Realizing Enlightened Society
This article is based on a seminar entitled "Realizing Enlightened Society," which took place at Karmê Chöling, Vermont, in February 1986. It is edited by Judy Lief and was first published in the Shambhala Sun in June of 1991.
Talk One: Ground of Basic Goodness
We are definitely turning the wheel sunwards. And it is my greatest privilege to announce the inseparability of the Shambhala approach and the buddhadharma.
How are we going to incorporate two seemingly different approaches into one entity? We have Buddhists and we have Shambhalians. How are we going to mix them together?
I think it is very simple in my way of thinking, anyway. The Shambhala approach could be regarded as the river or the trees, and the buddhadharma as the mountains on which the trees will grow and the river will flow. So buddhadharma is basic nature. In other words, white paper could be regarded as the buddhadharma, and what will occur or develop on that white paper, which is known as calligraphy, is Shambhala. In this approach, buddhadharma is regarded as the basic intrinsic nature, or background, and the Shambhala teachings will grow out of that, as the foreground. It is very basic.
We had a certain amount of difficulty in interior-decorating this particular building and this particular room [Karmê Chöling shrine room]. The architect argued with us, saying that we could not put up these columns. Finally he came to the conclusion that it was geographically and architecturally necessary to provide such columns, let alone the gold-leafing and other decorations that went along with it. It is a very interesting perspective. According to the architect, if you looked at it from the point of view of architectural possibilities you wouldn't suggest such columns unless it became technically necessary-but apparently it is technically necessary. That is known as basic goodness strikes once more. Basic goodness is not just embellishment, but basic goodness is required in order for us to concentrate on such a situation. If you would care to ask any questions, you are more than welcome.
STUDENT: Sir, with mountains as the background, as buddhadharma, and the Shambhala teachings as the trees and rivers, where do the world's other religious traditions fit in?
VIDYADHARA: All of them.
S: Just like that?
V: Just like that!
S: Specifically then, where does Christianity fit in?
V: Sometimes it is a part of the foreground, and sometimes it is background.
S: Judaism and Hinduism?
V: Same thing.
S: What part does the sky play in all of this?
V: What?! [Laughter]
S: What part does the sky play in this scheme of mountains and trees and rivers?
V: Big rock.
S: Is it a beginning?
V: It's a beginning, yes. You'll be surprised how large it will be.
S: Sir, in the past you've used another analogy in discussing the relationship between Shambhala and buddhadharma. You've said that Shambhala is the vessel that will contain buddhadharma. The analogy that you're using tonight seems the opposite of that.
V: I think it's saying the same thing. Shambhala is more embellishment; buddhadharma is more what is being embellished.
Talk Two: Path of Simplicity
Good evening. Tonight's presentation should be very simple and very direct. It involves the basic nature of Shambhala and buddhadharma, with a strong emphasis on the Shambhala approach. The Shambhala approach is the general application of cosmetics to reality. And buddhadharma is basic space, or the basic ground on which you put the cosmetics.
The general emphasis here is on how well defined your situation is, without just simply cracking jokes about reality. It involves some sense of solemnity—as far as realizing that basic goodness is not a laughing matter, but a solemn situation. Basic goodness is very genuine. It goes through your general perspective about how you feel about life.
[Long pause]
How to cheer up—or how not to cheer up—is the point.
[Long pause]
It seems that the key point is how to make oneself awake, how to make oneself available to awake.
Ladies and gentlemen, that's pretty much it. I don't want to make it too complicated or make further unnecessary conversation.
Stop conversing more than necessary and simplify your life as much as you can. Thank you.
[Long pause]
I don't think there is too much conversation happening tonight—if there is, you're welcome.
STUDENT: Sir, could you explain how we could achieve this sense of solemnity without becoming deadly serious?
VIDYADHARA: I think it's a question of being in contact with reality, then we don't have to crank up something else.
S: Sir, would you say something more about putting cosmetics on reality, as opposed to cranking up something to do with reality?
V: I think the point is to do it on the spot, rather than pretend to do it.
S: Sir, you spoke about buddhadharma as relating with basic space and the Shambhala teachings as a kind of embellishment. Later you said to simplify and reduce conversation. To me conversation seems like a kind of embellishment. If we reduce our conversation, where is the embellishment of our social contact with each other?
V: I think it's just there. It happens by itself.
S: So by being simple with each other, we are being Shambhalian.
V: Yes.
Talk Three: Fruition of Enlightened Society
Good even, ladies and gentlemen. It's the third day of our study of Shambhala and buddhadharma, how buddhadharma and Shambhala could be put together.
In our first talk we discussed background and foreground. With that reference point we are continuing to work on how to lead life properly. Leading life may be putting together some kind of dichotomy, but it's workable. Basically speaking, it is creating enlightened society. Society from this point of view is the general set-up of putting people together within their own reference point. It doesn't have to be particularly revolutionary. It is very simple and direct-what people need. And what people need is security, comfort-which we could relate with very simply-and moreover some sense of psychological environment.
If people would like to get involved with a discussion on that, that's fine.
STUDENT: Sir, I've been living in Nova Scotia for two years now, and I find a tremendous sense of sadness there.
VIDYADHARA: I think that's precisely the reference point of why we should go there.
S: Thank you. I guess I'm in the right place.
S: Sir, you said that living life involved a sense of resolving a dichotomy. What dichotomy did you mean?
V: Cheerful, but strange.
S: Are these in the environment—or are they things that we project onto it?
V: In any case it's slightly Étrange.
S: How do we begin to relate with sadness?
V: Being more sad: sadder and sadder.
S: Forever sadder and sadder?
V: Yes.
S: Purely for it's own sake?
V: Just simply being sad. You wouldn't understand how to be sad. Simply being sadder.
S: Sir, you said that in working to realize an enlightened society, we can feel comfortable in giving people what they need if what they need is security and comfort. Is that one of the things we have to do, give people what we see they need?
V: I think so, yes.
S: To follow that a little further, sir—in order to do this and to try to realize an enlightened society in that way, are you suggesting more emphasis on the Shambhala approach?
V: Yes.
S: And in the way that we carry on conversations and reach out to people?
V: That's questionable.
S: That's questionable?
V: Conversations we discussed-last night.
S: But you said we create a psychological environment for people.
V: You'd better watch out for that!
S: Well, I know that in Shambhala Training a lot of attention is paid to the environment.
V: We'd better watch out even for that!
S: I don't remember your words exactly but I think you said you would be talking about the inseparability of buddhadharma and Shambhala. If they're inseparable, would it be right to say that basic goodness is inseparable from awareness?
V: Yes.
Thank you for arriving here safely—in one piece-and for taking part in this short but very potent training program—though we have a long way to go. It is very definite and very serious. Thank you.
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