. If we were to practice in a vacuum, without role models to show us the way, we could get discouraged and simply give up. Having a fellow human being who is further along the path than we are to show us the way helps us maintain faith (more on that in the next paragraph) in the value of the teachings. A formal relationship with such a person is not necessary, but engagement with at least one teacher certainly is.
The second principal cause is dedication to our practice, which comes from having faith that, like the teacher, we are capable of waking up. This is not blind faith but a strong confidence that even though we cannot always see it, we all have Buddha-mind. This principal cause is a commitment to realising our potential.
This kind of dedication communicates itself in many ways, and it’s important to bear in mind that time spent on the cushion is not necessarily a reflection of our dedication. We may struggle to meditate every day, but if we have the heartfelt longing to do so, then we are most certainly ‘taking on’ this cause.
The third principal cause is to have the resources we need to practice. It’s described as having space, time and the means to meditate. Unfortunately, unlike the first two, the third cause can be far less in our control. Almost anyone can connect with a teacher, and dedication to practice is a choice we make when we are ready — but economic stability is not a person to whom we can turn, nor a state of mind.
Not everyone has the expendable income to pay for retreats. If we have to work more than one job to make ends meet, the resource of time is less available to us. Consider how difficult it would be to motivate ourselves to practice if we did not have enough food or we were struggling to pay the bills. For that reason, this cause is not so easy to ‘take on’. Unless we are securely middle-class, we do not have the option of freeing up time or money to support our practice.
In this regard, I like to think of the third principal cause as something we can take on for others when we have the means:
Offer your time to babysit a friend’s kids so they can pop to their local meditation centre for an hour or two.
Pay the generosity fee on a retreat weekend, so someone with a lower income can have the choice of attending a retreat and still make ends meet that month.
Buy two copies of the latest book by your teacher and donate one of them to a local shelter, hospital or prison.
Make a donation to the centre where you practice so it can keep its doors open and continue providing practice space for anyone who might drop by.
By connecting with a teacher, dedicating yourself to practice, and contributing to the stability of community practice spaces, we create a virtuous circle and contribute to a more enlightened society.
Originally published on Medium.
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How refreshing that this slogan is not about ignorance or attachment etc., which is what I usually think of when I hear the word "cause". I might order the causes a bit differently. For me it all starts with the mind, with my deep longing to connect to the ground of everything. Because of that longing I started to look for teachings that would show the way and explain what I only had a vague hint of. On that search I came to Buddhism, and to me a lot makes sense now. But I remember I was stuck with rather dry books which didn't really touch me. It wasn't until I came upon the teachings of Pema Chödrön that things came alive for me. I never met her, but I have read her books, seen videos and listened to her talks, and I consider her to be my main teacher.
The third cause – time, space and money – is very important, and I'm glad and consider myself very fortunate that I now have the possibility to study and practice.
Hurrah for the three causes!