불교 이야기 : 연근 본생담, 6부 중 3부

Now every fifth day they would go to the Bodhisattva to listen to some discourse, on the path to tranquility, and the subduing of the mind. Often, the Bodhisattva, the big brother, would speak of the benefits of meditation and the destructive effect of desire. Or, he would explain the satisfaction resulting from detachment, warning against hypocrisy, idle talk, laziness, and the like. So the servant, every day she would pull edible lotus roots from the lake, and divide them up equally on large lotus leaves. While you think it’s romantic, but how long can you eat lotus root to survive? So now let us see what the good Bodhisattva is doing such a good thing, preaching to his people, and now we see how he is going to be rewarded. This is a very good part, OK? So the servant girl always divided the roots that she took from the lake, and then divided into different portions. And when the food already properly prepared, and placed on the clean plates by the shore of the lake, then she would knock the two pieces of wood together, telling them that the meal is ready. After she clapped the wooden pieces together, she would withdraw. So now continue with this beautiful, mouth-watering lake and their lifestyle. When I read this story, wow, I thought, my God, lucky people, so lucky to have such brothers and sisters like that, so sincere, so high level, of spiritual high level. And such a servant like that, and such a friend like that. One friend is enough, one friend who follows them. And one servant like that is enough. Why the worldly people sometimes cannot meditate well, because too much intake of all the things around, either by work or by colleagues or by things on TV, or by newspapers, or by the neighbors. You know what I mean? Already full of memories from childhood already, not completely washed yet, because meditate very little. Every time you meditate, you wash out some, you see, but every day you intake more also. That is why. Therefore the mind is too full, for Light, for God; that’s a problem. That’s why solitude helps. So, when I read this story, I tell you again and again that, oh my God, I feel so good, so inspired, I don’t know, I feel just so good, like I don’t want anything in the world, and that was right so. But I know I cannot just do like them. Even then I try as much as I can, whenever. Because if we live in the world, then we cannot avoid to take in the images of the world. If we live inside the family, we cannot avoid to take in the images in the family every day. Therefore when you sit, the first sitting, at least twenty minutes, half an hour, is all about washing out, so you don’t see anything. It’s difficult for you to empty yourself because of that. But you still have to try. Sincerity counts. Try your best.