Question asked by Sandra
Respected pastors, When one experiences the outcome of negative karmas, how does one have compassion for oneself and overcome tough times? Relying on buddhas is definitely top of the list but I find my fear and self doubt and bad temper sabotages all the outer dharma practice I do. I am weak in the practical side of applying dharma!
Dear Sandra,
Thank you for your question. What you have expressed is something that a lot of people go through, because of the accumulation of negative karma from previous lifetimes. What you must remember is that our negative habitual patterns from previous lives are very strong, hence effort is needed in the spiritual path. That is why Joyous Effort is one of the Six Perfections. Karma, our habitual patterns, fear and self-doubt will try to knock us of the path of self-transformation at every turn until we are strong enough to withstand them.
One way to overcome this is to develop strong faith in the Three Jewels, and the way to do this is to engage in the practice of Taking Refuge. I’m not just talking about Talking Refuge at the beginning of formal Dharma practice such as your sadhana or pujas. But actually Taking Refuge remembering the qualities of the Three Jewels. When I first came to Kechara, I had a lot of physical obstacles manifest, a lot of fear and doubt. H.E. Tsem Rinpoche suggested that I read the section of the Lamrim that talks about Taking Refuge, and explains how to do it properly, remembering the qualities of the Three Jewels and the benefits they grant on the spiritual path. When you practice Taking Refuge, you remember these and you contemplate them. Then your faith in the application of the Dharma increases, and your fear, self-doubt, etc, disappear.
When that happens, even if your negative karma and habits try to knock you off the path, you find yourself back on the path. Another thing you must remember is that when we are practicing the Dharma, due to our habits, we will not be perfect at something directly after learning about it. It takes time to train ourselves. That is why the central teaching in the Gelug tradition we practice is called the Lamrim, or the Graded Stages on the Path to Enlightenment. It is step-by-step. It is a process. It is not instant. So you shouldn’t let fear, self-doubt, etc get in the way. Instead calmly apply the antidote to these, which is strong refuge. When you develop strong refuge, you will have faith and confidence in the teachings. When you have these, you will practice the teachings, no matter what happens.
The compassion for yourself and overcoming tough times comes through faith in the Three Jewels and the teachings of self-transformation. I met someone the other day who said self-transformation was not possible for him, but then why did Buddha Shakyamuni and the enlightened beings teach the Dharma? Of course, it is possible, and in order to progress on the spiritual path, you must have faith and conviction. This comes from the simple, yet foundational practice of Taking Refuge. I hope this helps.
Thank you.