87. Paramita of Meditative Concentration IV — Contemplate the Faults of Distracting Preoccupations
Longchen Nyingtik Meditation 87
The Beginning
Take refuge and arouse bodhicitta.
The Main Part
In general, all the activities in the world, especially the frivolous affairs of this life, will never come to an end. Day after day, we busy ourselves with distractions, wasting our life meaninglessly.
People today live such hectic lives that they can’t even find time to recite merely once the “Samantabhadra’s Aspiration to Good Actions”. I wonder what occupies them so much. A few laypersons I know say that they are always racing around but accomplish little. For such busy folks, it is only at the time of death that they can finally afford a break—in the realm of Yama , the Lord of Death.
However many mundane matters you toil over, none has real meaning. There is no end to the process of overcoming rivals and favoring friends. Occupations of trade, farming, industry, or academia provide us with food and clothing but contribute nothing to the Dharma path. What’s the point of squandering away life, day in and day out? Resolve: I must abandon endless distractions and practice meditative absorption.
Reminder
Upon hearing Dharma teachings such as the above, some laypeople acted impulsively and dropped everything to enter the monastic order. However, unable to cope with their own afflictions, they soon found themselves back in the secular world. This way of veering from one extreme to the other is neither advisable nor necessary. Wherever you live, even in a bustling city, just carve out a space that allows you to complete serious practices. That’s the main point.
The Ending
Dedicate the merit of your practice to all sentient beings.
