Genus: Lonicera. Species: Amituofo
January 26, 2010 Question: What do we do about all those bad seeds we have planted in our innumerable past lifetimes? We can't undo what we have done, so what do we do now?
Response: Plant Lonicera.
Lonicera is commonly know as honeysuckle. But don't plant this species in your backyard garden, plant it in the garden of your mind.
On the hill that rises up behind the Amitabha Buddhist Retreat Centre, there is a mass of honeysuckle. Each time we circumambulate the Buddha in the cultivation hall, we walk towards the window that frames the honeysuckle. Around the honeysuckle, we see wild grasses, weeds, small bushes. But none of these grow where the honeysuckle is.
Why?
The honeysuckle is thick and strong. its roots deep and plentiful. We could say that it is "singleminded" and "has good roots." No grass or weed seeds can grow where it thrives.
So we can emulate the honeysuckle. We plant the species "Amituofo" in the garden of our mind. With time, "Amituofo" will be deep and strong, our roots plentiful. And the bad seeds of our past misdeeds will be unable to grow.
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