The Buddha’s Inheritance: A Cheerful Invitation
"Sometimes one may be at a monastery or retreat centre that is not in good shape or is untidy, instead of allowing disappointment or worse a finger pointing attitude to enter the mind, it is beneficial to imagine beyond the surface remembering that everything that we see was once… an offering. It is not difficult to feel that all of this is actually, materialised generosity! Imagine, this generosity started as a wholesome thought - maybe generations ago - and now, we are standing, sitting, studying, sleeping and growing out of it! Nurtured by anonymous acts of selfless kindness. A gift that involves many people and spans generations.
And what was the base for such kind acts? The trust and appreciation for the Buddha and his teaching. Actually all this goodness started with His gift of wisdom, that being so, we could say that all this is his inheritance, isn't it? By looking in this way a shift happens, gratitude and energy arises to care for our Teacher’s gift and legacy, we can get involved!
Every sweep, brush and stroke of the mop becomes an opportunity to develop Saddha (faith) and gratitude that in turn invites other beautiful mental ingredients to generate wholesome (kusala) states (just cause and effect). This shift also leaves bare the judgements and expectations one may have, leave them ready to be studied, and by doing this, one may also see the many things we have taken for granted. Maybe it's time for 'us foreigners' to come, support and care more directly for the gift that our Burmese Brothers and Sisters have nurtured for millennia, we can do it all together and it is happening, let’s care for our beloved Teacher’s Gift!
Goodness is bound to come."
Goodness is bound to come."
