Nurture good seeds 

to overwhelm the bad. 

The honeysuckle shrub can grow so tightly compacted that even the most persistent weeds cannot invade it. The plant stands untouchable—any attempted incursion would be forestalled. We can only imagine the stamina of the seeds, the tenacity of the roots that enables the plant to remain impregnable.

Imagine if we plant Amituofo seeds with similar stamina and tenacity in our mind. And then we supported those seeds by planting more and more of them.

In time, those seeds would grow, their once-shallow roots becoming strong.

Provided with the right conditions through our cultivation and mental weeding of bad habits, our Amituofo seeds would thrive. In time, like those dense, impregnable roots of the honeysuckle, our good roots would forestall any incursion. With this accomplished, our garden will bloom, our fruit of birth in the Pure Land will mature.

Finally, we will go home.

Minding our own business, not that of others. (Click image for video)

In all endeavors,

seek to avoid mistakes,

not win praise.

It’s probably no exaggeration to say that the vast majority of us like to be praised.

This is not necessarily all bad. Praise from those entrusted with the responsibility to raise us, teaches us how to behave respectfully and ethically. It encourages us to act in ways that enhance our lives and not detract from them. Clearly good.

But praise should not drive our behavior because that would make praise our goal. Rather, our goal should be to not make mistakes—either technically or ethically. Those who wish us to become honorable adults teach and exemplify honorable behavior and humility. For whatever reasons, others less fortunate may grow up craving praise. At any cost. And so from misguided people on Twitter to the neighborhood teenager with an Instagram account, we have people who will do anything for attention, for praise.

A terribly risky, and sad, way to live.