Three Noble Principles
By Christine Longaker
Reflecting each day on the Three Noble Principles can bring all our
fragmented selves into one whole, and give a sense of meaning and direction
in our life. The Three Noble Principles are
- Good in the beginning
- Good in the middle
- Good in the end
Reflecting on these can help us:
- Discover and re-awaken a motivation of profound compassion, a
sacred intention for our spiritual practice and our entire life
- Sustain the presence of inspiration, openness and compassionate
presence in our mind and heart throughout the day
- Generously dedicate all the positive merit we have accrued at the
end of our practice (and the end of each day) toward the ultimate
enlightenment of all beings
Ordinary and profound compassion
Our ordinary sense of compassion is often moody, offered with conditions,
and directed toward those we feel deserve it. "Profound compassion"
is what radiates from the innermost essence of our being. Profound compassion
is based on the recognition that from the viewpoint of their true nature, all
beings are in their essence, the same. Our spiritual essence might be temporarily
clouded with negative mind states of fear, grasping and aggression. These painful
emotions result in actions which bring suffering to others and ourselves.
Profound compassion is the sincere wish that all beings everywhere be free of
suffering and even its causes.
Since we are all connected, all beings are worthy of respect and love, like
our own family or cherished friends. Like the love of the Buddhas, or the
love of God, this profound compassion radiates equally to all--enemies and
friends, those happy or suffering, the strong and the frail--without any
conditions or bias.
Like warm rays of sunlight, compassion is the natural radiance of our true
nature--which is skylike, clear, and fundamentally good. Spiritual practice
helps us re-connect with our true nature so that it becomes our way of being,
perceiving and connecting in every moment of the day. Instead of judging others
or reacting to their superficial layer of suffering or negativity, the stability
of our spiritual practice enables us to recognize the fundamental "good
heart" within each person. Through regularly inspiring ourselves with this
pure perception, we will gradually come to embody the deepest truth of our
own spiritual path.
