Generosity is appreciated by everyone no matter if they're religious or not.
Everyone appreciates generosity and everyone can practice generosity but what it what distinguishes the perfection of generosity is bodhicitta motivation.
So we'll just take a few moments to cultivate that kind of expansive mind to guide our practice.
So just reflect how wherever living beings are living,
Are abiding throughout all of space,
It's a given that they have afflictions in their mind.
Self-grasping ignorance and attachment,
Anger,
Jealousy,
Pride,
Etc.
And we know from our own experience that when those afflictions go unchecked there are negative actions.
We create negative actions with our body,
Speech,
And mind.
And if we're paying attention we'll find that when we create negative actions that only brings suffering.
If we really closely attend to what's happening in our body and mind it brings suffering in the short and the long term.
So one of the meditations that is emphasized here at the Abbey is thinking about the incredible kindness of all sentient beings.
How we're the recipient of kindness all day long.
People grow our food.
We don't have to go out and toil the soil.
People are growing our food,
They're harvesting it,
They're processing it,
They're transporting it,
Bringing it to the stores.
People are creating our clothing.
People keep the electricity and the Internet functioning.
Everything that we've touched since the time we've gotten out of bed this morning.
Someone was involved in producing all the things that we've used.
Our toothbrush,
Our bed,
The bowls and the cups that we use this morning.
Every single thing that we can imagine using.
The things that make our lives convenient.
All these things come about due to the kindness of others.
Even though they haven't created these things specifically for us.
So it's helpful to think this way.
It allows our mind to expand and to see our.
.
.
Begin to see our interdependence with other beings.
And if we reflect on their situation all these kind beings are also caught in this ocean of samsara just like us.
Experiencing uncertainty,
Dissatisfaction,
Various kinds of suffering.
And so just as we want to be happy,
Want to be free of suffering,
The same is true of them.
So just take a moment to cultivate in your own mind a wish.
How wonderful it would be if all of these beings,
Myself included,
Had happiness and its causes.
Lasting happiness.
Reliable happiness.
How wonderful to have a peaceful happy mind.
Throughout the day.
Throughout one's life.
How wonderful it would be if all these beings were free of suffering.
Every type of suffering.
Mental suffering,
Emotional suffering,
Spiritual suffering,
Physical suffering.
So let that soften your heart.
That genuine wish.
Just as we want happiness,
Every single living being wants happiness too.
Just as we don't want any suffering,
Not even the slightest suffering.
Not the slightest disrespect.
The same is true of all beings.
Notice how that changes your heart,
The tone of your heart,
Your mind.
And then if we check up to see well what is my capacity right now to be able to bring this about for all living beings.
For myself first of all and for all living beings.
Probably we're quite limited.
So this is where we can cultivate this very far-reaching aspiration to bring about the causes to attain full awakening.
So that we can be of utmost benefit to all beings.
So see if you can extend your love and compassion to aspire for full awakening.
And with that as our motivation then let's do some breathing meditation.
So I invite you just to take a few deep breaths.
Fill your complete chest,
Your belly.
And with each out breath just relax,
Soften,
Bring relaxation to any tension in the body.
Especially relaxing the shoulders and softening the belly.
We tend to hold a lot of tension in the belly.
And even softening the muscles around your eyes and your jaw,
Your mouth.
And then after a few deep breaths just let your respiration return to its natural rhythm.
And just breathing effortlessly like you do when you're asleep.
Just let the breath be very natural.
Not controlling it.
Not manipulating it in any way.
And then we'll shift our attention to the breath.
Either using the sensations of the rise and the fall of the belly.
Or maybe some of you are more familiar with observing the sensations above the upper lip and around the nostrils.
Either one is fine.
Just choose one object.
Or if you prefer you can visualize Buddha Shakyamuni.
Thinking of his qualities and then holding that image clearly in your mind.
For those focusing on the breath just notice the length of the inhalation,
The exhalation.
Whether it's short or long.
And even noticing the duration of the pause in between the breaths.
And any sensation from each new in breath,
Each new out breath.
So of course thoughts will continue to arise in the mind.
That's their job.
That's their habit.
But just let them be like clouds in the sky passing by.
Not giving them any energy or attention.
Just each time you notice your mind has wandered away just simply bring it back without any judgment or disappointment.
Just come back to observing.
Simply observing the breath.
Each in breath,
Each out breath.
So we'll take some time to do this now.
So I'll pose a number of questions here for us to contemplate.
So thinking over the last year or year and a half just notice what has been easiest for you to give?
Is it money or possessions or maybe your time?
Has it been easy for you to give support or praise or respect to others?
In our practice we're encouraged to offer our virtue to others.
Just notice.
Just reflect in the last year or year and a half what has been easiest for you to give?
And then also reflect what has been most challenging for you to give in the last year or year and a half?
Again money,
Material things,
Possessions,
Time,
Energy,
Praise,
Support,
Respect,
Love,
Compassion,
Virtue.
What's been most difficult for you to give?
And then notice how easy or difficult has it been for you to receive the generosity of others in terms of physical help or gifts or praise or love?
And what makes receiving easy or difficult for you?
See if you can call to mind a time or times when you gave out of a desire to get something in return.
And try to connect with the feeling of clinging attachment behind the giving and how that impacted your mind.
And then call to mind a time when you gave with what seemed like a very pure motivation.
And try to remember how that felt at the time and notice how it feels just to call that incident to mind now.
And so when you notice that your motivation for giving hasn't been pure,
What do you think is most helpful to correct the situation,
To correct your motivation?
What do you think will be most helpful going forward?
