Introduction
It is said that Zhou Enlai, the Chinese Premier, who as a
young man was a major force in the Chinese Revolution,
when asked late in life by a journalist for his thoughts
about the legacy of the French Revolution, replied BToo
early to tell.^1, 2, 3
It became a meme of sorts, even if it was based on a
misunderstanding. I love the whole notion that it may be
too early to tell—about a lot of emergences in our world.
But sometimes, we need to act forcefully and with resolve,
based on the best projections for what may take place given
various lines of broadly accepted scientific evidence (such
as the global receding of the glaciers and the melting of the
polar ice caps) and its modeling algorithms, even if we
cannot be sure of just how bad bad could be, such as in the
case of global warming. By the time it plays out in real
time, any action is already too late. My late Korean Zen
teacher, Seung Sahn Seon Sa, was fond of saying, meaning
just that, BThe arrow is already downtown.^ Whether the
overwhelming evidence for global warming is denied by
politicians in any given moment out of cynicism, ignorance,
or greed is quite another story.
So perhaps at this moment in time, it is way too early to
tell what the likely fate of humankind will be, given our
self-destructive, aggressive, violent, tribal, dualistic, and
delusional tendencies as a species, in spite of all the
civilizations, diverse cultural flowerings, beauty, understanding,
wisdom, and compassion and basic human
goodness that humanity has also brought to the planet
in the very short arc of human history—say, to be generous,
perhaps 400 generations since the last ice age.
British historian, Arnold Toynbee, famously said that in
the future, the coming of Buddhism to the West would
be seen as the signature historical event of the twentieth
century. Maybe it is even now, half a century later, way
too early to tell.
A major koan in the Chan tradition, over fifteen hundred
years old: BWhat is the meaning of Bodhidharma’s coming
from the West?^4 One credible answer: BToo early to tell!^
Even now.
I would say that the same is true of the mainstreaming
of mindfulness in the world as both a practice and a way
of being. In terms of the work of MBSR (mindfulnessbased
stress reduction), to say it right off the bat, since it
is increasingly questioned by people unfamiliar with it in
practice, the mainstreaming of mindfulness in the world
has always been anchored in the ethical framework that
lies at the very heart of the original teachings of the
Buddha.5 Sila, meaning Bvirtue^ or Bmoral conduct^ in
the Pali language, is represented by the third, fourth, and
fifth factors of the Eightfold Path (the fourth of the Four
Noble Truths): wise/right speech, wise/right action, and
wise/right livelihood. While MBSR does not, nor should
it, explicitly address these classical foundations in a clinical
context with patients, the Four Noble Truths have
always been the soil in which the cultivation of mindfulness
via MBSR and other mindfulness-based programs
(MBPs) is rooted, and out of which, it grows through
ongoing practice. More on this to follow, in terms of
the both Hippocratic Oath and the Bodhisattva Vow.
Parenthetically, MBSR was also designed from the
beginning as a vehicle of right livelihood for the people
who would be drawn to become MBSR instructors.
Conclusion
There has never been a better or more necessary time for all of
us as human beings to wake up to our own collusion in the
status quo, to the deep roots of self-centeredness and of subtle
or not-so-subtle greed, hatred, and delusion within ourselves
and our institutions, and to do what we can, being who we are,
individually and collectively, for the sake of future generations
as well as for our own—and even for ourselves as embodied
individuals. Luckily, there is no essential separation between
these. We only get this one moment, and this ever-so-brief
human life to embody and live what we know and who we
are, including the knowing of what we do not know—that is,
to live our dharma as a radical act of sanity and love.
It seems to me that each one of us has a unique opportunity
and a unique role to play in this unfolding, based on our love,
our practice, and our unique karmic trajectory, grounded in
our essential interconnectedness, non-separation, and common
humanity. At this moment on the planet, we need all
the various and disparate voices participating in this conversation,
and we need to listen to each other with open hearts
and deep attending. If we cannot do that, how could we possibly
expect reconciliation across the greater divides of political
and social animosity and active harming we are seeing
enacted throughout the world today? This is the challenge and
the promise of a democracy 2.0. This is the challenge of mindfulness
and heartfulness embodied. It is up to us.
The dharma of course, whether with a big BD^ or a little
Bd,^ will take care of itself, as it always has. All we need to do
is take care of what truly needs tending, with tenderness, and
with resolve. And that is only everything.
How will it all unfold? You already know what is coming.
Too early to tell.
Find the full research paper here: Kabat-Zinn Commentary in Mindfulness July 20th 2017 [PDF]
Background