Monthly Prayer for Overcoming Illness – September 1, 2019
Good morning, thank you for joining with me here at the temple in Syracuse and participating in the joyful recitation of the Lotus Sutra and the chanting of Odaimoku. Today we dedicate our prayers and the merit we obtain to those who suffer from illness, whether short-term or long-term illness. Also we offer our merit to those who care for the sick.
As you may know I have written a lot about the subject of illness and caring for those who are ill. I recently published a book Contemplating Illness and now that book has been translated into Spanish.
What I would like to talk about today is sound, our voice. We use our voice when we recite the sutra and when we chant Odaimoku. This is not insignificant, also to illness. Chih-i says in his Mo-Ho Chih-Kuan,
“…when people who are choked up with grief of joy are uplifted when they [voice their emotions and] cry out in sorrow or sing with laughter. It is the same for one who practices [contemplation].”
When illness occurs it is sometimes very therapeutic to voice one’s physical condition. In fact it is required if we are to accomplish healing especially when we go to see the doctor. Without our verbal explanation, or even written explanation, or even the verbal explanation of a care giver we can not communicate out condition to the person who is to provide our treatment. That is one situation where vocalizing our discomfort is helpful. Other times are such as when we tell someone about our discomfort, and the other person in turn engages us in compassionate conversation.
Admittedly though, many people do not know how to listen compassionately. Frequently the conversation devolves into either a dismissive response of “I know how you feel” when in fact it is impossible to know how someone else feels if you don’t listen to them. So please when someone tells you how they feel learn to engage them in their condition not in your interpretation of their condition. Asking questions is helpful, more so than pronouncements or dismissals. Also as the listener do not get in to a comparison duel of who has the most pain, or who’s illness is greater. It would be better to not even be willing to listen.
My neighbor has several health complications. I’ve already established that she has no capacity to hear anything about anyone else’s health, and so I don’t offer anything about how I am feeling. Yet I try to remain compassionate towards her conditions, asking such questions as how she is coping, or how is she managing the care of her husband, or if she is getting the necessary treatment, or even if she is taking her medications. It is helpful.
For those who have illness it is difficult to talk about it because sometimes people are not prepared to listen. Listening is something we all could learn to do better.
Further on Chih-i offers this:
“[Singularly, chanting a Buddha name] is like someone pulling a heavy load who is unable to advance by one’s own power; by provisionally engaging the help and assistance of a bystander the load can be lifted easily.”
When a person is talking about their illness they are to some degree engaging you in the opportunity to lend them support. Support either with encouragement, or compassion, or sympathy, or even support for daily living aid. As a listener you are not obligated to do anything except be honest with the other person. Be honest about what you are capable of doing, and even be honest about your inability to listen.
The sound or communication in all aspects of life is a uniquely human characteristic of community. There are other species who communicate and manage to accomplish tasks in community, yet none have developed this skill to the degree humans have. Communication is a tool and a skill that allows us as a species to get things done. We build things, destroy things, invent things, create things, solve problems, and we communicate as a society. The degree we effectively communicate and the goal to which we apply this skill determines the quality of our lives.
Communication is key to overcoming illness. Communication is not just a one directional activity. Communication includes listening.
Continuing with Chih-I:
“[The situation] is the same for one who practices [contemplation]. When you are mentally weak and not able to banish the obstacles to contemplation chanting the name [of a Buddha] and soliciting his protection keeps evil conditions such as those listed above from destroying your concentration].”
When we chant Odaimoku and recite the sutra with our voice we are engaging in what might be considered a concentrated devotional act. I have spoken with Myokei Shonin about this and we both feel that chanting is something that requires a deeper level of focus and meditation then silent sitting, and certainly greater than merely reading the sutra silently.
When we chant the Odaimoku and recite the sutra we are calling out the name of the Buddha, we are rejoicing in the name and benefit of the Buddha, we are participating together with the Buddha to effect a change in our lives and thereby in our environment.
Today we have chanted the Odaimoku and recited the Sutra with our voices. We have listened to the cares of those who are ill and we have taken an action on their behalf to call on the aid of the Buddha. We have listened with compassion and have engaged in the single most effective thing we can to lend them our support. It is the mission of this temple to be a refuge to those who suffer from illness through teaching, listening, and praying. I appreciate you joining together to pray for those who are suffering from illness.
(Quotes from T’Ien-T’ai Chih-I’s Mo-Ho Chih-Kuan: Clear Serenity Quiet Insight translated by Paul L. Swanson, Vol I, page 250-251)
