Good morning!
We have a sunny Sunday with sittings, surrounded by fresh green and lilies, etc.,
after a spell of rain like the rainy season. With much rain we also have rampant
weeds, even poison ivy, and broken branches. We sowed some seeds in our veggie
garden so that we may enjoy fresh lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
Working in the garden I have learned a lot about life. Some seeds sprout, but others
don’t. Even if they sprout, a lack of water, soft soil, or sunlight can cause plants to
grow poorly, without flowers and fruits. The cold and dry winter made some trees
dead or flowerless, late budding or with shoots that became suckers, causing trunks
to dry and die. Plucking them may or may not revive them.
Dr. Suzuki of the Suzuki Method, also called the Mother Tongue Method or Ability
Education, said that observing the five principles of better environment, better
method, better instruction, earlier start, and more practice will make anyone a
genius in any field. Dogen said that cultivation is verification. Only practice makes
perfect.
The Buddha said that one can enter nirvana by going through the gate of samādhi,
like entering into a palace garden through that gate. Everyone must cultivate oneself
to enter nirvana or pure peace (sometimes translated as Pure-land) through
samādhi, and also cultivate good soil, seeds, and saplings with sunlight and shade,
water and wind, etc., to verify, full of flowers and fruits.
6/15/14
