from Path of Heroes: Relative Enlightened Mind / Transforming the Emotions

Even if we take to heart the counsel to always remember others, we must still deal with our own problems. On a personal level, our lives present one difficulty after another, affecting work or family, friends or enemies. Those we love turn away from us or grow old; at any moment they may become ill and die. Certain difficult days seem unending; untold hours are lost to confusion, frustration, and emotional upheavals. Our thoughts and actions are part of and reflect an existing pattern. Where then do we begin to penetrate such pervasive obstacles? Clearly, our problems begin with ourselves. But few people, especially those who perceive the pervasiveness of the world’s difficulties, would accept that all these problems are due to their own actions. When we look more closely, we begin to recognize the interconnections between ourselves and others. Observing similarities and relationships that we did not see before, we begin to understand how our actions affect all those around us, extending outwards like ripples from a stone tossed into the water of a pond. Without being omniscient, we can look at the pattern of human nature in operation and know where our actions will lead. We can take responsibility for deciding what patterns we wish to enact or promote. The next step, taking upon ourselves the suffering of others, seems an almost superhuman activity, the self-sacrifice it would entail unthinkable for an ordinary person. And yet mothers make such sacrifices all the time for their children. Perhaps the magnitude of this self-sacrifice is not so difficult and unimaginable as we think. Perhaps, in taking this step, we will find unexpected sources of support for sustaining and extending our capacities.

[from Path of Heroes: Birth of Enlightenment, Vol. 2 (p.343-344), by Zhechen Gyaltsab and Padma Gyurmed Namgyal, with instruction by Tarthang Tulku]