Buddhism: Trashi Delek Losar – Buddhist Visualization

Trashi Delek! This is a common Tibetan greeting, usually pronounced ta-shee day-lay by those from around Lhasa, but more phonetically (tra-shee day-layk) by rural Tibetans. Trashi means auspicious and Delek means good or well. So it is like saying, “good fortunes” as you meet a new person or see an old friend.

Losar is New Year in Tibetan and since they follow the lunar calendar, it changes in respect to our calender each year, usually beginning in very late January to mid-February. Today is the first day of Losar for 2007, or the Tibetan year 2133.

So, how should we ring in this new year? (hint: not the way we typically ring in Western new years)

I spent part of the day cleaning and then cooking for a Losar gathering with Lama David Curtis and friends, where I had much of the very best food I think I’ve ever experienced. David also covered some teachings, including some interesting bits on Visualizations, which got me off and running on some thoughts of my own.

The Purpose of Visualization:

Tibetan Buddhism very much stresses the fact that ‘this reality’ (that of ignorance and suffering) isn’t the only reality we have. The second option is a reality free from both ignorance and suffering, and this is a reality that is accessible to us, here and now. The problem, generally, is that we’ve so deeply imbibed the ignorant reality that it’s hard to believe in a reality free from ignorance, let alone take steps to realize it.

So, even while steeped in ignorance as we are, we are given an archetype, a symbolic representation, of the purified reality (Buddhahood). This is represented by a Bodhisattva who embodies a particular aspect of Buddhahood for us. Now the fact of the matter is that Buddhahood is within all of us all the time; we don’t necessarily need to use these archetypes, they’re just useful starters and reminders for us. The image often used is that of a diamond covered with mud. Our true nature is like a diamond, but it is mucked up and all we generally see in life is the muck (bad habits, old relationship issues, past failures, future worries).

We utilize the visualizations to actively shift our mind off the ego-fixation (the muck) and on to our innate Buddha Nature (the diamond). It sounds simple enough, and as such I’ve often thought of this way of explaining things as a bit juvenile. But today David brought up an excellent further point. That is the fact that we generally take comfort in our ego. We refuse to try to work past it. Even if we know it causes us suffering, we are afraid to let go of it.

David mentioned a story of meeting a man who had recently been in prison. The man despaired of being free! He, and apparently many like him, called prison ‘three hot and a cot’ referring to the basic comforts inside that they could not get in the free world. On the one hand this reflects terribly on our society, where people with criminal tendencies (often with mental disorders) and others have to commit crimes to be get basic amenities. But on the other hand it illustrates the habit we all have of fleeing to our ego even knowing that it causes us suffering. We cling to our titles, our labels, our possessions, our friends.

We do this because we cannot clearly see what other option we have. We think, especially in times of panic, that ‘not clinging’ = ‘throwing away’. We do not see the third option. The image of the Bodhisattva is always the image of the being who is poised to help all others immediately and without bias. This is the third option, developing an open and responsive heart for all beings. This means ‘letting go’ in a very special way, and this goes back to a story that I was taught by a 10 year old girl (the daughter of a classmate) while I was in Bristol.

Letting go in Buddhism means holding the whole world with an open hand.

What a powerful teaching! I can still have my titles, friends, and toys, but when they need to go, they can go. I don’t cling with a tight fist. Think too of how much more we can hold with an open hand compared to a clenched fist! Much, much more!

Of course ego still comes up, I still cling, but less and less. And what do I find? Fewer friends? Fewer wonderful things and people and places in my life? No, many, many more! And more work to do too – phooy – gotta run 🙂