I want to open by quoting Einstein's wonderful statement, just so people will feel at ease that the great scientist of the 20th century also agrees with us, and also calls us to this action. He said, "A human being is a part of the whole, called by us, the 'universe,' -- a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion, to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
Vreau sa incep prin a cita declaratia minunata a lui Einstein, astfel incat sa va simtiti confortabil ca marele om de stiinta al secolului 20 este de acord cu noi si ne cere sa actionam. El a spus: "O fiinta umana este parte a unui intreg denumit de noi univers, a parte limitata in timp si spatiu. El se percepe, cu gandurile si sentimentele lui, ca fiind ceva separat de rest, acea separatie fiind un fel de iluzie optica a constiintei sale. Aceasta iluzie este un fel de inchisoare pentru noi, restrangandu-ne la dorintele noastra proprii si la afectiune pentru cateva persoane apropiate noua. Sarcina noastra e sa ne eliberam din aceasta inchisoare prin largirea cercului nostru de compasiune pentru a imbratisa toate creaturile vii si intreaga natura in frumusetea ei."
This insight of Einstein's is uncannily close to that of Buddhist psychology, wherein compassion -- "karuna," it is called -- is defined as, "the sensitivity to another's suffering and the corresponding will to free the other from that suffering." It pairs closely with love, which is the will for the other to be happy, which requires, of course, that one feels some happiness oneself and wishes to share it. This is perfect in that it clearly opposes self-centeredness and selfishness to compassion, the concern for others, and, further, it indicates that those caught in the cycle of self-concern suffer helplessly, while the compassionate are more free and, implicitly, more happy.
Viziunea lui Einstein este ciudat de apropiata de psihologia budista, in care compasiunea, numita karuna, este definita ca: "Sensibilitatea fata de suferinta altuia si vointa corespondenta de a-l elibera pe celalalt de acea suferinta." Se apropie mult de conceptul de dragoste. Care este dorinta ca celalalt sa fie fericit. Care cere, bineinteles, ca o persoana sa se simta fericita si sa vrea sa impartaseasca aceasta fericire. Este perfect in sensul ca opune, in mod clar, egocentrismului si egoismului, compasiunea, grija fata de ceilalti, si, mai mult, indica faptul ca cei captivi in ciclul grijii fata de sine sufera iremediabil, in timp ce cei ce practica compasiunea sunt mai liberi si, in mod implicit, mai fericiti.
The Dalai Lama often states that compassion is his best friend. It helps him when he is overwhelmed with grief and despair. Compassion helps him turn away from the feeling of his suffering as the most absolute, most terrible suffering anyone has ever had and broadens his awareness of the sufferings of others, even of the perpetrators of his misery and the whole mass of beings. In fact, suffering is so huge and enormous, his own becomes less and less monumental. And he begins to move beyond his self-concern into the broader concern for others. And this immediately cheers him up, as his courage is stimulated to rise to the occasion. Thus, he uses his own suffering as a doorway to widening his circle of compassion. He is a very good colleague of Einstein's, we must say.
Dalai Lama afirma adesea ca compasiunea e cel mai bun prieten al sau. Il ajuta cand este coplesit de tristete si disperare. Compasiunea il ajuta sa alunge sentimentul ca suferinta sa este cea mai mare si dureroasa suferinta pe care a incercat-o cineva si sa devina mult mai constient de suferinta altora, chiar si a celor care i-au provocat aceasta suferinta si a tuturor fiintelor. De fapt, suferinta este atat de mare, incat a sa devine din ce in ce mai putin monumentala. Si el incepe sa se miste dincolo de grija fata de sine, catre grija extinsa fata de ceilalti. Si el incepe imediat sa se bucure, iar curajul sau e stimulat sa se ridice la inaltimea ocaziei. De aceea, el foloseste suferinta sa ca o poarta pentru a-si largi cercul de compasiune. El este un bun coleg al lui Einstein, trebuie sa spunem.
Now, I want to tell a story, which is a very famous story in the Indian and Buddhist tradition, of the great Saint Asanga who was a contemporary of Augustine in the West and was sort of like the Buddhist Augustine. And Asanga lived 800 years after the Buddha's time. And he was discontented with the state of people's practice of the Buddhist religion in India at that time.
Acum vreau sa va spun o poveste foarte cunoscuta in traditia indiana si budista, cea a marelui Sfantului Asanga, care a fost contemporan cu Sfantul Augustin din Vest, si a fost un fel de Sfant Augustin budist. Asanga a trait la 800 de ani dupa Buddha. Si el era nemultumit de felul in care oamenii practicau religia budista in India, la acea vreme.
And so he said, "I'm sick of all this. Nobody's really living the doctrine. They're talking about love and compassion and wisdom and enlightenment, but they are acting selfish and pathetic. So, Buddha's teaching has lost its momentum. I know the next Buddha will come a few thousand years from now, but exists currently in a certain heaven" -- that's Maitreya -- "so, I'm going to go on a retreat and I'm going to meditate and pray until the Buddha Maitreya reveals himself to me, and gives me a teaching or something to revive the practice of compassion in the world today."
Si el a spus: "M-am saturat. Nimeni nu practica cu adevarat doctrina. Toti vorbesc de dragoste, compasiune, intelepciune si iluminare, dar actioneaza in mod egoist si jalnic. Deci invatatura lui Buddha si-a pierdut avantul. Stiu ca noul Buddha va veni peste cateva mii de ani, dar exista acum intr-un rai, numit Maitreya. Deci, ma voi retrage si voi medita si ma voi ruga pana cand Buddha Maitreya mi se va revela si ma va invata ceva pentru a reinvia practica compasiunii in lume astazi."
So he went on this retreat. And he meditated for three years and he did not see the future Buddha Maitreya. And he left in disgust. And as he was leaving, he saw a man -- a funny little man sitting sort of part way down the mountain. And he had a lump of iron. And he was rubbing it with a cloth. And he became interested in that. He said, "Well what are you doing?" And the man said, "I'm making a needle." And he said, "That's ridiculous. You can't make a needle by rubbing a lump of iron with a cloth." And the man said, "Really?" And he showed him a dish full of needles. So he said, "Okay, I get the point." He went back to his cave. He meditated again.
Deci s-a retras. Si a meditat trei ani si nu l-a vazut pe viitorul Buddha Maitreya. Si a plecat dezgustat. Si, cum pleca, a vazut un om -- un omulet nostim -- care statea la baza muntelui. Acesta avea o bucata de fier. Si o stergea cu o carpa. Asanga a devenit interesat. A spus: "Ei bine, ce faci?" Si omul a spus: "Fac un ac." Asanga a spus: "E ridicol. Nu poti sa faci un ac frecand o bucata de fier cu o carpa." Si omul a spus: "Serios?" Si i-a aratat o farfurie plina cu ace. Asanga a spus: "Okay, am inteles." S-a intors in pestera. A meditat din nou.
Another three years, no vision. He leaves again. This time, he comes down. And as he's leaving, he sees a bird making a nest on a cliff ledge. And where it's landing to bring the twigs to the cliff, its feathers brushes the rock -- and it had cut the rock six to eight inches in. There was a cleft in the rock by the brushing of the feathers of generations of the birds. So he said, "All right. I get the point." He went back.
Inca trei ani, nici o viziune. Pleaca din nou. De aceasta data, coboara. Si cum mergea, vede o pasare construindu-si un cuib pe o stanca. Si unde ateriza, pentru a aduce ramurele pe stanca, penele ei ating piatra, si taiasera piatra, 15-20 de centimetri inauntru, era o crapatura in piatra datorita atingerii penelor generatiilor de pasari. Deci a spus: "Bine. Am inteles." S-a intors.
Another three years. Again, no vision of Maitreya after nine years. And he again leaves, and this time: water dripping, making a giant bowl in the rock where it drips in a stream. And so, again, he goes back. And after 12 years there is still no vision. And he's freaked out. And he won't even look left or right to see any encouraging vision.
Alti trei ani. Din nou, nici o viziune a lui Maitreya dupa noua ani. Si pleaca din nou si, de data aceasta, apa cade facand o scobitura uriasa in piatra pe care apa curge suvoi. Si, din nou, se intoarce. Si dupa 12 ani inca nu are nici o viziune. Si este innebunit. Si nici nu se mai uita la stanga sau la dreapta pentru a vedea o viziune incurajatoare.
And he comes to the town. He's a broken person. And there, in the town, he's approached by a dog who comes like this -- one of these terrible dogs you can see in some poor countries, even in America, I think, in some areas -- and he's looking just terrible. And he becomes interested in this dog because it's so pathetic, and it's trying to attract his attention. And he sits down looking at the dog. And the dog's whole hindquarters are a complete open sore. Some of it is like gangrenous, and there are maggots in the flesh. And it's terrible. He thinks, "What can I do to fix up this dog? Well, at least I can clean this wound and wash it."
Si se intoarce in oras. Este o persoana distrusa. Si acolo, in oras, un caine se apropie de el, care vine asa, unul din acei caini groaznici pe care ii vezi in anumite tari sarace, chiar si in America, cred, in anumite zone, si arata jalnic. Si acest caine ii atrage atentia fiindca este atat de jalnic, si incearca sa ii atraga atentia. Si se aseaza si se uita la acel caine. Si posteriorul cainelui este o rana deschisa. Si o parte este atinsa de gangrena. Si are larve in carne. Este groaznic. Se gandeste: "Ce pot face sa ajut acest caine?" Ei bine, cel putin pot sa-i curat rana si sa-l spal."
So, he takes it to some water. He's about to clean, but then his awareness focuses on the maggots. And he sees the maggots, and the maggots are kind of looking a little cute. And they're maggoting happily in the dog's hindquarters there. "Well, if I clean the dog, I'll kill the maggots. So how can that be? That's it. I'm a useless person and there's no Buddha, no Maitreya, and everything is all hopeless. And now I'm going to kill the maggots?"
Deci, il duce la o apa, este gata sa il curete, apoi atentia ii este atrasa de larve. Si vede larvele, si acestea par destul de dragute. Si ele traiesc fericite pe posteriorul cainelui. "Ei bine, daca voi curata cainele, voi ucide larvele. Cum se poate asa ceva? Asta e. Sunt o persoana nefolositoare si nu este niciun Buddha, niciun Maitreya si nu este speranta. Si acum voi ucide larvele?"
So, he had a brilliant idea. And he took a shard of something, and cut a piece of flesh from his thigh, and he placed it on ground. He was not really thinking too carefully about the ASPCA. He was just immediately caught with the situation. So he thought, "I will take the maggots and put them on this piece of flesh, then clean the dog's wounds, and then I'll figure out what to do with the maggots."
Deci, a avut o idee geniala. A luat un ciob si si-a taiat o bucata de carne din coapsa si a pus-o pe pamant. Nu s-a gandit prea bine la ASPCA.(Societatea Americana pentru Prevenirea Cruzimii impotriva Animalelor). Imediat a fost prins de aceasta situatie. Deci s-a gandit: "Voi lua aceste larve si le voi pune pe aceasta bucata de carne, apoi voi curata rana cainelui si, apoi, o sa-mi dau seama ce sa fac cu larvele."
So he starts to do that. He can't grab the maggots. Apparently they wriggle around. They're kind of hard to grab, these maggots. So he says, "Well, I'll put my tongue on the dog's flesh. And then the maggots will jump on my warmer tongue" -- the dog is kind of used up -- "and then I'll spit them one by one down on the thing." So he goes down, and he's sticking his tongue out like this. And he had to close his eyes, it's so disgusting, and the smell and everything.
Si a inceput operatia. Dar nu putea prinde larvele. Se pare ca acestea se zbat. Sunt greu de prins aceste larve. Deci a spus: "O sa-mi pun limba pe carnea cainelui. Si larvele vor sari pe limba mea care este mai calda. Cainele e cam folosit. Si apoi le voi scuipa una cate una pe carne." Deci se apleaca si isi lipeste limba in felul acesta. Si trebuie sa inchida ochii, este atat de dezgustator si mirosul si tot restul.
And then, suddenly, there's a pfft, a noise like that. He jumps back and there, of course, is the future Buddha Maitreya in a beautiful vision -- rainbow lights, golden, jeweled, a plasma body, an exquisite mystic vision -- that he sees. And he says, "Oh." He bows. But, being human, he's immediately thinking of his next complaint.
Si, atunci, dintr-odata, aude un sunet ca acesta. Se intoarce si il vede pe viitorul Buddha Maitreya. Intr-o viziune minunata cu luminile curcubeului, aurit, acoperit de bijuterii, corp de plasma, vede o viziune mistica superba. Si spune: "Oh." Se inclina. Dar, fiind om, se gandeste imediat la urmatoarea sa nemultumire.
So as he comes up from his first bow he says, "My Lord, I'm so happy to see you, but where have you been for 12 years? What is this?"
Deci, cum se ridica, spune: "Stapane, sunt fericit sa te vad, dar unde ai fost in ultimii 12 ani? Ce este asta?"
And Maitreya says, "I was with you. Who do you think was making needles and making nests and dripping on rocks for you, mister dense?" (Laughter) "Looking for the Buddha in person," he said. And he said, "You didn't have, until this moment, real compassion. And, until you have real compassion, you cannot recognize love." "Maitreya" means love, "the loving one," in Sanskrit.
Si Maitreya spune: "Am fost cu tine. Cine crezi ca facea ace si cuiburi si picura apa pe pietre pentru tine, domnule greu-de-cap?" (Rasete) "Uitandu-se dupa Buddha in persoana." a spus. Si a spus: "Pana atunci, nu aveai compasiune adevarata. Si pana nu ai compasiune adevarata, nu poti recunoaste dragostea." Stiti ca, in sanscrita, Maitreya inseamna dragoste, cel iubit.
And so he looked very dubious, Asanga did. And he said, "If you don't believe me, just take me with you." And so he took the Maitreya -- it shrunk into a globe, a ball -- took him on his shoulder. And he ran into town in the marketplace, and he said, "Rejoice! Rejoice! The future Buddha has come ahead of all predictions. Here he is." And then pretty soon they started throwing rocks and stones at him -- it wasn't Chautauqua, it was some other town -- because they saw a demented looking, scrawny looking yogi man, like some kind of hippie, with a bleeding leg and a rotten dog on his shoulder, shouting that the future Buddha had come.
Si deci el arata foarte ciudat, credea Asanga. Si a spus: "Daca nu ma crezi, ia-ma cu tine." Si l-a luat pe Maitreya -- l-a micsorat intr-un glob, o minge -- si l-a pus pe umar. Si s-a dus in piata orasului si a spus: "Bucurati-va. Bucurati-va. Viitorul Buddha a sosit inaintea tuturor previziunilor. Iata-l." Si destul de curand au inceput sa arunce cu pietre in el -- Nu era Chautauqua.Era alt oras -- fiindca ei au vazut un yoghin care arata ca un nebun, un fel de hippie cu un picior care sangera si un caine putrezit pe umarul sau, strigand ca noul Buddha a sosit.
So, naturally, they chased him out of town. But on the edge of town, one elderly lady, a charwoman in the charnel ground, saw a jeweled foot on a jeweled lotus on his shoulder and then the dog, but she saw the jewel foot of the Maitreya, and she offered a flower. So that encouraged him, and he went with Maitreya.
Deci, normal ca l-au alungat din oras. Dar la marginea orasului, o femeie batrana, o femeie cu ziua intr-un cimitir, a vazut pe umarul sau un picior cu bijuterii pe un lotus cu bijuterii si apoi cainele, dar ea a vazut piciorul cu bijuterii al lui Maitreya si i-a oferit o floare. Si acest gest l-a incurajat si a mers mai departe cu Maitreya.
Maitreya then took him to a certain heaven, which is the typical way a Buddhist myth unfolds. And Maitreya then kept him in heaven for five years, dictating to him five complicated tomes of the methodology of how you cultivate compassion.
Iar Maitreya l-a luat intr-un anumit rai, in felul in care mitul budist se desfasoara de obicei. Si Maitreya l-a tinut in rai cinci ani, dictandu-i cinci tomuri complicate privind metodologia cultivarii compasiunii.
And then I thought I would share with you what that method is, or one of them. A famous one, it's called the "Sevenfold Causal Method of Developing Compassion." And it begins first by one meditating and visualizing that all beings are with one -- even animals too, but everyone is in human form. The animals are in one of their human lives. The humans are human. And then, among them, you think of your friends and loved ones, the circle at the table. And you think of your enemies, and you think of the neutral ones. And then you try to say, "Well, the loved ones I love. But, you know, after all, they're nice to me. I had fights with them. Sometimes they were unfriendly. I got mad. Brothers can fight. Parents and children can fight. So, in a way, I like them so much because they're nice to me. While the neutral ones I don't know. They could all be just fine. And then the enemies I don't like because they're mean to me. But they are nice to somebody. I could be them."
Si atunci m-am gandit sa impart cu voi acea metoda sau una dintre ele. Una faimoasa, se numeste, "Metoda cauzala in sapte pasi pentru dezvoltarea compasiunii." Incepe prin meditatie si vizualizarea faptului ca toate fiintele sunt cu tine, si toate -- chiar si animalele -- dar fiecare este in forma umana. Animalele sunt in una din formele lor umane. Toate fiintele umane sunt umane. Si atunci, printre ele, te gandesti la prietenii tai si la cei pe care ii iubesti, cercul de la masa. Si te gandesti la inamicii tai si te gandesti la cei neutri. Si apoi incerci sa spui, "EI bine, ii iubesc pe cei apropiati. Dar, stii, una peste alta, ei sunt buni cu mine. M-am certat cu ei. Cateodata au fost neprietenosi. M-am suparat. Fratii se pot certa. Parintii si copiii se pot certa. Deci, intr-un fel, imi place mult de ei fiindca sunt buni cu mine. Cat despre cei neutri, nu stiu. Ar putea fi in regula. Si apoi, pe inamici nu ii plac fiindca sunt rai cu mine. Dar ei sunt buni cu cineva. As putea fi ei."
And then the Buddhists, of course, think that, because we've all had infinite previous lives, we've all been each other's relatives, actually. Therefore all of you, in the Buddhist view, in some previous life, although you don't remember it and neither do I, have been my mother -- for which I do apologize for the trouble I caused you. And also, actually, I've been your mother. I've been female, and I've been every single one of yours' mother in a previous life, the way the Buddhists reflect. So, my mother in this life is really great. But all of you in a way are part of the eternal mother. You gave me that expression; "the eternal mama," you said. That's wonderful. So, that's the way the Buddhists do it. A theist Christian can think that all beings, even my enemies, are God's children. So, in that sense, we're related.
Si, apoi, bineinteles, budistii cred ca, fiindca toti am avut un numar infinit de vieti inainte, budistii cred ca toti am fost rudele celorlalti, de fapt, si toata lumea, deci toti dintre voi, in gandirea budista intr-o viata anterioara, desi nu va aduceti aminte si nici eu, ati fost mama mea, si imi cer scuze pentru necazurile pe care vi le-am provocat. Si, de asemenea, si eu v-am fost mama. Am fost femeie si am fost pentru fiecare dintre voi, mama ta intr-o viata anterioara, conform gandirii budiste. Deci, mama mea din aceasta viata e extraordinara. Dar toti dintre voi, intr-un fel, sunteti parte a mamei eterne. V-ati uitat la mine cu acea expresie, mama eterna, ai spus. Este minunat. Deci, asa gandesc budistii. Un teist, crestin, crede ca toate fiintele, chiar si inamicii mei, sunt copiii lui Dumnezeu. Deci, intr-un fel, suntem inruditi.
So, they first create this foundation of equality. So, we sort of reduce a little of the clinging to the ones we love -- just in the meditation -- and we open our mind to those we don't know. And we definitely reduce the hostility and the "I don't want to be compassionate to them" to the ones we think of as the bad guys, the ones we hate and we don't like. And we don't hate anyone, therefore. So we equalize. That's very important.
Deci, ei creeaza mai intai aceasta fundatie a egalitatii. Deci, reducem un pic agatarea de cei pe care ii iubim -- doar in meditatie -- si ne deschidem mintea catre cei pe care nu ii cunoastem. Si reducem in mod sigur ostilitatea si "Nu vreau sa-mi arat compasiunea fata de ei." catre cei despre care cred ca sunt rai, cei pe care ii uram si nu ii placem. De aceea, nu uram pe nimeni. Deci egalizam. Este foarte important.
And then the next thing we do is what is called "mother recognition." And that is, we think of every being as familiar, as family. We expand. We take the feeling about remembering a mama, and we defuse that to all beings in this meditation. And we see the mother in every being. We see that look that the mother has on her face, looking at this child that is a miracle that she has produced from her own body, being a mammal, where she has true compassion, truly is the other, and identifies completely. Often the life of that other will be more important to her than her own life. And that's why it's the most powerful form of altruism. The mother is the model of all altruism for human beings, in spiritual traditions. And so, we reflect until we can sort of see that motherly expression in all beings.
Si apoi urmatorul lucru pe care il facem se numeste recunoasterea mamei. Adica, ne gandim la fiecare fiinta umana ca la o ruda, la familie. Extindem. Luam sentimentul despre reamintirea mamei, si il difuzam fata de toate fiintele umane in aceasta meditatie. Vedem mama in fiecare fiinta umana. Vedem privirea mamei, acea privire catre copilul ei care este un miracol pe care ea l-a creat din propriul corp, fiind un mamifer, pentru care are compasiune adevarata, realmente e celalalt si ea se identifica complet cu acesta. Deseori viata celuilalt va fi mai importanta pentru ea decat viata ei. Si de aceea este cea mai puternica forma de altruism. Mama este modelul de altruism pentru fiintele umane, in traditiile spirituale. Si deci, reflectam pana cand putem vedea acea expresie a mamei in toate fiintele.
People laugh at me because, you know, I used to say that I used to meditate on mama Cheney as my mom, when, of course, I was annoyed with him about all of his evil doings in Iraq. I used to meditate on George Bush. He's quite a cute mom in a female form. He has his little ears and he smiles and he rocks you in his arms. And you think of him as nursing you. And then Saddam Hussein's serious mustache is a problem, but you think of him as a mom.
Oamenii rad de mine fiindca, stiti, obisnuiam sa spun ca obisnuiam sa meditez la mama Cheney ca mama mea, cand, bineinteles, ma enervau lucrurile rele pe care le facea in Irak. Obisnuiam sa ma gandesc la George Bush. E o mama draguta intr-o forma feminina. Are urechile acelea mici si zambeste si te strange in brate. Si te gandesti la el ca si cand ar avea grija de tine. Si apoi mustata lui Saddam Hussein este o problema. Dar te gandesti la el ca la o mama.
And this is the way you do it. You take any being who looks weird to you, and you see how they could be familiar to you. And you do that for a while, until you really feel that. You can feel the familiarity of all beings. Nobody seems alien. They're not "other." You reduce the feeling of otherness about beings. Then you move from there to remembering the kindness of mothers in general, if you can remember the kindness of your own mother, if you can remember the kindness of your spouse, or, if you are a mother yourself, how you were with your children. And you begin to get very sentimental; you cultivate sentimentality intensely. You will even weep, perhaps, with gratitude and kindness. And then you connect that with your feeling that everyone has that motherly possibility. Every being, even the most mean looking ones, can be motherly.
Asta trebuie sa faci. Iei orice fiinta care iti pare ciudata si vezi cum ar putea sa iti devina familiara. Si faci asta pana cand simti realmente asta. Poti sa simti familiaritatea tuturor fiintelor. Nimeni nu pare strain. Nu sunt "celalalt". Reduci sentimentul de diferenta fata de celelalte fiinte. Apoi te muti de aici la rememorarea blandetii mamelor in general, daca-ti poti aminti blandetea mamei tale, daca-ti poti aduce aminte de blandetea sotiei tale, sau, daca tu esti o mama, la cum te purtai cu copiii tai. Si incepi sa devii sentimental, cultivi sentimentalismul in mod intens. Vei plange, poate, cu gratitudine si blandete. Si atunci te conectezi cu sentimentul ca oricine are aceasta posibilitate materna. Fiecare fiinta, chiar si cele mai rele, poate fi materna.
And then, third, you step from there to what is called "a feeling of gratitude." You want to repay that kindness that all beings have shown to you. And then the fourth step, you go to what is called "lovely love." In each one of these you can take some weeks, or months, or days depending on how you do it, or you can do them in a run, this meditation. And then you think of how lovely beings are when they are happy, when they are satisfied. And every being looks beautiful when they are internally feeling a happiness. Their face doesn't look like this. When they're angry, they look ugly, every being, but when they're happy they look beautiful. And so you see beings in their potential happiness. And you feel a love toward them and you want them to be happy, even the enemy.
Si apoi, in al treilea rand, ajungi la sentimentul de gratitudine. Vrei sa rasplatesti bunatatea pe care toate fiintele ti-au aratat-o. Si, apoi, al patrulea pas, ajungi la ceea ce se numeste dragoste. Fiecare pas ia cateva saptamani, luni sau zile in functie de cum il faci, sau poti sa faci toate etapele acestei meditatii odata. Si atunci te gandesti cat de incantatoari sunt oamenii cand sunt fericiti. cand sunt satisfacuti. Si fiecare fiinta arata minunat cand se simte fericita in adancul sufletului. Fata lor nu arata asa. Cand sunt furiosi, ei arata urati, fiecare fiinta, dar cand sunt fericiti arata minunat. Deci vezi fiinte potential fericite. Si simti dragoste pentru ei si vrei sa fie fericiti, chiar si dusmanul tau.
We think Jesus is being unrealistic when he says, "Love thine enemy." He does say that, and we think he's being unrealistic and sort of spiritual and highfalutin. "Nice for him to say it, but I can't do that." But, actually, that's practical. If you love your enemy that means you want your enemy to be happy. If your enemy was really happy, why would they bother to be your enemy? How boring to run around chasing you. They would be relaxing somewhere having a good time. So it makes sense to want your enemy to be happy, because they'll stop being your enemy because that's too much trouble.
Si, de fapt, este foarte logic sa vrei -- credem ca Isus e nerealist cand spune sa iti iubesti dusmanul. El spune asta si noi credem ca este nerealist si spiritual si bombastic: "Dragut din partea lui ca spune asta, dar nu pot face asta." Dar, de fapt, este practic. Daca iti iubesti dusmanul inseamna ca vrei ca dusmanul sa fie fericit. Daca inamicul era intr-adevar fericit, de ce s-ar mai deranja sa iti fie dusman? Cat de plictisitor sa te urmareasca. S-ar relaxa undeva si s-ar distra. Deci are sens sa vrei ca dusmanul sa fie fericit fiindca vor inceta sa-ti fie dusmani fiindca e prea mare deranjul.
But anyway, that's the "lovely love. " And then finally, the fifth step is compassion, "universal compassion." And that is where you then look at the reality of all the beings you can think of. And you look at them, and you see how they are. And you realize how unhappy they are actually, mostly, most of the time. You see that furrowed brow in people. And then you realize they don't even have compassion on themselves. They're driven by this duty and this obligation. "I have to get that. I need more. I'm not worthy. And I should do something." And they're rushing around all stressed out. And they think of it as somehow macho, hard discipline on themselves. But actually they are cruel to themselves. And, of course, they are cruel and ruthless toward others. And they, then, never get any positive feedback. And the more they succeed and the more power they have, the more unhappy they are. And this is where you feel real compassion for them.
Dar, oricum, asta e dragostea incantatoare. Si, in sfarsit, al cincilea pas este compasiunea, compasiunea universala. Aceasta are loc cand te uiti la realitatea tuturor fiintelor la care te poti gandi. Si te uiti la ele si le vezi asa cum sunt. Si iti dai seama cat de nefericite sunt de fapt in majoritatea timpului. Vezi aceasta frunte brazdate la unii oameni. Si apoi iti dai seama ca ei nu au compasiune nici macar pentru ei. Sunt condusi de aceasta datorie si obligatie. "Trebuie sa obtin asta. Am nevoie de mai mult. Nu valorez nimic. Ar trebui sa fac ceva." Si se grabesc stresati. Si se gandesc la asta ca la ceva macho, o disciplina dura pe care si-o aplica. Dar, de fapt, ei sunt cruzi cu ei insisi. Si, bineinteles, ei sunt cruzi si necrutatori cu ceilalti. Si apoi, ei nu primesc nici un feedback pozitiv. Si cu cat reusesc, cu cat mai multa putere au, cu atat mai nefericiti sunt. Si pentru asta simtim compasiune reala pentru ei.
And you then feel you must act. And the choice of the action, of course, hopefully will be more practical than poor Asanga, who was fixing the maggots on the dog because he had that motivation, and whoever was in front of him, he wanted to help. But, of course, that is impractical. He should have founded the ASPCA in the town and gotten some scientific help for dogs and maggots. And I'm sure he did that later. (Laughter) But that just indicates the state of mind, you know.
Si simti ca trebuie sa actionezi. Si aceasta este motivatia -- Si alegerea actiunii, bineinteles, va fi, din fericire, mai practica decat aceea a nefericitului Asanga care aranja larvele pe caine, fiindca el era motivat si ar fi vrut sa ajute pe oricine era in fata lui. Dar, desigur, nu e practic. Ar fi trebuit sa infiinteze ASPCA in oras si ar fi primit consultanta stiintifica referitoare la caini si larve. Sunt sigur ca, mai tarziu, asa a facut. Dar, stiti, asta indica doar ceea ce gandea.
And so the next step -- the sixth step beyond "universal compassion" -- is this thing where you're linked with the needs of others in a true way, and you have compassion for yourself also, and it isn't sentimental only. You might be in fear of something. Some bad guy is making himself more and more unhappy being more and more mean to other people and getting punished in the future for it in various ways. And in Buddhism, they catch it in the future life. Of course in theistic religion they're punished by God or whatever. And materialism, they think they get out of it just by not existing, by dying, but they don't. And so they get reborn as whatever, you know.
Si, deci, pasul urmator, al saselea pas dincolo de compasiunea universala, care este acela cand te conectezi cu adevarat la nevoile celorlati si ai compasiune si pentru tine si nu ai, nu este doar sentimental. Ti-ar putea fi frica de ceva. Un tip rau devine din ce in ce mai nefericit si este din ce in ce mai rau cu altii si va fi pedepsit in viitor pentru asta in moduri diverse. Si, in budism, asta se intampla intr-o viata viitoare. Bineinteles, in religia teista sunt pedepsiti de Dumnezeu sau oricine altcineva. Si, in materialism, ei cred ca scapa doar fiindca nu mai exista, murind, dar nu este asa. Si, deci, ei renasc intr-o forma oarecare.
Never mind. I won't get into that. But the next step is called "universal responsibility." And that is very important -- the Charter of Compassion must lead us to develop through true compassion, what is called "universal responsibility." In the great teaching of his Holiness the Dalai Lama that he always teaches everywhere, he says that that is the common religion of humanity: kindness. But "kindness" means "universal responsibility." And that means whatever happens to other beings is happening to us: we are responsible for that, and we should take it and do whatever we can at whatever little level and small level that we can do it. We absolutely must do that. There is no way not to do it.
Nu conteaza. Nu am sa ating subiectul. Pasul urmator este numit raspunderea universala. Si acesta este foarte importat -- Carta Compasiunii trebuie sa ne determine sa dezvoltam compasiunea reala care se numeste responsabilitate universala. Si asta inseamna ca invatatura Sfintiei Sale, Dalai Lama, pe care el o predica oriunde, si el spune ca religia comuna a umanitatii este bunatatea. Dar bunatate inseamna responsabilitate universala. Si asta inseamna ca orice se intampla altor fiinte ni se intampla noua, ca sunt responsabili pentru asta si ar trebui sa ne-o asumam si sa facem orice putem la orice nivel mare sau mic la care putem actiona. Neaparat trebuie sa facem asta. Nu este nici un motiv sa nu o facem.
And then, finally, that leads to a new orientation in life where we live equally for ourselves and for others and we are joyful and happy. One thing we mustn't think is that compassion makes you miserable. Compassion makes you happy. The first person who is happy when you get great compassion is yourself, even if you haven't done anything yet for anybody else. Although, the change in your mind already does something for other beings: they can sense this new quality in yourself, and it helps them already, and gives them an example.
Si, apoi, asta duce la o noua orientare in viata. in care traim in mod egal pentru noi si ceilalti si cream acea fericire pentru noi, si suntem fericiti. Un lucru pe care nu trebuie sa il gandim e ca compasiunea ne face nefericiti. Compasiunea ne face fericiti. Prima persoana care este fericita, cand primesti multa compasiune, esti tu, chiar cand nu ai facut nimic pentru altcineva. Desi schimbarea in mintea ta face deja ceva pentru alte fiinte. Ei pot sesiza aceasta noua calitate in tine si ii ajuta deja si le da un exemplu.
And that uncompassionate clock has just showed me that it's all over.
Si acest ceas lipsit de compasiune tocmai mi-a aratat ca s-a terminat.
So, practice compassion, read the charter, disseminate it and develop it within yourself. Don't just think, "Well, I'm compassionate," or "I'm not compassionate," and sort of think you're stuck there. You can develop this. You can diminish the non-compassion, the cruelty, the callousness, the neglect of others, and take universal responsibility for them. And then, not only will God smile and the eternal mama will smile, but Karen Armstrong will smile.
Deci, practicati compasiunea, cititi carta, diseminati-o si dezvoltati-o in voi. Nu va ganditi doar ca sunteti sau nu plini de compasiune si ramaneti blocati acolo. Puteti dezvolta asta. Puteti micsora non-compasiunea, cruzimea, impietrirea, nepasarea fata de ceilalti. Asumati-va raspunderea universala pentru ele si atunci nu numai Dumnezeu si mama eterna vor zambi dar si Karen Armstrong va zambi.
Thank you very much. (Applause)
Va multumesc.