Twill Grows Up

We should repay the kindness of others;

we should let go of our anger.

Spend less time holding grudges

and more time repaying kindness.

Twill had been looking forward to the human’s picnic for weeks. As a teenage ant, he was too young to have been to one yet, but had heard all about them from listening to the older ants. There would be so much wonderful food there. And lots of ants too. Maybe he’d even get to meet some really cute girl ants.

 Twill was lost in his daydream when his mother called to ask if he had finished his chores and studied for his final exam. Since he hadn’t done either, he didn’t answer her. He knew that if his mother found out he would be stuck in the apartment and not get to hang out with his buddies. He decided he’d go see them now without telling his mother. There’d be plenty of time later for studying and chores.

He slipped out and quietly closed the front door behind him. He had only gone a dozen steps down the tunnel when his mother opened the door and stuck her head out. “Hello boys,” she called out to Twill’s friends at the end of the tunnel.

Then she looked at Twill. “Twill, have you finished studying and doing your chores?”

Twill was so embarrassed! Why did his mother have to treat him like a baby. He was a teenager for Pete’s sake! Twill gruffly retorted, ”I’m busy now, Mom.”

Twill’s mother stepped out into the tunnel and looked at him. Sighing, she said, “Twill, you’re not going anywhere until you finish your work. Back into the apartment. Now.” To Twill’s friends she said, “Twill will have to join you later after he’s done.” 

Twill stormed back into the apartment and angrily began doing his chores. As he was washing the dishes, putting out food for their pet grub, and packing the food his mother had fixed for the queen, he muttered to himself about how unreasonable his mother was. Why did she always go on about school and chores? Didn’t she know he had important things to do? He was almost an adult!

Was she always going to treat him like a child?

He was still very upset when he took out the trash. It was so unfair. And embarrassing. How would he ever face his friends again! He sat down on the ground, propped his elbows on a piece of wood and his chin on his hands. Why were parents always nagging their kids? If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. They never understood. Parents thought only about what they wanted their kids to do, not what their kids wanted.

After some time, he heard footsteps behind him. When he turned to see who it was, he saw that it was his mother.

“Son, I’m sorry you’re upset. You have chores to do because you’re almost an adult now, and I depend on you. And you have to study hard because a good final grade will get you that job you want.

“Twill, meeting our responsibilities is something we all need to do. And meeting them happily, or at least not unhappily,” she said as she smiled, “will make whatever we are doing more enjoyable.”

“Now, I have to get this seed inside. I came out here to find one because you’re going to need it for your final exam. After the picnic, when the other students start looking for them, they’ll be hard to find. I’ll go now and put it in your room for you.”

Twill watched his mother turn to leave. Now he felt terrible. Here he had been angry and complaining about her when, as usual, she had been thinking of helping him.

Not sure how to apologize, he called to her, “Mom?” She turned around to look at him.

Looking down at his feet, he said, “Thank you.” Then he looked up at her. “I really mean it. And I’m sorry.” The smile on her face could only come from a mother. He got up and ran over to the door. He opened it for her, and then helped her carry the seed back to his room.

It is better to remember the kindness of others

than to hold on to our anger.

No Longer Vexed

The path of practice can never be free of obstacles. Where there are people, there are disputes, annoyances, conflicts and all sorts of disagreeable  circumstances. Rather than expecting a smooth path, you ought to strengthen your will power when confronting difficulties. Remember, when your attention does not focus on adversities, you will neither cling to them nor be vexed by them. Then, you will be able to practice with an unfettered mind.

~ Analects of Master Kuang-ch'in

Like Looking Through a Gauze Curtain

People generally do not understand the meaning of Amitabha Buddha and thus disparage this practice. They think that chanting “Amituofo” is too easy and that anyone can do this, even a three-year-old child. No one understands the profundity of the name Amitabha Buddha. Who can fully understand it? Only Buddhas can fully understand the inconceivability of this name! In other words, even Equal-enlightenment Bodhisattvas cannot thoroughly understand it.

The understanding of Equal-enlightenment Bodhisattvas is compared to one’s looking at the moon through a gauze curtain. A person can see the moon through the gauze curtain, but there is still something between the moon and this person. To Equal-enlightenment Bodhisattvas, understanding the profundity of Amitabha Buddha is like looking at the moon through a gauze curtain. That is why this nianfo method is called a method that is hard to believe. One who truly believes has good roots and good fortune. It is aptly said in this sutra: “One cannot be born in this land with few good roots, good fortune, and favorable conditions.” Good roots, good fortune, favorable conditions, and belief—it is very difficult for one to have [all four].

~ Based on Ven. Master Chin Kung's 2003 lecture series on the Amitabha Sutra

 

The Mind Like a Soiled Sponge or Like a Clear Mirror?

When we empathize with another, we feel what they feel. We understand their situation and can relate to their problems. We remember situations where we encountered difficulties similar to what the other is experiencing. Empathizing with them, their suffering becomes ours.

Isn't this a good thing? The way a caring person reacts to the suffering of another?

If we don't handle the suffering correctly, no.

When the Buddha encountered Angulimala, a serial killer, the Buddha understood and knew the terrible suffering that Angulimala was undergoing. The Buddha also understood and knew the suffering of all the past victims and of their loved ones. If the Buddha had taken in all that suffering—like a sponge—it would have tainted his calm, clear mind.

Instead, the Buddha saw everything perfectly—like a mirror. Seeing everything perfectly, his mind retained its clarity. And in an instant, he knew the right words to say to enable Angulimala to wake up from his nightmare and to turn away from killing.

As ordinary beings, when we act from empathy, our mind acts like a sponge, absorbing all the pain, anger, and fear that is overwhelming the other person. We are like a compassionate person who jumps into a raging river to save a drowning man.

Too late we realize that, never having learned how to swim, now we too are drowning.

The alternative?

View the suffering of the other as if in a mirror. See everything clearly. Then react calmly. And if there is a way, we will be much better able to discern it and help the other person.

So we have a choice as to how to react to the suffering around us.

We can absorb it and like a sponge become increasingly soiled with time.

Or we can see it clearly and remain pure while we truly help others.

Ethel and Her Egg

In receiving and giving possessions,

we should be clear in what we are doing.

It is better to give more and receive less.

Everyone knows how lady dragons are about their eggs. Dedicated. Protective. Fierce when necessary.

That spring there was no need for ferocity as fire grass was plentiful. Daily, the husbands brought bundles of grass for their wives so they could all share, as was the custom.

All, that is, except Ethel.

Ethel had forgotten that to have food in the future, she needed to share what she had now. So, as her husband brought grass, she hid it. And when the ladies shared their grass with her, she didn’t write it down in her ledger so she’d be sure to repay them. Ethel just put the grass in the pantry and never bothered with updating her ledger.

But that was just one way that Ethel was different. When it came to protecting her egg, Ethel made the other lady dragons pale by comparison. She would hold on to her egg and never leave it. At night, she’d carry it into the cave and lock the door. In the morning, she’d carry it outside. Then she’d crouch in the doorway, furrow her brow, and glower through narrowed eyes.

The other dragons became increasingly concerned about her. One said he’d go tell Ethel’s mother what was going on. When she was told, Ethel’s mom was horrified. And very worried. She came running to Ethel’s cave where she saw her daughter crouching. Ethel’s mother took one look at her glowering daughter and burst into tears.

Since she had three heads, when Ethel’s mom burst into tears, it was really something. As one head wailed, another tearfully looked in their handbag for a handkerchief. The third looked on in fright. Ethel demanded, “Mother, what are you doing? All this noise will disturb the egg! And what are you doing here?”  

 Ethel’s mother’s third head knew what she had to do. “Dear, your friends are very worried about you and your ledger. Your father and I raised you to be unselfish and like all good dragons to always update your ledger. Also, to always be more generous to others than they are to you. This is the only way we can hold our heads high.“

 “But I also came to see about the little one. You’re being far too protective of your egg. Caring for it is one thing. When your baby hatches, he’ll take one look at your expression and be too scared to leave his egg! Then I’ll never get to see my grandson!” And with that her mother’s third head burst into tears.

Well, that got Ethel’s attention. Her baby afraid of her and refusing to leave the egg? Her not being generous as she had been taught? All three of her mother’s heads crying at once?

“Mother, I’m sorry. I’ll stop glowering. See? No more glower.” And indeed Ethel was beginning to smile.

“Mother, I owe you big time. Now, let’s find my ledger.”  

It is always good to give more than we receive.