My dear friends,
In Atisha’s “The Best” we find the following precept:
This precept encourages us to see adversity not as a hindrance but as an opportunity for spiritual growth. Each of these difficult experiences can be seen as a test that allows us to practice and deepen our Bodhisattva motivation.
- Enemies: Those who cause us harm or create difficulties for us become mirrors reflecting our own unresolved attachments and aversions. By facing them, we learn to extend compassion even to those who may wish us ill, understanding that they too are suffering and acting out of their own ignorance. This is a direct practice of loving-kindness and forgiveness, which are essential aspects of the Bodhisattva's path.
- Obstacles: Challenges and setbacks on our path force us to strengthen our patience, perseverance, and resilience. Rather than seeing obstacles as blocking our progress, we can view them as opportunities to deepen our commitment to serve others and to find creative solutions that are rooted in compassion and wisdom.
- Illnesses: Sickness brings us face to face with the impermanence and fragility of life. It can awaken our empathy for all beings who suffer, reminding us that everyone experiences pain, sickness, and eventual death. By embracing our own suffering, we cultivate the wish for all beings to be free from such pain, enhancing our compassion and empathy.
- Sufferings: All forms of suffering, whether physical, mental, or emotional, can be transformed into the path of awakening. Suffering helps us to let go of our illusions of control and permanence, leading to the development of wisdom. It can also inspire us to cultivate a heart that seeks to alleviate the suffering of others, thus nurturing our Bodhicitta.
Wisdom plays a crucial role in this transformation. Without the insight that sees the true nature of these difficulties, we may easily fall into despair or resentment. Wisdom allows us to recognize that:
- Enemies, obstacles, illnesses, and sufferings are not inherently bad or good; their value depends on how we relate to them.
- All phenomena are impermanent and empty of inherent existence. This understanding helps us to let go of grasping and aversion, seeing challenges as part of the natural flow of life.
- Adversities are opportunities to cultivate the qualities that make us more effective and compassionate Bodhisattvas, such as patience, love, and the courage to face the suffering of the world without retreating.
The Example of Jesus
In the Christian tradition, we see a similar teaching through the example of Jesus, who faced enemies, obstacles, and suffering without losing his love and compassion. Even on the cross, he extended forgiveness and compassion to those who were causing him harm, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." This is a manifestation of bodhicitta—the unconditional love and forgiveness that arises from understanding the ignorance that causes suffering.
Thus, when we encounter adversities, we can remember that they are not curses but blessings in disguise. They are the best motivators because they urge us to deepen our practice, refine our understanding, and expand our capacity to love. They push us beyond the comfort of superficial peace and into the profound realization of the true nature of ourselves and others.