The eleven marks of a holy person 1. The reduction of jealousy and pride is the mark of a holy person. 2. To have little desire and to be content(40) with the ordinary possessions is the mark of a holy person. 3. To be without might, snobbery and arrogance is the mark of a holy person. 4. Not to show off oneself and censure others is the mark of a holy person. 5. To examine any action with alertness and perform with alert mindfulness is the mark of a holy person. 6. To uphold the result of the karmic action carefully accepting the truth like that of protecting the pupils of one’s eyes is the mark of a holy person. 7. Without pretension of vows and Samaya, to act according to the demand of the situation is the mark of a holy person. 8. Without passionate and humiliating treatment to treat all the sentient beings essentially equal(41) is the mark of a holy person. 9. Not to anger with others for their sinful deeds, but to have patience is the mark of a holy person. 10. To give other people all the credit of a victory to and to accept all defeat oneself (42) is the mark of a holy person. 11. To possess thought and conduct unlike common worldly people is the mark of a holy person. The opposite deeds of a holy person are the marks of an unholy person. 40). Contentment: The teacher of gods and men, the Buddha declared that of all the riches in the world, the gold and the like, the very best was an attitude of satisfaction, whose nature consists of not savoring past experiences of wealth, not longing for such wealth in the future, and not being attached to it in the present. Āchāraya Nāgārjuna says in his “Letter to a Friend:” The teacher of gods and men declared that the attitude of being satisfied is the greatest of all riches. One should remain satisfied always. One knows satisfaction is truly wealthy, even without material possessions. Therefore, always maintain an attitude of satisfaction: for if you do, you will be truly wealthy, though lacking any material riches such as gold and the like. The reason one is wealthy is that a person is able to remain satisfied. 41). One should practice the meditation upon the Four Immeasurable as further preparation for the attainment of the composed states of the mind. Āchārya Nāgārjuna has illustrated it in the “Letter to a Friend” in the following verse: Practice constant meditation upon loving-kindness, Compassion, joyfulness, equanimity, Even though you may not attain the highest goal. You will acquire the bliss of the Brahma Realm. Loving-kindness is the desire that all sentient beings should come to get happiness. Compassion is the desire that they should come to be freed from suffering. Joyfulness is the gladness felt at the happiness they have acquired, and equanimity an even-mindedness consisting of absence of either desire or hatred, also directed towards all beings. The Great Drigungpa Lord Jigten Sumgon in his Song of “Realization of the Fivefold Profound Path” has said: If we race the mare of love and compassion For the benefit of ourselves and not for others Neither will we earn the eulogy of human beings Nor will we obtain the blessing of gods. Attend, therefore, to the preliminary steps. Before generating love and compassion, we should develop the equanimity towards all sentient beings as our mother. If we do not generate the equal equanimity for all beings, our love and compassion will become partial. It is because we make discrimination among human beings by having attachment for someone and hatred for the other. It is, therefore, essential for us to develop the equanimity without any discrimination to any human being. The real meditation on equanimity is to give up our hatred for enemies and affection for friends, and having an even minded attitude towards all beings, we should be free of attachment to those who are close to us and of hatred for those who are far-away from us. Thus the four immeasurable Buddhist principles are the infinite love, compassion, affectionate joy and equanimity. Usually we practice the love first, but here we should practice the equanimity first to develop the attitude of freedom from attachment and hatred towards all sentient beings without failing to have our love and compassion. The result of practicing the four immeasurable will acquire the attainment of Nirvaņa. Yet even if one does not acquire this highest goal he will acquire a happiness which lies beyond the sensory realm, i.e., the happiness of the Brahma Realm set in the first of the Form of Realm. The reason for this is that the above meditations will bring one an experience of the peace of perfect meditation and will free from the torment of anger. The loving-kindness, equanimity, compassion and joy are the preparatory exercises leading to the attainment of the state. 42). Exchanging Oneself and Others: Look at a person actually suffering from sickness, hunger, thirst or some affliction. Whenever anything undesirable or painful happens to you, generate heartfelt, overwhelming pity for the many beings in the three worlds of Samsāra who are now undergoing such pain as yours. Make the strong wish that all their suffering may ripen in you instead, and that they may all be freed from suffering and be happy. Whenever you are or feel good, generate the wish that your happiness might extend to bring happiness to all beings. This bodhicitta practice of exchanging oneself and others is the ultimate and unfailing quintessential meditation for those who have set out on all paths of the Mahāyāna teachings. It is therefore said in Sāsasta: Offering gain and victory to others, Take loss and defeat for yourself. Āchārya Śantideva says in Bodhicaryāvatāra: If we have a sincere desire to overcome all our own and other’s problems, we should give up our self-cherishing and consider others as precious as we now consider ourselves.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Aug 2013 04:43:21 +0000