By Bob
In the Book club Ann organized
We are learning about practicing right action from the book “The eightfold path” by Jikyo Cheryl Wolfer, Dainin kataguri said
“Whether weak or strong, in high or middle or low realms of existence, small or great, . . . may all beings be happy
Let no one deceive another nor despise any being in any state.
Let none by anger or hatred wish harm to another.
Even as a mother at the risk of her life watches over and protects her only child, so with a boundless mind should one cherish all living things, suffusing love over the entire world, above, below, and all around, without limit, so let one cultivate an infnite good will toward the whole world.
Do not deceive and do not despise anyone, but cherish them as you would your own child. (Even cockroaches? Even kudzu? Even (insert name of favorite political villain here? Yes, even them.)
To be at peace, to do good, we cannot despise anyone.
All sentient beings are allowed to live and are, from the be-ginning, forgiven for living their lives in this world.
Everything, whatever it is, has some reason why it exists: evil, good, even something neither evil nor good.
You cannot destroy devils just because you don’t like them. Even though you don’t like monsters, still there is some reason why they exist. Everything is entitled to live in this world in peace and harmony beyond our judgment, our evaluation. This is the first condition we have to realize-every-thing is buddha.
As I consider this matter of being forgiven, a softness arises.
The voices of internal critics hush for a moment.
Sentient beings are “forgiven for living their lives in this world.”
I am included, this sentient being, forgiven for living my life, for having emotions, actions, and impacts, for taking space, for using air, water, and food that might be better spent elsewhere.
No, it wouldn’t be better spent elsewhere. I’m welcome here, belonging, forgiven, embraced. If I were gone, the whole world would miss me, just as I miss my sister whose death left a hole in my life.
This person, this sentient being, matters to the world around me.
What I do matters.
My actions create my own world and also the world of those around me, just as their actions create my world, just as everyone’s actions together create the whole world.
Compassionate action can arise from our wish to be a certain kind of person, or even from our wish to be seen by others as a certain kind of person. Or, kind action can arise from our awareness of the nature of things: this sick person, that needy one, the polluted river, the endangered animal, the perpetrator and victim of harm—all are none other than my self. There is no separation.
Hakone Zendo 