Proper Motivation Everyday

[icy]

"When serving society or others in general, it is very important to set a proper motivation at the start of each day. When we wake up each morning, we reflect, 'Today I am not going to come under the power of either attachment or hostility. Today I am going to be of benefit and help to others.' Thus we consciously set the tone for the entire day so that we go through it within the context of a pure, altruistic motivation and attitude."--H.H. the Dalai Lama

[DS Star]

“Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”

HH the 14th Dalai Lama

[Klein]

Thank HHDL for so compassionately teaching us how to set our daily motivation before we start our day. I understand that this is important because we will then make a conscious effort to practise compassion and selflessness. When we operate out of this motivation, we will generate merits with any thing we do throughout the day.

Since our actions arise from a selfless motivation, we will spend less time doing things out of selfishness. When enough merits are generated, we will ultimately gain realisations and eventually attainments. Merits do not run out even in our future lives. However, karma, both good and bad, will run out.

So for example, if we give food offerings to the sangha members with the motivation that they become attained to spread the dharma, we gain merits to always have sustenance in all future lives.  If we give food to the sangha member with the motivation that we will have good luck and it's focused on me, then, the virtuous action only generates good karma. Once the good karma is experienced, it will be exhausted.

Therefore, it makes more sense to always have a selfless motivation as stated by HHDL.

[lotus1]

I come from the Theravada tradition where the master will always ask us to meditate on death when we wake up in the morning. I was taught to meditate the process of death and also that this may be the last day of our life. By meditating the process of death, it let us have less attachment towards what we have. By contemplating that this is the last day of our life, it leads us to make full use of our day and be appreciative of our life and live in the present. His Holiness Dalai Lama taught me to go one step further – to set the altruistic motivation and attitude. This leads me to work towards the essence of Mahayana & Vajrayana tradition – to create Bodhicitta and to be Buddha for the sake of all sentient beings. 

[dondrup]

His Holines the 14th Dalai Lama has emphasized the importance of setting our Mahayana motivation before the start of each day.  Why is this important?  Our motivation affects how we perform our actions and also the results that we are going to get after we have completed the actions.  Notice in all our sadhanas or prayers, there is always a section after the refuge prayers to generate the motivation of bodhichitta. Having generated a proper motivation of bodhichitta, all of our virtuous actions will accumulate merits that are protected and propel us towards gaining full enlightenment.

[Q]

Thank you for sharing the quotes. It really is meaningful and something everyone of any age and background can practice.

It is true... setting our motivation right from the beginning of the day is very beneficial for spiritual aspirants like us. Because a huge part of our lives still revolves around samsaric activities and conditions, it is best to set a strong motivation when the mind is subtle, which is when we first wake up in the morning. That way, it is easier and we have a higher chance of keeping that positive attitude throughout the day.

I like how HHDL give the example of proper motivation. When we set our motivation in the morning, it have to be one that is firm... not something that goes along the line of 'I should do this", 'I should do that today..." Because by saying "I should...", we are telling ourselves what we need to be, and telling ourselves what we should be doesn't mean we will turn out that way. So, if we set our motivation based on "I should be kinder today" and we were unkind to say... a rude colleague, this will cause us to feel much guilt within ourselves.

In a more simple term, we are never the person we always think we should be. Which is why we need to know how to transform our mind. So, for example: we must truly want to develop kindness and not just think that we should develop kindness. There's a difference... a huge one.

Another example I said I should have lost 10 lbs the last month but I didn't, this will cause me to be absolutely disappointed of myself. However, if I skew the thought to 'loose as much as I can within the month', then what ever amount of pounds I lost will be a factor to motivate me to do more for the up coming month.

When it comes to spirituality, it is the consistency that matters, not the outcome of one session. Because consistency is the one that will ultimately lead us to Enlightenment... by improving ourselves however much we can day by day. It is also for this very reason, in the Lamrim, in the chapter where meditation was explained... it was said that the best time to stop meditating is when our mind is blissful through meditating, that way, we will be happy to enter another session of meditation.

[diamond girl]

I completely agree that setting the right motivation is key to having a smooth day of achievement. This is not only applicable in our spiritual path but also in the secular world. Motivation is goal setting and vision.

Without being a kill joy, I would like to ask if HHDL ever sets his motivation in the morning to lift this Ban against Dorje Shugden practice?  I think he should...

[vajrastorm]

Death will immediately put a stop to all our efforts to make optimum use of this precious human life. Hence, it is good that we  begin each day(the moment we wake up) with a contemplation on the fact that we are still alive, but for how long we don't know. So with that contemplation, we firmly resolve to use the new day well to root out all negative actions of our body, mind and speech. We also resolve, instead, to benefit others by every action of our body. speech and mind. We thus generate a mind and motivation of great compassion and a resolve not to allow ourselves to create more negative karma which will lead us to greater misery and suffering.

[pgdharma]

For a dharma practitioner, it is very beneficial to set a positive motivation every day. Having a positive motivation to have a good rebirth in the future, to be liberated from the difficulties of cyclic existence, and to attain full enlightenment in order to benefit all beings most effectively, is the correct motivation for any actions we do. However, when we pursue worldly success and worldly pleasures for our own gain at the expense of others, it is self-centered motivation.

Through proper motivation everyday, we gradually decrease our self centered motivation and our mind opens up to act with compassion. Compassion, the wish that living beings are free of suffering is a powerful motivator for action and inspires us to act to help others. Through consistent practice, the energy of our selfish motivation for worldly pleasures is transformed into positive energy of practicing the Dharma and benefiting others.

[bambi]

"When serving society or others in general, it is very important to set a proper motivation at the start of each day. When we wake up each morning, we reflect, 'Today I am not going to come under the power of either attachment or hostility. Today I am going to be of benefit and help to others.' Thus we consciously set the tone for the entire day so that we go through it within the context of a pure, altruistic motivation and attitude."--H.H. the Dalai Lama

Its a wonderful and motivating quote! If we read the quote without seeing who the author is, we wouldn't think of it as a spiritual quote but rather a normal motivational quote from someone. I love how spirituality is so motivational and always remind me to do good and contemplate on it. And how from such a quote, it changes how we motivate ourselves to do more and help others without asking for anything in return. A way to practice selflessness and be beneficial instead of always extending our hand and asking for something!

[ratanasutra]

"When serving society or others in general, it is very important to set a proper motivation at the start of each day. When we wake up each morning, we reflect, 'Today I am not going to come under the power of either attachment or hostility. Today I am going to be of benefit and help to others.' Thus we consciously set the tone for the entire day so that we go through it within the context of a pure, altruistic motivation and attitude."--H.H. the Dalai Lama

This is a beautiful quote from H.H.Dalai Lama which will make our actions in daily end with meaningful as motivation is importance before every of our thought and actions. To set the proper motivation is make us to have a clear goal and direction which we will work towards that to achieve it. As sometime our ignorant take over our mind so instead of serving other become hurting other as we forgot our motivation. I guess this is one of thing which H.H.Dalai has been doing that why he did so many things to benefit other in this world daily.

[Tammy]

Setting good motivation every single day, especially talking to ourselves in the mirror, is the best way to remind ourselves what we should be in the day of our life, which could well be the last!

Hence while we should set proper motivation each morning, we should remind ourselves to do as much as we possible could, because death could hit us anywhere, anytime and in any way possible. As the saying goes - live each day as if it is the last day of your life. I think this could make us super efficient and treasure our time on earth much better.

[Jessie Fong]

Setting a proper motivation daily should be second nature to us.

Every morning when we wake up, we should be thankful that we lived another day.  Think of the many other beings that could not make it through the previous night.


We should be thankful that we have another day in this life to help other beings. This way, we learn to focus out and not on ourselves.  Isn't this a great way to be so self-cherishing?

[Dorje Pakmo]

"When serving society or others in general, it is very important to set a proper motivation at the start of each day. When we wake up each morning, we reflect, 'Today I am not going to come under the power of either attachment or hostility. Today I am going to be of benefit and help to others.' Thus we consciously set the tone for the entire day so that we go through it within the context of a pure, altruistic motivation and attitude."--H.H. the Dalai Lama

Like everyone here. I agree that setting our motivation early in the morning, each time we set out to do something important, or even before we meet someone whom we perceive as difficult is very very important.

Our motivation determines a major percentage of how we carry out our actions for that particular day or time. I feel, whatever we do, we must always check our motivations , whether is it for our own selfish gain? Is it for benefiting others? Or is it benefiting mutually.

This way we can keep our mind in check and not always function out of the selfish mind. We are often too habituated by our delusions and act selfishly.  It is essential for us to check and make our motivations daily. The correct motivations and actions will earn us merits which is inexhaustible. On the other hand, if the motivation is tainted, and the actions are reluctant or with an ulterior motive, then it is Karma we receive.

Therefore, we must make it a habit to make good motivations and carry it out. This is the only way for us to cut down our delusion. Each time we make a pure motivation to help someone or to do something good, it reinforces our positive mind. So as we continue to feed our mind with goodness, we starves the deluded mind without giving thoughts to it, then we will slowly become a person with less delusions. With lesser delusions, we will have a calmer mind, able to make good decisions and will better control our mind each time an illusion arise to trick us into behaving or acting samsarically.

So, start your day by making motivations that is derived from Kindness, Compassion and For the benefit of those around you.
It will make you and everyone around you happy.
At the same time earn you lotsa merits.

 

[Tenzin K]

My short sharing on setting motivation:

Right Motivation is Triple:
1: The Motivation for Withdrawal is:
Being motivated by a general absence of greed, craving, and desire!
Being motivated by generous giving  relinquishing all possessiveness.
Being motivated by detachment  from the five sense-desires of urge
for alluring and tempting sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches...
Being motivated by cutting attachment  to the 5 clusters of clinging
to forms, feelings, perceptions, constructions and consciousness...
Such radical renunciation is Right Motivation!

2: The Motivation for Non-Ill-Will = Friendly Goodwill is:
Being motivated by universal friendliness, infinite goodwill, care,
non-anger, hatelessness and  a sympathy wishing and working for all
sentient being's happiness, content, comfort, benefit and welfare...
Such gentle kindness is Right Motivation!

3: The Motivation for Non-Violence = Harmlessness is:
Being motivated by absolute non-violence, absence of cruelty, and by
compassionate pity, thereby offering all sentient beings guaranteed
safety and  protection from any evil, painful, bad or wrong treatment...
Such giving of protective fearlessness to all is Right Motivation!

The opposites of these advantageous intentions are Wrong Motivation...