Journal Of Integral Buddhism: Tradition, Comparative Disciplines, Practitioner Perspectives

By Traleg Kyabgon, Bhante Tejadhammo, Ekai Korematsu Roshi and 2 more

The Journal of Integral Buddhism presents papers given by esteemed scholars, monastics, and practitioners from various backgrounds within the Buddhist tradition and complimentary disciplines such as philosophy, psychology. The inaugural Vol. 1 edition's contributors include: Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche IX of the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions of Tibetan Buddhism; Ekai Korematsu Roshi of the Soto Zen tradition; Kathleen Gregory, psychologist and academic, and Samuel Bercholz, Buddhist practitioner and founder Shambhala Publications, to name a few. Subjects explored by the 7 esteemed contributors include: Wellness and well-being from a Buddhist perspective; a study of Master Sekito Kisen' s Sandokai verses from the Soto tradition; An insightful and comparative discussion of mindfulness, its traditional Buddhist roots and the broader context of mindfulness in the Western context; A historical journey of some of the writings of fifth century Theravada Buddhist translator and philosopher, Buddhaghosa; exploring what is meant by an ethical life, drawing from the Western philosophical and Buddhist traditions; and the an exploration of joy in meditation and life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shogam Publications
• Release date: Dec 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9780645665314

Book preview

PAPER ONE

Health and Well-being: A Buddhist Perspective

Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche IX

Abstract

In Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche IX’s talk given at the Buddhist Summer School in 2011, he challenges the popular notion that ill health is unnatural, and provides illuminating information about the Tibetan medical system and the Buddhist approaches to health. What we can do to improve both our physical and mental well-being is discussed in terms of prana and pranayama and in relation to the mind and emotions. With an emphasis on enhancing our will to live fully and approaching health and well-being from a realistic and balanced view, this unique paper provides the inspiration and practical knowledge that even with illness, life can be lived with a great sense of well-being and joy.

Biography

Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche IX (1955-2012) is the founder of E-Vam Institute which opened in 1982 and the annual conference, The Buddhist Summer School which begun in 1983. Born in Nangchen in Kham, eastern Tibet, he was recognised by His Holiness XVI Gyalwang Karmapa as the ninth Traleg tulku and enthroned at the age of two as the supreme abbot of Thrangu Monastery. Rinpoche was taken to Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim at the age of four where he was educated with other young tulkus in exile by His Holiness Karmapa. Rinpoche studied under the auspices of His Eminence Kyabje Thuksey Rinpoche at Sangngak Choling in Darjeeling. He also studied with a number of other eminent Tibetan teachers during that time and mastered the many Tibetan teachings with the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions in particular. Rinpoche moved to Melbourne Australia in 1980 and commenced studies in comparative religion and philosophy at La Trobe University. He established E-Vam Institute in Melbourne in 1982 and went on to establish further Centres in Australia, America, and New Zealand. Throughout his life Rinpoche gave extensive teachings on many aspects of Buddhist psychology and philosophy, as well as comparative religion, and Buddhist and Western thought. He was an active writer and has many titles to his name, including: Desire: Why It Matters; Vajrayana: An Essential Guide To Practice; Essence of Buddhism; Karma, What It Is, What It Isn’t, and Why It Matters; The Practice of Lojong; and, Moonbeams of Mahamudra.

Sometimes those who speak about health and well-being do so because they are healthy. However, one can also speak about health and well-being when one is not all that well. When we are not so well, it is wise to think about these matters. As a Buddhist, this is not so very strange because in Buddhist education, we are taught to contemplate old age, sickness, and death. To be sick or ill is not thought of as unusual or unnatural. If one thinks about illness, then one would naturally want to think about health and how to keep oneself as well as possible, how to preserve one’s own life. Such contemplations give our health a priority. Further, when we think about illness, we naturally think about our mortality. We realise we are not going to live forever. As far as we know, we cannot live, for example, to the age of 180 years. It is impossible. Possibilities such as cryogenics and hoping to resurrect a person in the future, should such an ability be found, is something that can come up for discussion. As Buddhists, such resurrection possibilities are not our concern.

In Buddhism, we see that life is short, precious, and fraught with many difficulties and upheavals. Sickness is one of the many difficulties that we have to deal with. However, when we deal with sickness, we are also dealing with health. It is not the case that when we are healthy, we do not need to think about illness, or alternatively, when we are ill, we do not need to think about health. If we are ill, we need to think about health. If we are healthy, we still need to think about ill health. In Buddhism, we speak about the interdependency of the two: health and ill health; they go hand in hand. In this way, we then have a starting point in terms of how we are going to deal with health and well-being.

When a highly respected Buddhist teacher dies from cancer or some other illness one may ask, How can that happen when they were such a great meditator and philosopher? There exist views that physical illness is all in the mind. Such beliefs support the idea that if you have the right mental attitude and think properly, your physical ill health will simply disappear. Some argue that it is because you are not thinking correctly that you get sick. If you think correctly, your ill health can miraculously leave your body and it will be restored to its previous, glorious state rejuvenated, restored, and one will radiate health.

How should we relate to the idea that the mind has so much power over the body as if the body is a type of plaything for the mind? How do we relate to or understand the relationship between the body and mind? How do body and mind impact each other? How does this actually work? Buddhism says the relationship is not completely equal; mind does have more control over the body than the body has over the mind, but the body still has an influence on the mind. When the body is not working very well, one may subsequently be impacted mentally and emotionally. For example, when a baby has a rash, the baby will likely become disturbed or distressed. Buddhism says that there is a body/mind relationship. You might even call it a symbiotic relationship. The body does impact the mind and the mind impacts on the body; but the mind still plays a more significant role in this relationship. Many of the illnesses that we suffer, according to Buddhism, come from the mind due to that relationship, but of course not all. However, because the body and mind are so closely related, the body suffers due to our own mental states. This is a very interesting idea because it suggests there is a direct correlation between physical and mental states.

What disturbs us mentally? How does our mental illness come about? I am using the term mental illness loosely here, meaning becoming agitated, anxious, jealous, angry, and so on. I am not here referring to diagnosable conditions as such. Such states as anxiety, jealousy, and anger can directly impact our physical well-being. These forms of mental states and reactions relate to our physical state. In Buddhism, how we relate to everything emotionally and psychologically comes from three sources: ignorance, excessive desire, such as greed, lust, et cetera, and anger or aggression. These correspond, according to Tibetan medicine, to the three humors, humor is a loose translation meaning bodily fluids or gases. The three are bile, phlegm, and wind disturbances, which can also be considered as loose translations. The triad of excessive desire, excessive anger, and excessive confusion or the state of fogginess of mind (referred to earlier as ignorance) relate to the symptoms caused by the three main disturbances that one can experience caused by phlegm, bile, and wind disturbances, in Tibetan, tripa, peken, and lung.¹

According to Buddhism, these disturbances in the body are related to our own mental states. For example, in terms of whether the body has excessive heat or cold, if there are mobility issues, breathing problems, and so on. Does an individual have night sweats? Are they always hungry or without appetite? Why do some people eat a lot and not gain any weight, and others wish to lose weight, but still cannot do so easily? Why do these things happen? We will discuss the answers to these questions in reference to one’s mental state.

Since mental states can impact one’s physical health, some mental states help us sustain our health and other states of mind can be a detriment. The main point is to develop a healthy will to live if that will is lacking, for example, if one’s mind is constantly seeking excesses of some kind: excesses such as greed—endlessly wanting things, possessions, love, wanting everything one wants endlessly; anger—endlessly hating different circumstances, hating individuals or whole specific groups of people due to race, gender, and so forth. Such excesses will impact on one’s will to live and are related to one’s quality of life. It is very difficult to have a good quality of life when life is in a state of complete chaos, either because one wants something excessively, or because one hates something so much and is disgusted, revolted, and put off by it. For example, when anger is in excess every time the object of our hate shows up, it becomes difficult to handle. One can completely lose one’s equilibrium. Furthermore, being verbally abusive and extremely angry is similar to being frozen in time, unable to reason or think clearly.

When these forms of excessive behaviour are repeated over and over again, it begins to impact our quality of life. There is no real joy, pleasure, or happiness possible and therefore, our will to live and have a peaceful and fulfilling life is diminished. When the will to live is diminished in this way, we can subsequently become more vulnerable to illnesses and all manner of difficult circumstances. When our mind becomes weaker due to such ongoing distresses, our body also becomes weaker and less resilient. Our mind cannot fight off all the negative internal and external influences that are coming at us. When we generate too much negativity and in conjunction, difficult circumstances also arise, we can then be robbed of our defences and it is easy to find that we cannot cope. Even when nothing bad is happening, we may believe that it is still happening. For example, someone may be nice to us, but our response can be one of suspicion, Why does this person act in this way? What do they want? Why is this person doing this? Why are they being so nice? In that way, our attitudes can weaken us, and our health subsequently diminishes, weakened due to the body following the mind.

When we want and desire something so much and do not obtain it, we can feel let down or even unlucky, some type of loser. We may begin to think less of ourselves, I’m not good enough, or I’m so bad. I should be able to get this job, but they don’t want me; or even, Why can’t I seduce that person? What is wrong with me? Having ideas like I should be able to do this and that, but I can’t; in this type of situation, we do not need other people to beat us up because we do it to ourselves, both internally and externally. Sometimes, we quite literally hit our head against the wall. One can become weak and vulnerable to disease and illness because of the lack of the will to live well and living well can seem elusive.

When we are feeling stronger and more positive in our mind, we also can feel quite strong in the body, and even our body posture changes. We tend to carry ourselves in a particular way when we feel good. On the other hand, if our mind is not feeling so strong and buoyant, we can feel physically vulnerable. This