THE PRECIOUS HUMAN EXISTENCE

THE PRECIOUS

HUMAN EXISTENCE 

THE INITIAL CONTEMPLATIONS

IN DHARMA PRACTICE

JÖRG FITZ

1990 , 2018

FOREWORD 

The present dharmatext is a characterization of extraordinary favourable conditions of human existence. These represent the most fortunate conditions for a fruitful, meaningful and enlightenmentoriented life. We have as human beings to become responsibly and insightfully aware of our being and every day remind ourselves of that there is nothing more prescious than to be a human being who has been conferred all the favourable life conditions which promotes the practice of dharma. We shouldn’t pass such a chance which may be constellated only once. 

The present dharmatext was summerly written during july 1990 and has been improved a little to and from until now in August  2018. Karina McKenzie has helped me with the translation to english.

Jörg Fitz

A  INTRODUCTION

There are some basic contemplations and meditations in one´s dharmadevelopment which we have to integrate if we want to develop significant perspectives and stabile fundaments within us.

These foundational reflections and meditations may be divided into two main categories: the four common and the four uncommon foundations.

The four common foundations consist of significant understanding of:

1) the precious human existence,

2) impermanence

3) karma and

4) the shortcomings with samsara .

The four uncommon foundations consist of:

1) taking refuge (to Buddha, dharma and sangha) and the development and integration of the intention to realize enlightenment,

2) Recitation of Buddha Vadchrasattva's 100-spelled mantra,

3) the practice of the mandala-sacrifice meditation ("the sacrifice of the universe"), and

4) Guru Yoga.

The four common foundations consist of grounding preparations for the development of the ordinary, exoteric, dharmapractice in both Hinayana and  Sutra-Mahayana.

The four unusual foundations consist of grounding preparations for the development of the uncommon, esoteric, dharmapractice in Tantric Mahayana, Vadchrayana. These uncommon fundaments include the ordinary, and that is why an assimilated understanding of these are a prerequisite for the development of the uncommon foundations.

Below the first of the four common fundamentals will be described, in an organised as well as a somewhat resonating way, since the teaching of the dharma´s basic significance is validated with sound logic and relevant knowledge and experience.

B THE PRECIOUS HUMAN EXISTENCE

1.     INTRODUCTORY SUMMARY 

The precious human form of existence is usually descibed with the help of 32 specifications of favourable conditions, which are divided into two main categories: the 22 freedoms and the 10 blessings. These 32 conditions will briefly be described below.

2.     THE 32 FORTUNATE CONDITIONS

2.1 .   The 22 freedoms

2.1.1 The 8 freedoms in samsara

(i)   Freedom from being born in a hellish condition, where one more or less uninterrupted suffers from extreme fear, heat or cold.   

(ii)  Freedom from having been born in a condition of existence among so called pretas .. spirits who continually suffer from hunger or thirst.

(iii) Freedom from having been born in the world of animals. Animals lack the ability of  ethical reflections.

(iv) Freedom from having been born in a barbaric country, where the conditions to under-stand the Dharmateaching does not exist.

(v)  Freedom from having been born among the gods, whether it be among the desiregods, the formgods or the formless gods. Gods in lower realms are attached to  experiences of lust, e.g. sex. Gods on higher levels are attached to more subtle pleasures related to colour and form, conditions that the samadhi-meditation generates. At the level of formlessness one is attached to e.g. vague energy nuances, subtle smells and sounds.

(vi) Freedom from having been born among beings who have delusive and extreme views, such as eternalism (the belief in an "eternal life") or nihilism (the belief that the real nature of reality is nothingness, absence of life) or the denial of the teachings of causality (where one belives that phenomena may arise without cause or that the teaching about karma is invalid), or among beings who unreflected dislike the Dharmateaching or who harbor perverted views.

(vii) Freedom from having been born into a dark age, where no Buddha exists and teachings about enlightenment and worthy qualities are not known. The world during such an age is an inconsolable and desolate place.  

(viii) Freedom from having been born in an insane condition or with incomplete senses. For example a speechless being who too often may be too ignorant in regard to the verbal world and too linguistically/mentally stunned and who generally does not face his or her thoughts toward Dharma.

In summary, one can say that if one does not have the above mentioned freedoms and has been born into one of these conditions, one finds oneself lacking leisure time and conditions to practice Dharma. One is preoccupied with experiencing the consequences of earlier ac-tions.

2.1.2 The 14 freedoms from adverse conditions in the world of humans

But, even if one has obtained a human form which is capable to practice Dharma, freedom from a long row of adverse conditions is needed, nameley not be too strongly and un-consciously under the influence of:

(i)  some of  the five afflictions: envy, pride, dualizing-aversion, desire-attachment and igno-rance-unknowingness,

( ii)  corrupted companions,

(iii)  narrow views and wrongly motivated actions,

( iv) obstructive/preventing conditions (on the basis of maturing consequences of earlier ac-tions),

( v)  being under others enslaving control,

(vi) improper motifs for the practice of dharma, like fear for dying or absence of life suppor-tive factors, which sometimes can trigger a more genuine dharmaview in us, but which is not a suitable motive,

(vii) dishonest motivs in one’s dharmapractice, as own profit purposes, wanting to be prai-sed, honoured, confirmed or at first hand trying to widen one´s own pleasurable experiences,

(viii) intense desire towards one´s own body, to richness or other material objects,

(ix)  coarse mentality leading to lower minded actions,

(x)   blunted mentality, which causes that no fear ariese in oneself, even when one has taken part of extensive explanations about the three lower samsaric conditions of existence,

(xi)  undeveloped conditions of understanding, so that no matter how much one is informed about the blessings of the liberation and the precious qualities, no interest and no confidence in the dharmateaching and it´s implications is awoken,

(xii)  being naturally engaged in destructive actions, like hunting, stealing or works of terror,

(xiii) an indifferent level of motivation where one is ”prone to practice the dharmateaching as a dog is prone to eating grass”,

(xiv) tendencies to break vows or commitments in regard to above all one´s dharmateachers or friends.

If one in a larger context had been under the influence of some of these adverse conditions, one would probably not have fully studied this dharmatext and related it´s context to one´s own life. Or one would put away the text and forget it. If one without problems can absorb the dharmateaching and recognize the significance of it, one is free from the influence of these adverse conditions. If it is like this, one can innermost be happy about this worthy condition, not neglect to care of it and learn how to prevent the above mentioned adversities to happen in the future.

2.2    The 10 blessings

The ten blessings may be divided into two categories: the five personal blessings and the five blessings received from others. Below these ten precious conditions will shortly be descibed.

2.2.1 The 5 personal blessings

( i)    Having obtained a human body which makes it possible to practice dharma and which is free from the eight bondages and all adverse conditions on the human plane, which is mentio-ned above.

( ii)   Having been born in a country where dharma can be cultivated, which may happen among other things thanks to the fact that it has been possible for dharmateaching to take place here.

(iii)  Having functioning sensory organs and healthy mental functions, which makes it possible to understand dharmateaching.  

(iv) That one´s conditions have resulted in that one has been able to step into a way of being through a Buddhas dharmadoor, entails that one´s actions do not counteract one´s aims. This is a karmic result from not having been involved in relations where one has collaborated with dharma opponents. One has also not committed some of the five heinous actions:

having killed one´s father, one´s mother, an Arhat, with evil intent have caused the happening of blood being spilled from a Buddhas body and to have caused schism among sangha mem-bers. These actions results in that one when dying may be reborn in hellish conditions.

(v)   That one has significant understanding and - thereby - natural respect for Buddhas, the dharmateachings and dharmapractitioners.

2.2.2 The 5 blessings which are obtained from others

(vi)   That fully enlightened beings (like e.g. Buddha Shakyamuni and Buddha Padmasam-bhava and others) have acted on our earth in this age. There are ages where no Buddha appears in our world…frequent formations and dissolvements of different nations and cultu-res in our universe makes it hard for a Buddha to form presence here over a longer period of time. But in our age we have got the good fortune having Buddhas present, which we who live together now have to welcome gratefully and with joy.

(vii)   To actually obtain dharmateaching. It is of no significant benefit if we as a healthy human being live under fortunate circumstances within an age where Buddhas have been present and taught the excellent dharmateaching, if we actually don´t receive the teaching. We have however now even been blessed with the conditions to obtain such a teaching…e.g. through the study of  the present dharmatext.

(viii)  A durable maintenance of and a genuin interest for the dharmateachings as well as seeking to realize them. To have access to the dharmateaching does not automatically entail that our life becomes valuable. If we have access to a whole library of dharmatexts, but are not motivated to study them and transform what the content implies into action, we are not better than a mouse in a library. That the teachings are being kept alive and do not decline is thus an extraordinary blessing that has been given us.

(ix)   The presence of a community who practice the dharmateaching. It is not easy to practice the dharma on one´s own. We need help. It´s not easy for a couple of ants to build an anthill. It requires many who cooperate together. That one has found and got access to a group that practice dharma is an extraordinary precious blessing. More precious than other group be-longings.   

( x)   To actually have access to teachers who can explain the teachings. Everything which so far has been mentioned is good and well, but still not sufficient. It is not sufficient that we are given a big field with excellent soil and ideal climate in addition to immeasurable poten-tialities of precious nutrition and valuable qualities, if we don´t know how to use this fortu-nate circumstance. We need an experienced farmer who explains to us how we have to sow, cultivate the earth, take care of the harvest, etc. The farmer teaches us explanatory how to act in significant and fruitful ways.

3.   THE PRECIOUSNESS OF THE FAVOURABLE HUMAN EXISTENCE

3.1  The recognition of the favourable human existence

We have first to  recognize the applicability of the meaning of the above described on our own life situation, if the preciousness of the favourable human existence in a significant way is going to be apparent to us. We actually have to understand and recognize that exactly one´s own living conditions at present are axtraordinary in the meaning that so unusually many favourable conditions to practice dharma are present at the same time. It is important that one reflects on these conditions analytically, beyond one´s conventional frames, so that these insights may be applied on one´s own life which hereby becomes related to a deeper and wider perspective. If this is not done, one will not have any real use of this knowledge.   

If we walk in a big city one day, we will see many people. We should practice experiencing them with the issue of how many of them would actually responsible be able to get into the conditions described above, where they would attend dharmateaching, have a guiding dhar-mafriend or teacher who explains the dharmateaching and that one understands the signi-ficance and value of this. Not many! The mentality of unreflecting human beings hinders them usually from realizing and accepting such precious conditions. When one has recognized the value of the precious human existence in the above described extent, one has from this moment always to maintain the cultivation of the awareness of these significant meaningful  conditions.

The exceptionally fortunate situation one has now, has not occured by chance. We have with great probability practiced dharma in an earlier life and thereby been inspired by dharma-guides or Bodhisattvas, or lived and acted in a somewhat corresponding way. This precious situation does however not last long and we are not able to look into the future and perceive where we are going to end up later. These conditions entail that we should not miss this unique chance while we have it. ”Some chances one only get once”! We don´t know when the next dharmavehicle passes by or if there will come something like it at all. And to engage in other things than to study and practice the dharmateaching - like for example with an extrovert and unreflected spirit tourist around, repeating playing bandy, watch TV enter-tainment every day, talk rubbish, collect old furniture or stamps and the like - causes hardly karmic conditions for better reincarnations.

3.2    The huge value of the favourable human existence

3.2.1 The favorable human form is our only Dharmavehicle

The precious human existence surpasses all extern richness. Even if this may give us a com-fortable life, it can not free us from one ounce of our sufferings in future lives. Material wealth is of no value any longer for us when we die.

The precious human existence can be used for many purposes. It enables already that our present life can be healthy, happy and meaningful. It is also valuable for the next life, in that one with these conditions is given prerequisites to use methods to avoid getting reborn in unhappy conditions. This is provided through that we remove negative conditions in our mind, so that we protect ourselves against unfavourable reincarnations. We can hereby use certain cleansing methods. These includes not least the so called ”four purifying forces”, which are described shortly below.

3.2.2 The four purifying forces

(i)    To become clearly aware of and recognize the negative quality and consequences of harmful actions

(ii)   To regret that the harmful actions have been done and commit oneself not to act anymore in such a manner in the future

(iii) Taking refuge to Buddha, dharma and sangha and cultivate the thought of enlighten-ment for all living beings wellness, as this counteracts harmful activity and it´s consequences.

- 5 -

(iv) To correct, disperse and transform obstacles and harmful conditions, with the help of reciting mantras or the confessiontext in front of the 35 Confession Buddhas.

3.2.3 Karmic maturity qualified with eight special favourable conditions

With the precious human existence as a fundament we can also make a living which has eight special qualities that optimize our realization of awakening. Such an optimal level of living is usually called ”karmic maturity qualified with eight special favourable conditions”. A hu-man being with such life conditions has:

 (i)     optimal lenght of life,

(ii)     radiation,

(iii)    respected social position,

(iv)    wealth (does not nescessarily include material wealth),

(v)     trustworthy speech,

(vi)    influence on others,  

(vii)   good health and abilities and

(viii) harmonious mental and physical strength.

3.3      The rarity with the favourable human existence

It is extremely rare to obtain a human form which is qualitifed with all the above mentioned precious conditions. It is just as rare as finding a very precious gem on a common street which many people walk on daily. It is also extremely difficult to be reborn again as a human being with the same fortunate conditions. It would be as rare as once again finding a very precious gem on the same common and crowded street. The precious human existence which is qualified with all favourable conditions and is freed from the human unfavourable condi-tions, is just as valuable as a wishfulfilling gem which may grant all one´s wishes far beyond one’s expectations. The possibilities which these conditions potentially contain are immeasu-rable.

Since it is so extremely rare that such favourable conditions exist, one has to realize that no time has to be wasted and that we have to use these favourable conditions well. Our ordinary and childish mentality usually limit us, so that we generally have difficulties with under-standing this. We are very pleased by a box of chocolate, a new dress or a new car. We may put aside a whole day to travel far away to a shop which sale some smokedamaged furniture. We can easily become engaged in something which is not so important. But if something really meaningful would be offered to us, we ususally react with distrust, rejection or lack of understanding. If we by an event would have landed on an amazing island on which there were an endless amount of wishfulfilling jewels, it would be regrettable if we just walked around there for a while and then went away from there emptyhanded without having imprinted the coordinates of the island´s location together with the information on how to get there again...not to mention that we hardly would come up with the thought to hold such a wish-fulfilling jewel between our respectfully cupped hands in front of our heart and with loving tears in our eyes wholeheartedly wish that everyone soon become enlightened. We would through such a gesture not need to renounce much more than our cherished narrowminded-ness and affirm a meaningful lifepromoting attitude.

Buddha Shakyamuni once presented a parable to illustrate the rarity with the human exis-tence through picking up some dust from the ground on his fingernail. He explained that at a

quota comparison the amount of beings in fortunate conditions is as numeorus as the dust-particles on his fingernail and the amount of beings in unfortunate states are just as extensive as the amount of dust on the whole earth. If we then would divide the fraction of beings who are represented by the dust on the Buddhas fingernail in people who are interested in develo-ping dharmaawareness and those who are not, we have among the first mentioned category to do with a minority. If this minority then would be divided into human beings who have all favourable conditions fully met and such dharmapracticing human beings where the fortunate conditions are incomplete, we have in the first mentioned category to do with an amount which is easily countable. If we further among these would screen those who genuinely enga-ge themselves in dharmapractice in an authentic and frutiful way, we would probably find approximately as many as there are visible stars in the sky during daytime. If someone really and for the first time with significant awareness recognizes that one has such a very rare condition, then probably blessed and grateful loving tears would fall down on their cheeks …and if these tears would fall down on a fly, it would probably get a blissful happiness sputnik and its mind maybe dissolves into nirvana.

C    CLOSURE

The current age (which according to some sources may be divided into ten 500-year periods, where we now find ourselves in the sixth, which is called the ethical season), happen to be a light age, because Buddhas may appear. Our age will however be followed by 60 dark ages, which will be relieved by only one single light age. (Read more about these predictions in (3) page 61). During a dark age no Buddha appears. It is thus only during a very small fraction of all time where Buddhas fruitfully can act in our world. And most of the time of a light age will even pass without living beings cultivatingly taking care of the presence of Buddhas, which is why a Buddha seldom gets reincarnated in human form.

It is thus extremely rare that a Buddha appears in our world, just to mention one of the many favourable conditions which need to be fulfilled so that the precious human existence can be actualized. We are presently living in an age where it is possible for us to experience libera-tion from samsara or even experience enlightenment. This can however only be actualized if we have a human body with all favourable conditions. All other conditions of existence, inclu-ding the conditions of dharma-unaware gods, may not serve as a ground for dharmapractice and for the actualization of Buddhaawareness.

Would it now not be so, that one genuinely is practicing the dharmateaching continually when one has obtained the precious human body with all favourable conditions, it will not just be improbable that one will obtain similar conditions later, but also that we are fooling us when this failure takes place.

Shantideva says in Bodhicaryavatara:

            After obtaining the conditions like these

And if I don´t get used to dharmaaware acting

There is no larger fraud to be found

And also not any larger foolishness

If we thus not continually cultivate the perfection of one´s own and others favourable condi-tions in addition to seeking to achieve good conditions for future generations prosperity and unreflected let the years pass, it may happen that we one day, when we will find ourselves at  our deathbed and with backwards looking reflection with anxiety, sorrow and regret realize that we missed this wonderful and unique oppurtunity that has just come to it´s end…we may perhaps now at last realize the meaning of the words: ”certain chances one only get once”.

Geshe Rapten tells in his book The Essential Nectar (1987:77) of a lama who is supposed to have said the following: "The first 20 years of my life I did not practice dharma, as I knew nothing about it. The following 20 years I decided to start practicing, but I never got time over for it during this period. The last 20 years I spent saying that I was no longer able to practice. This is my life”.

Most of the conditions that promote dharmapractice, as for example to apply the 10 healing actions and the six bodhisattvaoriented so called paramitas, are rare. Wise significant aware-ness which clearly can distinguish what is important and unimportant, what is fruitful and meaningsful and what is not, is very rarily occuring. And since restrictive and darkening activities arise much easier than fruitful enlightening approaches, the periods suitable for dhar-mapractice also become very rare.   

The presence of only one favourable condition is thus very rare. If all conditions where pre-sent at the same time, we have to do with something amazingly rare and precious. We have to recognize a similar condition in a significant way and use all our time and energy to realize something that is dharmaoriented and meaningful.   

We have a tendency to prevent ourselves from fully understanding the value and implications of the favourable human existence. Should we really conscientiously let ourselves be filled up with the significance of this preciousness in addition to understanding all consequences of this insight, we should not let one single hour of our life go to waste through unnecessary, unreflected intentionless and unfruitful activities. We should instead integrate the intention to realize enlightenment more, so that it naturally becomes our ground chord tuning fork in our life.

D   DEDICATION

This dharmatext is dedicated to all of us…who are more or less aware of our potentialities and conditions to start and maintain dharmapractice. May uncountable beings benefit and stabilize their human fundaments through this, so that the favourable conditions for dharma-practice always will be found unhindered in life after life.   

E        COMMENTED LIST OF litterature

When writing this dharmaessay the author has at first hand used Meditation 2 (p. 67-78) in the following book:

(1)  Geshe Rapten, The Essential Nectar, Wisdom Publ ., London, 1984.

It is an analytically reflective meditation, as in all other "Lam rim" texts (approx. "The gradual way to enlightenment") which is used in the tantric Gelugpa-tradition.

Two other texts have also been used. The first mentioned below, (2), was helpful with the structural base composition, and the latter, (3), as an enriching source.

(2)  Jamgon Kongtrul, The Torch of Certainty, Shambala Publ., Boulder and London, 1977.

(3)  Ngorchen Konchog Lhundrup, The Beautiful Ornament of  the Three Visions, Golden Vase Publ., Singapore, 1987.

’(2)’ contains instructions and explanations of the "Four Fundamentals", the most funda-mental exercizes within the Kargyupa -tradition. A very informative book. Can be used as a reference book.

'(3)' is a meditation manual for the non-esoteric part of ”Lam dre" ( "The way that include it´s fruits"), The main teaching of the Sakyapa -tradition. This book can with advantage be studied by both schooled and unschooled persons. Therein lies one of it´s merits.