Don’t transfer the ox’s load to the cow. What does it mean? Here a student at Middle Way School, explains slogan #34 in our series of students explaining Atisha’s mind-training slogans. Do we take responsibility for what is ours, or do we try to get someone else to do it? Do we step up when no one else does but we clearly have the capacity to do so? Of course it is important to balance taking things on and sharing the work with others, but this mind-training is about noticing those times when we try and hide our own strength, and let others do our share of the work. If someone gives us a task we don’t have the time or capacity to deal with, do we communicate honestly about taking it on, or just pass it on to someone even less equipped so that they have to deal with it? 

“We are so concerned with our rights and what we feel we are owed, and we think very little about what we owe to others and to the society at large.” —Judy Lief, in “Working with the Slogans of Atisha — A practical guide to leading a compassionate life”

“Let’s say you’re Juan’s boss. When something comes along that you find unpleasant and don’t want to do, you pass it on to Juan. You pass the burden to someone else.” ― Pema Chödrön in Start Where You Are

Find more resources via this Index of lojong slogans.

Video by @chase.c.bauer