During his lifetime, the Buddha established the Fourfold Assembly (the community of monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen) as a social structure that would facilitate the cultivation and maintenance of the qualities of mindfulness and consideration of others. However whether we go forth as monks or nuns or live as householders one thing is clear: it’s likely to take time. This practice has to be developed and worked at over a lifetime.
Usually, things don’t just change and fall into place with the first glimmer of insight. We need to do the work of laying the foundation, using the tools and guidance that the Buddha presented. Even though these were presented over 2,500 years ago they still work well, having been used over generations by men and women to shape their lives to enable the ripening of the potential that each one of us has. It waits quietly in the heart for us to choose to make its cultivation the priority of our lives.
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