Good morning!
Last night’s spring storm turned into a drizzling spring rain. While I was driving I saw the spring mist thickening. Then I though it might not actually be mist; I switched on the window wipers and there was little change. So I turned on the heater and the blower. Voila – the windshield cleared, no mist!
If I hadn’t doubted my perception, known the reason and how to respond, I could have panicked, worsened the situation, and even had an accident, possibly a fatal one.
If we don’t notice our real situation and continue on in a misty, clouded world, we’ll never see the clear world and live a calm, cool life. I remember a friend of mine telling his story: he thought everybody had a dim eye, but after a long while he realized only his was dim.
We need not only to wipe our windshield, but also to warm up inside in order to clear the mist from the cold window glass. Then we can see grass turning green within a day, and willows and lilacs budding in soft green also.
A common saying goes like this: “A frog in a well does not know the great ocean.” If we remain in our small worlds, we’ll never know the wide, bountiful, beautiful world; the truthful, trustworthy realm.
The Buddha said that this is the “come and see” (ehi-passika) way. Anybody can come, sit, and see the beautiful spring scene right here and now. Why we should migrate in the misty and miserable, dreamed or dreadful, world?
3/5/11