Lojong, which translates to “mind training” in English, is a practice in Tibetan Buddhism that involves refining and purifying one’s motivations and attitudes. The main theme of lojong is to develop bodhicitta, which embodies two primary aspirations: the aspiration to attain enlightenment and the aspiration to use that enlightenment to help all sentient beings achieve the same state.
Lojong consists of various techniques, but it is famously associated with a set of aphorisms or slogans that serve as reminders and guides for spiritual practice. These aphorisms are grouped under seven points in the ‘Seven Points of Mind Training’ text. They cover topics like the preliminaries, which remind practitioners of their precious human life, the main practice which is training in bodhicitta, transformation of adverse conditions into the path of enlightenment, and others.
The practice encourages the practitioner to be mindful of these slogans in their day-to-day life with the goal of transforming self-centered thinking into compassion and love for others. Thus, lojong is a method of developing greater empathy and understanding, promoting a more altruistic outlook.
Assembled in the 15th century, Mind Training: The Great Collection stands as the inaugural compilation of a distinct genre of Tibetan literature called “mind training,” or “lojong” in Tibetan. These texts primarily concentrate on the systematic development of altruistic emotions and thoughts such as compassion, love, perseverance, and forbearance. The teachings of mind training are held in high esteem by Tibetans due to their pragmatic and realistic guidance on dealing with the inevitable trials and tribulations of everyday human life.
This collection consists of forty-four individual texts, encompassing significant works of the mind training cycle. This includes Serlingpa’s famous Leveling Out All Preconceptions, Atisha’s Bodhisattva’s Jewel Garland, Langri Thangpa’s Eight Verses on Training the Mind, and Chekawa’s Seven-Point Mind Training, along with the earliest commentaries on these pivotal texts. The precise and poetic translation of these texts, many of which are in rhythmic verse, represents a significant contribution to global literary heritage, thereby enriching its spiritual resources.
Discard all lingering doubts, And strive with dedication in your practice. Thoroughly relinquish sloth, mental dullness, and laziness, And strive always with joyful perserverance.
Here’s an example of how someone might use Lojong, or mind training, in their everyday life.
Consider the Lojong slogan: “Treat everything you perceive as a dream.”
This slogan encourages us to remember that our perceptions of the world are not the absolute truth, but rather are influenced by our thoughts, emotions, and past experiences–much like how dreams are formed. It’s a reminder that our interpretations of events can often be subjective and not necessarily the reality of the situation.
So, if you’re stuck in traffic and starting to get frustrated, you might remember this slogan. Instead of getting angry at the situation, you might remind yourself that your perception of the situation as “annoying” or “a waste of time” is just that–a perception. This can help you to let go of your frustration and approach the situation with more patience and understanding.
Remember, the key to Lojong is practice and repetition. The more you remind yourself of these principles and try to incorporate them into your life, the more natural and automatic they will become.
Here is another one, let’s consider the Lojong slogan: “Two activities: one at the beginning, one at the end.”
This slogan is about the non-duality of our actions and experiences, and it encourages us to set a positive intention before we start any activity (the beginning) and to dedicate the merit or positive energy generated from that activity for the benefit of all beings (the end) after we’ve completed it.
For instance, let’s say you’re going to start a project at work. At the beginning, you might take a moment to set an intention, like “May this work benefit my team and contribute positively to our goals.” Then, after you’ve completed the project, you might take another moment to dedicate the merit, thinking “May the positive outcomes from this project benefit everyone involved.”
This practice helps to shift the focus away from the duality of ‘self’ versus ‘other’ and towards a more unified view, recognizing that our actions impact not just ourselves but others as well. By doing this, we start to break down the barriers of dualistic thinking and cultivate a more interconnected sense of self.
Interesting, when asked GPT4 to apply Lojong to the field of artificial intelligence (AI) - it might look like this:
Consider the Lojong slogan: “Drive all blames into one.” This slogan often refers to the concept of ego and self-centeredness as the root of our problems.
In the context of AI, this could be interpreted that any issues, failures, or mistakes in the AI system are not the fault of the technology itself, but rather the result of human decisions in its design, implementation, or usage.
For example, if an AI system were to make a mistake, instead of blaming the technology, the developers might consider how their own decisions or assumptions led to that mistake. This could include issues like bias in the data used to train the AI, lack of considerations for ethical implications, or failing to account for specific user needs or contexts.
This perspective encourages responsibility and continual learning and improvement. It’s a reminder that in AI, as in all things, we must be mindful of our actions, assumptions, and their impacts.
Remember, the principles of Lojong are abstract and their application can vary greatly depending on the context. The above is just one way to interpret and apply it.