Wednesday, May 13, 2009

We're not here for relaxation

You may know that some leading international newspapers have reported that meditation is good for health. Scientists have now realised that meditation is good for stress, for relaxation and so on and so forth.

If you're a Buddhist, and if you're a genuine one, we're not here for good health. We're not here for relaxation. Who cares whether you're tense or not, because when people talk about relaxation, that means they relax for a little bit and then they go wild again, doesn't it? That's why they're looking for relaxation – so they can do more harm to themselves and others after a little bit of hibernation.

If you're a genuine follower of Gautama Buddha, being relaxed or tension-free is not your goal. Or at least the definition of relaxation and tension should be different.

What is tension? According to the Buddha, anything that is dualistic is tension. Gazing at the sunrise or the sunset could be tension. It's more likely to be tension than relaxation, according to the Buddha.

What is relaxation? Freedom from this dualistic mind is relaxation. In that sense, yes, we're looking for the ultimate relaxation. We're really looking to get rid of the mother of all tension, which is dualism.

-Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Gentle Voice 29


PS. Had ik al eens gezegd dat u Rinpoche's boek What makes you not a Buddhist? moet lezen? U moet Rinpoche's boek What makes you not a Buddhist? lezen. Kan ook in het Nederlands.