The same day I wrote about learning from the ducks on the lake, I saw a mallard couple in the middle of the road. Every day I walk by there, and I've never seen ducks anywhere near the road, much less in the middle of it. It's a busy street, with 2 lanes in each direction, and cars go fast if there isn't too much traffic. I waved my arms so that the cars would stop, which they did, and then immediately a passenger jumped out of a pickup truck at the front of the line and ran toward the ducks, flapping his arms ... but it was the flapping of the duck wings that resulted in flying, as they escaped safely ; ) I was feeling compassion, wishing that the ducks wouldn't get hurt, but he had superior intention, actually doing something so that they wouldn't. I was very happy that the cars in both lanes stopped and especially that he acted so quickly to prevent any harm.
It also struck me that the ducks didn't realize they were in danger, just as I often think, when I really should be fearful of the danger I'm in, given the negative karma I'm creating and the boatload I brought with me from previous lives. Good thing that Buddha is doing the equivalent of running at me with his arms flapping : )
In Eight Steps to Happiness Geshe-la says "'Self' and 'other' are relative terms, rather like 'this mountain' and 'that mountain ... 'This' and 'that' therefore depend upon our point of reference. This is also true of self and other. By climbing down the mountain of self, it is possible to ascend the mountain of other, and thereby cherish others as much as we presently cherish ourself."
Monday, April 2, 2012
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment