Slogans that start with "Don't"

Of the 59 loJong slogans, 18 start with "Don't." They say things like "Don't ponder others," "Don't malign others," and "Don't wait in ambush." Things that encourage us to look at how we think about, speak about, and treat others. Then there are those that say "Don't be so predictable," "Don't act with a twist," and, my personal favorite, "Don't expect applause." These tell us to look at ourselves and what we're doing -- how rigid we are, how attached we are to the past, what (and who) we like and dislike; do we manipulate or better how much do we manipulate, and are we thinking that somehow we're going to get an award for all our altruism? They ask us to stop thinking about what others are doing and look only at ourselves and how we are living and how we want to live; don't gossip, they say, to make ourselves look and feel better; and look at how easily we slip into being smug, superior, or nasty in our attachments, baiting people or setting them up to look stupid.

The Buddha taught a loving and open way of life. He taught that a life focused solely on self is meaningless and empty. If we turn our attention to loving others, understanding others, then we may not be comfortable or wealthy or famous, but we will know joy, peace, equanimity. Not only will we find peace in a daily life that is without struggle against what is, but we will find a spiritual understanding of the interconnectedness of all beings.

We are not alone in this life and don't know it. We all suffer from the delusion that our lives have no impact on anyone and that we are insignificant. We all believe that we are separate in the identity that we have built. The ignorance of our inter-being is what causes us the greatest suffering. Our basic goodness -- our Buddha-nature -- connects us all and so each time we open our hearts in compassion, each time we love someone for the sake of loving them, each time we give without attachment, we are healing one another. Everything that we do effects everyone -- all beings. We can benefit each other just be having a good thought. We can impact all being with our heart of love. We don't have to go to a monastery or study theology or be president of anything. Just being who we truly are, living from our basic goodness, is all we need to do.

In his book Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, & Liberation : The Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, & Other Basic Buddhist Teachings, Thich Nhat Hanh wrote: "Your purpose is to be yourself. You don't have to run anywhere to become someone else. You are wonderful just the way you are. This teaching of the Buddha allows us to enjoy ourselves, the blue sky, and everything that is refreshing and healing in the present moment. We already have everything we are looking for, everything we want to become. We are already a Buddha so why not just take the hand of another Buddha and practice walking meditation? Just be. Just being in the moment in this place is the deepest practice of meditation. The Heart Sutra says that there is "nothing to attain." We meditate not to attain enlightenment, because enlightenment is already in us. We don't need to search anywhere. We don't need to practice to obtain some high position. We can enjoy every moment. People talk about entering nirvana, but we are already there. Aimlessness and nirvana are one. We have everything we need to make the present moment the happiest in our life, even if we have a cold or a headache. We don't have to wait until we get over our cold to be happy. Having a cold is part of life. I am happy in the present moment. I do not ask for anything else. I do not expect any additional happiness. Aimlessness is stopping and realizing the happiness that is already available."

So the loJong Slogans, the Four Noble Truths, the Six Paramitas, etc, give us a little basic instruction on how to be happy in the present moment. They point the way for us so that we can begin to look at what we think, do, and say so that our impact on each other will be positive and helpful, so that we may all be free of our suffering in the here and now.