I've spent a lot of time thinking about why this might be. Why is it that the sight of two men standing in the ring, preparing to do violence to one another excites the deepest parts of our psyche? A pessimist might say that it's because we're bloodthirsty. But I attribute our fascination to something else.
There's a stark, honesty in boxing that one can't find anywhere else. Two men step into the ring; bringing all of their skill and athleticism to bear. They know exactly what's expected of them. They know exactly what the rules are. And when the final bell rings, they know exactly who won or lost.
And let's be honest, it's the winning that's important. Whether it's the impenetrable defense of Floyd Mayweather or the crushing left hook of Joe Frazier, we love watching boxers turn their pain into victory. How many times do they get up after being knocked down? How do they respond to rib-breaking body blows? What strategies do they use to change their suffering into championships?
These are the questions that keep us glued to YouTube highlight reels and pay-per-view specials.
One particularly good strategy for enduring suffering was created by Jack Dempsey, aka The Manassa Mauler. He used a series of movements called The Dempsey Roll to take down opponents nearly twice his size, and held the heavyweight championship belt from 1919 to 1926.
A detailed breakdown of how it worked can be found here, but the basic idea is fairly simple. Dempsey would place all of his weight on his front foot; throwing himself off balance, and then step forward as he threw each punch. By leaning into his punches in this matter he was able to put every ounce of his 187 pound frame into each blow.
In other words, when Jack Dempsey entered the ring, he made a point of moving towards his suffering, not away from it. This courage in the face of bigger, stronger adversaries allowed him to change that suffering into victory.
Buddhism works in the exact same way.
The world is a giant boxing ring, and we all live it it. But Buddhism gives us many teachings for dealing with the hard punches that we endure each day. One of those teachings is the "triple gem" of Buddhism, which consists of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. When we respond to difficult situations by taking refuge in one of these gems, we're able to transform our hardship into fuel for our spiritual practice.
For example, when we take refuge in the Buddha, we look to the example that he set for guidance. We remind ourselves that he was an ordinary human being who overcame his suffering through ordinary means. And if he could do it, then we can do it too.
Some techniques that we can use to take refuge in the Buddha include practicing seated meditation, walking meditation, and chanting nembutsu.
When we take refuge in the Dharma, we look to the teachings of the Buddha for greater insight into the causes and cures of our suffering. We learn more about the nature of reality and develop our inner wisdom, so that we can maker better decisions in our daily lives.
Some techniques that we can use to take refuge in the Dharma include studying the sutras and memorizing the core teachings of Buddhism (e.g. The 3 marks of existence, the 4 noble truths, and the 8-fold path).
Finally, when we take refuge in the Sangha, we look to Buddhist teachers and our fellow practitioners for support as we walk the path. We learn more about the interconnectedness of life by experiencing the connections between members of a Sangha, and we're reminded that we don't have to walk the path alone.
Some techniques that we can use to take refuge in the Sangha include attending practice sessions at our local temple/ meditation center and going on retreats.
Having a strong knowledge of the triple gem helps us deal with life in the same way that the Dempsey Roll helped Jack Dempsey take down larger, stronger opponents.
As we gain confidence in our practice, we slowly stop running away from life's difficulties. Instead, we move towards them with the assurance that we can deal with anything that happens. That's how we turn our pain into victory.
The triple gem helps us in this effort by providing a ready strategy for dealing with any problems that may arise. When we take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, then we're able to respond to problems with gratitude and faith because we know that they'll only serve to make us stronger, more resilient followers of the Buddha.
And each time we hear the bell signifying the start of a new round, we step into the ring knowing that we're one step closer to awakening.
Buddhism works in the exact same way.
The world is a giant boxing ring, and we all live it it. But Buddhism gives us many teachings for dealing with the hard punches that we endure each day. One of those teachings is the "triple gem" of Buddhism, which consists of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. When we respond to difficult situations by taking refuge in one of these gems, we're able to transform our hardship into fuel for our spiritual practice.
For example, when we take refuge in the Buddha, we look to the example that he set for guidance. We remind ourselves that he was an ordinary human being who overcame his suffering through ordinary means. And if he could do it, then we can do it too.
Some techniques that we can use to take refuge in the Buddha include practicing seated meditation, walking meditation, and chanting nembutsu.
When we take refuge in the Dharma, we look to the teachings of the Buddha for greater insight into the causes and cures of our suffering. We learn more about the nature of reality and develop our inner wisdom, so that we can maker better decisions in our daily lives.
Some techniques that we can use to take refuge in the Dharma include studying the sutras and memorizing the core teachings of Buddhism (e.g. The 3 marks of existence, the 4 noble truths, and the 8-fold path).
Finally, when we take refuge in the Sangha, we look to Buddhist teachers and our fellow practitioners for support as we walk the path. We learn more about the interconnectedness of life by experiencing the connections between members of a Sangha, and we're reminded that we don't have to walk the path alone.
Some techniques that we can use to take refuge in the Sangha include attending practice sessions at our local temple/ meditation center and going on retreats.
Having a strong knowledge of the triple gem helps us deal with life in the same way that the Dempsey Roll helped Jack Dempsey take down larger, stronger opponents.
As we gain confidence in our practice, we slowly stop running away from life's difficulties. Instead, we move towards them with the assurance that we can deal with anything that happens. That's how we turn our pain into victory.
Because if Buddhism teaches us anything, it's that we're not helpless. We're not victims. We can take our suffering and turn it into something good.
The triple gem helps us in this effort by providing a ready strategy for dealing with any problems that may arise. When we take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, then we're able to respond to problems with gratitude and faith because we know that they'll only serve to make us stronger, more resilient followers of the Buddha.
And each time we hear the bell signifying the start of a new round, we step into the ring knowing that we're one step closer to awakening.
Check out my new video on Buddhism's 4 Noble Truths!
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