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Part II
Last week near Carmet, two boys kept hazing us, throwing water balloons, rocks, and curses. I saw clearly for the first time that this hassle was my karmic retribution earned from aeons of seeking and fighting to be the winner. When I stopped seeking, then troubles would stop seeking me. Now our only "weapons" are the vows of a Bodhisattva, there. Our only protection is bowing with a single mind in repentance and reform. This is the first base for getting straight and protecting others.
Using the adornments of repentance and
reform, he diligently cultivate the path
of benefiting self while benefiting
others... He uses the shield and armor
of the Bodhisattva's great vows to adorn
himself. He saves and protects living
beings and never retreats.
In L.A., an outraged woman yelled, "Stop bowing! That's disgusting. This is America." And near Malibu a young boy asked, "Hey Mister, aren't you 'un'barrassing yourself?"
Bowing came hard to me. Of all the doors of cultivation, bowing was last choice. It really makes you feel unimportant and humble. Bowing is the exact opposite of fighting for self and striving to be number one. Winners don't kowtow. That's for losers. Everybody wants to win. No one wants to lose. But winning is messing up the world. So we bow.
The more we bow, the more the ego hurts; the more the ego hurts, the better the bowing gets. My life started getting good when I began bowing. Yet it's not the kind of good and happiness you want to keep for yourself. There is no self, so how could anything be kept? We give the self away to end disasters and calamities in the world and so we may all become Buddhas together. When I'm bowing, I don't make so much trouble for everyone. That's how it helps the world. It's very patriotic! If I'm embarrassed, I should bow until there is nothing left to "un"embarrass.
As the young boys in Carmet were preparing for another water balloon pass at the monks, an older man walked over from his house. "Could I ask about your ritual and why you're bowing?" When he learned why we were doing prostrations, he got a big, soft smile and his eyes started to water. He proudly reached out to shake hands and patted me on the shoulder with the other. The boys, seeing this, left. All is quiet now. "This is good ...yes sir. I bet it would take all of two years," says the man. I think to myself, "If I could treat all men like they were my father and brother then there wouldn't be any angry young men and no wars. If I could stop competing to be number one and treat all women as sisters, as my mother, then what a peaceful world this could be!"
A simple thought, but out here that's what it comes down to: putting down your own greed, anger, and stupidity with a straight mind and a lot of kindness and compassion. People who don't know much about Buddhism understand this: selfishness is ruining the world, dividing up countries; it splits up families and leaves us feeling lonely and empty. Those folks that take the time to check out what the bowing and Buddhism stand for understand right away. The Dharma speaks for itself.
"You're doing good work, keep it up," says a man in a VW. A woman with two teenage boys says, "Good luck. Good journey. More people should do that. We'd have a better world. Thank you." A man near Duncan's Landing: "I want to give you some bread. I think it's beautiful, what you are doing. You don't have to say anything." Buddhism is pure and simple: no more fighting to be number one. No more seeking name and fame. "Being one with everyone is called Great Compassion" (Master Hua).
The Bodhisattva always thinks of all
living beings with kindness; with thoughts
of benefiting, pity, happiness, harmony,
and gathering in. He has forever left
behind anger, hatred, animosity, and harm.
He always thinks of acting in harmony with
others, of being kind and humane, and of
protecting and helping them.
-- Avatamsaka Sutra
Right on!
Peace in the Way,
Disciple Kuo T'ing
(Heng Ch'au)
bows in respect