So hello, everyone. I'm starting a new week with a new theme. And I think maybe the title of that theme that one word for the theme this week perhaps, can be the word, meaning. And two, whilst one, I spend this that this week exploring the topic of meaning, in relationship to meditation, what's the meaning of meditation. And I think, in years past, I would have been very hesitant to take up a topic like this. Partly because coming out of my Zen training, the idea of assigning meaning or finding meaning was often presented as being besides the point, there was something very significant just showing up and being present without inserting or a meaning on top of our experience in our life. And I love this idea, because a radical simplicity of so much falls away. But I think we cannot get away from human life, human minds somehow, one way or the other, whether it's conscious or unconsciously, being involved in questions of meaning, of purpose, why are we here? What's the most important thing for us to do? And so religions provide offense, sense of meaning and purpose and an interpretation of what it what's important, what priorities are, what we do with suffering, what stuff What's the meaning of suffering, what's the purpose in our life in relationship to suffering. And so what I thought I'd like to do this week is that with the hope that this topic gives a kind of depth to your involvement with meditation, that it gives kind of lets your meditation be fueled or in or founded on based on supported by some of the deeper values, deeper understandings you have, maybe that you're not even conscious of. That gives me meditation, more motivation, more strength, more value, and more like grabby tossing a sense. And, and so we'll do that by looking at the connection of meditation associations, mid meditation can have to a variety of different things in our life. Today, I want to talk about suffering. And I don't quite remember the sequence that I have, but I think neck tomorrow was the important values we have, and then the connection to values, the connection to ourself, the connection to others, and the connection to what is, might consider to be sacred. So what's the meaning of meditation in relationship to these important areas of life? There was a tendency, when this the personal mindfulness meditation that I'm teaching, when it was brought to United States, there was a very strong wish, by the teachers to make it very available to as many people as possible without the hindrance or the this, that it might be there. If it was, the whole Buddha's religious package was brought with it. There was a idea that this mindfulness practice is a simple raw, basic practice is doesn't have to belong to any particular religion doesn't have to belong to any particular philosophy maybe, and wanting to make it this practice available broadly and widely. So it could benefit so many people. And in fact, they succeeded in many ways because they inspired those first Buddhist teachers inspired generations now of people who offer mindfulness, completely separated from Buddhism, you know, we sometimes call it secular mindfulness in clinical settings, and all kinds of places. And so I think it's been overall a wonderful contribution to society. And, and, and I think there's some real value in offering kind of a Buddhist Buddhism light, where we don't kind of pile in a lot of the Buddhist meaning, the Buddhist sense of purpose, Buddhist religiosity that surrounds it, and just make it accessible to people easily.
And that's still the case. But what I'm what I'm hoping that this discussion this week, will prompt you to not feel like you have to adopt or adapt, you know, some Buddhist idea that might Come through here. But rather, it becomes a mirror that teaching for you to reflect, to think more deeply about your life maybe more deeply than you ever, ever have for some of you about maybe the place of meaning and what what meanings do you bring? And what purposes do you bring? What is your understanding what it means to be a human being in this world. So perhaps this can be an example for or kind of, for, the value that can be found is that someone might go to the doctor, and the doctor says, you know, you're about to have a heart attack. And you're living with so much stress, that I think you need to go and learn some meditation. Mindfulness is very helpful. And there's a mindfulness center nearby, why don't you go there, and learn to meditate? Because you know, your beef without stressing, I don't think I don't see that you're going to live more than a couple of months. So that motivates the person and the person shows up at a meditation center and learns mindfulness and, and maybe the teacher there asks why you're here, what's the purpose? What's the meaning of you being here? And so you are this person might say, Well, my doctor sent me and therefore I posted a prescription. End of story. And, and then the, the, but then you press for the further you ask the person that firstly, you could ask for something, the question further, What? What? But, you know, is that why the doctor sent you? And, and that the, the doctors and so because, you know, the doctor said that if I don't do it, I'll die. I don't want you know, you know, I don't want to die. And the meaning of the meditation is not dying. But then you go first, you know, start thinking about more, you're asked more questions. And, and so the question becomes, oh, why do you want to live? Oh, because I want to be able to see my grandchildren, I want to be able to finish the work that I do. I love life, and I just want to be able to live it fully. I'm afraid of death. And I'm trying to put it off as much as I can. I, I feel like I haven't really dealt with my big issues in my life. And I'm really before I die, want to finish and deal with those issues. So there's all kinds of so it's the idea of the doctor says you have to go and meditate because otherwise you'll die begins being connected to other values, other important ideas about why you should stay alive. And, and those can are animating forces, there's a reused reasons. Some people don't know why they're alive with people not having meaning or purpose that they have. And some people might do it, because they've discovered that they can live much more peacefully if they don't have live searching or questioning or, or getting all wrapped up around issues of meaning purpose, and they just you happy just to kind of roll along with whatever is happening, then that becomes the meaning that becomes the purpose, just roll along and just be present. And that's the meaning is that the meaning is a hindrance, and it's just nicer, just a roll along with things.
So to there's many, so what's the meaning? What's the purpose, what's their interpretation we have. And so just might be interesting for some of us to know that in kind of classic or quite kind of standard Tera Vaada Buddhism that this tradition comes out of I consider myself a Tera Vaada Buddhist in this role is teaching. But I don't really have much place in my heart or my mind, for some of the core teachings that give meaning give a purpose, to Tera Vaada Buddhism, some people will say this is the foundation of it. Some people say that without believing in this, there is no Buddhism even. But I take exception with that, uh, my sense of meaning is very Buddhistic. I have some kind of an ultimate sense of meaning and purpose that comes from this practice. But I don't share some of that the core things that some of that tradition has. So the I'm not motivated. So the example would be, I'm not motivated with IDM that the purpose of this practice is so that we can we will no longer get reborn. And that doesn't speak to me doesn't inspire me doesn't have a place for me, it's completely appropriate and fine for someone else to have that view. I don't have a issue with that, but it just not what animates me. And, and, and the idea of, you know that I wouldn't be the purpose is to no longer be reborn, it doesn't really do much for me. And so but what do I have something else that's comparable i, if anything, I feel that it's enough for me, the idea that, to have a radical freedom from suffering, they really let go of suffering in some deep way, and then live this life, free of the attachments, that clinging, that's motivating, for me, it's almost fundamental. But in the background of that, there is some kind of idea that I don't hold very tightly, but some sense that of trusting life, of feeling at home in this universe. And so this letting go of suffering, letting go of clinging, is also a homecoming into this universe, where I'm no longer standing in opposition to it or, or, or making some problem with it. So these are all ways of making meaning of purpose of conceptualizing interpreting what we're doing. So I want to just end here now with one of the things to find that people find meaning in or purpose is in relationship to suffering. And some people will inherit some meaning was suffering means what the purpose of suffering is, from their religions they grew up with. And there are some religions that have a very important idea that's suffering is redemptive, that you're supposed to suffer, it's good to experience suffering, because it prepares you for the hereafter. Some people say that suffering is a testing our religious faith. And so we have to kind of, you know, somehow hold on to our faith when we suffer, that's the key thing about what we have to do. And we'll get rewarded if we hold on to our faith. And, and, you know, there's all kinds of ideas people have. And in Buddhism, the kind of the meaning of suffering is that it's unnecessary, and that it's motivating, in order to come to the other side of suffering, to be free of suffering to radical liberation from suffering. There's a famous quote from the Buddha where he says, I teach suffering, and the end of suffering. And why and suffering, you might say, there's no need to ask why. Just like your Take your hand off a hot stove, you don't have to ask why you do it as your body will do it immediately. So it could be that simple, like almost like a biological imperative to be free of suffering. But there might be other things, there might be the idea that, yes, I want to be free of suffering, so I can be a better support for the world around me. I wanted, I wanted to be free of my clinging, so that I can act with act, act from a place of compassion and care for this world, take care of my family, I want to become free of the kinds of sources greed, hate and delusion that bring about the suffering so that I can live a certain way or be a certain way or do this and that.
The so what is your meaning? What? How would in terms of your meditation practice? What's the purpose? What's the role? What's the meaning of suffering? How does suffering fit into it? And how does that fit into a wider circles of meaning or deeper circles of meaning in your life? Is it simply just to be free of suffering? And that's enough? Or is there some deeper purpose that that serves him deeper value? Is it just to kind of be free of stress? So you don't have a heart attack? Or, you know, what do you if you're free of suffering, what what do you hope that will do for you? What is your aspiration? What is your sense of purpose? If you can become radically free of suffering, or a suffering just kind of a free to freedom from suffering, coping with suffering, kind of a little bit of a sideshow that you do reluctantly, so you can get on to what's most important? What is most important? What is the most important kind of way in which you understand your life? What's your life's about? What it means to be a human being In what is an artist suffering and freedom suffering? How does that fit into that in your life? So I hope that this makes some sense for you. And I'm hoping this is a catalyst for you to do some reflection. And I would encourage you if you have anyone, friends, family, total strangers, that the maybe you engage in this topic of meaning and purpose, and what is the fun and most fundamental meaning and purpose that you have, that you associate that you live by? And how does meditation connect to that? What's that can meditate connection meditation might have to support that. So thank you, and and we'll continue these reflections over this week.
