| All the seeds of all the flowers of tomorrow are in | | | | I think that the guardians on our sense doors are |
| the seeds of today. An Indian Buddhist saying. | | | | even more important today because of the nature |
| I love this saying. For me it carries within it the | | | | of our modern world. We are constantly assailed with |
| fundamental message of dependent arising. No single | | | | images, sounds, smells which probably are not too |
| flower or seed is independent of itself. It carries | | | | skilful. (Just take a look at the majority of our |
| within it the past and the future. All the flowers of | | | | advertising. Most advertising these days breaks at |
| yesterday and all the flowers of tomorrow. In this | | | | least one of these precepts, particularly false |
| meditation I am coupling this with the Buddhist | | | | speech!) We post our guardians and then with |
| approach of guardians of the sense doors and for | | | | mindfulness, watch the feelings and emotions that |
| me, this is the essence of the Dharma. In Buddhism, | | | | are involved. If we can practise and maintain our |
| we have the concept of the 5 usual senses, plus the | | | | mindfulness during the day, away from the cushion, |
| 6th which is the mind itself. Through our senses we | | | | then we have at least some chance of not allowing |
| open ourselves up to the world and experience it. If | | | | these unskilful elements to take hold. We can keep |
| we apply mindfulness to these senses we can | | | | watch and just allow the positive seeds to develop. |
| capture the essence of anything experienced and | | | | Here we come back to this beautiful Indian saying. All |
| understand it. We can then decide if it is skilful and | | | | the seeds of all the flowers of tomorrow are in the |
| unskilful. I like this idea of skilful and unskilful, rather | | | | seeds of today |
| than good and evil. It feels softer and more forgiving | | | | With mindfulness we develop our positive seeds and |
| somehow, and also somehow more personal. Rather | | | | weed out the negative. The Buddha explained to us |
| than some higher power deciding our fate based on | | | | that actually, we are only alive for 1/64th of a finger |
| our thoughts and actions, we decide for ourselves. | | | | snap. Everything before is a memory, everything to |
| We are very much in control of our own destiny. Our | | | | come is a plan, a fantasy, a dream. We are |
| own Karma! | | | | constantly being reborn and our actions take us |
| I came to Buddhism because of its approach to the | | | | forward to the next 1/64th lifetime. If we are |
| precepts. The precepts are :- | | | | mindful to the precepts, through the guardians on our |
| To refrain from | | | | sense doors, particularly the mind, then suddenly each |
| ..harming living beings. | | | | 1/64th lifetime is important and worthwhile. Each is |
| ...taking things not freely given. | | | | positive and each takes us forward to the next. We |
| ...sexual misconduct. | | | | develop positive Karma. |
| ...false speech. | | | | A phrase I like to use here which sums this up is "As |
| ...intoxicating drinks and drugs causing heedlessness. | | | | Buddhist, we capture and celebrate the most intimate |
| Although each precept describes that which is | | | | nature of the present moment" |
| unskilful, for example "do not take what isn't freely | | | | So the more I stay mindful, the more I capture each |
| given", unlike many other religions I love the positive | | | | moment with mindfulness, aware of what I am |
| view that is presented alongside - for example "Be | | | | feeling, thinking, doing, the better the next 1/64th |
| generous" | | | | lifetime will be. |
| Obviously this is explored here at the very high level, | | | | This, for me at the moment is dependent arising and |
| but Buddhism requires us to explore these precepts | | | | this is the experience of Karma. I carry forward the |
| inside ourselves without reference (necessarily) to | | | | results of my previous lifetimes. Not lifetimes before |
| others. They become our personal measure and we | | | | this body was born, but lifetimes just moments ago. I |
| are our own judges here. It is here that the | | | | love this way of thinking and I love the Dharma. And |
| guardians on our sense doors become important. | | | | I am only just starting to experience and understand |
| Particularly the guardian on our mind. Our own | | | | it! |
| 'mindfulness of mind'. This is why we meditate I | | | | Interestingly, this also underlines for me why I don't |
| believe. To help us to train ourselves to be mindful | | | | feel I make progress on the cushion during formal |
| and able to catch the unskilful and develop the skilful. | | | | meditation. My meditation is practise for the following |
| However, coupled with this is the step in the | | | | day. To help me stay mindful. |
| Eightfold path of Right Effort. Although we judge | | | | Cultivating mindfulness on this clear spring morning. |
| ourselves, at the same time we are encouraged to | | | | With the sound of birdsong and the babbling brook, |
| be gentle on ourselves. Push ourselves, but not too | | | | the guardians on my sense doors are far from busy. |
| hard. Guilt is a delusion in Buddhism. So we are | | | | I feel the gardener in my mind, watching my |
| encouraged to recognise our unskilful actions against | | | | thoughts, tip his hat in acknowledgement to Mara and |
| the precepts, recognise and learn from them and | | | | her unskilful friends, but call and welcome in the skilful |
| then move on. | | | | to his home. |