It Takes Courage
“We’ve been training for a period like this for a long time,” Jack Kornfield says, in the talk he gave at Spirit Rock the week after the election.
It’s a terrific talk. And it’s not just Jack… Thanissara is there with a plea to join the Native American protests against the pipeline in North Dakota, and it ends by playing a little Leonard Cohen. (“Even though it all went wrong, I’ll stand before the Lord of Song, with nothing on my lips but Hallelujah!“)
As a reminder of our training, and as a way to move forward, Jack offers this from the teachings of the Buddha:
“Others will be cruel; we will not be cruel. Thus we will incline our hearts.
“Others will kill or harm living beings; we will not harm beings. Thus we will incline our hearts.
“Others will be greedy; we will not be greedy. Thus we will incline our hearts.
“Others will speak falsely, maliciously; we will speak truthfully and kindly. Thus we will incline our hearts.
“Others will be envious; we will not be envious. Thus we will incline our hearts.
“Others will be arrogant; we will not be arrogant. Thus we will incline our hearts.
“Others will be unmindful; we shall establish mindful presence. Thus we will incline our hearts.
“Others will lack wisdom; we shall cultivate wisdom. Thus we will incline our hearts.”
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Jack talk ends the talk with this quote by Thomas Jefferson: “One person with courage is a majority.”
Click here to listen.