Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Dhammapada Verse 145

Verse 145

    Those who build canals
  channel the flow of water.
  Arrowsmiths make arrows.
  Woodworkers craft wood.
Those committed to goodness
       tame themselves.

Reflection

Crafts-people work their crafts. The endeavour
of taming the heart's unruly nature - There's an
art to this. Outwardly we might find ourselves
in confusing circumstances but inwardly we
remember that cultivating skillfulness is our
primary task. With careful, constant observation
we learn to recognise the heart's unruliness.
'Life shouldn't be this way!' We can learn to not
 reactively judge such thoughts.

Our passionate demanding that conditions be
other than how they are is simply seen for what
it is.  With this new seeing we find an increased
daring to offer ourselves into whatever it is we are
doing right now; wholeheartedly, whole-bodily.
As we progress, the task becomes easier; gratitude 
manifests, even though the work is challenging. 
Ajahn Munindo

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