Helpful Conduct

I'm not sure why, but as some of you may have noticed, I've not been posting much on the dharma here lately. I'm not sure why that is, but I have felt reluctant recently to talk directly about Buddhism here, making only casual references in passing. I don't know why, but it has started to feel somehow presumptuous to post a straight dharma lesson here, as if I were some expert who actually knew what I was talking about.

There's at least one point during every one of my dharma talks where I feel like a perfect jackass, up there braying on about that which goes beyond words. Eventually, that feeling passes but when I write here, the embarrassment lingers at least until the post scrolls off of the current blog screen (and returns when I look in the archives). On the other hand, however, sharing the dharma is a part of our Bodhisattva vows.

This morning, it was my turn to provide the Sunday morning dharma talk at the Zen Center. The talk continued an on-going discussion of the Shobogenzo Bodaisatta Shishōbō, or the Four Exemplary Acts of a Bodhisattva. These four acts are offering alms (‘free giving’), using kind speech, showing benevolence (‘helpful conduct’) and manifesting sympathy (‘cooperation’). Gudo Nishijima points out that Buddhism puts great value on our actual conduct. For this reason, our conduct in relating to each other is a very important part of Buddhist life. Zen Master Dogen explains that these four ways of behaving are the essence of Buddhist life. He explains the real meaning of Buddhism in terms of social relations.

Today's talk focused on the closely related activities of helpful conduct and cooperation. I'll discuss helpful conduct here, and if I can overcome my new-found reticence over blogging about the dharma, I may talk about cooperation at some later date.

In Shobogenzo Bodaisatta Shishōbō, Dogen wrote, "Helpful conduct means working out skillful methods by which to benefit sentient beings, be they of high or low station. One may do this, for instance, by looking at someone’s future prospects, both immediate and far-ranging, and then practicing skillful means to help that person.”

That sounds awfully complicated, almost like divining the future, but Dogen provides two very simple stories by way of explanation. A classic Chinese story called Shinjo (History of the State of Shin) tells of a man called Koyu who once rescued a trapped turtle. As the turtle swam off, it looked back over its shoulder to its benefactor, as if to acknowledge its indebtedness (do turtles have shoulders?). Later, the man rose to a high official position, and, when the seal of his office was cast, it miraculously appeared in the form of a turtle looking over its back. No matter how many times the seal was recast to remove the form, it would nevertheless reappear on the seal. Finally, the man realized that somehow the turtle had played a part in his having received his appointment, so he kept the strange seal out of gratitude.

In another classic story, there was a boy called Yoho who helped a sick sparrow recover and to whom the sparrow gave four silver rings as recompense. He and his descendants ultimately ascended to top positions in the Chinese government.

Neither of these people was seeking a reward; they simply acted from a feeling of benevolence. And the "future prospects" of those they helped were not difficult to determine - the turtle merely wanted to get to the sea; the sparrow, to fly.

Some people foolishly believe that if they were to put the welfare of others first, their own benefits will somehow be reduced. Others think that helping others is a sort of sign of weakness, and that others will eventually exploit this weakness and take advantage of the benevolence. These thoughts are based on a fundamental misunderstanding of what helpful conduct actually is. According to Dogen, "Helpful conduct is the whole dharma. It is all-encompassing, and universally benefits both self and others." You help someone, and they benefit from your actions; you help someone, and you benefit from manifesting benevolence in your own heart.

A Chinese ruler named Shuko appointed his son as a district governor. Shuko told his son, “If three guests came while I was taking a bath, I would bind my hair up each time and go to greet them. If three guests come calling on you in succession while you are dining, you should stop eating each time in order to greet them, even if they are strangers from a foreign land." Shuko's concern was solely for helping others, to equally benefit both friends and foes.

"So should we act to equally benefit both friends and foes," Dogen wrote, "and we should benefit ourselves and others alike. When we attain this state of mind, our showing of benevolence will neither retreat nor turn away from anything, and this benevolence will be shown even towards grass and trees, wind and water. And, in all humility, we should engage ourselves in helping those who are given to foolishness.”