Sadness about all that suffering

[Ayu]

After the latest terrorist attacks in Paris my fundamental pervading sadness about this world becomes blatantly obvious.
This whole stupidness in general, in the whole world and in the small private world, everywhere...
This heartbreaking suffering, people starving, freezing, losing their homes and shelter...
Ignorance everywhere, needless hate, missunderstandings, fights for nothing but delusion... And so on and so forth.

I once asked my teacher, if sadness is a part of the three poisons. He answered, no, sadness is not a poisonous state of mind. It doesn't harm like greed, anger and selfishness do - but it is a deluded condition. If I am sad, I still don't understand what is happening. He who has a real good comprehension of this world, doesn't feel pity.

Any thoughts about this, anybody?

[amanitamusc]

Sadness manifests spontaneously as reaction to suffering of oneself and others.

Effortless compassion.

[Redfaery]

I feel a lot of sadness lately too. There's so much suffering around me, and I feel like the only thing I can do is practice Dharma, but I have so many obstacles...

[amanitamusc]

I feel a lot of sadness lately too. There's so much suffering around me, and I feel like the only thing I can do is practice Dharma, but I have so many obstacles...

May our obsticles spurn us to practice.

For the benifit all.

[dharmagoat]

Ayu, sadness without anger is a precious thing.

You are not alone.

[Vasana]

this was shared recently in an email- seemed apt

Ordinary love and compassion are compared to a mother with no arms who sees her only child being carried away by a river and cannot do anything to save her child. But the compassion developed from directly seeing buddha-nature is not this helpless kind of compassion; it is a compassion that has power. Therefore, when there is direct realization of buddha nature, there arises wisdom, compassion, and the power to end samsara.

- Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

Assailed by afflictions, we discover Dharma
And find the way to liberation. Thank you, evil forces!
When sorrows invade the mind, we discover Dharma
And find lasting happiness. Thank you, sorrows!
Through harm caused by spirits we discover Dharma
And find fearlessness. Thank you, ghosts and demons!
Through people's hate we discover Dharma
And find benefits and happiness. Thank you, those who hate us!
Through cruel adversity, we discover Dharma
And find the unchanging way. Thank you, adversity!
Through being impelled to by others, we discover Dharma
And find the essential meaning. Thank you, all who drive us on!
We dedicate our merit to you all, to repay your kindness.

- Longchenpa

[SeeLion]

Most difficult practice - by Thich Nhat Hanh
(I think this is from a Q&A session)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_qjUoeC-rg

[Johnny Dangerous]

The video doesn't seem to work.

It has helped me in the past listening and reading about some of Thay's experiences during the Vietnam war.

So much Buddhist teaching is directed towards the everyday stuff, sometimes I think we come up a little light teachings on on how to deal with the surges of emotion that surround tragedy, and the deep uncertainty that follows.

[SeeLion]

Not sure how this works ... Works for me, this is another link:

https://youtu.be/m_qjUoeC-rg

[Johnny Dangerous]

Not sure how this works ... Works for me, this is another link:

https://youtu.be/m_qjUoeC-rg

Says video is not available, maybe it's a geography thing?

[Ayu]

this was shared recently in an email- seemed apt

Ordinary love and compassion are compared to a mother with no arms who sees her only child being carried away by a river and cannot do anything to save her child. But the compassion developed from directly seeing buddha-nature is not this helpless kind of compassion; it is a compassion that has power. Therefore, when there is direct realization of buddha nature, there arises wisdom, compassion, and the power to end samsara.

- Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

I was missing this information for to complete the picture. Thanks.

Assailed by afflictions, we discover Dharma
And find the way to liberation. Thank you, evil forces!
When sorrows invade the mind, we discover Dharma
And find lasting happiness. Thank you, sorrows!
Through harm caused by spirits we discover Dharma
And find fearlessness. Thank you, ghosts and demons!
Through people's hate we discover Dharma
And find benefits and happiness. Thank you, those who hate us!
Through cruel adversity, we discover Dharma
And find the unchanging way. Thank you, adversity!
Through being impelled to by others, we discover Dharma
And find the essential meaning. Thank you, all who drive us on!
We dedicate our merit to you all, to repay your kindness.

- Longchenpa

This I knew already, but it is always good to remember.

[tingdzin]

Ayu:

Please be careful. while it is natural to feel overwhelming sadness whenever one is reminded that there are not likely to be any positive outcomes in the world situation, too much sadness can actually be a harmful thing. I have had a few teachers who said that if a person stays deeply sad too long, it can have real physical effects on the body, and cloud the mind.

[dharmagoat]

I have had a few teachers who said that if a person stays deeply sad too long, it can have real physical effects on the body, and cloud the mind.

I agree. But how does one alleviate this sadness?

[Virgo]

After the latest terrorist attacks in Paris my fundamental pervading sadness about this world becomes blatantly obvious.
This whole stupidness in general, in the whole world and in the small private world, everywhere...
This heartbreaking suffering, people starving, freezing, losing their homes and shelter...
Ignorance everywhere, needless hate, missunderstandings, fights for nothing but delusion... And so on and so forth.

I once asked my teacher, if sadness is a part of the three poisons. He answered, no, sadness is not a poisonous state of mind. It doesn't harm like greed, anger and selfishness do - but it is a deluded condition. If I am sad, I still don't understand what is happening. He who has a real good comprehension of this world, doesn't feel pity.

Any thoughts about this, anybody?

All unwholesome mind states are rooted in delusion.

Attachment, for example is double rooted. It is rooted in attachment (greed) but is also rooted in delusion.

So now you understand - all unwholesome mindstates are connected with ignorance. This is simple.

Kevin

[Fortyeightvows]

i think maybe the word tender applies

[Kim O'Hara]

Sadness is justifiable, but so is hope. Sometimes we just need to to see or do something that switches our focus from one to the other. Books on this list may do that: http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-bo ... acks-paris


Kim

[antiquebuddhas]

After the latest terrorist attacks in Paris my fundamental pervading sadness about this world becomes blatantly obvious.
This whole stupidness in general, in the whole world and in the small private world, everywhere...
This heartbreaking suffering, people starving, freezing, losing their homes and shelter...
Ignorance everywhere, needless hate, missunderstandings, fights for nothing but delusion... And so on and so forth.

I once asked my teacher, if sadness is a part of the three poisons. He answered, no, sadness is not a poisonous state of mind. It doesn't harm like greed, anger and selfishness do - but it is a deluded condition. If I am sad, I still don't understand what is happening. He who has a real good comprehension of this world, doesn't feel pity.

Any thoughts about this, anybody?

IMO, being sad for the sake of other is important. And i don't believe in the last statement, yes one needs to be free from feelings but i think feelings can become the way to what we are trying to achieve.

[tingdzin]

I have had a few teachers who said that if a person stays deeply sad too long, it can have real physical effects on the body, and cloud the mind.

I agree. But how does one alleviate this sadness?

One has to be able to become aware or mindful of sadness when it first starts to arise.

If one needs motivation for this, one might remember that prolonged sadness can be mentally and physically damaging. If one has bodhisattva aspirations, or has taken the vows, one can recall that one's own sadness not only prevents one from working effectively for others, but can actually make their situation worse in a very real way. Those who have cultivated the path for a long time eventually will have remarkable beneficial effects just by their presence. Mahayanists have to be lamps for sentient beings, but if one is not up to that yet, at least don't make the situation worse,.

As far as the actual dynamics of practice, it is no good in the long run being artificially cheerful. In the end one has to be able to touch the subtle levels of mind where the sadness begins, and deal with it there, not by applying some sort of antidote, but by being aware of that which is more profound than sorrow. "To me the meanest flower that blows, does have thoughts that do lie too deep for tears."

I hope this is of some help.

[Ayu]

I heard this advice, detecting the beginning mindfully, for anger and greed.

I agree, if sadness becomes dominant and paints everything else black, it is a dangerous emotion. But I think this is called depression and it is way heavier than so-called sadness. It's a form of radical delusion, since nothing else is percievable anymore.
In my case, sadness is only a basic feeling besides confidence. It is just the ground of my delusion. Other emotions, also joy, are growing in this foundation.
For me it is very helpful to remember the delusional nature of all phenomenons. And encouraged by the quote of Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche (see some posts above) I ponder, if understanding the real nature of all the phenomenons (all that suffering) could give the key to help others effectively - here and now. This is a wonderful thought for me.

[muni]

I think the destructive emotions are the ones who are destroying our opportunity and sustain the wheel of our own samsara, while even a great Master is shedding tears.

Chenrezig?

I know all emotions are called delusion, therefore a sadness because of wanting happiness for oneself can be called emotion/delusion. Or a sadness because of wanting the world to be changed in accordance with our wish for peace, we can suffer by such. Like H H Dalai Lama says we can only start by ourself, the change comes from within.
Masters/Buddhas are not selfless icy cold nature. I remember always the words of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche saying: *it is like being in love with all and everything*

No ice cubes in that.

Joy is same for me, whether it is enjoying a pleasant moment for oneself or wanting it for oneself, or joy in which there is no limit when for example applying the four boundless ones ( compassion, joy, loving kindness, equanimity).

When we can do something, we do, while worry doesn't help.

Seelion, this video? Is it visible here?

phpBB [video]