Bhavachakra - The Wheel of Existence
My dear friends,
James 3:1-12, which speaks of the power and potential dangers of the tongue, resonates with the wisdom found in every spiritual path.
Not many of you should become teachers,
for you know that we who teach
will be judged with greater strictness.
For all of us make many mistakes.
James begins by issuing a warning to those who teach others, highlighting the immense responsibility that comes with such a position, considering carefully the fallibility of human nature. Just as a lama who misguides his disciples, a teacher who stumbles in his teachings (or worse yet, does not live by them himself) not only confuses but also misleads those who trust in his wisdom. The lesson here is the careful exercise of wisdom and compassion, recognizing the great influence one's words and behavior can have on others.
able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle.
If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us,
we guide their whole bodies.
Or look at ships:
though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them,
yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.
The analogy of the horse and ship is particularly poignant. It underscores the power of the tongue, comparing it to a small bit in the mouth of a horse or a tiny rudder on a massive ship. Both these tiny objects have the power to control and steer something much larger than themselves. Similarly, our words, though physically small, have the potential to shape our lives and the lives of those around us.
The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body,
sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell.
For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature,
can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species,
but no one can tame the tongue--a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
Painted on the outside wall of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and temples is a "Wheel of Existence" (bhavachakra), a symbolic representation of samsara, the endless cycle of birth, death and suffering. The wheel is is held in the grip of Yama, the Lord of Death, and is kept in motion by the Three Poisons – ignorance, attachment, and aversion. As the Buddha said in the Fire Sermon,"The All is aflame... with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion. Aflame, I tell you, with birth, aging and death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, and despairs." The fires of hell, like the Three Poisons, represent destructive forces that fuel cycles of suffering. When one speaks harmful words out of these three poisons, one can ignite destructive processes in our lives and in the world around us, perpetuating suffering for oneself and others.
Furthermore, James’s reference to the tongue as a "restless evil, full of deadly poison" echoes the potential dangers of speaking without mindfulness and wisdom, that is, speaking under the influence of the Three Poisons. It is important to note that just as these forces can incite suffering, their opposites — non-attachment, loving-kindness, and wisdom — can serve to extinguish these fires and facilitate liberation.
The power of our words comes not only from their literal meanings but also from the intentions and states of mind that underlie them. If our words are driven by the fires of the Three Poisons, they can lead to harm and suffering. But if they are driven by the cooling waters of compassion, wisdom, and mindful awareness, they can contribute to healing, understanding, and peace.
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.
Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water?
Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs?
No more can salt water yield fresh.
Verses 9-12 invite us to engage in profound self-reflection about the paradox of our speech and behavior. When James says, ""these things ought not to be so," he is calling for a transformation in the way we use our speech, for it is not suitable to use the same tool for expressing both love and hate, compassion and cruelty. It's a call to integrate our speech with our spiritual ideals, with the respect and reverence we hold for the divine.
In addressing this, the practice of mindfulness is crucial. When we speak, we must do so with awareness, carefully considering the impact of our words. Before speaking we should ask ourselves:
Is it helpful?
Is it kind?
Is it necessary?
If a proposed remark does not meet these criteria, it may be best left unsaid.
Moreover, just as we cultivate mindfulness, we must also cultivate compassion and loving-kindness - the heartfelt wish for all beings to be free from suffering. We can then use our speech to uplift rather than to harm, to heal rather than to wound.
In the subsequent verses, James uses the metaphor of a spring, a fig tree, and a grapevine to highlight the incompatibility of bitter and sweet water, figs and olives. This mirrors the incompatibility of blessing and cursing, love and hate in our speech.
In heeding the warning, "it ought not to be so", we must strive to make our words and actions consistent, expressing only what aligns with our reverence for the divine and for the inherent dignity of all beings.
Let us remember that our words have the power to either obscure or reveal the divine in ourselves and in others. And so, let us use our words as instruments of understanding, respect, and love, creating an environment where the divine in each of us is not merely acknowledged but celebrated.