Somebody asked me in an email if I knew the source of a quote. Here is the full quote which is spoken by the celebrant at the end of the Lay Ordination ceremony.
We live in the world as if in the sky
just as the lotus blossom is not wetted
by the water that surrounds it.
The mind is immaculate and beyond the dust.
Let us bow to the highest Lord.
It has been a long day, it’s actually the next day now, and I’m so very glad right now to be publishing this verse.
Highest Lord? Really the meaning of that, the spiritual meaning, needs to be discovered for oneself. Right off the top of my head and for now I’d say deepest *heart. However the emphasis must surely be on Let us bow.
*Heart – heart/mind or Shin.
Rev Mugo
Thank you for this beautiful verse.
It reminds me of the closing ‘meal time’ verse.
The Universe is as the boundless sky.
as lotus blossoms above unclean water;
Pure and beyond the world is the mind of the trainee;
O Holy Buddha, we take refuge in thee.
This brought tears of pure joy to my eyes when I first heard it spoken. Sometimes simple words can be so powerful.
Perhaps the similarity is just in the imagery?
And here is a quote from a card received by my correspondent which prompted him to ask me where the quote in this post came from. And also what the full quote is.
Be like the Lotus growing from the deepest mud
Learn about silence from the talkative
Tolerance from the intolerant
And kindness from the unkind.
I love it every time you mention Lotus flowers. My dharma name is Pema Lamo which means something like Lotus Goddess, so every time you mention Lotus you remind me of my own refuge with the Dharma, the special, simple ceremony with the Lama and also the direct link back to that what is. That is through the poem itself, it’s link to my name, that slight feeling of being a naughty child whose name has just been called to attention in a class room, and the isness.
Today I even managed not to shout at the kids despite melt down after melt down. And listened and listed problems which helped dry tears. Maybe the Lotus was listening?
In gassho, Rachel