The 43rd lojong slogan says, “Observe these two, even at the risk of your life.” The two are the vows Buddhists take- the refuge vow and the bodhisattva vow. In the refuge vow, a person chooses to take refuge in the Buddha, the teachings of the dharma, and the sangha. In the bodhisattva vow, a person chooses to serve in a way that benefits all beings.
To me, what’s interesting about this slogan is the idea that we do this even at the risk of our lives. It’s a reminder that our spiritual commitments don’t come for free. They actually cost us something. I’m not sure this is always a welcome aspect of spiritual life, especially these days. But we can’t choose our own spiritual path in a way that somehow gets us out of the hard stuff.
But if you truly live a committed spiritual life, you’re going to run into the hard stuff. At some point, one of your values or commitments will be in direct conflict with the prevailing opinion of the day, or a certain event, or a public policy, or something all your relatives believe. It will most certainly come at the cost of your own comfort. And the question then is whether you go along to get along, or whether you stick with your value.
I say that knowing it’s not always a clear cut answer. Sometimes it may be wisest to go along! But it seems wise to consider this week what spiritual commitments you want to follow, even at the risk of your life. What would that be? Why?
On a lighter note, it helps to remember that these vows in Buddhism lead us toward wholeness for everyone. Norman Fischer summarizes these vows as “committing yourself to the possibility of spiritual awakening.” Because if we feel committed to serving the highest benefit, that’s going to work out okay for everyone. And that’s true even if it doesn’t work out easily for us.
Consider looking this week at what your spiritual vows are, and what they might cost you. Just get honest about where you’re showing up to that and where you may be avoiding the cost.
SUMMER SCHEDULE
I’m a huge fan of a summer break. I love rest rhythms in general and encourage you to take some yourself! As we move into summer, I’ll be posting just one lojong slogan a week, on Wednesdays. I hope your summer is filled with a gentle re-entry into gatherings with loved ones, and whatever else restores you!
