Discussion Session 23 Ocotber 2010
Palani
- Setting the motivation
- By doing this for all our activities, from the time we get up in the morning till we sleep at night, we make all our daily actions part of our spiritual practice.
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The basic motivation for a start could be: "I shall become a Buddha to help all other sentient beings become Buddhas very quickly and so I shall do ______" (fill in with whatever you are doing eg, going to work exercising, meditating, etc)
- Dedicating the merits of our actions
- After the acts are completed, whether it is eating, running, cooking, meditating, studying the Dharma or healing others, it would be a good practice to dedicate it to our own enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings' enlightenment.
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The basic dedication for a start could be: "I dedicate the merits I have accumulated by doing _____ to my enlightenment and the enlightenment of all sentient beings" (fill in with whatever you did, see above)
- Rejoicing in ours' and other good deeds
- Sometimes we do good things and sometimes we see others doing good things. We should cultivate the habit of rejoicing whenever this happens. So, even if we do not do it ourselves, we can rejoice in other people doing good things. This way, we are able to plant seeds of virtue for our future.
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The basic rejoicing for a start could be: "I rejoice in my own good deeds and the good deeds of ______ (fill in with whatever you good you have done or see others doing, eg gave up your seat in the MRT, picked up a bag for your friend, etc) for what has been done. ay all sentient beings benefit and achieve enlightenment by this."