The Thousands

“Better than a hundred years of mischief
Is one day spent in contemplation.
Better than a hundred years of ignorance
Is one day spent in reflection.
Better than a hundred years of idleness
Is one day spent in determination.”
                - Dhammapada

 

We want to be better people.  We want to find truth.  We want to have peace in our minds, our families, our world.  We want our soldiers to protect and rescue those who are in trouble.  We want our leaders to forge diplomatic alliances which bring the world together.  We want our neighbors to love us and accept our differences and we want to do the same.  We want to change and create and do so much, but the mountain is too high.

We look up to the mountain, we see it clearly in front of us, but we don’t see the mountain at all.  Instead we see all the vines and slippery rocks and impassable terrain.  Like the forest and the trees, the mountain becomes invisible.  How often do you hear a person saying they want to change?  We sit about and talk about how we should be more this or more that and less this or less that.  We talk about it and think about it, but more often than not, the same conclusion is reached: It’s too hard. There are too many obstacles. I can’t.

Mischief, ignorance, idleness and contemplation, refection, determination– these are the contrasting words of today’s Dhammapada quote.  We think it is easy to bask in ignorance and idleness, but this is not true.  The troubles that linger around us when we are unfocused are very time consuming.  They take away from our reserves of energy, patience, compassion and so forth.  They delay us from beginning our journey up the mountain. 

Contemplation, determination, and reflection are the vines and the slippery rocks and the impassable terrain on the way up the mountain.  Addressing these, we find focus.  Crossing over these, we find peace in the very world we thought would be so hard.  Do not avoid the mountain.  If you avoid it, it will eventually destroy you.  If you embrace it, it will embrace you and you can become as solid and true as any mountain.