INSIGHT NEWSLETTER PAID Insight Meditation Society Permit No.2 Worcester, MA 1230 Pleasant Street Barre MA 01005
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I N S I G H T NEWSLETTER FALL WINTER The Practice of Generosity: 2 0 1 2 / 2 0 1 3 Planting Seeds for Future Happiness An Interview with Greg Scharf IMS Schedules: The Retreat Center 2013 After years of practice in Asia and the West, including time as a monk in Burma, The Forest Refuge 2013 Greg Scharf started to teach meditation retreats in 2007. Soon after he began Teacher Interview meditating, he noticed the significant impact that acts of giving can have on our happiness. Generosity has come to play a central role in his unfolding spiritual path IMS News & Developments and in his teaching. Here he explains more about the power of this practice. BCBS Programs: 2013 Overview Greg, why is the practice of Central to the Buddha’s teachings generosity so transformative? of the Four Noble Truths is the understanding that the cause of the It’s reported that the Buddha said, suffering, stress and difficulty in our “If beings knew, as I know, the result lives is grasping and holding on. When of giving and sharing, they would not we practice any form of dana (the Pali eat without having given. Even if it were term for generosity), we’re directly their last morsel, their last mouthful, cultivating non-clinging. This is a they would not eat without having tangible antidote to the energy of greed shared.” This statement reflects his and clinging in our hearts and minds. sense of the incredible power of the practice of generosity. Buddhist teachings also tell us there is ‘merit’ (punna in Pali) associated with And generosity is truly a practice; generous acts. The concept of merit is it’s something we work with. It’s not connected with the law of karma, and is always easy to let go. But over time, the understanding that meritorious if we stretch and allow ourselves to be actions – those that are skillful, useful, guided by our generous impulses, life-giving, and born of a wholesome there’s an effect on the heart and mind intention – have a power that extends that goes beyond any good feeling we beyond the immediate scope of any might have in the moment. deed we might do. When we give, (continued on page 2) A PUBLICATION OF THE INSIGHT MEDITATION SOCIETY EMILY CARPENTER EMILY mason’s assistant, carrying loads of flower. The way she did it was with bricks on her head for a construction such care. It was very humbling project. For this, she earned the and inspiring to receive from people equivalent of 35 or 40 cents a day. like that. When she heard there was an American meditating nearby, she The practice of generosity is never bought a can of soda and offered it to about the specific gift. It might just him. Even though that soda represented be a spoon of rice. What matters is the about three days of her wages, she felt quality of the heart and mind behind moved to support his practice in this way. the offering. That’s where the power of this practice resides. My colleague was deeply affected. So much so, that he and the abbot of a How has your own practice of nearby monastery started an aid project generosity impacted your life? for the village. Over the years, a new school was built along with additions Giving is said to offer us happiness to a hospital, nearby nunneries were three times. We feel good when we Greg Scharf offered support, and all kinds of good think about giving – “Oh, I want to (continued from page 1) works were carried out that have give here” – and we plan our gift. transformed the lives of the villagers. Then we’re happy when we actually we’re actually planting seeds for our Now people from all over the world do it. And we can feel glad afterward own future happiness and that of others. support these projects; many speak of the when we reflect on the fact that power of this life-giving work. And it all we acted generously. It doesn’t go Can you give an example began with that initial gift of a can of soda, away, right? It doesn’t go away. of such an effect? offered from a place of purity of heart. So, happiness three times! A number of years ago a colleague of How has being a recipient The practice of generosity has brought a mine was practicing in Burma, meditating of generosity informed lot of joy to me, including the happiness in a cave. A young woman, about 16 your practice? that’s born of reflecting on one’s good years old, worked in the area as a deeds, which the Buddha recommended When I was meditating and living as we often do. And giving reminds me a monk in Burma, I would go on over and over again that real happiness INSIGHT alms round through the local village. is not tied to the circumstances and the NEWSLETTER It’s powerful to live among people who conditions of my life. have almost nothing, yet give you some A publication of the Insight Meditation Society of what little they do have. Sometimes In this culture the conditioning is the way people offered was perfunctory, strong to look outside ourselves for 1230 Pleasant Street • Barre MA 01005 • USA but with others it was so beautiful, sources of joy. We tend to think, www.dharma.org 978-355-4378 • [email protected] done with real care and a sense that “Okay, the reason I’m not happy they were holding it as a practice. is because things aren’t going right, Editors: Gyano Gibson & Daphne Slocombe or there are things I need to get rid of, Production: Daphne Slocombe, Emily Carpenter & Marc Hamel One woman lived in a tiny shack, and or things I lack. I’m not complete. Cover photos: Jill Shepherd & Elizabeth Vigeon she would offer me, maybe, one little But if I get this experience, this job, Design: Lux Productions cooked dried fish. One time she didn’t this relationship, this whatever, then Printed in Canada using soy-based inks have any food, so she offered me a happiness will follow.” on paper containing 50% recycled content. P a g e 2 www.dharma.org F a l l • W i n t e r 2012/2013 INSIGHT The practice of giving points me back bears some scrutiny. If we’re going to to the fact that I don’t need to look to go to any depth in this practice, on this external conditions for the reason why path, there are times when it’s going to I’m either happy or unhappy – joy really be uncomfortable. And that’s the edge. abides in my own inner world and It’s a good place to be. inner life. When we practice generosity, we develop a sense of inner abundance How can we practice that doesn’t have to do with any material generosity more consciously possessions or wealth we may have. in our daily lives? At places like IMS, where The most important thing is to hold it as teachers freely offer the a practice. When the impulse to give is teachings, why is it useful there, pay attention and act on it, even for retreatants to decide for if it’s not easy. Sometimes we hesitate themselves about offering dana? because we see how the initial urge to offer can quickly get mixed with a wish The Buddha’s teachings are held to be to look good, or because of a sense that EMILY CARPENTER priceless. At the end of a retreat, there’s we’re supposed to be generous. Joseph an opportunity to offer the teachers Goldstein says, “One practice of Greg teaching at the Retreat Center. and the center a donation. This can be generosity that I’ve found very helpful a confusing and difficult moment – is that when a thought to give arises, giving is a powerful force. Generosity what is right for us to give? But I think I try to act on it, rather than second- is about the beautiful energies of heart it’s also a chance to ask ourselves, guessing myself. I’ve never regretted and mind that we can cultivate, and “What value does this experience, these moments of giving.” I’ve really that then radiate through our lives, do these teachings have in my life?” taken this on. It’s a great practice. transforming our world. This is an exploration that we rarely get to undertake. Usually, someone has Actually, our entire meditation practice For details of Greg’s 2013 teaching schedule pre-determined a value for us, and then can be an act of generosity. We can at IMS’s Forest Refuge and Retreat Center, set a price on it. consciously make it an offering: “May see pages 13–15 or visit www.dharma.org. my life, my practice, be a gift to the world I believe it would be a real disservice for the benefit and happiness of all not to give people the opportunity to beings.” This intention helps us cultivate The Gift of Meditation express gratitude for the teachings and the deep aspiration of bodhicitta, a OFFER A RETREAT TO SOMEONE YOU LOVE to practice generosity. If we’re just told, Sanskrit and Pali word that literally “This is what it costs,” we don’t get a means “awakened heart.” As we prac- IMS GIFT CERTIFICATES chance to learn anything. We don’t push tice generosity, we sow the seeds of Support friends or family members to our boundaries of what’s comfortable.