Judging.

 What I love about Buddhism is taking everything apart, in order to realise that a so-called problem is not one great solid lump. It’s totally logical. Too often, people misunderstand the word ‘judgement’ and use it in a derogatory way.

 We are pure awareness – Empty essence, Cognisant nature and unconfined Compassion. This three-fold awakened nature has five aspects, or qualities of wisdom.

 THE FIVE WISDOMS.

All encompassing = spacious

Mirror-like = clarity

Equanimity = generosity

Discriminating = selfless appreciation

All accomplishing = efficiency without ambition.

 When resting in Empty Awareness, these are all present, although one may be more dominant than another. So we can see that we have some natural, innate tools for evolving, and sharing compassion.

 However, we live in a relative existence, and so have to be discerning. We have to know what is beneficial and what is not. What is wholesome and what is harmful, and so we have to discriminate between this and that.

 There are filters between the five wisdoms, and making a judgement. If we break down the process of making a judgement, it comprises of all these stages: wisdom, discernment, discrimination, judgement, decision, action. Most of the time, we don’t notice these are merely react, and so lack control. So judging is a tricky as well as challenging business, as a sense of self is more, or less, present. An action – or reaction – takes place that may be beneficial or harmful to self or others. We can either sentence ourselves and others for life, or set ourselves and others free. To be honest, when we judge we are saying more about ourselves than the thing we are judging, and others pick this up.

 However, having said all this, if we are to evolve and live a healthy life, judgements have to take place!

 ……….

There are other tools we can use to purify our understanding, such as the six perfections: Generosity, Patience, Discipline, Perseverance, Meditation, and Transcendent wisdom.

 There is also the eight-fold path: Right View. Right Intentions, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.

 Then there are the four enlightened activities: Pacifying, Magnetising, Enriching and Destroying.*

With all this

we shall complete our journey

to …!

[* Pacifying accommodates everything. It reveals that there are no problems, and that aggression from the ego is unnecessary.

 Enriching brings to light the process of growth, and allows the process of knowledge.

 Magnetising bypasses the conventional reality. In conventional reality, we continually try to draw desired situations towards ourselves and fend off undesirable ones. A realised person simply remains as he or she is, without this ego intervention, attracting naturally.

Destroying is connected to compassion, aimed at ego’s manipulations.]