forget forgetfulness side step sense indulgence endless bliss waves
*Tai Sheridan. The Bare Bones Dhammapada.
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Gautama, the Buddha, chose monks to carry the message of Buddhism from place to place. Those selected had to be in good physical condition, completely honest, and have excellent memories. One such monk was Sadhonna.
Sadhonna was returning to the Deer Park, where the Buddha was staying and had given his first Dharma talk. There, Sadhonna encountered a monk practicing asceticism. The self-denying monk resembled cobwebs stretched over a skeleton. He was sitting on an anthill in the lotus position. He did not even twitch as ants pulled at his flesh.
Sadhonna called to the ascetic, "Fellow monk, I'm on my way to see the Buddha. Is there a message you would like to ask the Buddha?" The monk grimaced and said, "Ask the Buddha how many more lifetimes I'll endure before attaining Buddhahood." Sadhonna assured the monk he would ask, and he continued on his journey.
Just before nightfall, Sadhonna heard someone singing a little off-key. He could see someone dressed in monk's clothing, clumsily dancing in a bit of clearing in the woods. He called out, "Fellow monk, I'm on my way to see the Buddha. Is there any message you would like me to share with him?" The dancing monk thought momentarily and said, "Yes, ask him when I'll reach my enlightenment." Sadhonna assured the dancing monk he would ask, and he walked on.
A few months later, Sadhonna returned and met the self-denying monk. His flesh was so thin his bones were visible. "The Buddha answered your question," Sadhonna said. "How long until I reach my enlightenment?" whispered the emaciated monk. "Four more lifetimes," answered Sadhonna. The monk frowned.
Sadhonna traveled on and met the dancing monk. "The Buddha has answered your question," he said. "How many more lifetimes until enlightenment?" asked the monk. Sadhonna pointed to a large tree with thousands of leaves shimmering in the sunlight. He said, "As many as the leaves on that tree." The dancing monk laughed and received enlightenment instantly.
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Practicing the Way introduces us to a joy native to ourselves: not apart from, not an object to get to or deserve. Joy arises spontaneously when the conditions are inwardly aligned with our true nature.
This joy is not pleasure or happiness, and neither is it a non-pleasure or non-happiness. Joy is an interior contentment and gladness arising from our true nature, not from self as a person, or personality. Yet, even these words do not fit. One knows the difference between joy and happiness or pleasure through direct contact.
So, joy is never personal; it is always transpersonal. It is never located in one place but is universal. Joy comes from nowhere and goes nowhere. This joy is not the opposite of sadness; it is not the opposite of anything. This joy is a quality of the Whole, of God, Goddess, yourself.
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The monk experienced liberation, for he was untouched by the number of lifetimes before liberation. His joyful response showed he was ready to experience heaven on earth.
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In the Christian tradition, joy is one of the Fruit of the Spirit found in the scripture: listed second to love. Being aligned with Spirit means a gladness that can coexist with conditions that do not rouse gladness. This bliss is free of limiting conditions. As we grow spiritually, this joy will surprise us. We begin to see this quality arise that is not dependent on our emotions or what is happening around us. We come to be less attracted to happiness, pleasure, and excitement.
We will experience degrees of joy. Thich Nhat Hanh, in The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching, speaks of relative joy and absolute joy. He writes, "Without experiencing relative joy, you will not know what to do when you are face-to-face with absolute joy." Be aware of the subtlest of joy. Do not pursue some intense joy; instead, let it come to you when you are ready for it.
Last, as some people think, we do not have to transcend suffering to know joy. We can know joy while still in the realm of suffering. Suffering is compost for joy. Joy arises from the conversion of joylessness. Misery is a ground for bliss. So, we need to touch deeply the ways non-joy arises within us. If we deny it, we invite more non-joy. We touch the non-joy with compassion. Kindly recognizing it in a nonjudgmental way is a beginning to the manure being the basis for a lovely joy flower. We need not waste the manure. It is the life of all that is good, true, and beautiful, including joyfulness.
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*(C) Brian K. Wilcox, 2024. Permission is given to use photographs and writings with credit given to the copyright owner.
*Brian's book is An Ache for Union: Poems on Oneness with God through Love. The book is a collection of poems Brian wrote based on wisdom traditions, predominantly Christian, Buddhist, and Sufi, with extensive notes on the poetry's teachings and imagery.
