Ep. 20 ~ Compassion for Abusers

I know the basis of all this is we’re One, we’re Love, we’re Compassion, we enfold. And then I go home and I’m on the periphery of a group that deals with abused animals. And I really have a hard time putting together “We are One, We are Compassion” with how do I go about treating the abusers.  Now I know what I want to do, but that would put me in jail. I’m stuck in this place that says, “you shouldn’t do that” and I know that that’s, I know I’m right, and I know that’s my ego and all of what I’m studying or learning or becoming is to get rid of the ego, to let the ego go. 

“Ramana Maharshi said, “If you ask the thief to be the policeman, there will be a lot of investigation, but no arrest will ever be made.” So, you’re asking the thief to make everybody else obey the rules whereas you’re already a thief and you’re not obeying the rules yourself. These things you’re talking about, they’re not things to be used to either beat yourself up with or beat other people up with. Nor is it something that you’re supposed to think about. These are things that you realize through practice.  In the meantime, you try to get through life doing as little damage as possible to yourself and the people around you.” – Krishna Das

Q: I’ve been meaning to ask you this question but I’ve never gotten up the nerve to.

KD: Next question.

Q: Ok, I go to Bhakti Fest, I come here, I have a Guru, I know the basis of all this is we’re One, we’re Love, we’re Compassion, we enfold. And then I go home and I’m on the periphery of a group that deals with abused animals. And I really have a hard time putting together “We are One, We are Compassion” with how do I go about treating the abusers.  Now I know what I want to do, but that would put me in jail. I’m stuck in this place that says, “you shouldn’t do that” and I know that that’s, I know I’m right, and I know that’s my ego and all of what I’m studying or learning or becoming is to get rid of the ego, to let the ego go.

KD: Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.

Q: I’m in a lot of conflict.
KD: Who’s going to get rid of the ego? The ego’s not gonna.

Q: So how do I incorporate these abusers?

KD: Ramana Maharshi said, “If you ask the thief to be the policeman, there will be a lot of investigation, but no arrest will ever be made.” So, you’re asking the thief to make everybody else obey the rules whereas you’re already a thief and you’re not obeying the rules yourself. These things you’re talking about, they’re not things to be used to either beat yourself up with or beat other people up with. Nor is it something that you’re supposed to think about. These are things that you realize through practice.  In the meantime, you try to get through life doing as little damage as possible to yourself and the people around you. Period. If you’re treating abused animals and abusing people, what are you doing? First of all, every one of your own actions creates a karma in the first place. That’s where you should be focused the most. What is your motivation for your own actions? If it’s anger, what are you going to create with anger? More hatred. More anger. More suffering. So, as that guy said, “Take the splinter out of your own eye first.” Wow. Oh, it’s Shivaratri, of course. We have to talk about Jesus. Take the splinter out of your own eye first, and then things will look different, and then you can operate on everybody else. So, it’s good that you see what you’re caught in, but you’re trying to figure it out, you’re trying to pick yourself up like this. But you can’t, there’s no leverage. You have to quiet your mind, calm yourself down and take responsibility for your actions. Thinking and knowing that thoughts are actions as well. They don’t make as big a ripple in the karmic field as physical action, but it’s also a definite karma. This is a question that everybody’s asking me now. “What I do with that guy in the White House?” “How do I get through the day?” If you, you know, somebody asked the Dalai Lama once, they said, “Your Holiness, you talk about Peace of Mind, do you have Peace of Mind?”

So he said, “Yes yes. The Chinese tortured us, they took our country, they slaughtered my people, we had to escape with our lives, with nothing. Now we live in exile. Should I let them take my Peace of Mind as well?” The only vote you get in life, is how you go through the day, and we don’t even have a vote yet. We haven’t even registered to vote yet. We’re not even old enough to register yet. Maybe we’re not even born yet, and still worried about what we’re going to do. Let’s figure out that there is voting. Maybe we know that. Then we can register to vote. And then we can vote on our actions. On how we treat ourselves and other people. Those people, you know it’s the same thing, I remember when there was that other guy in the White House that we thought was bad.  Bush. Oh I wish he was back. I want him again. Anyway. So, obviously I didn’t like him very much. So, I was channel surfing one time and I was passing through a news program so I saw there was a video, President Bush was walking down this hallway and he was on the way to meet the widows of the first group of Iraqi veterans. There were about 25-30 women waiting to meet him. And he’s the President, walking down the hall. Yes. With his entourage and his agents, right? And he walks in this room and he takes one look at these women and he falls apart and cries like a baby. I was really pissed. I couldn’t hate him any more. How do you hate somebody, right? And you see, we’re all the same. Do you think you’re better than those people who abuse those animals? You’re not. You’re no different. You’re the same person as they are. You have a slightly different, you were brought up a little bit differently by the effects of your own karmas. You were brought up in a slightly different culture by the effects of your own karmas. But you’re no better than they are as a human being. You’re exactly the same. You may know a little bit more about what’s good to do and what’s harmful to do. But you still have anger and shame and guilt and grief and selfishness, just like the rest of us. So don’t be riding such a big high horse. It’s not worth it. You’ll fall. It’s too far to fall. So recognize that those people, just like Bush, are creating more and more suffering, not just for other people, but for themselves. You think they’re not going to have to live through their own karmas? And we’re not even going into who those animals were and what they must have done to those people in a previous life, to be switched like that. Karma is karma. Who knows? Nobody knows. They say only a fully enlightened Buddha, or a fully enlightened Being, can understand all the ins and outs of karma.  You’re very, judging very harshly, but if you see the basis for your judgement, it’s really a lack of self love. If you really loved your self, every body would be included in that, regardless of what they do, you don’t have to love what people do, you don’t have to, it’s not required, but you have to make space for who they are inside of that and recognize that they don’t have a fucking clue. And everything they do is creating more and more karma for themselves and the people around them and they don’t know there’s any other way to live. You might have some idea there’s another way to live. Maybe. And if you do, you’re very lucky. But most people in the world don’t and they just dig deeper and deeper holes for themselves every step of the way. Is that something to be happy about?


Suggestions for your practice: Hungry Hearts Chant & Door of Faith Album
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Hungry Hearts Chant
Made especially for you. This recording is a 7 min 11 sec loop of  the chant. This track is FREE and available for download in our digital library (thats where we offer other free stuff too)  for you to use at anytime.

Door of Faith
An unusual recording, a departure from the call-and-response (kirtan) style, the deep longing to connect with his guru that comes through makes one feel as if you are listening in on Krishna Das’s personal puja offerings. Also included is Bernie’s Chalisa/Gate of Sweet Nectar.  Find out more in our online shop.

 


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One Comment

  • Darshan says:

    Krishna Das, this is Darshan, from Arkansas. I have contacted You several times over the years, to Thank You for your Attendance of Us. Bowing only. Much Love and Adoration for This Shared Heart! ❤️ Darshan

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