And for those who have perfectly seized this mind,
With the thought never to turn away
From totally liberating
The infinite forms of life,
From that time hence,
Even while asleep or unconcerned,
A force of merit equal to the sky
Will perpetually ensue.
(A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life, ch. 1 v. 18 - 19, trans. Stephen Batchelor)
My mother lives in northwestern Connecticut and gives great care to her garden. In winter, the snow blankets the garden. The white interior of the house washes into the cold stillness outside. Everything is waiting. In spring, summer, and especially in the brilliant window of August, the garden gives and gives an offering of colors, smells, and sounds. The bees are thick and audible. There is a stand of tall lilies called Black Beauties. In a city florist, this assemblage might cost hundreds of dollars. They have bold faces where the petals curl back, like heavily made-up extroverts. Three years ago in the fall, the bulbs were trimmed and planted with care. Each year, a little less care is needed. Now, it is only necessary to put a stake in the ground to guide them, and a flourish of flowers shoots up. What was planted well has assumed a life of its own. The gardener is now only an observer, celebrating the effortless beauty of nature.
"Even while asleep...a force of merit equal to the sky will perpetually ensue."
When we see ourselves learn to care for others, and care for the environment in our minds, these moments are not lost in the speed of the day. They are planted like bulbs, buried in the subconscious of our mind. Every night in sleep, they multiply. Each night when we lie down, we can review the day and consider what has been put into the garden. We can clear the trash and pull the weeds so the good seeds receive as much light and nurturance as possible. The next day, everything might look the same. But one day in the future, something beautiful we might not have even let ourselves dream of, will appear, seemingly without effort. The individual aligned with the laws of nature can offer simple acts of kindness like a humble gardener. In time, their efforts will generate "a force of merit equal to the sky"; the whole world benefits.
My mother lives in northwestern Connecticut and gives great care to her garden. In winter, the snow blankets the garden. The white interior of the house washes into the cold stillness outside. Everything is waiting. In spring, summer, and especially in the brilliant window of August, the garden gives and gives an offering of colors, smells, and sounds. The bees are thick and audible. There is a stand of tall lilies called Black Beauties. In a city florist, this assemblage might cost hundreds of dollars. They have bold faces where the petals curl back, like heavily made-up extroverts. Three years ago in the fall, the bulbs were trimmed and planted with care. Each year, a little less care is needed. Now, it is only necessary to put a stake in the ground to guide them, and a flourish of flowers shoots up. What was planted well has assumed a life of its own. The gardener is now only an observer, celebrating the effortless beauty of nature.
"Even while asleep...a force of merit equal to the sky will perpetually ensue."
When we see ourselves learn to care for others, and care for the environment in our minds, these moments are not lost in the speed of the day. They are planted like bulbs, buried in the subconscious of our mind. Every night in sleep, they multiply. Each night when we lie down, we can review the day and consider what has been put into the garden. We can clear the trash and pull the weeds so the good seeds receive as much light and nurturance as possible. The next day, everything might look the same. But one day in the future, something beautiful we might not have even let ourselves dream of, will appear, seemingly without effort. The individual aligned with the laws of nature can offer simple acts of kindness like a humble gardener. In time, their efforts will generate "a force of merit equal to the sky"; the whole world benefits.
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