The Four Obstacles

Last Sunday, I shared some thoughts on the Four Obstacles, the obstacles which keep us from recognizing our own true Buddha nature, the Christ spirit that is within each and every one of us here, right now and for all time. I had the privilege of hearing Dzogchen master, Wangdor Rinpoche, speak a few years ago, and he described our Buddha nature as a great treasure in our own home yet we often travel great distances to try and find it. He also emphasizes the universality of Buddha nature. Everyone has the same amount of Buddha nature—everyone. Great spiritual teachers don’t have big ones and sinners have little ones. Men don’t have different sizes than Women. We all have the same Buddha nature, like waves upon the ocean.

So, what is it that keeps us from realizing this incredibly powerful force that is always available, everywhere present? What are the obstacles in our lives that cause us pain and suffering? I’m sure each of us can bring to mind different issues in our own lives that get in the way of living an awakened life.

The teaching of the Four Obstacles is a way to help us recognize and let go of the obstacles in our lives. In Buddhism, they are described as Mara--Mara was the demon that attempted to keep Buddha from his enlightenment as he sat under the bodhi tree. So what are the Maras in our lives?

Wangdor Rinpoche explains these obstacles in his own special way: First, there are the outer obstacles that happen outside of us and cause us suffering. These obstacles could be natural disasters or other people’s actions. Things that come up in our lives that keep us from our practice, that keep us focused externally on overcoming these struggles. In some ways, these obstacles are the most visible, the easiest to see. We can clearly see that we’ve just had a car accident, and recognize the obstacles created from that event. It is easy to understand why our spiritual practice might be hindered by such external events.

The second and third obstacles are somewhat more difficult to see because they are our inner delusions. The second obstacle is the physical and emotional suffering that we all have in our lives. We get sick, we get angry, and these events cloud our ability to remember our true Buddha nature, our true Christ spirit. I’m sure each of you can bring to mind a time when you were physically ill or emotionally stressed, and the feeling accompanying those times would likely be one of frustration and difficulty and may not include being aware of your own divinity.

We have this body and this mind, and they are great tools for our awakening and yet sometimes our mind convinces us that thinking and feeling are the only way to solve a problem. Sometimes life can seem so difficult. Yet, in Buddhist teachings, being born into this world is considered a great gift. We’ve been given this life to wake up. Being born in this world is described as getting a ticket on the fastest train to enlightenment. Yahoo! Imagine that today you held in your hand a ticket that would bring you incredible happiness. Imagine your great fortune to have received this ticket today, at this time in your life. You have it, it’s here in the very moment. Take the ticket and get on the train to living an awakened life. If we can just get a glimpse of the incredible spaciousness and happiness in being full awake in this very moment, perhaps we could begin to see past our own suffering and emotional confusion. Letting go of these delusions of thoughts and feelings; accepting them as is, and moving beyond. This is what it would be to overcome this second type of obstacle we face.

The third obstacle gets trickier to discern. This obstacle is our conditioned responses. It might be a voice in your head holding you back from doing something different. It might be saying, I’m not good enough, I could never do that, I’m afraid—I’d rather just keep coping with my life as I have in the past. Our inner critic has the ability to surgically push just the right buttons that make us forget our ultimate goodness. Even harder to discern are those unconscious responses, the ones we do out of habit that often we don’t even realize why. For instance, some us want to go along to get along. On the surface, this seems quite normal. "I don't want to make a fuss, I don't want to inconvenience others, I just want to have everyone be happy." Maybe we even rationalize what good Buddhists we are to be so concerned with everyone else’s wellbeing. And yet, sometimes underneath that response, is perhaps a part of us not acknowledging when we truly needed something. In the past, If I truly needed some emotional support, I couldn’t ask for it. if I truly needed to express my perspective, I couldn’t always do it. Only after letting the frustration and resentment build up inside me do I finally resentfully blurt out my true needs, many weeks, months, sometimes years after the fact. This mara, this obstacle, is keeping us from staying present with out true reality, our Buddha nature, most importantly, keeping us from allowing and trusting my divine guidance. So, I can accept this reluctance to speak up, and by recognizing it, begin to stay connected to what is truly needed in each situation, which is probably not always the easiest response.

Can you think of habitual patterns in your life that keep you from seeing and acting from your Buddha Nature? Are there conditioned responses in your life that cause you to be separated from the divine spirit that exists within you always?

And lastly, the fourth obstacle is called the innermost obstacle, the most difficult to discern. This fourth obstacle is the misinformation that we are separate beings, that there is this clear separation between who I think I am, and everyone and everything else. Most of us hold onto this mental construct so tightly, it seems absurd to question it. Yet science is now proving that there is an energy underlying all beings and things. We have done ourselves and all others a disservice by creating this separation in our lives, between us and them, likes and dislikes, friends and enemies. We think that we are separate from those around us. For a moment, stop and be aware of how separate you feel from the people in your life. Be aware of how our minds make us think this physical and mental separation is so real. And yet imagine for the moment, that it’s just an illusion. Beyond the separation that our mind creates is the true reality—the truth that we are all connected and in fact, our buddha nature is merely a wave in the great ocean of buddha nature.

While our minds play tricks on us and make us think we’re separate, science is proving that this separation isn’t true. For instance, empirical data now exists that confirms the power of prayer. How can prayer by one individual for another individual work, if not for the fact that we are all connected in some way?

So, we have these four Maras, these four obstacles. First the outer obstacles of events and activities, Second and third, the inner obstacles of physical/emotional and our conditioned responses, and lastly the innermost obstacle--the delusion of separation. It’s no wonder we all seem to struggle with waking up!

How can we possibly overcome these obstacles? What complicated process must we follow to dissolve this struggles and live enlightened lives?

Well, here’s the really good news. The answer is quite simple.

I was reading an article about the Dalai Lama’s brother recently, and after giving a speech, several people ask him questions about various issues in their lives. To each, he gave the same answer, “Start with acceptance.” This simple practice serves us well because no matter where we are stuck—whether we’ve just had a car wreck or we’re struggling with feeling connected to others—the antidote is the same.

Imagine that everything you need is available to you in this present moment. Wangdor Rinpoche also reminds us to not be seduced by all the fancy spiritual practices and techniques that one can take on to find enlightenment. Yes, they are sometimes helpful, BUT there is no substitute for just being fully aware in the present moment, beyond our thoughts and emotions, beyond our conditioned responses, beyond our sense of separation, lies the simple answer. It is only in this present moment that you will find your buddha nature, that you will find the Christ Spirit that exists within you, that you will find God.

In each moment, you have a fresh opportunity to wake up. If you messed up the last moment and weren’t fully awake, there’s another moment just around the corner, fresh and new, ready to be experienced fully. You don’t have to wait until you turn a certain age, or until you get a new job, or until you change relationships or make more moeny. You have everything you need right now, and now, and now, to wake up, by accepting what is, and discovering the truth, and beginning to live your life in the awakened state, if even for a glimpse of time.

Life is not a test where you can copy off your neighbor. There are no right answers that work for everyone in every moment. Only by being present can you gain divine guidance on what is right FOR YOU at this moment right now.

When you allow yourself to be fully present, you begin to see the true nature of your own mind, you begin to see clearly the obstacles that you have placed in your path, and most importantly, you begin to create a space for your buddha nature, your Christ Spirit, to be experienced, to be the driving force in how you live your life. That’s it—to allow your Buddha Nature to be the driving force in how you live your life.

There’s no special equipment needed, no place to go, nothing to do. No matter what obstacles arise, just accept and be present, and you will find the door to the most amazing gift of all, your own buddha nature. This week, explore being present, not just on the cushion as you meditate, but allow yourself to be present in some of those other moments throughout the day, particularly when you become aware of what seems like an obstacle in your life. Accept and experience the delightful gift of innate buddha nature.