Recognizing enmities is the first step.

Transforming them, the second. 

It happens in an instant.

We meet someone, and seemingly unfounded feelings overwhelm us. We don’t like him. We don’t trust him. He didn’t do anything, and yet we pull back.

Actually, such feelings are founded. They’re triggered by causes planted in the store consciousness. Though we’re in a different lifetime, we intuit our old enmity. And we take up where we left off: distrusting, disliking, even hating.

Having recognized an enmity, we need to transform our averse feelings because the last thing we want is to have bitter feelings intensify. How do we transform our feelings? By reminding ourselves we’re living different lives now. Perhaps our enmity arose from a misunderstanding. What if it was all a mistake? We know we were both ignorant. The other person may still be, but we know better now. We realize what can happen when an enmity worsens.

For both our sakes, we need to let go of the past and find a way back to normalcy.

Taking care of objects is a sign of respect

for those objects and our environment. 

We know we should observe the first of the ten great vows, which is to respect all Buddhas of the past, present, and future. But how do we treat our stuff? We respect things as well. Do so as a meditation. Organizing, cleaning, putting objects back in their proper places, while we chant “Amituofo,” are all ways to care for individual objects and our immediate environment correctly.

This respect shows our appreciation as we understand that it’s due to our good fortune that we have all we do. Viewing objects in this way entails considering each item’s intended use and—in appreciation for all the resources and time expended in creating and getting them to us—ensuring that they’re properly utilized and cared for.

If we find we no longer have a use for something, we can pass the object on so someone can put it to use, rather than let one more forgotten, unwanted object collect dust at the back of a closet.