2021-09-24-Karma/Dharma (5 of 5) Living in the Dharma Stream

2:59PM Sep 24, 2021

Speakers:

Gil Fronsdal

Keywords:

attachment

stream

life

karmic

dharma

live

clinging

identity

preoccupation

mind

karma

dharmic

beautiful

pleasure

navigate

existing

learning

relax

ordinary

negotiating

So the topic for this week has been the karmic stream and the dharmic streams of our lives. And many people are swimming in the karmic stream only. It's all they know. And by all, because they that's all they know, that they think that's all there is. And so they're constantly navigating, negotiating that, that world. We can do wonderful things in the karmic world, the terrible things, the Buddhist tradition, divides up the activities of the karmic world into two areas, that which is unhealthy or unwholesome. And that which is beautiful. And, and the encouragement is to do the things that are beautiful. Those things were healthy, that are wholesome, because it's for your own benefit and for the benefit of others. And so learning how to live without hate without greed, without delusion, without criticism and animosity or resentment or aquas acquisitiveness. Learning to live with generosity and love and kindness.

But the cart for it to something to be the karmic stream, the karmic stream is based on as, as its route, a certain kind of attachment very, can be very, very subtle. And the maybe the easiest way to understand it is that attachment to self, or some kind of idea of ourselves as being somehow a solid or substantial or a reference point. And, or this subtle attachment to, maybe not to ourselves Exactly. But more basically, the there's two basic three basic attachments that kind of propel the whole karmic world. And that is that these easy to see, it's to really tap into it to be usually very attentive and sensitive at the deeper levels, and one of them is attachment to sense comfort and sense pleasures. Human beings are very oriented sometimes in a very deep way to be uncomfortable. And to be of pleasantness it's kind of very closely related to being safe. The other is a very subtle attachment to existing, to being alive, to being and then the very subtle attachment to not being to not existing in some people. And it takes a form something if you watch your own mind stream, and are watching how this karma plays out in your own mind. You can watch and track what you're thinking about. And you can see is your thinking involved with something to do with comfort or discomfort, make things pleasant or unpleasant, is it in some way and an assert assertion of identity is or some being someone in your is that part of your mindstream an identity or is there a movement to not have an identity to not be seen a certain way not be presented some way to not be recognized certain way and his movement towards being and non being, to sense pleasure in the Buddhist tradition is considered deeply, deeply rooted. So that even beautiful karma has that attachment as well. And, and so we can only go so far. We can in there with beautiful karma with good karma. We are shaping our future we're shaping and conditioning ourselves as you can watch your thoughts and see the thoughts that you have kind of conditioned the next thought the next thought and, and connect and keep certain minds mental preoccupations going in a way that can have a negative influence on us or a positive influence on us. But it always involves work. It always involves mental activity, and over months and years and decades. It takes a toll can be a weariness, a tiredness from always navigate negotiating existing non existing identity, non identity, pleasure, comfort and all that the dharmic stream is is not like a dualistic radical different way of living than ordinary life, you might be doing many the same things that you do an ordinary life shopping and cooking and caring for family or friends or going to work and all kinds of things you might be doing. But it's done without this attachment, without any attachment, but it at the at the deeper level. If the Dharma dharmic stream is really matured, then there's no attachment to sense pleasures, comfort, no attachment to existence, even to live. And also no attachment to non existence non identity to not being alive. When a navigates lives a life could be fully

unconcerned. With this attachment, this preoccupation is fear this desires around these three areas on the way to that Dharma stream, it's learning how to let go of coarser attachments, and how to do care for friends, family, go to work, take care of ourselves, do all the things ordinary things people do. But to learn to do them without attachment without clinging to anything. And, and, but even the subtler ones. And so then we find ourselves able to do these things, without this layer of work in the mind, of navigating, negotiating the self, in the middle of it all, navigate new negotiating how to make ourselves comfortable, and middle of it all. It releases a whole level of preoccupation. And the Buddhist reference point for this is there's freedom when goes about the world free. And when does the things that ordinary things that people do that may be appropriate for you. But there is a freedom in doing it, there's an ease, there's a peace, there's an absence of a certain agitation or contraction that exists always exists in the karmic stream. And to be in the Dharma stream is to begin appreciating how it's possible to live in the world without clinging and attachment. And so it begins with maybe beginning to letting go of bigger attachments. Maybe it begins by meditating. For some people, it's eye opening, to begin meditating, and realize how much of the ordinary preoccupations of the mind and how they translate the bodily tension can be put down and can relax and become quiet. And it can be a life changer. To realize how much extra preoccupation the mind is spinning and churning and ruminating, that can be put down can be relaxed. And, and so we begin seeing where it's possible. And then the Dharma stream is to, is to see that as an open door, that as we relax, as we let go, is we don't act with attachment, the absence of attachment, clinging, craving, resistance, is kind of like an open door that's inviting you, Hey, come here, come take a look at this. And, and so the Dharma stream is found by stepping into that, through that door into that new stream. And in the teachings of the Buddha, reality is always inviting you welcoming you into this new stream, into the Dharma stream, there's a wide open door that's ready for you. If you can put down your burden, put down your attachments, you're clinging, and you get to keep your life perhaps, because there's not this is not a judgment about what people do in their lives. It's just an idea that to do them without clinging. If what you're doing in your life is completely dependent on clinging, you're doing it because you cling then how you live your life might change as you let go of clinging. And I'm pretty confident that it'll be for your own good to do that and for the good of the people around you. It's not a good cause, not a good result, to live a life and do things in the world that are propelled and with attachment and clinging the knee To have craving, as part of it, and even that fundamental one, the attachment to being alive, or the attachment to, without wanting to be alive or attachment to identity and non identity. Happiness is not found through identity. Happiness is not found, being preoccupied with life or death. There's a way of putting this down and experiencing a profound peace, and which will help you live your life peacefully, and happily, and, and wisely. And that's maybe one of the key reasons to, to put down the attachment so we can live wisely in the world, and live in a way that is really beneficial for others, maybe even inspiring for others. I think example for others, that's possible to live a life that's not anxious, possible live a life was not greedy, or a life that's resentful or hating. And it's a wonderful gift gift to the world to give that example.

And no, I think one of the clear ways to see it, is in raising children, if children see the model of hate and greed and fear, then that's what they think, is needed to live this life. But if they have a different model, what a gift it is to the children. And it's a gift to yourself. Because if you can live this without this fundamental attachments, if you enter into the Dharma stream and really trust it, then when it's your turn to die, and if you're dying in a conscious way, chances are you won't be afraid, chances are it won't be a difficult thing to do. Because you don't you're not attached either way. So the Dharma stream and the and the karma stream. If you're going to do the karma stream, do it well. Do it beautifully. Bring beauty to the world which you know spiritual beauty walk in beauty. And, and one of the ways to walk in beauty to do that is that to realize also that there are beautiful karma is a precursor support is as a show, I can point the way to the dharmic stream. And, and the beautiful stuff that we do just gets done better when it's done from the dharmic stream. So hopefully this is an interesting distinctions to explore your life understand your life. And as I've said repeatedly, one of the primary reference points I'd suggest for you for really studying these two streams is in your moment to moment, tracking of your thoughts streams, what you're thinking about. And right there, you'll see all you need to know about to really get a sense of the karma stream and the Dharma stream. May your thoughts flow in a stream where there's no attachment. So thank you very much, and I look forward to being back here next Monday.