2021-08-10-Faith (4 of 5) Confidence in Non-Clinging

2:51PM Aug 19, 2021

Speakers:

Gil Fronsdal

Keywords:

clinging

confidence

practice

cling

clear

grasping

imc

faith

tomorrow

work

deeper

important

anxious

donation

debating

link

zoom

kinds

peace

announcement

Today is the fourth talk on faith. And the word saddha in Pali, is sometimes translated, translated into English as confidence. And one of the reasons for this is that the one of the primary purposes for this saddha, this faith, is to have the confidence to engage in practice, the confidence that you can engage, practice make a difference. And many times in the teachings of the Buddha, it's clear that someone when someone learns the Dharma well enough to have faith, the purpose of that faith, so they begin their practice. So it's not faith in some belief, or something is supposed to carry with you and then apply to your life, you know, in terms of idea, but rather, it's it's a confidence that there is something worthwhile to do. And it's worthwhile to practice worthwhile to be mindful, develop our met our compassion, or, or equanimity, or our clear seeing of what's happening here, all kinds of things, the practice of generosity. So the, so this idea of confidence. And so one of the things that as practice develops, and we begin having some real feeling for what this practice is about, then there's a particular kind of confidence that can arise, that maybe for the people who haven't experienced that, well enough, it might seem foreign or uninteresting, or kind of bland, or kind of not really, so important, because it's the absence of something, and how can the absence of something be so something to be confident in, in that confidence is in the absence of clinging, absence of grasping, or the, the, the absence of attachment when attachment means clinging or grasping. And, so to have confidence and non clinging. And, and this is, can be very helpful to understand this, that, at some point, it's not always clear what to have confidence in. There's all kinds of questions about we might have or challenges we have. But it's but at minimum, at some point, we can have clear confidence that it's not worthwhile to get attached to get to cling to grasp on to things. And, and to have that clear experience of that. Because not because it's a belief. And for people don't have the experience of non clinging, there can be all kinds of protests about why clinging grasping attachment is useful and important. But if you have the experience of it, then of non clinging, then we have a clear then a reference point for watching and feeling how click clinging when it comes back in is to our detriment. Grasping as it begins working it up, is actually a diminishment of ourselves or limiting ourselves or, or get interfering with the best qualities of who we are to come forth into the world. And so at some point, we start experiencing the benefits of non clinging, how wonderful it is. And then the practice can be maybe maybe the confidence is not completely strong about it yet. And then practice has a little bit to do with the questioning the debating about how important is it to not claim? Is it okay not to claim maybe you're supposed to claim maybe in these kinds of areas, we have to be allowed to grasp or to get attached? And, and how about here and here. And so there starts to be a natural questioning, a debating exploration about where do I fit, you know, is it okay not to cling? Is that really valuable or, and so, and so rather than being struggle and think that this is wrong to have this debate or this question? I believe that at some point in practice, that becomes a healthy part of the practice, questioning, debating, taking both sides, being the devil's advocate, looking at this deeply and, and seeing if you find, you know, a real Really good reason why you need to grasp it is for your betterment and betterment of others,

there's no one to stop you. But if you really are mindful and carefully attentive and really experienced the, the peace, the well being the benefits of non clinging, you might start to start having confidence in non clinging, have faith in it, trust it. And so then the faith, the sutta, is not a belief system, it's not in something that, you know, you've been told it's a good idea like practice. And but now it becomes something that becomes a very important reference point for our lives. And this is the reference point, we could say it's peace, we could say it's a sense of happiness or freedom, but to choose to call it that kind of takes out the gaze, or the focus away from what brought it what brought that peace and happiness and well being. And, and what brings it in some very deep way is the non grasping the non attachment, the non clinging and, and so to keep an eye on that, then you can right there at the juncture at the place where the real work exists, because very few people become totally free and totally peaceful. once and for all. Most people can have a taste of it, and then they get caught up again. And but to remember to have confidence and non clinging puts you at that juncture, where the practice really has some very great value. That's where the work is. And it isn't that you have to let go. But maybe it's the confidence to non-playing allows you to look at the clinging in a deeper and deeper way to really be present for it. To realize this is important. If the emphasis is on freedom or peace or happiness, then if we lose it, then then we try to get it back perhaps we don't know quite where to do and and where the focus might be. So non clinging, but the focus is on only a non clinging or we only think about that, then we might not appreciate all the benefits that come from non clinging. So ideally, we're kind of looking at both and aware of both. For someone who just begins to practice. I think that the benefits of non clinging and the well being that comes from it is right there at the beginning perhaps early on. But in various maybe I don't know I don't want to diminish the value of it. But in maybe a small ways, maybe mundane ways, ordinary ways. Dress the shoulders relax a little bit. That's a letting go with a sense of well being that comes there's a little bit more calm in the mind. But as practice gets deeper and deeper, or fuller and fuller than the the value, the experience of non clinging becomes richer and richer. And at some point, the confidence becomes phenomenal, strong confidence, we realize that there's nothing nothing that's worthwhile losing the non clinging for that all the things we need to do to take care of in this world, we can take care of better with non clinging, it's a difficult place to have confidence in because many times the world family, friends, people in the world Expect us what people want us to be get anxious or get caught or participate in the attachments that they're involved in. And to show that we care by getting afraid or anxious or being angry or upset by things. But in so it's a little bit hard when the people around us expect us to behave in ways that will call back our clinging but to really discover strong confidence and clinging and non clinging and not to succumb to the social pressure pressures to be otherwise. This is also another place where you know, it's not easy and that's where the debates come up or the Explorations or the deeper looking at what's going on that's necessary. But you know, keep having coming back. And I think the one way to understand the path of Buddhist practice, it's a path to a greater and greater appreciation of non clinging greater and greater confidence in it and non clinging and in doing so, discovering the, the tremendous what follows in the wake of that, that tremendous sense of well being freedom, happiness, peace, clarity. There's many words for what follows in the wake of non clinging. And,

and we don't want to re fit any of it or, or latch on or cling to any of it. And by keeping the focus on non clinging, then we don't cling to what is wonderful. But not long non clinging opens our door the door to what is wonderful. And, and then if you stay close to non clinging, maybe we won't cling to what's wonderful. And may it be that you share your wonderfulness, your goodness, your non clinging, share it with others in such a way that you are being generous, supportive, helpful. And so it's really clear to yourself that this practice you're doing is not just for yourself, but it's also for the welfare of others. confidence and non clinging. So thank you. And then a couple of announcements. So first one is maybe in the wake of what I just said, I've been very moved by the crisis in the world right now. And, and the one that's kind of closest to my heart at the moment, is what's going on in Haiti, and neighbor to the North American continent. And often, as I said earlier, kind of forgotten country with tremendous poverty. So close to a country that has tremendous wealth. And I wonder if our YouTube community could band together and in our goodness and generosity, and here's opportunity to take our practice and benefit the world, and to raise funds for the people of Haiti. And there's an organization called Partners in Health, that does a lot of on the ground work with local health care workers, of bringing supplies and medicine and met medical workers to partner with them, works with local communities very intimately. So they're really in harmony with what's going on. So what I'd like to propose is you can certainly make a donation directly. But I'd like to propose that tomorrow, Friday, and maybe Sunday, also for the IMC community more widely. is maybe if you make a donation, any donation you make to IMC, through the kind of the the online button, I think it's on the YouTube page, reference that link to it. Under the that any donations go, IMC will turn around all of it, and, and give it to partners and health. And it would be lovely if we could come together like that. So tomorrow and Sunday, so I'll announce it again tomorrow. And the other announcement is that tomorrow after our digital dharmette that I do, I'll provide a zoom link. And then we can have a community meeting of those, those of you who can and just to check in and ask questions, and you can ask me questions about the teachings I've been doing or something and we'll do a little breakout groups have a chance to meet each other. Many of you and you're seeing each other's names and greetings and and so maybe for about 45 minutes or so. And the zoom link will be in the chat, but also put the zoom link a few other places, including on the IMC calendar for this event, or for you know, MC calendar for tomorrow. And also in the What's New in imcs homepage, that you'll see a little announcement for it and there'll be the zoom link as well. And it's possible that it'll be password protected. And if it is the password will be meta m et TA. So I'll see you all tomorrow. Thank you