Seven Points and Fifty-Nine Slogans for Generating Compassion and Resilience
From Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong, by Norman Fischer.
POINT ONE Resolve to Begin
1. Train in the preliminaries
POINT TWO
Train in Empathy and Compassion
2. See everything as a dream
3, Examine the nature of awareness
4. Don’t get stuck on peace.
5. Rest in the openness of mind.
6. In Postmeditation be a child of illusion
POINT TWO
Train in Empathy and Compassion:
7. Practice sending and receiving alternately on the breath
8. Begin sending and receiving practice with yourself
9. Turn things around (Three objects, three poisons, three virtues).
10. Always train with the slogans.
POINT THREE
Transform Bad Circumstances Into the Path
11. Turn all mishaps into the path.
12. Drive all blames into one.
13. Be grateful to everyone.
14. See confusion as Buddha and practice emptiness.
15. Do good, avoid evil, appreciate your lunacy, pray for help.
16. Whatever you meet is the path.
POINT FOUR
Make Practice Your Whole Life
17. Cultivate a serious attitude (Practice the five strengths).
18. Practice for death as well as for life.
POINT FIVE
Assess and Extend
19. There’s only one point.
21. Maintain joy (and don’t lose your sense of humor).
22. Practice when you’re distracted.
Seven Points and Fifty-Nine Slogans for Generating Compassion and Resilience
POINT SIX
The Discipline of Relationship
23. Come back to basics.
24. Don’t be a phony.
25. Don’t talk abut faults.
26. Don’t figure others out.
27. Work with your biggest problems first.
28. Abandon hope. 29. Don’t poison yourself. 3
0. Don’t be so predictable.
31. Don’t malign others.
32. Don’t wait in ambush.
33. Don’t make everything so painful.
34. Don’t unload on everyone.
35. Don’t go so fast..
36. Don’t be tricky.
37. Don’t make gods into demons.
38. Don’t rejoice at others’ pain.
POINT SEVEN
Living With Ease in a Crazy World.
39. Keep a single intention
40. Correct all wrongs with one intention
41. Begin at the beginning, end at the end.
42. Be patient either way.
43. Observe, even if it costs you everything.
44. Train in three difficulties
45. Take on the three causes.
46. Don’t lose track.
47. Keep the three inseparable. 48. Train wholeheartedly, openly, and constantly.
49. Stay close to your resentment.
50. Don’t be swayed by circumstances.
51. This time get it right!
52. Don’t misinterpret.
53. Don’t vacillate.
54. Be wholehearted.
55. Examine and analyze.
56. Don’t wallow.
57. Don’t be jealous.
58. Don’t be frivolous.
59. Don’t expect applause.
