Two Wings Or The Garuda Won’t Fly!
Some things, if not all things, are best in concert with others things. We are, perhaps, most beneficial to the world when we keep ourselves balanced by others, for example. Even a great piece of music has to be balanced by silence.
A favorite balanced pairing of mine is that of wisdom and compassion. In Tibetan Buddhism, wisdom and compassion are likened to the two wings of a garuda, a mythical bird. Without both wings, the bird won’t fly. Chogyam Trungpa, founder of my alma mater, Naropa University, said we need both wisdom and compassion to be good practitioners. Without the balance, we’re either stupid meditators or smart ass holes!
To cultivate wisdom, we can study and contemplate texts and teachings. We can sit and kindly receive our reality just as it is. For compassion, we can arouse the awakened heart (bodhicitta) and practice loving kindness meditation.
What are some balanced pairs that you appreciate? What makes your world both salty and crunchy?
