High Society

There is a way of placing the mind so that the one moving the unhappy self-referent mind has another more careful reference. That reference helps one enter into higher spiritual society. Just think of all the people walking the streets of New York right now who would enjoy being in high New York society with the movers, shakers and shapers. They would love to be with the artists, philosophers, planners and decision makers who are sitting and drinking champagne with each other in some penthouse on Park Avenue.

Many walking the streets looking for a place to be with others feel a desire to move among high society, feel that they are good enough, yet they have no way to get in because they don’t know anyone. They only know what they know themselves and what a few friends that get together to discuss sports at the local bar inform them about. So they continue to remain on the streets while high society associates with each other as well as accomplishes things that they could only hope to accomplish because that’s where the action is. Right? It’s so? All right.

So, a little bit like that, I’m going to say that a high spiritual society existed such as the great practitioners and the traditional gurus had in old Tibet. My goodness, that was a time and a place to be. That society still exists interior where its location always was.

There is a method by which you can enter into a higher spiritual society by knowing someone who knows someone, just like Park Avenue high society. This is specific refuge of the three jewels through lineage instead of general refuge. Lineage introduces to the inner high society where the individual develops into the kind of being that they’re pretty sure, in their minds that they already are. But they don’t know how to get there so they only languish in the hopes and dreams of being a spiritual being. Is that too plain talking?

Like that, the penthouse is on the 35th floor, pretty unattainable with the shabby clothes and smell of beer that might surround you right now. So, why don’t you first visit the people and society of those living on the 12th floor? Get off the ground level and get it going. Up to now, no one has let you mix with people on the 12th floor. Let’s call 12th floor the breakthrough of personal liberation. That interaction will create new clothes and internal stink (lets just call it purification).

However, the mental development that you need to have for the breakthrough of liberation, which is before enlightenment, is not everything you need. You need to have a special kind of refuge that allows you to be carried to the 12th floor. Liberation is something that you should work for with bodhchitta motivation so you not remain in personal liberation but pass through that to higher stages. You need to make strong effort, but actual liberation means that you are literally picked up and carried to the 12th floor.
More tomorrow

http://www.white-conch.org
For people in Madison Wisconsin area – all day Sat Feb 21st is Celebration of Compassion event at Joyful Path Monastery
http://www.joyfulpathhealing.com
11000 Division St
Blue Mounds, WI 53517
(608) 437-0520