and many other people, whether closely related or not, to transcend their suffering and renew their lives. The relics of Bodhisattva Kinh Tam were to be enshrined in this temple where she had lived and practiced. The abbot went on to say that, although he was Kinh Tamâs teacher, he himself had gained many insights in observing the practice of the bodhisattva. In this way, the great attainment of one practitioner benefits countless other people. He then counseled everyone present to invoke the name of the bodhisattva: âHomage to the Bodhisattva of Deep Listening Kinh Tam, Limitless Loving-kindness and Compassion, Limitless Joy and Equanimity, Limitless Magnanimity.â Wholeheartedly, reverently, everyone chanted the invocation a hundred and eight times. The abbot also advised all to immediately invoke the bodhisattvaâs name anytime they felt irritated, angry, hurt, or aggrieved. With single-minded concentration, those afflictions would be transformed within minutes of invocation.
Then the abbot concluded the talk by reading an excerpt from a sutra in which the Buddha teaches novice Rahula about ways to deal with various situations in life. At that time, Rahula had reached the age of seventeen and was capable of receiving deeper teachings. The Buddha taught:
Rahula, you should learn from the Earth. Whether people spread pure and fragrant flowers, freshwater, and sweet milk on the Earth or discard onto it things of filth and stench like blood, pus, urine, and garbage, the Earth quietly receives everything without feelings of pride, attachment, grievance, or being humiliated. Why? Because the Earth has immense embracing capacity and has the ability to receive and transform whatever it takes in. If your heart-mind, my dear disciple, is boundlessly immense like the Earth, then you will also have the ability to receive and transform all injustices and grievances. And you will no longer feel humiliated or suffer because of them.
Rahula, you should learn from water. Whether people throw into water things which are pure and pleasant or wash in it things of filth and stench, water quietly receives everything without feelings of pride, attachment, grievance, or being humiliated. Why? Because water has immense embracing capacity, is ever-flowing, and has the ability to receive and transform whatever it takes in. If your heart-mind, my dear disciple, is boundlessly immense like water, then you too will have the ability to receive and transform all injustices and grievances. And you will no longer feel humiliated or suffer because of them.
Rahula, you should learn from fire. Fire has the ability to receive and burn all things, including things of filth and stench, without grievance or feeling humiliated. Why? Because fire has immense receptivity and the ability to burn and transform whatever people bring to it. If your heart-mind, my dear disciple, is unprejudiced and vast like fire, then you too will have the ability to receive and transform all injustices and grievances. Then your inner happiness and peace will remain unaffected by them.
Rahula, you should learn from air. Air has the ability to receive, carry away, and transform all odors, sweet or foul, without pride, attachment, grievance, or feeling humiliated. Why? Because air has immense embracing capacity and has the extraordinary faculty of mobility. If your heart-mind, my dear disciple, is boundlessly immense, if your heart-mind has the ability to transform and has great mobility like the air, then you too will have the ability to receive and transform all injustice and grievances people may fling at you. Then your inner happiness and peace will remain unaffected by them.
The teachings read by the abbot were similar to the ones poetically condensed in the verses that novice Kinh Tam often chanted in early mornings and late evenings while sounding the large temple bell. The words were like drops of Dharma nectar refreshing all the listenersâ hearts.
Then the abbot concluded the talk by reading an excerpt from a sutra in which the Buddha teaches novice Rahula about ways to deal with various situations in life. At that time, Rahula had reached the age of seventeen and was capable of receiving deeper teachings. The Buddha taught:
Rahula, you should learn from the Earth. Whether people spread pure and fragrant flowers, freshwater, and sweet milk on the Earth or discard onto it things of filth and stench like blood, pus, urine, and garbage, the Earth quietly receives everything without feelings of pride, attachment, grievance, or being humiliated. Why? Because the Earth has immense embracing capacity and has the ability to receive and transform whatever it takes in. If your heart-mind, my dear disciple, is boundlessly immense like the Earth, then you will also have the ability to receive and transform all injustices and grievances. And you will no longer feel humiliated or suffer because of them.
Rahula, you should learn from water. Whether people throw into water things which are pure and pleasant or wash in it things of filth and stench, water quietly receives everything without feelings of pride, attachment, grievance, or being humiliated. Why? Because water has immense embracing capacity, is ever-flowing, and has the ability to receive and transform whatever it takes in. If your heart-mind, my dear disciple, is boundlessly immense like water, then you too will have the ability to receive and transform all injustices and grievances. And you will no longer feel humiliated or suffer because of them.
Rahula, you should learn from fire. Fire has the ability to receive and burn all things, including things of filth and stench, without grievance or feeling humiliated. Why? Because fire has immense receptivity and the ability to burn and transform whatever people bring to it. If your heart-mind, my dear disciple, is unprejudiced and vast like fire, then you too will have the ability to receive and transform all injustices and grievances. Then your inner happiness and peace will remain unaffected by them.
Rahula, you should learn from air. Air has the ability to receive, carry away, and transform all odors, sweet or foul, without pride, attachment, grievance, or feeling humiliated. Why? Because air has immense embracing capacity and has the extraordinary faculty of mobility. If your heart-mind, my dear disciple, is boundlessly immense, if your heart-mind has the ability to transform and has great mobility like the air, then you too will have the ability to receive and transform all injustice and grievances people may fling at you. Then your inner happiness and peace will remain unaffected by them.
The teachings read by the abbot were similar to the ones poetically condensed in the verses that novice Kinh Tam often chanted in early mornings and late evenings while sounding the large temple bell. The words were like drops of Dharma nectar refreshing all the listenersâ hearts.
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