On June 28, 2010, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche addressed the Shambhala Buddhist Community on the disasters that the world has been recently experiencing. Here is part of the address. The highlighting and images are mine. The terms “warriors” or “warriorship” refer to courage, not aggression.
bird covered in oil from BP oil spill 2010
…….This has been a powerful and meaningful time. More than ever, I feel
how fortunate we are to have these teachings. Especially recently, we have seen a series of natural and manmade disasters. It is as if the earth is asking us to be kind to each other and to itself. Now, more than any other time in history, the fate of our own planet is in our hands.Our future increasingly comes down to how we as human beings conduct ourselves. …….As we gain more material mastery and therefore have more physical comfort, if our mental anguish is not addressed, the disparity becomes greater. That feeling of dissatisfaction and uneasiness can develop into animosity and hatred. It is at that point that we lash out. It is therefore necessary for us to address not just material physical needs, but also psychological and mental needs. That is particularly what the Shambhala teachings address; how we can approach life from a very basic point of goodness, inspiration, and possibility. As the teachings say, each human mind and heart must be put in the cradle of loving-kindness.
We must each have the opportunity to develop our inherent qualities of strength, love, kindness, and thoughtfulness. If these aspects of our mind can be developed at the same rate as our material progress, a natural harmony and balance can take place. One of the key things about these teachings is that we are being asked to not run away from the world, but to engage in our life in the world.
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