Sometimes when we talk about “everything is the Buddha,” we seem to use it in the following way: there are things that we have been trained out of paying attention to through the process of conditioning – they’re “boring, humdrum, habitual” – and bringing an attitude of mind to them of “everything is the Buddha” supports us to pay attention to them. Like dishes. Or, there are things that we have been trained to regard as “not special” through the process of conditioning – they’re “unpleasant, disgusting, off-putting” – and bringing an attitude of mind to them of “everything is the Buddha” supports us to approach them with reverence. Like outhouses.
Having fun practicing taking in the “everything” of “everything is the Buddha.” Everything. Everything! E-ver-y-thing!
Not just “things that we might have overlooked or disliked are actually special and important.” Everything!
Everything. Nothing excluded. No separation. Unconditional.
And having fun practicing asking: “what is this Buddha that everything is?”
Practicing together in the Privileged Environment of the Monastery, we have the opportunity to experience how we learn presence in the presence of presence. Someone orients us on how to paint a fence, and we are transformed by how they move the brush. We are in the presence of someone who is wholeheartedly present to the task, and the presence that is us wakes up in the presence of that presence. We leave a fork in the soapy tub in the dish line, and we are transformed by how the person behind us – who had until then been briskly washing dishes – stops, slowly makes Gassho, and gives us the space to retrieve the fork. We are in the presence of someone who is so present to washing the dishes that they are able to respond to the change in Life’s pace, and the presence that is us wakes up in the presence of that presence.
Practicing together in the Privileged Environment of the Monastery, we get to be in the presence of awake-ness.
Through observing the Privileged Environment, we support ourselves to bring wholeheartedness to our practice of presence, and we support each other in doing the same.
And being in the presence of awake-ness wakes us up to the awake-ness of everything. To the Buddha nature, to the presence, of everything.
We experience how everything is calling us to presence. A friendly universe where everything is rooting for us to be here.
And our willingness to practice presence deepens: to practice unconditional presence to whatever is arising. Unconditional. Nothing excluded. Everything. To practice Everything is the Buddha; to practice being Everything is the Buddha!
In this way, I do most deeply vow to train myself.
Gassho,
Anna