A benevolent dharma friend called me yesterday as a surprise. We have not been talking for a while as we have no common ground in our lives besides learning Buddhism. We both started learning Huayen Buddhism years ago at the same time. She is the most diligent practitioner I personally known. She used to call me in the middle of the night and we would talk for hours on our practice, the quest for existential Turth or our small realization.
She does not own a computer, does not watch television and has only dharma friends. She applies her practice twenty-four hours a day. She observes inwards and contemplates on the arising of consciousness. I am her opposite. I spend many hours a day in front of the computer and in doing worldly activities. Every time she talks to me, she reminds me to put my priority into Shamatha and Vipassana.
On our last phone conversation, one of the insights that I have gained is: “Through diligent practice your benevolent dharma friends will show up around you and friends that have bad influences on you will gradually disappear.” People with the same vibe attract each other.
The friendship between she and I is not close, but deep. We talk the same language. She is one of the few persons that I can have a profound dharma discussion with. She makes my Bodhi Path not so lonely. Her response to my comment will be: “Let go of all friendship too! Who am I that is clinging onto friendship?”
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