I heard a Dharma talk recently by Ajahn Brahmali—the vice-abbot of Bodhinyana Monastery—in which he discussed how simple and accessible the Buddha’s teachings are. To be sure, that is not always the case. The teaching on dependent origination is particularly deep. It is the quantum physics of Buddhism. Nonetheless, most of the Buddha’s teachings are quite simple and straightforward.
But because something is simple, that does not mean that it is easy. The idea of hitting a baseball is about as simple as it gets. You see the ball and you hit the ball. Yet the most accomplished major league baseball players only get a hit 30% of the time.
The Buddha’s teachings are like that. And because they are so straightforward and direct, it is easy to trivialize them. When you speak, speak the truth. How often do we tell little white lies? Do not speak harshly. How often do we violate that one? Do not cause discord in the community and do not speak idly. How much of our speech is unnecessary? Most of it.
So putting the Buddha’s teachings into practice requires wise intentions to do the right thing, and it requires skill and practice. Old habits die hard. We must respect the depth of our conditioning while working patiently and persistently to change it.
One of the teachings to which I return repeatedly is that the greatest happiness comes from peace. It is a curiously simple statement. Really? Not a new car? Not a great job? Not an attractive partner?
This is from the Dhammapada:
There is no fire like lust,
No misfortune like hate,
No suffering like the aggregates,
And no happiness higher than peace.
— [Dhp 202]
There is… no happiness higher than peace.
Most of us have experienced peace in our lives, even if it is momentary. I am fortunate to live in New Mexico, where there are some extraordinary places in which to experience peace. Jemez Falls. The Gila Wilderness. Chaco Canyon. You can look them up. This is the Land of Enchantment. You have probably been places like these, too.
And in those rare moments when we do experience peace, the mind will pull back. The mind’s sense of self is under attack. Its existence feels threatened. The mind is not used to that, and it fights back.
But the Buddha encouraged us to cultivate this sense of stillness and peace. He encouraged us to work against our normal conditioning. Our conditioning runs deep, and it is powerful. Anyone who has tried to stop the mind from thinking knows this.
But if we can tune into those rare moments when we experience peace, we get a glimpse into the promise of nirvana. We can cultivate and grow this greatest happiness. The sense of self disappears. It is replaced by freedom from suffering. There is only joy. There is only stillness, silence, and serenity. We are in harmony with the world. And if there is no self, there is no one to suffer.
Wishing you peace.