Dharma, when you least expect it. . .
My father used to tell me that life’s most powerful lessons are the ones that sneak up on you when you least expect them. As wonderful as it is to be able to listen to and study under knowledgeable teachers, the Dharma is not just limited to the messages they share. It lives and manifests through the people, things, and experiences we encounter throughout each and every day. The problem is that we are often so preoccupied with our daily distractions, illusions, and attachments that we fail to catch the lessons coming our way. It is thus always a refreshing and profound moment when one sneaks up and grabs us at just the right moment. You can literally feel that lightbulb turning on above your head. I sometimes wonder if this is a just a little hint of what a true moment of shinjin feels like. I guess I will have to let you know on that some day!
I recently had one of those “a-ha” moments when reading the The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. Apple+’s animated short version of the book was one of this year’s Oscar winning films. The short, which left me crying happy tears, was the reason I had to go read the original. I dare say that the book was every bit as heart-warming and wonderful as its beautifully animated counterpart. The story features four unlikely companions brought together by a journey. Though they do not know exactly where they are headed, they all seem to agree that what they are seeking is “home”. While trying to imagine what home would be like, they are drawn to working together and getting to know each other along the way.
“Is your glass half empty or half full?” asked the mole.
“I think I’m grateful to have a glass.” said the boy.
Both the short film and the book are filled with beautiful imagery and powerful emotion, as the friends learn to accept each other’s unique talents and come to realize that each is perfect exactly as they are. To Jodo Shinshu practitioners, the moral of the story should already be sounding very familiar. We are constantly reminded by our teachers and readings that Amida Buddha accepts each and every one of us as we are and that the Primal Vow does not discriminate. Knowing that the Pure Land awaits us as we are, we are urged to practice gratitude for all that we have and experience in life. Even the hard times and moments of darkness have something to offer us as we make our way to the land of Endless Life and Light.
The most powerful moment in Mackesy’s story - for me - was an exchange between the boy and the mole. As the companions journey together the mole asks the boy, “Is your glass half empty or half full?” Without missing a beat, the little boy answers, “I think I’m grateful to have a glass.” In that brief exchange, I suddenly found myself confronted by the whole of the Dharma. You see, throughout the story, the child is at times scared, lost, beset by the elements, and even at the whims of nature. Yet for all the adversity, he recognizes that there are reasons to be thankful. Of course, three of those reasons are his travel friends. But he also sees the beauty that surrounds them all. So whether it be good times or not so good times, he is grateful to be alive.
This message, as many times as I have heard it in the temple or been reminded of it by my teachers, never hit me as hard as it did in this story. It’s been weighing on me for days now and giving me pause to look at my daily experiences in a new light. I too am grateful to just have a glass - to have this life with all of the people, places, and things in it. There may be good times and bad time and all kinds of times in between, but is it not awesome to be able to experience them all? As my Rimban likes to remind us at the temple, it is almost impossible to appreciate the magnitude of things that had to happen or come together for any one of us to be here to experience all that life has to offer. That fact alone is reason enough to give thanks!
If you have not yet seen or read The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse - and I recommend you do both if you can - gather up the ones you love and the ones for whom you are grateful and enjoy some time on the journey together. You will be glad you did. I hope the Dharma of it will strike you as profoundly as it did me.
In gassho,
Sokusho
