Med #11: Equalizing Self and Others

The next type of mind training is called "Equalizing Self and Others," which is to cherish others as much as we cherish ourselves.  Shantideva says it all in his commentary:

"All the suffering there is in this world
comes from desiring happiness for oneself.
All the well-being there is in the world
comes from desiring happiness for others."



Until now, we have mostly cherished ourselves.  The aim of this meditation is tho share our feeling of cherishing so that we come to cherish ourself and others equally.

Contemplation
There are three reasons to cherish myself and others the same:

1. All beings have shown me great kindness in both this and previous lives

2.  Just as I wish to be free from suffering and experience only happiness, so do all others.  In this respect I am no different from any one else.  We are all equal.

3. I am only one, whereas others are countless, so how can I cherish myself alone while I neglect to cherish others? My happiness and suffering are insignificant when compared with the happiness and suffering of all.

Meditation
We contemplate these three reasons until a determination to cherish ourself and others equally arises strongly in our mind.  we then hold this feeling single-pointedly for as long as possible

Dedication: We dedicate all the virtue we have created in this practice to the welfare of all living beings.

Subsequent Practice: When you meet someone today or think of someone, remember this determination from your meditation and cherish them sincerely.  Feel a real affectionate love for all beings and value their happiness and freedom.  This type of training will gradually result in the our daily life problems disappearing, because most of our problems arise from regarding ourself as more important than others.

Note: To truly crack the heart open and love other beings equally is hard.  If you find this difficult, know that it is hard for everyone...this is the reason we have such detailed and thorough teachings to make it real...beyond poetic words to true love and practice...

Please read pp 152-166 in Pabongka Rinpoche's Liberation In Our Hands, Part 3

Congratulations!  We are progressing well through this rigorous mind training!

Love
Reema