Re: modern day spiritual evolution

Your article is very worthwhile but I have found a few things that have to be explained. First if you are talking about the virtues of Buddhas then that is about as far away from mental illness as you can get. Yes Buddha did state that everything was in the mind and our delusion in our minds that caused us pain and suffering but if you think that severe metal illness can be controlled in the minds of someone who has as many as literally a thousand thoughts in a nanosecond then one must first look at a starting point. Yes in your article you have given the virtues that cause less pain and suffering and recommend a lama to help you. Yes that is true but even a lama has to know which of 16 demons he is dealing with and if that lama does not know refers that person with a specific demon that that lama can not help to another more advanced lama. When you talk about mental illness in terms of just getting guidance then this is only possible if the person with the pain and suffering is available to implement those changes. Some are and others not so. Calming the spirit and central nervous system are extremely difficult to do as pointed out by Terry Clifford in her book Tibetan Medicine and Pscychiatry". Yes she went back to the ancient texts and had many answers that are correct but the implementation is very difficult. Try helping someone in immense pain and suffering screaming verbally their pain, tossing a chair through the window, getting in you face and trying to kill you or any absurd pain and tell me to help with only Buddha. Yes we can but not at the moment of tossing a chair through the window or trying to kill you. So we have so many levels of pain and suffering and so many levels of wellness, even though way far down the line from enlightenment and no pain and sufferings. There is no question purpose and intent toward the person in pain and suffering must be sent from us to them. That is a given and should always be there but is not always acknowledged by the person in pain and suffering. We are constantly always looking for "feedback" from them. Many times there is none whatsoever and we pull deeper into our faith in virtues but to no avail as it seems. Just as Buddha meditated and found all growing things on the planet as uses for all illnesses we have to look at some of these as well. The rawoulfia plant used in India for some 5000 years for those psychotic- agressive behaviors was given even by Buddha at least 3000 years after it had been used in Ayurvedic medicine.Even this rawoulfia plant in the 1920’s was isolated for its active ingredient and we have "reperine" which is used in many anti-psychotic drugs. Mental illness is so complex and multifaceted that we think of only one path to follow. Yes give me a lama if I am not psychotic and do not need resperine but before the lama and I am psychotic which comes first or along side the lama at the same time. Buddha spoke of this time we are in as the last 500 years of his predictions which started in the mid 17th century. Buddha spoke of horrible disease states and the multitude of various confusions in our delusions.Yes Tibet has less mental illness as we think of it and yes between the doctor, doctor-lama as in the case of Dr. Yeshi Dhonden or only high adept lamas they helped and basically cured their people. There are no state hospitals in Tibet for criminally insane or schizophrenics. Yes I am certain there are some that are still classified as mentally ill but have enough function to give something of value to life- theirs and others. What you say in your article is indeed very important and of the highest thinking on your part and should be done always but for me it is in the timing and how to get to the step you are talking about. Even people with seemingly very little difficulties mentally can not implement your Dharma suggestons so how do you think those that have mental illness can do it? Yes I too believe in transmission of energies but again it is the timing.I am glad you put this article on this website for others to think about not only for their loved ones with mental difficulties but for all people to utilize through their actions the quest for enlightenment and no pain and no suffering. Actions must always be there. Words are only the beginning step, then actions, then exchange of various levels back and forth getting always to a different level and full equinimity for all living creatures. Just be a good person and you will not have mental illness is harsh ,stupid talk. Just follow the correct path. Which is the correct path- who says it is? Buddha said this and that and then we interpret it as our own path rather than listening to what Buddha said. So even if I have made your article a bit more confusing for some hopefully, I have given some insights that tell all people pain and suffering is within all of us to learn from. Your son or daughter with schizophrenia is there to teach you their pain and sufferings and for you to learn love and compassion and grow and also help, aid and give guidance to them for less pain and sufferings.Yes you may want just function, some will obtain it and others will not. Yet we all learn from giving love and compassion- the true pathway principles of any religious belief system. Buddha when he left his castle the first day with his servant and saw pain and sufferings on the streets could have done two things- he could have gone back into his castle or meditated for six years to find answers to make less pain and sufferings and finally no pain and suffering.Thank you for you article- Ronald Dishinger Tweet