Words to Live By
On the way out to Wisconsin, E and I listened to teachings by Pema Chodron. They really moved us, and I think have inspired me to be much more attentive to my practice this year. The teachings were based on the famous Buddhist text The Way of the Bodhisattva by Shantideva. Following is a verse that I am working on memorizing:
There's nothing that does not grow light,
through habit and familiarity,
putting up with little cares,
I'll train myself to bear with great adversity.
There is a very precious, useful instruction in that. Pema Chodron advises using traffic jams, long lines, and other little inconveniences to train oneself. It seems to really make daily life more bearable when you think of these things as opportunities rather than hardships.
There's nothing that does not grow light,
through habit and familiarity,
putting up with little cares,
I'll train myself to bear with great adversity.
There is a very precious, useful instruction in that. Pema Chodron advises using traffic jams, long lines, and other little inconveniences to train oneself. It seems to really make daily life more bearable when you think of these things as opportunities rather than hardships.