Don't blame Dharma, blame ourselves

[Klein]

Dharma is the practice that leads us to achieving both wisdom and compassion. How can we ever blame wisdom and compassion when things do not go well as we expect? If we do, then we're saying that having more wisdom and compassion are not good for us. This is illogical.

It's easier to blame other people, situations, places and so on. This is just as bad because we are not taking responsibility of our actions. We can deceive everybody including ourselves, but we can never deceive our karma. To have a better understanding of what karma is please click on this [url]http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1964.0/url].

[RedLantern]

These problems we all experience arises from causes.The source of these problems is within ourselves.This is a big insight and not easy for most people to accept.This is because most of us tend to place the blame for our problems on other people or external situations.We have to work on ourselves.No matter what situation we need to realize that we're not the only one with problems.We can try to get other people to change but it is easiest to change ourselves.

[Tammy]

I like what you stated, khendrup. Indeed whatever it is we are going thru, sufferings on daily basis, are our own creation. The saddest part this is, most of us do not know that the 'normal' life we are taught to lead is a form of suffering. Since we do not realize this pain, there is no chance of us doing anything to change the situation.

It is precisely this wrongly view that we, all sentient beings, are caught deep in the samsara. The Chinese's way of describing samsara is 'sea of sufferings' is so true! Going thru life the normal way is a waste of our human form. What's the point of working hard for things that would become meaningless upon death?

[dondrup]

Due to the lack of understanding on the workings of our mind, we will naturally react to the external conditions that affect our mind.  We develop attachment to objects the give us pleasant feelings.  We are averse to objects that give us unpleasant feelings.  We are indifferent to neutral objects.  Through Dharma, we practise awareness and mindfulness of these reactions.  When we are able to control our mind and remain still and not caught up with the conditions that affect our mind, we achieve peace of mind.  We will accept instead of blaming dharmas.

[tsangpakarpo]

Many people actually do not understand the Dharma at all though they proclaim as a Buddhist. Recently at a conversation with a friend, we were discussing about Buddhism. friend of mine has been diligently going to a temple since she was very young. She went for the classes, did prayers, etc.

When I heard about that, I was so happy because I finally found someone who I can talk about Dharma with. So I started talking and talking only to realize she did not understand what I was talking about AT ALL. It was nothing deep but stuff like the four noble truth, karma, applying Dharma in our every day lives.

I wonder, is it the structure of what was taught at fault? I had no formal lessons before but I still have some Dharma knowledge as I do read and learn from friends. For the basics, I do not think it is that hard to understand. I am not boasting of my knowledge here but trying to understand why a person who has been diligently going to a temple and studying the Dharma do not know anything at all?

Is it because they're ignorant? Or the classes were not effective? Or other reasons?

[Rihanna]

Many people actually do not understand the Dharma at all though they proclaim as a Buddhist. Recently at a conversation with a friend, we were discussing about Buddhism. friend of mine has been diligently going to a temple since she was very young. She went for the classes, did prayers, etc.

When I heard about that, I was so happy because I finally found someone who I can talk about Dharma with. So I started talking and talking only to realize she did not understand what I was talking about AT ALL. It was nothing deep but stuff like the four noble truth, karma, applying Dharma in our every day lives.

I wonder, is it the structure of what was taught at fault? I had no formal lessons before but I still have some Dharma knowledge as I do read and learn from friends. For the basics, I do not think it is that hard to understand. I am not boasting of my knowledge here but trying to understand why a person who has been diligently going to a temple and studying the Dharma do not know anything at all?

Is it because they're ignorant? Or the classes were not effective? Or other reasons?


I think there are varying reasons. For example, if you drag a thirsty horse to the trough and he refuses to drink the water, what can you do? Similarly, you can have the best teacher to teach but the student goes to class like a cup that is turned upside down, does that mean the teacher is ineffective or the student is like the stubborn thirsty horse? Lack of merits is the cause. It is likened to having a pot of gold in front of you and not having the karma to see its value.

[diamond girl]

Look at this article:

http://www.aboutdharma.org/what-is-dharma.php
What is Dharma? by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso


“Dharma” means “protection”. By practising Buddha’s teachings we protect ourself from suffering and problems. All the problems we experience during daily life originate in ignorance, and the method for eliminating ignorance is to practise Dharma.


Practising Dharma is the supreme method for improving the quality of our human life. The quality of life depends not upon external development or material progress, but upon the inner development of peace and happiness. For example, in the past many Buddhists lived in poor and underdeveloped countries, but they were able to find pure, lasting happiness by practising what Buddha had taught.

If we integrate Buddha’s teachings into our daily life, we will be able to solve all our inner problems and attain a truly peaceful mind. Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible. If we first establish peace within our minds by training in spiritual paths, outer peace will come naturally; but if we do not, world peace will never be achieved, no matter how many people campaign for it.
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Therefore, if this is the explanation of Dharma, only an ignorant fool will blame Dharma. Need more be said...

[Ensapa]

Many people actually do not understand the Dharma at all though they proclaim as a Buddhist. Recently at a conversation with a friend, we were discussing about Buddhism. friend of mine has been diligently going to a temple since she was very young. She went for the classes, did prayers, etc.

When I heard about that, I was so happy because I finally found someone who I can talk about Dharma with. So I started talking and talking only to realize she did not understand what I was talking about AT ALL. It was nothing deep but stuff like the four noble truth, karma, applying Dharma in our every day lives.

I wonder, is it the structure of what was taught at fault? I had no formal lessons before but I still have some Dharma knowledge as I do read and learn from friends. For the basics, I do not think it is that hard to understand. I am not boasting of my knowledge here but trying to understand why a person who has been diligently going to a temple and studying the Dharma do not know anything at all?

Is it because they're ignorant? Or the classes were not effective? Or other reasons?

This is the general problem that we have during this day and age where people who think that they can be buddhist after reading a few new age books about Buddhism and that nobody can judge them, they're empowered. there are in fact, many buddhists out there who thought that they found their inner teacher and think that they no longer need to study any more teachings because they think they understood Buddhism but fail to show any form of results whatsoever and when challenged, get very insecure about their own practice and lose their cool. They also avoid lamas and dharma texts that challenge their misunderstandings and make them think deeper. It is not that they went wrong, it is because the source that they learnt the Dharma from is also probably a lay practitioner that does not do much Dharma practice and spreaded their own views and lack of practice/knowledge to the student.

I have attended the talk of one of these people before. He is from the theravardan background, and he likes to make fun of christianity as the main reason for that particular buddhist society to exist is to prevent too many buddhist youths from converting to christianity. Another speaker from the same center told everyone that chenrenzig is a hindu creation and that mahayana and vajrayana are not pure because they were polluted by hinduism. I wanted to challenge that at that time but the speaker conveniently shut me off and moved on to other topics. Also, that particular center only skirts around the basic topics of Buddhism but are unable to explain any of the deeper topics.

With these things going on, it's pretty clear that many "Buddhists" today are not really Buddhist after all...they just happen to be people interested in the subject on a very scholarly level and not on actual dharma practice and they refuse to because it requires them to step out of their comfort zones. They're content with just listening to pleasant words...

[Carpenter]

Many people blame Dharma for anything that they face, whenever problem arises, Dharma is to be blame, they are so use to it based on what they have cultivated in their mind.

Happiness comes from me and fault comes from the others.

Whenever there are problems, when they went through any sufferings, it is very natural that the index finger will start to point out, so why they find Dharma so difficult and always not in favour with them is because Dharma teaches us

Happiness comes from others and fault comes from myself.

There’s where it clashes with our practice since young, so to really do what Dharma teach us, we have to come out from our comfort zone, be focus and do it all the way.

[Positive Change]

When operating with the self cherishing mind, it is "natural" to blame outside "influences", to pin the blame on everything and everyone apart from the root cause, which is us. It is through this selfish attitude that most of our non virtuous actions spring from. Sometimes it is conscious and sometimes it is not, but very often it is through habituations.

Hence, blaming the Dharma is actually a another manifestation of the self cherishing mind telling us, it is because of what we did not do or not do correctly while in the Dharma that is the cause of our suffering. However, we fail to understand or perceive that the law of cause and effect will happen regardless, the difference is, with the Dharma we should be able to realize and curb our negative actions completely as we aim to cut out suffering and not add on more! Hence if anything, it further emphasizes that Dharma is actually helping and not the problem.

If we continue to slip and carry on feeding the self cherishing mind we are actually creating the karma for more negative things to happen to us. This is NOT created by the Dharma but our individual karma... karma knows no distinction. Karma does not treat a person with Dharma knowledge any different from someone without Dharma knowledge!

Just think of the Dharma as the voice of reason in our heads and all we have to do is listen!

[Ensapa]

Most Buddhists dont really blame Dharma but they blame it on other things that are based on their Dharma but also shows their complete lack of understanding as well. There are many Buddhists who claim that it is their karma to cause them to suffer so much and they do nothing about it...oh i suffer due to my karma and there is nothing i can do about it....nothing can be done...I dont have affinity with this teacher or tradition, therefore i shall not even visit or study or learn about it...karma can be purified, something can be done and all it takes is a little effort, study and understanding. Affinity can be created. Suffering does not mean the exhaustion of negative karma although many Buddhists love to tell themselves that and then they have this poor me routine that follows. All of these can be corrected with a little Dharma knowledge and some study but it seems that people are more attached to their misconceptions than to clear them off these days. One very classic one is when some people claim that only the actual words of the Buddha can benefit them and they do not want "diluted" teachings from Nagajurna etc....if they could, it would have a long time ago but you're still around...!

It is just the many misconceptions that many people have about the Dharma that causes them to stagnate and become a bad example for other Buddhists and people who observe them. What are the other misconceptions that you have heard of?

[montymonkey123]

i agree with what KENDRUB GYATSO  has said if we encounter difficulties we should not blame the dharma or the buddhas. we should blame ourself because lied and cheated and that did not please the buddhas and bodhisattvas and we did not do enough good deeds so whenever we have obstacles do not blame the dharma its because of ourself.