What is motivation? How do we create good motivation?
1. Motivation, in essence, is a thought in our mind with an intention to carry out a certain task. There are three types of motivation when we listen, teach, or practice the Dharma: Good, Bad, and Neutral.
Good Motivation - This kind of motivation arises from the depth of our heart to benefit all sentient beings with a thorough understanding that all phenomena is interdependent and that the manifestation as a sentient being is the condition for one to realize the ultimate truth..
Neutral Motivation - This kind of motivation is a mere flow of an intended action with no insightful knowledge of the benefits from listening to the Dharma teaching and practice.
Bad Motivation - This kind of motivation is usually associated with solely thinking about one self’s benefits such as for wealth, name, fame, and publicity. This kind of motivation is considered impure.
Motivation is the foundation of our practice. As such, if our motivation is good we may be able to practice and overcome different defilements. An analogy is when building a structure, the foundation is very important. If the foundation is strong enough, then the higher the structure can be built. Conversely, a structure with a poor foundation is likely to fall apart easily. Much as the same as our practice, a solid foundation is necessary not only for today or tomorrow but all the way until the ultimate truth is realized. In general, if our foundation is not stable, it will be very difficult to smoothly attain our end desired goal. Knowing that a good foundation is imperative for practicing, we must put forth a diligent effort in trying to make it as strong as possible.
2. While we are listening to the Dharma, we have to avoid the four kinds of falsehoods as described below using a jug as the metaphorical symbol of our mind. The four types of mistakes are often committed and should be avoided in order to effectively follow the Dharma teaching.
1. Inverted Jug 2. Leaking Jug 3. Impure Jug 4. Full Jug
1.Inverted Jug - A jug being upside down cannot hold any water no matter how much effort one puts into it. This is symbolic of our mind not being fully receptive even if a great master was providing the teachings as a result of our mind being closed. Regardless of how much teaching is received, it will not be absorbed nor retained. Having an open mind with respect, devotion, and humility is necessary to readily receive the genuine teachings of the Dharma.
2. Leaking Jug - A clean jug in the upright position is useless if it contains a hole at the bottom. No matter how much pure water is placed into that jug, it will not remain in the container. This is likened to listening to the Dharma when the message passes through one ear and exits out the other ear. As such, the teaching of the Dharma will not be grasped because the message is not retained in our mind. The human mind possesses incredible power and capability. This is evident in the level of science and technology in today’s modern world. An airplane will allow us to travel anywhere in this world within a matter of hours. The internet will allow one to assess a wealth of information in the convenience of being at a desk at the touch of a fingertip. Cell phones can allow you to talk to anybody while you move about. These are just a few products derived from the human mind. From a spiritual standpoint, the mind also possesses the ability to attain the ultimate happiness and truth. A mind listening with attentiveness will be able to reap the benefits of the Dharma.
3. Impure Jug - This is a jug with no holes and is not upside down but contains filthy water. Even if the amount is small, adding pure water to a jug filled partially with dirty water will result in the entire pool being dirty. This analogy can be akin to avoiding having wrong views about the Dharma and other bad thoughts about the teachings. While listening to the Dharma with such a mind, the genuine Dharma will also become impure and will prevent one from progressing farther in their practice. While we are listening to the Dharma, we have to listen with a pure mind. In the Buddha’s teaching, the Buddha is like a guide, the Dharma is the path, and the Sangha is the company dedicated to helping all sentient beings reach liberation. Listening to the Dharma with a pure mind means that we must have devotion, respect, and kindness for the Triple Gems in order to have the right condition to receive the Buddha’s teachings.
4. Full Jug - This is a jug that is already full. If someone wants to put some more water into it, even if it is pure water, the water will just spill over since it cannot accommodate anymore. Like a full jug, a mind full of arrogance does have the will to learn from others with the pretentious belief that he/she already knows everything. When we listen to the Dharma, even if it is a subject that we are already familiar with, we should still listen very carefully without arrogance because listening to the teachings over and over again will allow one to gain further additional insight and to attain a deeper meaning behind the teaching.
