Expert: Bodhicitta - 5/9/2006

Question
I am 42, a single mother living in Wales UK. I have been studying Buddhism and,particulary in its ethics, feel it teaches the things I value. Recently, I was introduced to the exercises of falun dafa as I have back pain. This has helped tremendously and has furthered my search for inner peace. On reading much of the material tho, I have questions. I know unhappiness is caused by dukka- craving. But, how far should you detatch yourself? When it says anything you cannot remove yourself from should be discarded - What about your children? I know things are not real in the way that we see them, but surely in ways we do not understand they are more important. Also, very quickly, animals are said not to have xinxing. I have felt my most deeply spiritual moments in the company of ,particularly wild, animals. Thank you.  Susan

Answer
Dear Susan
Thanks for your question from Wales. I must admit I am not
fully familiar with Falun Dafa. But my understanding is that  Li Hongzhi introduced it in communist China and that it has now become popular around the world having been introduced. It seems to be a mixture of many things
physical exercise,QiXong, some Buddhist and Taoist philosophy etc.

My own background is Buddhism as you know.

I understand that you have also been studying Buddhism so I wish you well with that.

In terms of your question about detachment. I think there
is a general misunderstanding with Buddhist teachings
concerning detatchment.

It is true that according to Buddhism desire or confused attachment fuels suffering. But there are two things to
keep in mind. Firstly Buddha means awake and Buddhism
teaches that we must train ourselves to awake to reality not to be attached to what is illusion and nothing to do with reality. We live in a dream , what we take as reality
is not reality. We are ego centric, we are attached to
temporary things like health, money, power, status etc.

The second thing is how do we awake? The training is openness. We should open all the time to reality and
our real natures through meditation.

So in answer to your question you should not detach yourself at all from reality but you should open all the time. So you should
open to your children, your friends, your mind, your life. You should not keep wishing it was some other way, or that you were more important , or someone else or some way different. The practice is openness. Meditation is the way to truly be open and find what is the difference between illusion and reality.

Buddhism is not about shutting yourself off from the world but
actually connecting with it in a more real and courageous complete way than you have ever dared before.

According to the Buddhas teachings animals are beings just like we are. In fact there are many forms of life in the Universe all are important and moving from life to life
towards awakening.

Hope tbis helps
Bodhicitta
http://www.bodhicitta.co.uk