The 3 Difficulties as
taught by Shantideva
1st Difficulty: It is
difficult to Identify Obscurations in our
mind
Shantideva says that our obsecurations in mind are difficult to
identify in the beginning.
We may read sutras, listen to teachings, study the texts 100 times
etc.... But we still lack the true knowledge to identify these
obscurations. The practice of identifying these obscurations is
difficult.
These obscurations (e.g. desire, hatred, ignorance) are the source
of all our problems - personal, family, country...
Therefore, for Bodhisattvas and Mahayana practitioners, our first
attempt should be to try to apply diligent effort, to try to
identify the obscurations, which are the sourlce of our
problems.
This is actually Shantideva's key instructions/reminder for us:
Careful. Notice. Alert. Be mindful. You can't really react to
someone because it will only give you more problems. Be mindful
with every circumstance. Then you will slowly then be able to get
out of the cycle of difficulties.
So Shantideva's instruction is that for Bodhisattvas and Mahayan
practitioners, our key/main practice should be to identify
afflictive emotions.
2nd Difficulty: It is
difficult to Continue our Remedy (Practice)
Apply. Bring it into your life. Experience it.
It is not enough to just identify the afflictions. We have to apply
the remedy and experience it.
We may meditate for 10 minutes, then think wah so good, I meditated
for 10 minutes today. We feel pleased that I had a good meditation
today. Then we try to meditate for 20 minutes, 30 minutes, up to an
hour. And we start to think..."arh, my leg pain, back pain". "My
doctor said I should not meditate." "I'd better not meditate today
because I have problem in family"... "Today's weather is too
hot"... "I have headache, meditate tomorrow"...
You know how many problems there are in Samsara. Headache, hot
weather...these things are not a problem. Headache can be removed
by taking Panadol. But mental afflictions cannot be cured by
Panadol! They cannot be cured by anything external.
Continuity is important. No excuse.
You have to choose between Temporary suffering of Body, Speech
& Mind or Long-lasting suffering.
If you're hungry, you probably just feel uncomfortable for 5 hours.
That is temporary suffering. If you're born in the hungry ghost
realm, what excuse can you give?? You cannot say, today I want to
go up and see my family for a while, then come back again.
You have to choose whether you want temporary or long-lasting
suffering.
Then when you continue the remedy (practice), you are making your
life meaningful.
The question then is, what practice should I do? what should I
apply?
The answer would be, start from the Preliminary practices (common
& uncommon). So that each day, we do not waste our time.
What do we mean by wasting our time?
You may think I'm busy working everyday so as to support my family,
I'm doing a lot of things... so how can you say I'm wasting my
time?
When we say not wasting our time, it means at least 1-2 hours a
day, to continually do our practice for other sentient
beigns.
In Tibet, the great Bodhisattvas and practitioners had very hard
lives. They went through a lot of difficulty to receive teaching
and left us very good teachings. But nowadays, the value of Dharma
is on longer there. We just use hand phone to call and say
Rinpoche, can you give me what I need now? I have no time to fly
over there to listen to your teaching. Or you can email me, then I
read the email when I have the time.
The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have done much for us. The books are
here, the Dharma texts are here, the methods are here. We just only
enjoy them, but we should also repay their Loving-Kindness &
Compassion to us.
To repay their LKC, we don't need to give them money. We just need
to listen to them, don't waste what they've done for us. We should
practice - so that we can be out of suffering. And this is
fulfilling their wishes!
