Reactions to the 8 Verses of Thought Transformation and 5 Remembrances

1. With the thought of attaining enlightenment
For the welfare of all beings,
Who are more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel,
I will constantly practice holding them dear.

In verse one we are reminded to treasure those we meet, and to seek enlightenment for their well-being. When I first learned about Buddhism, to be honest, I did not think about this very much. I wanted to become enlightened for myself. I wanted to become enlightened to gain my own freedom from suffering. I think you could call this a lesser vow, even if it is still a very wonderful one to have. As I grew and learned more, I realized that we can never really free ourselves from dependence upon others and the presence of others. Even while struggling for my own personal success, I was using the teachings of a great number of compassionate Buddhas. As I grew it occurred to me that helping others is a joyful experience. Since we are never really alone, after attaining some proficiency in the Dharma, we should strive to help our brothers and sisters who are also struggling to find happiness and peace in life. This is just what I feel is right and good to do.

3. In all actions I will examine my mind
And the moment a disturbing attitude arises,
Endangering myself and others,
I will firmly confront and avert it.

In verse three, we are reminded to be aware of our ever-changing mind, confronting what destructive unwholesome thoughts that arise. For Hinayana practitioners this is no different than practicing right-view, right-speech, right-action, right-mindfulness, and so forth. For Mayahana and Ekayana practitioners, this practice will lead one to perfecting one’s patience, diligence, and mindfulness, as one continuously masters their mind. I have not reached the point where I can guard my mind at all times, as is asked in this verse, but I do have a story to relate.

While working at a grocery store in the past, most of my coworkers and managers treated me very kindly. However, one manager would often give me trouble or scold me when I had not even made a mistake. I think we have all had someone in our life like this some time. I almost got frustrated with him over time, but I saw this frustration in my mind and took a step back. Perhaps he was just trying to help me be a very strong worker, or perhaps he had a difficult life. It wouldn’t be right for me to just dislike him when I barely knew him. Instead of getting frustrated, I worked harder and tried to be friends with him. After knowing each other for some time, he let me know a bit about his life. He let me know that he had to come to the store at 3am or 5am very often, and, to make matters worse, he had a very complex and difficult family situation. Hearing his story helped me realize that we should not jump to conclusions or let other people frustrate us too soon. He was actually a very nice guy, he was just a little rough around the edges because life had been a bit rough to him. The lesson is this, take hold of your frustration and difficult thoughts! We are so much greater than they are, even if they are in a way a part of us.

- President Joseph Hennessee, Nov. 2009