H.E. Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo recently gave this spontaneous teaching to her students on compassion and generosity:
“Ani Sonam and I were sitting back chatting and we started to laugh after we ordered things for the poor and so forth, put something online for the people that can’t figure it out for themselves and so forth. We just wondered, what is it that people do with their time when they’re not doing this work? We would sincerely like to know? Are we missing something? Shopping? Going on little vacays? Out to dinner – what? We practice too you know.
There’s a secret you all have that I don’t have. Maybe life would be a lot more fun if I had your secret?
On the other hand, nobody but you would be the better for it. I always worry about the world and all sentient beings, every single one. Not only humans, but animals, every kind of sentient creature. The suffering is all pervasive. So I have a really hard time just taking it easy.
Is that my neuroses? I really sincerely wonder. Should I relax? I have been described by Gemini as relentless. Hmmm.
All my life I thought it would be a good idea to relax, but I just couldn’t find the time lol. And I still can’t.
Life grows short, time grows short, and suffering grows greater. So I’m in a hurry. There’s one or two of you that are too. But only that. The rest of us are just getting by.
But I love you all profoundly. Rich and poor. Selfish and giving. Sick and well. Old and young. And every kind of non-human. I LOVE you all….”
If you feel inspired to help ease suffering, please consider giving to KPC Buddhist Relief:
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