Harming Other Beings

Q: Are all things - like even rocks - beings? In terms of harming other beings - how can one possibly avoid harming other beings? Even just taking antibiotics would create bad karma.

MM: When we logically follow this notion of not harming another being the first thing is that we realize that our life depends on the many lives of others. The animals we may still be eating, the medications we depend on that have taken many lives, the ants we step on, the plants we eat, etc, etc.

The important thing is to grow one's awareness of how many beings must suffer for us to live, and then instead of feeling guilty to become deeply humble and grateful. The more our humility and gratitude grows, the less we will require, and the less harm we will cause. But it will never be zero.

As our awareness grows, even stones will reveal themselves to us as beings. And in the end - when the being-ness of all things is understood, as well as the interconnectedness and oneness of all things - who is there to harm or be harmed?

Karma

Q: The more I think about the idea of karma, the more I get confused. Isn't cultivating good karma for oneself in itself selfishly motivated?


MM: Forget cultivating good karma. Instead cultivate a calm mind. The calmer the mind, the more you will become who you truly are and go beyond dual concepts like selfishness and unselfishness, good karma and bad karma, etc. Once one is truly oneself one can neither be called selfish nor compassionate. Just like the sun which causes both skin cancer and makes our food grow - we become who we are and move beyond worry. To become oneself does not mean the Western idea of "do whatever you want". It means peacefulness, serenity and full presence in which all things get done that need to get done - no more, no less.

Strangely enough, Buddhism which teaches about Karma, the cause and effect of good and bad deeds over lifetimes - also teaches about non-dualistic thinking. When non-dualistic thinking is fully attained there is no karma. At that level time and space also disappear. Therefore, without time and space, whatever is happening now, is happening all throughout time.

One way to reach to non-dualistic thinking is through contemplating the idea of karma. The idea of karma, if followed logically, eventually turns into a koan and can free the mind.

Until then - think of karma as "you shall harvest as you sow". Tend your garden with awareness.

None, And All One

Q: I am raised a Christian, went through an atheist phase, then studied Hinduism, Islam and other religions. Today I mostly think of myself as a Buddhist. But, as I find out more about Buddhism and some of the things some branches of Buddhism believe in, even Buddhism is not something I can wholeheartedly embrace. I basically just meditate these days and try to find my own way. I am tempted to call myself an Atheist again, but that also feels incorrect. I neither believe that there is a God, nor that there is no God.

MM: Do not be bothered by this. It is a sign of your intelligence. Don't let Buddhism interfere with Buddhahood, or Christianity with Christ Consciousness, or Atheism with science mindedness. There is no Lovism - only Love. No Compassionism - only Compassion. No Scientism only science. No Truthism - only Truth.

What you need to question, and drop - is your need to want to identify with any "ism" , or group of believers or non-believers.

Follow your own light and be willing to stand alone! That is the only way to become one with it all. This alone-ness that is wholeness, that is holiness is who you are.

Eating Meat And Buddhism

Q: I was out drinking last night and it was interesting to see all the old habits kick back in the more drunk I got, it was almost like stepping in a time machine and observing my old character traits.

It got me thinking, how would a Buddha act if he / she got drunk? In theory, if he / she was completely enlightened, would they act exactly the same as if they were sober? (bar limb control)

MM: Alcohol removes inhibition. A buddha is already his most ancient self. We on the other hand, have an "old self" and an "improved self" that is easily undone by alcohol. When one is one's most ancient self, even "happy drunk people" seem in great suffering.

Then there is being drunk on the divine as in this video of Amma

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIGidWtaMD8

and my post on this kind of drunkeness here

There is no question that an enlightened one would be subject to almost the same physical effects of alcohol - loss of coordination, dulling of the senses like smell, sight, etc, as mentioned above (maybe slower) - just as he or she would go unconscious with anesthesia and could be operated on, but there would not be any change in personality or behavior as in reverting to a more primitive or uninhibited self.

There is no uninhibited self. Even the most deep seated, primitive reactions and reflexes from the reptilian brain are well known and conscious to an enlightened one and are relaxed consciously and instantly before they manifest in behavior. Not suppressed, mind you - that is a different mechanism, which is easily undone by alcohol.

If you want to practice, try to make yourself sneeze - or when you need to sneeze, stop yourself. Or - learn to master your startling reflex. A gun shot goes off right near you and you don't have any reaction at all. Or your toaster. This takes a few decades to master. You need a friend or master to keep startling you. Actually this is just training that does not guarantee enlightenment, but - someone who is enlightened is very familiar with relaxing the most deep seated reflexes.

The only way to get enlightened is relaxing the most fundamental and deep seated reflex of all - the one of not wanting to die. If you can do that in meditation - the truth opens up before your very eyes and you are forever free. Unless - you then become identified with being enlightened, and being free.

A Leg To Stand On

Q: I was out drinking last night and it was interesting to see all the old habits kick back in the more drunk I got, it was almost like stepping in a time machine and observing my old character traits.

It got me thinking, how would a Buddha act if he / she got drunk? In theory, if he / she was completely enlightened, would they act exactly the same as if they were sober? (bar limb control)

MM: Alcohol removes inhibition. A buddha is already his most ancient self. We on the other hand, have an "old self" and an "improved self" that is easily undone by alcohol. When one is one's most ancient self, even "happy drunk people" seem in great suffering.

Then there is being drunk on the divine as in this video of Amma

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIGidWtaMD8

and my post on this kind of drunkeness here

There is no question that an enlightened one would be subject to almost the same physical effects of alcohol - loss of coordination, dulling of the senses like smell, sight, etc, as mentioned above (maybe slower) - just as he or she would go unconscious with anesthesia and could be operated on, but there would not be any change in personality or behavior as in reverting to a more primitive or uninhibited self.

There is no uninhibited self. Even the most deep seated, primitive reactions and reflexes from the reptilian brain are well known and conscious to an enlightened one and are relaxed consciously and instantly before they manifest in behavior. Not suppressed, mind you - that is a different mechanism, which is easily undone by alcohol.

If you want to practice, try to make yourself sneeze - or when you need to sneeze, stop yourself. Or - learn to master your startling reflex. A gun shot goes off right near you and you don't have any reaction at all. Or your toaster. This takes a few decades to master. You need a friend or master to keep startling you. Actually this is just training that does not guarantee enlightenment, but - someone who is enlightened is very familiar with relaxing the most deep seated reflexes.

The only way to get enlightened is relaxing the most fundamental and deep seated reflex of all - the one of not wanting to die. If you can do that in meditation - the truth opens up before your very eyes and you are forever free. Unless - you then become identified with being enlightened, and being free.