At Least for a Moment

October 20, 2009
Venerable Wuling in Awakening, Compassion

If I cannot be compassionate and awakened for all my tomorrows,

may I be for the rest of this life.

If I cannot be compassionate and awakened for the rest of this life,

may I be for a year.

If I cannot be compassionate and awakened for a year,

may I be for day.

If I cannot be compassionate and awakened for a day,

may I be for a minute,

If I cannot be compassionate and awakened for a minute,

may I be for a moment.

 

And may that moment expand until it becomes

a minute,

then a day,

then a year,

then a lifetime,

and then, finally, forever.

 

Article originally appeared on a buddhist perspective (http://www.abuddhistperspective.org/).